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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 1, 2012

Securities Act File No. 333-172214

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-2

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933     x

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

  Pre-Effective Amendment No.2   x
  Post-Effective Amendment No.   ¨

 

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255

Greenwich, CT 06830

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including Area Code: (203) 983-5275

 

Jonathan H. Cohen

Chief Executive Officer

TICC Capital Corp.

8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255

Greenwich, CT 06830

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

COPIES TO:

Steven B. Boehm

John J. Mahon

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP

1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

(202) 383-0100

 

Approximate date of proposed public offering:      From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

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

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

¨     when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Title of Securities Being Registered   Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)
  Amount of
Registration Fee(1)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share(2)(3)

       

Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share(2)

       

Subscription Rights(2)

       

Total(4)

  $100,000,000   $11,460(5)

 

 

(1)   Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(o) solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee.
(2)   Subject to Note 4 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, or subscription rights to purchase shares of common stock as may be sold, from time to time.
(3)   Includes such indeterminate number of shares of common stock as may, from time to time, be issued upon conversion or exchange of other securities registered hereunder, to the extent any such securities are, by their terms, convertible or exchangeable for common stock.
(4)   In no event will the aggregate offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this registration statement exceed $100,000,000.
(5)   Previously paid.

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

 

 

 


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

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED                          , 2012

 

PROSPECTUS

$100,000,000

LOGO

TICC Capital Corp.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Subscription Rights

 

 

 

We are a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the “1940 Act.” We are principally engaged in providing capital to primarily non-public small to mid-size companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return.

 

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, up to $100,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, which we refer to, collectively, as our “securities.” The preferred stock and subscription rights offered hereby may be convertible or exchangeable into shares of our common stock. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms to be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus.

 

In the event we offer common stock, the offering price per share of our common stock less any underwriting discounts or commissions will generally not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering. However, we may issue shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus at a price per share that is less than our net asset value per share (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the prior approval of the majority of our common stockholders or (iii) under such other circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) may permit.

 

Our securities may be offered directly to one or more purchasers, or through agents designated from time to time by us, or to or through underwriters or dealers. Each prospectus supplement relating to an offering will identify any agents or underwriters involved in the sale of our securities, and will disclose any applicable purchase price, fee, discount or commissions arrangement between us and our agents or underwriters or among our underwriters or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See “Plan of Distribution.” We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of this prospectus and a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” On January 30, 2012, the last reported sales price on the Nasdaq Global Select Market for our common stock was $9.47 per share.

 

 

 

An investment in our securities is subject to a number of significant risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “ Risk Factors ” beginning on page 15 to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our securities.

 

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities, or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

Please read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplements before investing and keep each for future reference. This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement contain important information about us that a prospective investor should know before investing in our securities. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC ( http://www.sec.gov ), which is available free of charge by contacting TICC Capital Corp. at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275, or by visiting our website ( http://www.ticc.com ). The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of this prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.

 

 

 

                    , 2012


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You should rely only the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We have not authorized any person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement to this prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any such supplements do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate as of the dates on their covers; however, the prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement will be updated to reflect any material changes.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Summary

     1   

Offerings

     8   

Fees and Expenses

     11   

Selected Financial and Other Data

     13   

Selected Quarterly Financial Data

     14   

Risk Factors

     15   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     37   

Use of Proceeds

     38   

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     39   

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     40   

Senior Securities

     72   

Business

     73   

Portfolio Companies

     84   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     91   

Management

     93   

Portfolio Management

     102   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     110   

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     117   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     122   

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     123   

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     124   

Description of Securities

    
125
  

Description of Our Capital Stock

     125   

Description of Our Preferred Stock

    
132
  

Description of Our Subscription Rights

    
133
  

Plan of Distribution

     134   

Legal Matters

     136   

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     136   

Experts

     136   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     136   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     137   

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1   


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC, using the “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series up to $100,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between information in this prospects and the prospectus supplement, you should rely only on the information contained in the prospectus supplement. Please carefully read this prospectus and the prospectus supplement together with any exhibits and the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Risk Factors” before you make an investment decision.


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SUMMARY

 

The following summary contains basic information about offerings pursuant to this prospectus. It may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of offerings pursuant to this prospectus, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus, together with the accompanying prospectus supplements including the risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement and the information set forth under the caption “Where You Can Find Additional Information” in this prospectus.

 

Except where the context requires otherwise, the terms “TICC,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TICC Capital Corp. together with its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC (“Holdings”) and TICC CLO LLC (“Securitization Issuer” or “TICC CLO”); “TICC Management” refers to TICC Management, LLC; and “BDC Partners” refers to BDC Partners, LLC.

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing primarily in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company (“BDC”), we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we invest primarily in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have been operating for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies will have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

We have historically and may in the future continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our common stockholders.

 

 

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On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, which is in turn a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million (the “Subordinated Notes”), and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners, and Charles M. Royce, our non-executive Chairman, is the President of Royce & Associates. Under our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management – Investment Advisory Agreement.”

 

We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company.” In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”), under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which we refer to as the Code.

 

Our corporate headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Current Market Conditions and Investment Opportunity

 

Beginning in mid-2007, global credit and other financial markets suffered substantial stress, volatility, illiquidity and disruption. These developments caused a series of failures and restructurings among a large number of financial institutions, which either participated in the origination and distribution of structured finance or syndicated loan credit products, or invested in them. The debt and equity capital markets in the U.S. have been impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to these products and the re-pricing of credit risk in the loan market, among other things.

 

These events constrained the availability of capital for the market as a whole, and the financial services sector in particular. During 2009, the syndicated corporate loans market experienced both unprecedented price declines and volatility. While prices remained depressed across many sectors and ratings categories through most of 2009, we witnessed a strong upward move during the second half of 2009, which continued through 2010. During 2011, we saw ongoing price volatility for corporate loans, consistent with many other parts of the debt and equity markets. Although corporate loan prices may still be below historical averages, our view is that certain, primarily larger-issuer, broadly syndicated corporate loans still may not adequately reflect the spreads necessary to compensate investors for the risks involved. In view of the above circumstances, we continue to focus more heavily on middle-market issuers and to a limited extent larger issuers, and, opportunistically, on certain structured finance investments, including CLO investment vehicles, and have recently made a number of selective purchases in these markets.

 

 

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Competitive Advantages

 

We believe that we are well positioned to provide financing primarily to middle-market companies for the following reasons:

 

   

Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments;

 

   

Flexible investment approach; and

 

   

Established transaction sourcing network.

 

Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments

 

While our investment focus is middle-market companies, we have invested, and in the future will likely continue to invest, in larger and smaller companies and in other investment structures on an opportunistic basis. Most recently, we have invested in a number of CLO investment vehicles. We believe our experience in analyzing middle-market companies and CLO investment structures, as detailed in the biographies of TICC Management’s senior investment professionals, affords us a sustainable competitive advantage over lenders with limited experience in investing in these markets. In particular, we have expertise in evaluating the operating characteristics of middle-market companies as well as the structural features of CLO investments, and monitoring the credit risk of such investments after closing until full repayment.

 

   

Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, has more than 19 years of experience in equity research and investment. Mr. Cohen is also the Chief Executive Officer of T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment manager of Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (LSE AIM: GLIF), a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. Mr. Cohen has also served as Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as Chief Executive Officer of its investment adviser, Oxford Lane Management, LLC (“Oxford Lane Management”), since 2010. Mr. Cohen was also the owner, managing member, and a principal of JHC Capital Management, a registered investment adviser that served as the sub-adviser to the Royce Technology Value Fund, a technology-focused mutual fund, and was previously a managing member and principal of Privet Financial Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer, from 2003 to 2004. Prior to founding JHC Capital Management in 2001, Mr. Cohen managed technology research groups at Wit Capital and SoundView Technology Group from 1999 to 2001. He has also managed securities research groups at Merrill Lynch & Co. from 1998 to 1999. He was named to Institutional Investor’s “All-American” research team in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

 

   

Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, has 13 years of experience in the capital markets, with a focus on middle-market transactions. Mr. Rosenthal is also the President of T2 Advisers, LLC, which serves as the investment manager of Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (LSE AIM: GLIF), a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal has served as President and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as President of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Rosenthal previously was a Vice President and co-founder of the Private Equity Group at Wit Capital. Prior to joining Wit Capital, Mr. Rosenthal was an attorney at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling LLP. Mr. Rosenthal serves on the board of Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared) and the New York City chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO-WPO).

 

   

Darryl Monasebian is the Senior Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Management of TICC Management, LLC, the advisor of TICC. Previously, Mr. Monasebian was a Director in the Merchant

 

 

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Banking Group at BNP Paribas, and prior to that was a Director at Swiss Bank Corporation and a Senior Account Officer at Citibank. He began his business career at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an Investment Analyst in the Corporate Investments Department. Mr. Monasebian has more than 20 years of banking and investment management experience.

 

   

Hari Srinivasan is Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of TICC Management, LLC, the advisor of TICC. Previously, Mr. Srinivasan was a Credit Manager focusing on the restructuring and monetization of distressed assets in Lucent Technologies’ vendor finance portfolio, and on the credit analysis of several of Lucent’s telecom customers. Prior to that, he was an analyst in Fixed Income with Lehman Brothers. Mr. Srinivasan began his career as a Computer Science engineer.

 

Flexible investment approach

 

While we must comply with the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs, we have significant flexibility in selecting and structuring our investments. We also have fairly broad latitude as to the term and nature of our investments. We recognize that middle-market companies in some cases may make corporate development decisions that favorably impact long-term enterprise value at the expense of short-term financial performance. We believe that this fundamental investment understanding results in a more flexible approach to managing investments which facilitates positive, long-term relationships with our portfolio companies, bankers and other intermediaries and enables us to be a preferred source of capital to them. We also believe our approach enables our debt financing to be a viable alternative capital source for funding middle-market companies that wish to avoid the dilutive effects of equity financings.

 

We are not subject to the investment time requirements and reinvestment limitations of private funds. These provisions typically require that such private funds invest capital within a set period of time and then ultimately return to investors the initial capital and associated capital gains, with certain limitation on reinvesting such capital. We believe that our ability to make investments at the most opportune time rather than based on a pre-agreed time horizon with the ability to reinvest such funds indefinitely should help us to maximize returns on our invested capital.

 

Established transaction sourcing network

 

Through the investment professionals of TICC Management, we have extensive contacts and sources from which to generate investment opportunities. These contacts and sources include private equity funds, companies, brokers and bankers. We believe that senior professionals of TICC Management have developed strong relationships within the investment community over their years within the banking, investment management and equity research field.

 

Management Fee

 

We pay TICC Management a fee for its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement consisting of two components—a base management fee and an incentive fee. The cost of both the base management fee payable to TICC Management and any incentive fees earned by TICC Management are ultimately borne by our common stockholders.

 

The base management fee (the “Base Fee”) is calculated at an annual rate of 2.00% of our gross assets. For services rendered under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Base Fee is payable quarterly in arrears, and is calculated based on the average value of our gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters, and appropriately adjusted for any equity or debt capital raises, repurchases or redemptions during the current calendar quarter. The Base Fee for any partial quarter will be appropriately pro rated.

 

 

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The incentive fee has two parts. The first part is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees, such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that we receive from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter minus our operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base Fee, expenses payable under our administration agreement with BDC Partners (the “Administration Agreement”), and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with “payment-in- kind,” or “PIK,” interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that we have not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of our net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, is compared to one-fourth of an annual “hurdle rate” determined as of the immediately preceding December 31 st by adding 5.0% to the interest rate then payable on the most recently issued five-year U.S. Treasury Notes, up to a maximum annual hurdle rate of 10.0%.

 

The operation of the incentive fee with respect to our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for each quarter is as follows:

 

   

no incentive fee is payable to TICC Management in any calendar quarter in which our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed one fourth of the annual hurdle rate.

 

   

20% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds one-fourth of the annual hurdle rate in any calendar quarter is payable to TICC Management (i.e., once the hurdle rate is reached, 20% of all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter is allocated to TICC Management).

 

The second part of the incentive fee is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), and equals 20% of our “Incentive Fee Capital Gains,” which consist of our realized capital gains for each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation for that calendar year. For accounting purposes only, in order to reflect the theoretical capital gains incentive fee that would be payable for a given period as if all unrealized gains were realized, we will accrue a capital gains incentive fee based upon realized capital gains and losses during the current calendar year through the end of the period, plus any unrealized capital appreciation and depreciation as of the end of the period. It should be noted that a fee so calculated and accrued would not necessarily be payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and may never be paid based upon the computation of capital gains incentive fees in subsequent periods. Amounts paid under the Investment Advisory Agreement will be consistent with the formula reflected in the Investment Advisory Agreement. See “Investment Advisory Agreement.”

 

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Risk Factors

 

The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our securities, will fluctuate. Our investments may be risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investing in our securities involves other significant risks, including the following:

 

   

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

   

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

   

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

 

   

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

   

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

   

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

   

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

   

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

   

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns.

 

   

Our investments in the companies that we are targeting may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to make speculative investments.

 

   

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

   

Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

   

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

   

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

   

The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

 

 

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Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of our Board of Directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

   

We are subject to risks associated with the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15, and the other information included in this prospectus, for additional discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our securities.

 

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OFFERINGS

 

We may offer, from time to time, up to $100,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We will offer our securities at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The offering price per share of our securities, less any underwriting commissions or discounts, generally will not be less than the net asset value per share of our securities at the time of an offering. However, we may issue shares of our securities pursuant to this prospectus at a price per share that is less than our net asset value per share (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the prior approval of the majority of our common stockholders or (iii) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit. Any such issuance of shares of our common stock below net asset value may be dilutive to the net asset value of our common stock. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Offerings Pursuant to this Prospectus.”

 

Our securities may be offered directly to one or more purchasers, or through agents designated from time to time by us, or to or through underwriters or dealers. The prospectus supplement relating to an offering will identify any agents or underwriters involved in the sale of our securities, and will disclose any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between us and our agents or underwriters or among our underwriters or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See “Plan of Distribution.” We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of this prospectus and a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.

 

Set forth below is additional information regarding offerings of our securities:

 

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities in primarily privately negotiated transactions, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes. Each supplement to this prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

NASDAQ Global Select Market symbol

“TICC”

 

Distributions

To the extent that we have income available, we intend to distribute quarterly dividends to our stockholders. The amount of our dividends, if any, will be determined by our Board of Directors. Any dividends to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution.

 

Taxation

We have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally do not have to pay corporate-level federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To maintain our RIC tax treatment, we must meet specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute annually at least 90% of our ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. See “Distributions” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.”

 

 

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Leverage

We have historically and may in the future borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. The use of leverage magnifies the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increases the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our common stockholders.

 

Management Arrangements

TICC Management serves as our investment adviser. BDC Partners serves as our administrator. For a description of TICC Management and BDC Partners, and our contractual arrangements with these companies, see “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement,” and “—Administration Agreement.”

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

We have adopted an “opt out” dividend reinvestment plan. If your shares of common stock are registered in your own name, your distributions will automatically be reinvested under our dividend reinvestment plan in additional whole and fractional shares of common stock, unless you “opt out” of our dividend reinvestment plan so as to receive cash dividends by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent. If your shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee, you should contact the broker or nominee for details regarding opting out of our dividend reinvestment plan. Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of stock will be subject to the same federal, state and local tax consequences as stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

 

Certain Anti-Takeover Measures

Our charter and bylaws, as well as certain statutory and regulatory requirements, contain certain provisions that may have the effect of discouraging a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us. These anti-takeover provisions may inhibit a change in control in circumstances that could give the holders of our securities the opportunity to realize a premium over the market price for our securities. See “Description of Securities.”

 

Where You Can Find Additional Information

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus.

 

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the

 

 

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Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830, by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus.

 

 

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FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “us” or “TICC,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, you will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as an investor in TICC.

 

Stockholder transaction expenses:

  

Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)

     —   % (1)  

Offering expenses borne by us (as a percentage of offering price)

     —   % (2)  

Dividend reinvestment plan expenses

     None     (3)  
  

 

 

 

Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)

     —  
  

 

 

 

Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to our common stock):

  

Base management fee

     2.75 % (4)  

Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement

     0.92 % (5)  

Interest payments on borrowed funds

     0.99 % (6)  

Acquired fund fees and expenses

     0.98 % (7)  

Other expenses (estimated)

     1.01 % (8)  
  

 

 

 

Total annual expenses (estimated)

     6.65 % (9)  
  

 

 

 

 

Example

 

The following example, required by the SEC, demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. In calculating the following expense amounts, we assumed we would maintain the current amount of leverage and that our operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above. In the event that shares to which this prospectus relates are sold to or through underwriters, a corresponding prospectus supplement will restate this example to reflect the applicable sales load.

 

     1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return

   $ 57       $ 170       $ 282       $ 553   

 

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5.0% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5.0%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5.0% annual return, would either not be payable or have a de minimis effect, is not included in the example. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below net asset value. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

(1)   In the event that the securities to which this prospectus relates are sold to or through underwriters, a corresponding prospectus supplement will disclose the applicable sales load and the “Example” will be updated accordingly.
(2)   The prospectus supplement corresponding to each offering will disclose the applicable offering expenses and total stockholder transaction expenses as a percentage of the offering price.
(3)   The expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan are included in “other expenses.”

 

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(4)   Assumes gross assets of $420.7 million and $101.25 million of leverage, and assumes net assets of $305.8 million. Our base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement is based on our gross assets, which is defined as all the assets of TICC, including those acquired using borrowings for investment purposes. Because we use borrowings for investment purposes, it has the effect of increasing our gross assets upon which our base management fee is calculated, while our net assets remain unchanged. See “Portfolio Management — Investment Advisory Agreement.”
(5)   Assumes that annual incentive fees earned by TICC Management remain consistent with the incentive fees earned by TICC Management during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011. In subsequent periods, incentive fees would increase if, and to the extent that, we earn greater interest income through our investments in portfolio companies and realize additional capital gains upon the sale of warrants or other equity investments in such companies. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part, which is payable quarterly in arrears, equals 20.0% of the excess, if any, of pre-incentive fee net investment income over an annual hurdle rate (equal to the interest rate payable on a five-year U.S. Treasury Note plus 5%, up to a maximum of 10%). The second part of the incentive fee equals 20.0% of our net realized capital gains for the calendar year less any unrealized capital losses for such year and will be payable at the end of each calendar year. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “Portfolio Management — Investment Advisory Agreement.”
(6)   Assumes that we maintain our current level of $101.25 million of outstanding borrowings as of September 30, 2011. Interest payments on borrowed funds represents our annualized interest expense as of September 30, 2011 and includes interest payable on the notes issued by us. For the three months ended September 30, 2011, the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the debt securitization financing transaction, was 3.0%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the debt securitization financing transaction. We may also issue preferred stock, which may be considered a form of leverage, pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. In the event we were to issue preferred stock, our borrowing costs, and correspondingly our total annual expenses, including our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets, would increase. For example, if we were to issue $100,000,000 of preferred stock with a preferred rate equal to 8.0%, our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets and our interest payments on borrowed funds would be approximately 3.41% and 3.61%, respectively, and our total annual expenses would be approximately 9.93%.
(7)   Reflects the estimated annual base collateral manager fees that will be indirectly incurred by us in connection with our investments in CLO equity tranches based upon the CLO equity investments held as of September 30, 2011. Base collateral manager fees are charged on the total assets of the CLO vehicle, including the assets acquired with borrowed funds, but are assumed to be paid from the residual cash flows after interest payments to the senior debt tranches. Therefore, these base collateral manager fees (which are generally 0.50% to 0.55% of total assets) are effectively much higher when allocated only to the equity tranches. The calculation does not include any other operating expense ratios of the CLO vehicles, as these amounts are not routinely reported to stockholders on a basis consistent with this methodology; however, it is estimated that additional operating expenses of approximately 0.5% to 1.0% could be incurred. As a result of our investments in such CLO equity investments, our stockholders will be required to pay two levels of fees and expenses in connection with their investment in our common stock, including fees payable under our Investment Advisory Agreement and fees and expenses charged to us on the CLO equity tranches in which we are invested.
(8)   Assumes that the amount of operating expenses payable by TICC remains consistent with the operating expenses incurred by TICC during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011.
(9)   The holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) indirectly bear the cost associated with our annual expenses.

 

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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

The following selected financial data for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006 is derived from our financial statements which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm. Quarterly financial information is derived from unaudited financial data, but in the opinion of management, reflects all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which are necessary to present fairly the results for such interim periods. Interim results at and for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011. The following data should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and related notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in this prospectus.

    Nine Months Ended
September 30,
    Year Ended
December 31,

2010
    Year Ended
December 31,

2009
    Year Ended
December 31,

2008
    Year Ended
December 31,

2007
    Year Ended
December 31,

2006
 
    2011     2010            
    (unaudited)     (unaudited)                                

Income Statement Data:

             

Total Investment Income

  $ 31,979,372      $ 24,367,761      $ 33,506,591      $ 20,507,792      $ 37,305,635      $ 43,841,813      $ 35,947,227   

Total Expenses before Incentive Fees

  $ 7,974,424      $ 5,801,107      $ 7,859,497      $ 6,964,008      $ 14,629,119      $ 16,393,448      $ 10,215,710   

Total Incentive Fees

  $ 2,317,703      $ 999,829      $ 1,403,597      $ 51,800      $ 485,353      $ 254,746      $ 330,699   

Total Expenses

  $ 10,292,127      $ 6,800,936      $ 9,263,094      $ 7,015,808      $ 15,114,472      $ 16,648,194      $ 10,546,409   

Net Investment Income

  $ 21,687,245      $ 17,566,825      $ 24,243,497      $ 13,491,984      $ 22,191,163      $ 27,193,619      $ 25,400,818   

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

  $ 7,349,009      $ 40,028,624      $ 63,947,441      $ 35,182,458      $ (53,266,154   $ (11,648,832   $ 26,331,172   

Per Share Data:

             

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Net Investment Income per common share (Basic and Diluted) (1)

  $ 0.67      $ 0.65      $ 0.89      $ 0.51      $ 0.91      $ 1.30      $ 1.28   

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations per common share (Basic and Diluted) (1)

  $ 0.23      $ 1.49      $ 2.35      $ 1.32      $ (2.19   $ (0.56   $ 1.32   

Distributions Declared per Share

  $ 0.74      $ 0.57      $ 0.81      $ 0.60      $ 1.06      $ 1.44      $ 1.38   

Balance Sheet Data:

             

Total Assets

  $ 420,685,891      $ 252,501,725      $ 317,900,083      $ 225,340,291      $ 204,962,887      $ 396,390,153      $ 334,819,746   

Total Net Assets

  $ 305,801,069      $ 250,278,154      $ 314,117,541      $ 224,091,995      $ 203,366,750      $ 257,369,503      $ 271,335,345   

Other Data:

             

Number of Portfolio Companies at Period End

    75        50        50        35        23        33        28   

Purchases of Loan Originations

  $ 212,200,000      $ 99,000,000      $ 129,800,000      $ 65,700,000      $ 18,300,000      $ 188,000,000      $ 191,000,000   

Loan Repayments

  $ 79,400,000      $ 42,000,000      $ 73,800,000      $ 65,600,000      $ 90,500,000      $ 87,300,000      $ 76,600,000   

Proceeds from Loan Sales

  $ 8,400,000      $ 47,300,000      $ 54,800,000      $ 14,000,000      $ 50,200,000      $ 4,500,000      $ 4,300,000   

Total Return (2)

    (21.23 )%     82.94     102.39     81.15     (50.23 )%      (36.26 )%      17.02

Weighted Average Yield on Debt Investments at Period End (3)

    11.4 %     13.8     14.1     9.0     8.9     11.3     12.8

 

(1)    

In accordance with ASC 260-10, the weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding used in computing basic and diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2008, December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006 were increased retroactively by a factor of 1.021 to recognize the bonus element associated with rights to acquire shares of common stock that were issued to stockholders on May 23, 2008. See Note 4—Earnings Per Share, included in the financial statements, for additional information about the rights offering and the calculation of the associated bonus element.

(2)    

Total return equals the increase or decrease of ending market value over beginning market value, plus distributions, divided by the beginning market value, assuming dividend reinvestment at prices obtained under our dividend reinvestment plan.

(3)    

Weighted average yield calculation includes the impact of any loans on non-accrual status as of the year end.

 

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SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following table sets forth certain quarterly financial data for each of the quarters for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 and the first three quarters of 2011. This data is derived from our unaudited financial statements. Results for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year or for any future quarter.

 

    2011     2010     2009  

($ in thousands,
except per share data)

  Q3     Q2     Q1     Q4     Q3     Q2     Q1     Q4     Q3     Q2     Q1  

Total investment income

  $ 11,085      $ 11,134      $ 9,760      $ 9,139      $ 9,081      $ 8,731      $ 6,556      $ 5,516      $ 4,949      $ 4,920      $ 5,123   

Total expenses before incentive fee

  $ 3,166      $ 2,443      $ 2,365      $ 2,058      $ 1,996      $ 1,978      $ 1,827      $ 1,958      $ 1,771      $ 1,677      $ 1,558   

Total incentive fee

  $ (3,697   $ (832   $ 6,847      $ 404      $ 482      $ 434      $ 84      $ 5      $      $      $ 47   

Total expenses

  $ (531   $ 1,611      $ 9,212      $ 2,462      $ 2,478      $ 2,412      $ 1,911      $ 1,963      $ 1,771      $ 1,677      $ 1,605   

Net investment income

  $ 11,616      $ 9,523      $ 548      $ 6,677      $ 6,603      $ 6,319      $ 4,645      $ 3,553      $ 3,178      $ 3,243      $ 3,518   

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

  $ (8,415   $ 4,205      $ 11,560      $ 23,919      $ 12,443      $ 9,602      $ 17,984      $ 11,902      $ 15,024      $ 9,699      $ (1,443

Net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per share (basic and diluted) (1)

  $ 0.36      $ 0.29      $ 0.02      $ 0.24      $ 0.25      $ 0.24      $ 0.17      $ 0.13      $ 0.12      $ 0.12      $ 0.13   

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations per share (basic and diluted) (1)

  $ (0.26   $ 0.13      $ 0.36      $ 0.84      $ 0.46      $ 0.36      $ 0.67      $ 0.45      $ 0.56      $ 0.36      $ (0.05

 

(1)   Aggregate of quarterly earnings per share differs from calculation of annual earnings per share for the years ending December 31, 2010 and 2009 due to rounding.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves a number of significant risks. In addition to the other information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, you should consider carefully the following information before making an investment in our securities. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us might also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value and the trading price of our common stock could decline or the value of our preferred stock or subscription rights may decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

 

Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure

 

Any failure on our part to maintain our status as a business development company would reduce our operating flexibility.

 

If we do not remain a BDC, we might be regulated as a closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act, which would subject us to substantially more regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act and correspondingly decrease our operating flexibility.

 

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

We depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the senior management of TICC Management. The senior management, together with other investment professionals, will evaluate, negotiate, structure, close, monitor and service our investments. Our future success will depend, to a significant extent, on the continued service and coordination of the senior management team, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer of TICC Management, and Saul B. Rosenthal, the President and Chief Operating Officer of TICC Management. Neither Mr. Cohen nor Mr. Rosenthal will devote all of their business time to our operations, and both will have other demands on their time as a result of their other activities. Neither Mr. Cohen nor Mr. Rosenthal is subject to an employment contract. The departure of either of these individuals could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective.

 

Our financial condition and results of operations will depend on our ability to manage our existing portfolio and future growth effectively.

 

Our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend on our ability to manage our existing investment portfolio and to grow, which will depend, in turn, on our investment adviser’s ability to identify, analyze, invest in and finance companies that meet our investment criteria, and our ability to raise and retain debt and equity capital. Accomplishing this result on a cost-effective basis is largely a function of our investment adviser’s structuring of the investment process, its ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient services to us and our access to financing on acceptable terms.

 

We and TICC Management, through its managing member, BDC Partners, will need to continue to hire, train, supervise and manage new employees. Failure to manage our future growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

A large number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we make. We compete with a large number of hedge funds and CLO investment vehicles, other equity and non-equity based investment funds, including other business development companies, investment banks and other sources of financing, including traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks and specialty finance companies.

 

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Many of our competitors are substantially larger than us and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a business development company. There can be no assurance that the competitive pressures we face will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, as a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we can offer no assurance that we will be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective.

 

Our business model depends upon the development and maintenance of strong referral relationships with private equity and venture capital funds and investment banking firms.

 

If we fail to maintain our relationships with key firms, or if we fail to establish strong referral relationships with other firms or other sources of investment opportunities, we will not be able to grow our portfolio of loans and achieve our investment objective. In addition, persons with whom we have informal relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities, and therefore there is no assurance that such relationships will lead to the origination of debt or other investments.

 

We may not realize gains from our equity investments.

 

When we invest in debt securities, we may acquire warrants or other equity securities as well. However, the equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline in value. Accordingly, we may not be able to realize gains from our equity interests, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.

 

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

Our portfolio investments are generally not in publicly traded securities. As a result, the fair value of these securities is not readily determinable. We value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board of Directors based upon the recommendation of the Board’s Valuation Committee. In connection with that determination, members of TICC Management’s portfolio management team prepare portfolio company valuations using the most recent portfolio company financial statements and forecasts. We utilize the services of a third party valuation firm which prepares valuations for each of our bilateral portfolio securities that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of the third party valuations of our bilateral portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under our credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly.

 

TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on our behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both our bilateral portfolio securities and our syndicated loan investments. On April 9, 2009, the FASB issued additional guidelines under ASC 820-10-35, “Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly,” which provides guidance on factors that should be considered in determining when a previously active market becomes inactive and whether a transaction is orderly. In accordance with ASC 820-10-35, our valuation procedures specifically provide for the review of indicative quotes supplied by the large agent banks that make a market for each security. However, the marketplace for which we obtain indicative bid quotes for purposes of

 

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determining the fair value of our syndicated loan investments have shown these attributes of illiquidity as described by ASC-820-10-35. Due to limited market liquidity in the syndicated loan market, TICC believes that the non-binding indicative bids received from agent banks for certain syndicated investments that we own may not be determinative of their fair value and therefore alternative valuation procedures may need to be undertaken. As a result, TICC has engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing certain syndicated investments that we own. In addition, TICC Management prepares an analysis of each syndicated loan, including a financial summary, covenant compliance review, recent trading activity in the security, if known, and other business developments related to the portfolio company. All available information, including non-binding indicative bids which may not be determinative of fair value, is presented to the Valuation Committee to consider in its determination of fair value. In some instances, there may be limited trading activity in a security even though the market for the security is considered not active. In such cases the Valuation Committee will consider the number of trades, the size and timing of each trade, and other circumstances around such trades, to the extent such information is available, in its determination of fair value. The Valuation Committee will evaluate the impact of such additional information, and factor it into its consideration of the fair value that is indicated by the analysis provided by third-party valuation firms. We have considered the factors described in ASC 820-10 and have determined that we are properly valuing the securities in our portfolio.

 

Our Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment. The types of factors that the Valuation Committee takes into account in providing its fair value recommendation to our Board of Directors includes, as relevant, the nature and value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings, the markets in which the portfolio company does business, comparison to valuations of publicly traded companies, comparisons to recent sales of comparable companies, the discounted value of the cash flows of the portfolio company and other relevant factors. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would be assessed if a readily available market for these securities existed.

 

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

As stated above, our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities. Substantially all of these securities are subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will otherwise be less liquid than publicly traded securities. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if the need arises. Also, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded our investments.

 

In addition, because we generally invest in debt securities with a term of up to seven years and generally intend to hold such investments until maturity of the debt, we do not expect realization events, if any, to occur in the near-term. We expect that our holdings of equity securities may require several years to appreciate in value, and we can offer no assurance that such appreciation will occur.

 

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results, and as a result, our financial results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

 

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including the rate at which we make new investments, the interest rates payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

 

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Capital markets have recently been in a period of disruption and instability. These market conditions have materially and adversely affected debt and equity capital markets in the U.S. and abroad, which had, and may in the future have, a negative impact on our business and operations.

 

The global capital markets have recently been in a period of disruption as evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated credit market and the failure of certain major financial institutions. Despite actions of the U.S. federal government and foreign governments, these events contributed to worsening general economic conditions that materially and adversely impacted the broader financial and credit markets and reduced the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and financial services firms in particular. These conditions could return in the future. Should these conditions return, we and other companies in the financial services sector may have to access, if available, alternative markets for debt and equity capital. Equity capital may be difficult to raise because, subject to some limited exceptions which apply to us, as a BDC we are generally not able to issue additional shares of our common stock at a price less than net asset value. In addition, our ability to incur indebtedness (including by issuing preferred stock) is limited by applicable regulations such that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, must equal at least 200% immediately after each time we incur indebtedness. The debt capital that will be available, if at all, may be at a higher cost and on less favorable terms and conditions in the future. Any inability to raise capital could have a negative effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required. As a result, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments. In addition, significant changes in the capital markets, including the recent period of extreme volatility and disruption, have had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. An inability to raise capital, and any required sale of our investments for liquidity purposes, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

During portions of 2010, the economy was in the midst of a recession and in a period of tightening credit. Many of our portfolio companies may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. Therefore, our non-performing assets may increase and the value of our portfolio may decrease during these periods as we are required to record the values of our investments. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments at fair value. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing investments and harm our operating results.

 

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, acceleration of the time when the loans are due and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize the portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt that we hold. We may incur additional expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. In addition, if one of our portfolio companies were to go bankrupt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which we actually provided significant managerial assistance to that portfolio company, a bankruptcy court might recharacterize our debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to that of other creditors. These events could harm our financial condition and operating results.

 

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The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Due to the current federal budget deficit concerns, Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) downgraded the federal government’s credit rating from AAA to AA+ for the first time in history on August 5, 2011. This downgrade could lead to subsequent downgrades by S&P, as well as to downgrades by the other two major credit rating agencies, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings. These developments, and the government’s credit concerns in general, could cause interest rates and borrowing costs to rise, which may negatively impact both the perception of credit risk associated with our debt portfolio and our ability to access the debt markets on favorable terms. In addition, a decreased credit rating could create broader financial turmoil and uncertainty, which may weigh heavily on our stock price and our financial performance.

 

In 2010, a financial crisis emerged in Europe, triggered by high budget deficits and rising direct and contingent sovereign debt in Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, which created concerns about the ability of these EU “peripheral nations” to continue to service their sovereign debt obligations. Despite assistance packages to Greece, Ireland and Portugal, the creation of a joint EU-IMF European Financial Stability Facility in May 2010, and a recently announced plan to expand financial assistance to Greece, uncertainty over the outcome of the EU governments’ financial support programs and worries about sovereign finances persist. Risks and ongoing concerns about the debt crisis in Europe could have a detrimental impact on the global economic recovery, sovereign and non-sovereign debt in these countries and the financial condition of European financial institutions. Market and economic disruptions have affected, and may continue to affect, consumer confidence levels and spending, personal bankruptcy rates, levels of incurrence and default on consumer debt and home prices, among other factors. There can be no assurance that the market disruptions in Europe, including the increased cost of funding for certain governments and financial institutions, will not spread, nor can there be any assurance that future assistance packages will be available or, even if provided, will be sufficient to stabilize the affected countries and markets in Europe or elsewhere. To the extent uncertainty regarding the economic recovery continues to negatively impact consumer confidence and consumer credit factors, our business and results of operations could be significantly and adversely affected.

 

The affect of global climate change may impact the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

There may be evidence of global climate change. Climate change creates physical and financial risk and some of our portfolio companies may be adversely affected by climate change. For example, the needs of customers of energy companies vary with weather conditions, primarily temperature and humidity. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of any changes. Increases in the cost of energy could adversely affect the cost of operations of our portfolio companies if the use of energy products or services is material to their business. A decrease in energy use due to weather changes may affect some of our portfolio companies’ financial condition, through decreased revenues. Extreme weather conditions in general require more system backup, adding to costs, and can contribute to increased system stresses, including service interruptions.

 

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

In light of current conditions in the U.S. and global financial markets and the U.S. and global economy, legislators, the presidential administration and regulators have increased their focus on the regulation of the financial services industry. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Reform Act”) became effective on July 21, 2010, although many provisions of the Dodd-Frank Reform Act have delayed effectiveness or will not become effective until the relevant federal agencies issue new rules to implement the Dodd-Frank Reform Act. Nevertheless, the Dodd-Frank Reform Act may have a material adverse impact on the financial services industry as a whole and on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect the Dodd-Frank Act or its implementing regulations will have on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

 

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A disruption in the capital markets and the credit markets could negatively affect our business.

 

As a BDC, we seek to maintain our ability to raise additional capital for investment purposes. Without sufficient access to the capital markets or credit markets, we may not be able to pursue new business opportunities. Disruptive conditions in the financial industry and the impact of new legislation in response to those conditions could restrict our business operations and could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.

 

Our ability to grow our business could be impaired by an inability to access the capital markets or to enter into new credit facilities. At various times over the past three years, reflecting concern about the stability of the financial markets, many lenders and institutional investors have reduced or ceased providing funding to borrowers. This market disruption and tightening of credit has led to increased market volatility and widespread reduction of business activity generally. If we are unable to raise additional equity capital or consummate new credit facilities on terms that are acceptable to us, we may not be able to initiate significant originations.

 

These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as access to the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a further economic downturn or an operational problem that affects third parties or us, and could materially damage our business. Even though if such conditions have improved broadly and significantly over the short-term, adverse conditions in particular sectors of the financial markets could adversely impact our business over the long-term.

 

Price declines and illiquidity in the corporate debt markets have adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, the fair value of our portfolio investments, reducing our net asset value through increased net unrealized depreciation.

 

As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of our Board of Directors. Decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments are recorded as unrealized depreciation. Depending on market conditions, we could continue to incur substantial losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Even in the event the value of your investment declines, the management fee and, in certain circumstances, the incentive fee will still be payable.

 

The management fee is calculated as 2.0% of the value of our gross assets at a specific time. Accordingly, the management fee will be payable regardless of whether the value of our gross assets and/or your investment have decreased. Moreover, a portion of the incentive fee is payable if our net investment income for a calendar quarter exceeds a designated hurdle rate. This portion of the incentive fee is payable without regard to any capital gain, capital loss or unrealized depreciation that may occur during the quarter. Accordingly, this portion of our adviser’s incentive fee may also be payable notwithstanding a decline in net asset value that quarter. In addition, in the event we recognize deferred loan interest income in excess of our available capital as a result of our receipt of payment-in-kind, or “PIK” interest, we may be required to liquidate assets in order to pay a portion of the incentive fee. TICC Management, however, is not required to reimburse us for the portion of any incentive fees attributable to deferred loan interest income in the event of a subsequent default.

 

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225,000,000 debt securitization financing transaction. The notes were issued by a newly formed special purpose vehicle in which our wholly-owned subsidiary owns all of the equity. The notes have an initial face amount of $101,250,000, are rated AAA/Aaa by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., respectively, and bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month LIBOR plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). The notes have a stated maturity date of July 25, 2021 and are subject to a three year non-call period. TICC CLO has a three year reinvestment period.

 

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Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and, therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. We may borrow from and issue senior debt securities to banks, insurance companies, and other lenders. Lenders of these senior securities have fixed dollar claims on our assets that are superior to the claims of our common stockholders. If the value of our assets increases, then leveraging would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more sharply than it would have had we not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Similarly, any increase in our income in excess of interest payable on the borrowed funds would cause our net income to increase more than it would without the leverage, while any decrease in our income would cause net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to make common stock dividend payments. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. Our ability to service any debt that we incur will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. Moreover, as the management fee payable to TICC Management will be payable on our gross assets, including those assets acquired through the use of leverage, TICC Management may have a financial incentive to incur leverage which may not be consistent with our stockholders’ interests. In addition, our common stockholders will bear the burden of any increase in our expenses as a result of leverage, including any increase in the management fee payable to TICC Management.

 

Illustration.  The following table illustrates the effect of leverage on returns from an investment in our common stock assuming various annual returns on the portfolio, net of expenses. The calculations in the table below are hypothetical and actual returns may be higher or lower than those appearing in the table below.

 

     Assumed total return on our portfolio
(net of expenses)
 
     (10.0 )%     (5.0 )%     0.0 %     5.0 %     10.0 %
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Corresponding return to stockholder(1)

     (14.3 )%      (7.7 )%      (1.0 )%      5.7     12.3

 

(1)   Assumes $405.5 million in total assets and $101.25 million in total debt outstanding, which reflects our total assets and total debt outstanding as of September 30, 2011, and a cost of funds of 3.0%. Excludes non-portfolio investment assets and non-leverage related liabilities.

 

We are subject to risks associated with the debt securitization financing transaction that we completed on August 10, 2011.

 

As a result of the debt securitization financing transaction that we completed on August 10, 2011, we are subject to a variety of risks, including those set forth below:

 

We are subject to certain risks as a result of our indirect interests in the subordinated notes and membership interests of the Securitization Issuer.

 

Under the terms of the master loan sale agreement governing the debt securitization financing transaction, (1) we sold and/or contributed to Holdings all of our ownership interest in our portfolio loans and participations for the purchase price and other consideration set forth in the master loan sale agreement and (2) Holdings, in turn, sold and/or contributed to the Securitization Issuer all of its ownership interest in such portfolio loans and participations for the purchase price and the consideration set forth in the master loan sale agreement. Following these transfers, the Securitization Issuer, and not Holdings or us, held all of the ownership interest in such portfolio loans and participations. As a result of the debt securitization financing transaction, we hold indirectly through Holdings Subordinated Notes as well as membership interests, which comprise 100% of the equity interests, in the Securitization Issuer. As a result, we consolidate the financial statements of Holdings and the Securitization Issuer in our consolidated financial statements. Because each of Holdings and the Securitization Issuer is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the sale or contribution by us to Holdings, and by Holdings to the Securitization Issuer, did not constitute a taxable event for

 

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U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the U.S. Internal Revenue Service were to take a contrary position, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The securities issued by the Securitization Issuer, or by any securitization vehicle we sponsor in the future, could be acquired by another business development company or securitization vehicle subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. We may also, from time to time, hold asset-backed securities, or the economic equivalent thereof, issued by a securitization vehicle sponsored by another business development company to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

The Subordinated Notes and membership interests in the Securitization Issuer are subordinated obligations of the Securitization Issuer.

 

The Subordinated Notes are the junior class of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, are subordinated in priority of payment to the Class A Notes issued by the Securitization Issuer and are subject to certain payment restrictions set forth in the indenture governing the notes. Therefore, Holdings only receives cash distributions on the Subordinated Notes if the Securitization Issuer has made all cash interest payments on the Class A Notes it has issued, and we only receive cash distributions in respect of our indirect ownership of the Securitization Issuer to the extent that Holdings receives any cash distributions in respect of its direct ownership of the Securitization Issuer. The Subordinated Notes are also unsecured and rank behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the Securitization Issuer, including the holders of the Class A Notes it has issued. Consequently, to the extent that the value of the Securitization Issuer’s portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets, or as a result of defaulted loans or individual fund assets, the value of the Subordinated Notes at their redemption could be reduced. Accordingly, our investment in the Securitization Issuer may be subject to complete loss.

 

The membership interests in the Securitization Issuer represent all of the equity interest in the Securitization Issuer. As such, the holder of the membership interests is the residual claimant on distributions, if any, made by the Securitization Issuer after holders of all classes of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer have been paid in full on each payment date or upon maturity of such notes under the debt securitization financing transaction documents. Such payments may be made by the Securitization Issuer only to the extent permitted under such documents on any payment date or upon payment in full of the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. We cannot assure you that distributions on the assets held by the Securitization Issuer will be sufficient to make any distributions to us or that such distributions will meet our expectations.

 

The interests of holders of the senior class of securities issued by the Securitization Issuer may not be aligned with our interests.

 

The Class A Notes are the debt obligations ranking senior in right of payment to the Subordinated Notes. As such, there are circumstances in which the interests of holders of the Class A Notes may not be aligned with the interests of holders of the Subordinated Notes and the membership interests of the Securitization Issuer. For example, under the terms of the Class A Notes, holders of the Class A Notes have the right to receive payments of principal and interest prior to holders of the Subordinated Notes and the membership interests.

 

For as long as the Class A Notes remain outstanding, holders of the Class A Notes have the right to act, in certain circumstances, with respect to the portfolio loans in ways that may benefit their interests but not the interests of holders of Subordinated Notes and membership interests, including by exercising remedies under the indenture in the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

If an event of default has occurred and acceleration occurs in accordance with the terms of the indenture, the Class A Notes then outstanding will be paid in full before any further payment or distribution on the Subordinated Notes. In addition, if an event of default occurs, holders of a majority of the Class A Notes will be entitled to determine the remedies to be exercised under the indenture, subject to the terms of the indenture. For example, upon the occurrence of an event of default with respect to the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer,

 

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the trustee or holders of a majority of the Class A Notes may declare the principal, together with any accrued interest, of all the notes of such class and any junior classes to be immediately due and payable. This would have the effect of accelerating the principal on such notes, triggering a repayment obligation on the part of the Securitization Issuer. If at such time the portfolio loans were not performing well, the Securitization Issuer may not have sufficient proceeds available to enable the trustee under the indenture to repay the obligations of holders of the Subordinated Notes, or to pay a dividend to holders of the membership interests.

 

Remedies pursued by the holders of Class A Notes could be adverse to the interests of the holders of the Subordinated Notes, and the holders of Class A Notes will have no obligation to consider any possible adverse effect on such other interests. Thus, any remedies pursued by the holders of Class A Notes may not be in the best interests of Holdings and that Holdings may not receive payments or distributions upon an acceleration of the Subordinated Notes. Any failure of the Securitization Issuer to make distributions on the notes we indirectly hold, whether as a result of an event of default or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and may result in an inability of us to make distributions sufficient to allow our qualification as a RIC.

 

The Securitization Issuer may fail to meet certain asset coverage tests.

 

Under the documents governing the debt securitization financing transaction, there are two asset coverage tests applicable to the Class A Notes. The first such test compares the amount of interest received on the portfolio loans held by the Securitization Issuer to the amount of interest payable in respect of the Class A Notes, interest received on the portfolio loans must equal at least 200% or greater (based upon a graduated scale provided for in the indenture) of the interest payable in respect of the Class A Notes. The second such test compares the principal amount of the portfolio loans to the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Class A Notes. To meet this test at any time, the aggregate principal amount of the portfolio loans must equal at least 135% of the outstanding principal amount of the Class A Notes. If either coverage test is not satisfied, interest and principal received by the Securitization Issuer are diverted on the following payment date to pay the Class A Notes in full to the extent necessary to cause all coverage tests to be satisfied on a pro forma basis after giving effect to all payments made in respect of the notes, which we refer to as a mandatory redemption. If any asset coverage test with respect to the Class A Notes is not met or if the Securitization Issuer fails to obtain a confirmation of the initial ratings of the Class A Notes after the effective date (defined under the indenture as the earlier to occur of April 3, 2012 or the time that the Securitization Issuer has acquired (or committed to acquire) at least $224.1 million in assets), proceeds from the portfolio of loan investments that otherwise would have been distributed to the Securitization Issuer and the holders of the Subordinated Notes will instead be used to redeem first the Class A Notes, to the extent necessary to satisfy the applicable asset coverage tests or to obtain the necessary ratings confirmation.

 

We may not receive cash on our equity interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

We receive cash from the Securitization Issuer only to the extent that Holdings receives payments on the Subordinated Notes or membership interests. The Securitization Issuer may only make payments on such securities to the extent permitted by the payment priority provisions of the indenture governing the notes, which generally provides that principal payments on the Subordinated Notes may not be made on any payment date unless all amounts owing under the Class A Notes are paid in full. In addition, if the Securitization Issuer does not meet the asset coverage tests or the interest coverage test set forth in the documents governing the debt securitization financing transaction, cash would be diverted from the Subordinated Notes to first pay the Class A Notes in amounts sufficient to cause such tests to be satisfied. In the event that we fail to indirectly receive cash from the Securitization Issuer, we could be unable to make such distributions in amounts sufficient to maintain our status as a RIC, or at all. We also could be forced to sell investments in portfolio companies at less than their fair value in order to continue making such distributions. However, the indenture places significant restrictions on the Securitization Issuer’s ability to sell investments. As a result, there may be times or circumstances during which the Securitization Issuer is unable to sell investments or take other actions that might be in our best interests.

 

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We may be required to assume liabilities of the Securitization Issuer.

 

As part of the debt securitization financing transaction, we entered into a master loan sale agreement under which we would be required to repurchase any loan (or participation interest therein) which was sold to the Securitization Issuer in breach of any representation or warranty made by us with respect to such loan on the date such loan was sold. To the extent we fail to satisfy any such repurchase obligation, the trustee may, on behalf of the Securitization Issuer, bring an action against us to enforce these repurchase obligations.

 

The structure of the debt securitization financing transaction is intended to prevent, in the event of our bankruptcy or the bankruptcy of Holdings, the consolidation of the Securitization Issuer with our operations or those of Holdings. If the true sale of these assets were not respected in the event of our insolvency, a trustee or debtor-in-possession might reclaim the assets of the Securitization Issuer for our estate. However, in doing so, we would become directly liable for all of the indebtedness then outstanding under the debt securitization financing transaction, which would equal the full amount of debt of the Securitization Issuer reflected on our consolidated balance sheet. In addition, we cannot assure that the recovery in the event we were consolidated with the Securitization Issuer for purposes of any bankruptcy proceeding would exceed the amount to which we would otherwise be entitled as an indirect holder of the Subordinated Notes had we not been consolidated with the Securitization Issuer.

 

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

Our ability to grow our business requires a substantial amount of capital, which we may acquire from the following sources:

 

Senior Securities and Other Indebtedness

 

We may issue debt securities or preferred stock and/or borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted, as a business development company, to issue senior securities in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% of gross assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, after each issuance of senior securities. This requirement of sustaining a 200% asset coverage ratio limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our loan and investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt. Further additional debt financing may not be available on favorable terms, if at all, or may be restricted by the terms of our debt facilities. If we are unable to incur additional debt, we may be required to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.

 

As a result of the issuance of senior securities, including preferred stock and debt securities, we are exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including an increased risk of loss and an increase in expenses, which are ultimately borne by our common stockholders. Because we may incur leverage to make investments, a decrease in the value of our investments would have a greater negative impact on the value of our common stock. When we issue debt securities or preferred stock, it is likely that such securities will be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility. In addition, such securities may be rated by rating agencies, and in obtaining a rating for such securities, we may be required to abide by operating and investment guidelines that could further restrict our operating flexibility.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225,000,000 debt securitization financing transaction. The notes were issued by a newly formed special purpose vehicle in which our wholly-owned subsidiary owns all of the equity. The notes have an initial face amount of $101,250,000, are rated AAA/Aaa by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., respectively, and bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month LIBOR plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). The notes have a stated maturity date of July 25, 2021 and are subject to a three year non-call period. TICC CLO has a three year reinvestment period.

 

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Our ability to pay dividends or issue additional senior securities would be restricted if our asset coverage ratio was not at least 200%. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments and, depending on the nature of our leverage, repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. Furthermore, any amounts that we use to service our indebtedness would not be available for distributions to our common stockholders.

 

Common Stock

 

We are not generally able to issue and sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share. We may, however, sell our common stock, or warrants, options or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the then-current net asset value of our common stock if our Board of Directors determines that such sale is in the best interests of TICC and its stockholders, and our stockholders approve such sale. In certain limited circumstances, pursuant to an SEC staff interpretation, we may also issue shares at a price below net asset value in connection with a transferable rights offering so long as: (1) the offer does not discriminate among stockholders; (2) we use our best efforts to ensure an adequate trading market exists for the rights; and (3) the ratio of the offering does not exceed one new share for each three rights held. If we raise additional funds by issuing more common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time would decrease and they may experience dilution. Moreover, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to issue and sell additional equity securities in the future, on favorable terms or at all.

 

Our Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify any unissued shares of common stock into one or more classes of preferred stock, which could convey special rights and privileges to its owners.

 

Our charter permits our Board of Directors to reclassify any authorized but unissued shares of stock into one or more classes of preferred stock. We are currently authorized to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of common stock, of which 32,818,428 shares are issued and outstanding as of January 30, 2012. In the event our Board of Directors opts to reclassify a portion of our unissued shares of common stock into a class of preferred stock, those preferred shares would have a preference over our common stock with respect to dividends and liquidation. The cost of any such reclassification would be borne by our existing common stockholders. The class voting rights of any preferred shares we may issue could make it more difficult for us to take some actions that may, in the future, be proposed by our Board of Directors and/or the holders of our common stock, such as a merger, exchange of securities, liquidation, or alteration of the rights of a class of our securities, if these actions were perceived by the holders of preferred shares as not in their best interests. The issuance of preferred shares convertible into shares of common stock might also reduce the net income and net asset value per share of our common stock upon conversion. These effects, among others, could have an adverse effect on your investment in our common stock.

 

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225,000,000 debt securitization financing transaction. The notes were issued by a newly formed special purpose vehicle in which our wholly-owned subsidiary owns all of the equity. The notes have an initial face amount of $101,250,000, are rated AAA/Aaa by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., respectively, and bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month LIBOR plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). As a result, a portion of our income will depend upon the difference between LIBOR and the interest rate on the debt securities in which we invest.

 

Currently, only three of the debt investments in our investment portfolio are at a fixed rate, while the others are at variable rates. Although we have not done so in the past, we may in the future choose to hedge against interest rate fluctuations by using standard hedging instruments such as futures, options and forward contracts, subject to applicable legal requirements. These activities may limit our ability to participate in the benefits of

 

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lower interest rates with respect to the hedged portfolio. Adverse developments resulting from changes in interest rates or hedging transactions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, we have limited experience in entering into hedging transactions, and we will initially have to purchase or develop such expertise if we choose to employ hedging strategies in the future.

 

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

To remain entitled to the tax benefits accorded to RICs under the Code, we must meet certain income source, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. In order to qualify as a RIC, we must derive each taxable year at least 90% of our gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, or other income derived with respect to our business of investing in such stock or securities. The annual distribution requirement for a RIC is satisfied if we distribute at least 90% of our ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, to our stockholders on an annual basis. Because we use debt financing, we are subject to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to satisfy the annual distribution requirement. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for special tax treatment as a RIC and, thus, may be subject to corporate-level income tax on all of our income.

 

In addition, we have purchased and may in the future purchase residual or subordinated interests in CLOs that are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (a “PFIC”). We may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our allocable share of a portion of any “excess distribution” received on, or any gain from the disposition of, such shares even if our allocable share of such income is distributed as a taxable dividend to the PFIC’s stockholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest generally will be imposed on us in respect of deferred taxes arising from any such excess distribution or gain. If we elect to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code (a “QEF”), in lieu of the foregoing requirements, we will be required to include in income each year our proportionate share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF, even if such income is not distributed by the QEF. Alternatively, we may elect mark-to-market treatment for a PFIC; in this case, we will recognize as ordinary income our allocable share of any increase in the value of such shares, and as ordinary loss our allocable share of any decrease in such value to the extent that any such decrease does not exceed prior increases included in our income. Under either election, we may be required to recognize in a year income in excess of distributions from PFICs and proceeds from dispositions of PFIC shares during that year, and such income will nevertheless be subject to the annual distribution requirement described above.

 

To qualify as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these tests may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments will be in private companies, any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices and may result in substantial losses. If we fail to qualify as a RIC for any reason and remain or become subject to corporate income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distribution and the amount of our distributions. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders.

 

We may choose to pay dividends in our own common stock, in which case, our stockholders may be required to pay federal income taxes in excess of the cash dividends they receive.

 

We may distribute taxable dividends that are payable in cash or shares of our common stock at the election of each stockholder. IRS Revenue Procedure 2010-12 temporarily allows a RIC whose stock is publicly traded on an established securities market in the U.S. to distribute its own stock as a dividend for the purpose of fulfilling its distribution requirements. Pursuant to this revenue procedure, a RIC may treat a distribution of its own stock

 

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as fulfilling its distribution requirements if (i) the distribution is declared on or before December 31, 2012, with respect to a taxable year ending on or before December 31, 2011, and (ii) each stockholder may elect to receive his or her entire distribution in either cash or stock of the RIC subject to a limitation on the aggregate amount of cash to be distributed to all stockholders, which limitation must be at least 10% of the aggregate declared distribution. Under Revenue Procedure 2010-12, if too many stockholders elect to receive cash, each stockholder electing to receive cash will receive a pro rata amount of cash (with the balance of the distribution paid in stock). In no event will any stockholder, electing to receive cash, receive less than 10% of his or her entire distribution in cash. If the requirements of Revenue Procedure 2010-12 are met, for U.S federal income tax purposes, the amount of the dividend paid in stock will be equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of stock.

 

Where Revenue Procedure 2010-12 is not currently applicable, the IRS has also issued private letter rulings on cash/stock dividends paid by RICs and real estate investment trusts using a 20% cash standard (and, more recently, the 10% cash standard of Revenue Procedure 2010-12) if certain requirements are satisfied. Stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend (including the portion payable in stock) as ordinary income (or, in certain circumstances, long-term capital gain) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for federal income tax purposes. As a result, stockholders may be required to pay income taxes with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash dividends received. If a U.S. stockholder sells the common stock that it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our common stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in common stock. In addition, if a significant number of our stockholders determine to sell shares of our common stock in order to pay taxes owed on dividends, it may put downward pressure on the trading price of our common stock. It is unclear whether and to what extent we will be able to pay taxable dividends of the type described in this paragraph (whether pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2010-12, a private letter ruling or otherwise). We have no current intention to make a taxable dividend payable in our stock.

 

We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income.

 

For federal income tax purposes, we will include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as original issue discount, which may arise if we receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan or possibly in other circumstances, or contracted PIK interest, which represents contractual interest added to the loan balance and due at the end of the loan term. In addition, we may be required to accrue for federal income tax purposes amounts attributable to our investment in CLOs that may differ from the distributions received in respect of such investments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we will not receive in cash.

 

Because in certain cases we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirement applicable to RICs. Accordingly, we may have to sell some of our investments at times we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital, reduce new investments or make taxable distributions of our stock or debt securities to meet that distribution requirement. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus be subject to corporate-level income tax.

 

In addition, original issue discount income for certain portfolio investments may or may not be included as a factor in the determination of the fair value of such investments.

 

There are significant potential conflicts of interest between TICC and our management team.

 

In the course of our investing activities, we pay management and incentive fees to TICC Management, and reimburse BDC Partners for certain expenses it incurs. As a result, investors in our common stock invest on a

 

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“gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in, among other things, a lower rate of return than one might achieve through direct investments. As a result of this arrangement, there may be times when the management team of TICC Management has interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a conflict.

 

TICC Management receives a quarterly incentive fee based, in part, on our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income,” if any, for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. This incentive fee is subject to a quarterly hurdle rate before providing an incentive fee return to TICC Management. To the extent we or TICC Management are able to exert influence over our portfolio companies, the quarterly pre-incentive fee may provide TICC Management with an incentive to induce our portfolio companies to accelerate or defer interest or other obligations owed to us from one calendar quarter to another.

 

In addition, our executive officers and directors, and the executive officers of TICC Management, and its managing member, BDC Partners, serve or may serve as officers and directors of entities that operate in a line of business similar to our own. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. Charles M. Royce, the non-executive Chairman of our Board of Directors, holds a minority, non-controlling interest in our investment adviser. BDC Partners is the managing member of Oxford Gate Capital, LLC, a private fund in which Messrs. Cohen, Rosenthal and Conroy, along with certain investment and administrative personnel of TICC Management, are invested.

 

Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal also currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, for T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (f/k/a T2 Income Fund Limited) (“GLIF”), a Guernsey fund investing in syndicated loans across a variety of industries globally. BDC Partners is the managing member of T2 Advisers, LLC. Further, Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, of Oxford Lane Capital Corp., a non-diversified closed-end management investment company that currently invests primarily in CLO debt and equity tranches, and its investment adviser, Oxford Lane Management. BDC Partners provides Oxford Lane Capital Corp. with office facilities and administrative services pursuant to an administration agreement and also serves as the managing member of Oxford Lane Management. In addition, Patrick F. Conroy, the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of TICC Management, BDC Partners and TICC, serves in the same capacities for Oxford Lane Capital Corp. and Oxford Lane Management and also serves as the Chief Financial Officer of GLIF and as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer of T2 Advisers, LLC. Because of these possible conflicts of interest, these individuals may direct potential business and investment opportunities to other entities rather than to us or such individuals may undertake or otherwise engage in activities or conduct on behalf of such other entities that is not in, or which may be adverse to, our best interests.

 

We, Oxford Lane Capital Corp., Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited and Oxford Gate Capital, LLC have adopted a written policy with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities in view of the potential conflicts of interest raised by the relationships described above.

 

In the ordinary course of business, we may enter into transactions with portfolio companies that may be considered related party transactions. In order to ensure that we do not engage in any prohibited transactions with any persons affiliated with us, we have implemented certain policies and procedures whereby our executive officers screen each of our transactions for any possible affiliations between the proposed portfolio investment, us, companies controlled by us and our employees and directors. We will not enter into any agreements unless and until we are satisfied that doing so will not raise concerns under the 1940 Act or, if such concerns exist, we have taken appropriate actions to seek board review and approval or exemptive relief for such transaction. Our Board of Directors reviews these procedures on an annual basis.

 

We have also adopted a Code of Ethics which applies to, among others, our senior officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as well as all of our officers, directors and employees. Our

 

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Code of Ethics requires that all employees and directors avoid any conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between an individual’s personal interests and our interests. Pursuant to our Code of Ethics, each employee and director must disclose any conflicts of interest, or actions or relationships that might give rise to a conflict, to our Chief Compliance Officer. Our Audit Committee is charged with approving any waivers under our Code of Ethics. As required by the NASDAQ Global Select Market corporate governance listing standards, the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is also required to review and approve any transactions with related parties (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K).

 

Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business.

 

We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation by laws at the local, state and federal levels. These laws and regulations, as well as their interpretation, may be changed from time to time. Any change in these laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business. In particular, legislative initiatives relating to climate change, healthcare reform and similar public policy matters may impact the portfolio companies in which we invest to the extent they operate in industries that may be subject to such changes.

 

If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could fail to qualify as a business development company or be precluded from investing according to our current business strategy.

 

As a business development company, we may not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such acquisition, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying assets. See “Business — Regulation as a Business Development Company.”

 

We believe that most of our portfolio investments will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could lose our status as a BDC, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Similarly, these rules could prevent us from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies (which could result in the dilution of our position) or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to comply with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of such investments quickly, it would be difficult to dispose of such investments on favorable terms. For example, we may have difficulty in finding a buyer and, even if we do find a buyer, we may have to sell the investments at a substantial loss.

 

Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and of our charter and bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse impact on the price of our common stock.

 

Our charter and bylaws, as well as certain statutory and regulatory requirements, contain certain provisions that may have the effect of discouraging a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us. These anti-takeover provisions may inhibit a change of control in circumstances that could give the holders of our common stock the opportunity to realize a premium over the market price for our common stock.

 

Risks Related to Our Investments

 

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

A consequence of our limited number of investments is that the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. Beyond our income tax asset diversification requirements, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in relatively few issuers. On December 3, 2007, we changed our name from Technology Investment Capital Corp. to TICC Capital Corp.

 

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While we have historically focused on the technology sector, we expect to actively seek new investment opportunities outside this sector that otherwise meet our investment criteria. As a result, a market downturn, including a downturn in the sectors in which we invest, could materially adversely affect us.

 

Most of our debt investments will not fully amortize during their lifetime, which may subject us to the risk of loss of our principal in the event a portfolio company is unable to repay us prior to maturity.

 

Most of our debt investments are not structured to fully amortize during their lifetime. Accordingly, if a portfolio company has not previously pre-paid its debt investment to us, a significant portion of the principal amount due on such a debt investment may be due at maturity. In order to create liquidity to pay the final principal payment, a portfolio company typically must raise additional capital. If they are unable to raise sufficient funds to repay us, the debt investment may go into default, which may compel us to foreclose on the borrower’s assets, even if the debt investment was otherwise performing prior to maturity. This may deprive us from immediately obtaining full recovery on the debt investment and may prevent or delay the reinvestment of the investment proceeds in other, possibly more profitable investments.

 

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns which could result in a heightened risk of loss on your investment.

 

We invest in companies which may have relatively short operating histories. The revenues, income (or losses) and valuations of these companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. Also, the technology-related sector, on which we have historically focused, in particular, is generally characterized by abrupt business cycles and intense competition. The recent cyclical economic downturn has resulted in substantial decreases in the market capitalization of many companies. While such valuations have recovered to some extent, we can offer no assurance that such decreases in market capitalizations will not recur, or that any future decreases in valuations will be insubstantial or temporary in nature. Therefore, our portfolio companies may face considerably more risk of loss than companies in other industry sectors.

 

In addition, because of rapid technological change, the average selling prices of products and some services provided by the technology-related sector, on which we have historically focused, have historically decreased over their productive lives. As a result, the average selling prices of products and services offered by some of our portfolio companies may decrease over time, which could adversely affect their operating results and their ability to meet their obligations under their debt securities, as well as the value of any equity securities, that we may hold. This could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our investments in the companies that we target may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

Although a prospective portfolio company’s assets are one component of our analysis when determining whether to provide debt capital, we generally do not base an investment decisions primarily on the liquidation value of a company’s balance sheet assets. Instead, given the nature of the companies that we invest in, we also review the company’s historical and projected cash flows, equity capital and “soft” assets, including intellectual property (patented and non-patented), databases, business relationships (both contractual and non-contractual) and the like. Accordingly, considerably higher levels of overall risk will likely be associated with our portfolio compared with that of a traditional asset-based lender whose security consists primarily of receivables, inventories, equipment and other tangible assets. Interest rates payable by our portfolio companies may not compensate for these additional risks, any of which could cause us to lose part or all of our investment.

 

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Specifically, investment in certain of the companies that we are invested in involves a number of significant risks, including:

 

   

these companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of us realizing any value from the liquidation of such collateral;

 

   

they may have limited operating histories, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which may tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns;

 

   

because many of them tend to be privately owned, there is generally little publicly available information about these businesses; therefore, although TICC Management’s agents will perform “due diligence” investigations on these portfolio companies, their operations and their prospects, we may not learn all of the material information we need to know regarding these businesses;

 

   

some of these companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons; therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on our portfolio company and, in turn, on us;

 

   

some of these companies may have less predictable operating results, may from time to time be parties to litigation, may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence, and may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, finance expansion or maintain their competitive position; and

 

   

many of these companies may be more susceptible to economic recessions or downturns than other better capitalized companies that operate in less capital intensive industries.

 

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. In addition, if a portfolio company goes bankrupt, even though we may have structured our interest as senior debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which we actually provided significant “managerial assistance” to that portfolio company, a bankruptcy court might recharacterize our debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to that of other creditors.

 

Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our investment portfolio.

 

Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in order to: (i) increase or maintain in whole or in part our equity ownership percentage; (ii) exercise warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; or (iii) attempt to preserve or enhance the value of our investment.

 

We may elect not to make follow-on investments or otherwise lack sufficient funds to make those investments. We have the discretion to make any follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources. The failure to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our concentration of risk, because we prefer other opportunities, or because we are inhibited by compliance with business development company requirements or the desire to maintain our tax status.

 

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Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to use leverage and to make speculative investments.

 

The incentive fee payable by us to TICC Management may create an incentive for TICC Management to use leverage and to make investments on our behalf that are risky or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The way in which the incentive fee on “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” is determined, which is calculated as a percentage of the return on invested capital, may encourage TICC Management to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor holders of our common stock. Similarly, because TICC Management may also receive an incentive fee based, in part, upon the capital gains realized on our investments, the investment adviser may invest more than would otherwise be appropriate in companies whose securities are likely to yield capital gains, as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during an economic downturn.

 

Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies.

 

We intend to invest primarily in senior debt securities, but may also invest in subordinated debt securities, issued by our portfolio companies. In some cases, portfolio companies will be permitted to have other debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, the debt securities in which we invest. By their terms, such debt instruments may provide that the holders thereof are entitled to receive payment of interest or principal on or before the dates on which we are entitled to receive payments in respect of the debt securities in which we invest. Also, in the event of insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of a portfolio company, holders of debt instruments ranking senior to our investment in that portfolio company would typically be entitled to receive payment in full before we receive any distribution in respect of our investment. After repaying such senior creditors, such portfolio company may not have any remaining assets to use for repaying its obligations to us. In the case of debt ranking equally with debt securities in which we invest, we would have to share on an equal basis any distributions with other creditors holding such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company. In addition, we will not be in a position to control any portfolio company by investing in its debt securities. As a result, we are subject to the risk that a portfolio company in which we invest may make business decisions with which we disagree and the management of such companies, as representatives of the holders of their common equity, may take risks or otherwise act in ways that do not best serve our interests as debt investors.

 

Because we generally do not hold controlling equity interests in our portfolio companies, we may not be in a position to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by the managements of our portfolio companies that could decrease the value of our investments.

 

Although we have taken and may in the future take controlling equity positions in our portfolio companies from time to time, we generally do not do so. As a result, we are subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and the stockholders and management of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity for the debt and equity investments that we typically hold in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company, and may therefore suffer a decrease in the value of our investments.

 

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

From time to time we have and may in the future invest in debt and residual value interests of CLO vehicles. Generally, there may be less information available to us regarding the underlying debt investments held by such

 

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CLOs than if we had invested directly in the underlying companies. Our CLO investments will also be subject to the risk of leverage associated with the debt issued by such CLOs and the repayment priority of debt holders senior to us in such CLOs.

 

Some instruments issued by CLO vehicles may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. Securities issued by CLO vehicles are generally not listed on any U.S. national securities exchange and no active trading market may exist for the securities of CLO vehicles in which we may invest. Although a secondary market may exist for our investments in CLO vehicles, the market for our investments in CLO vehicles may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. As a result, these types of investments may be more difficult to value.

 

Failure by a CLO vehicle in which we are invested to satisfy certain tests will harm our operating results.

 

The failure by a CLO vehicle in which we invest to satisfy financial covenants, including with respect to adequate collateralization and/or interest coverage tests, could lead to a reduction in its payments to us. In the event that a CLO vehicle fails certain tests, holders of debt senior to us may be entitled to additional payments that would, in turn, reduce the payments we would otherwise be entitled to receive. Separately, we may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, with a defaulting CLO vehicle or any other investment we may make. If any of these occur, it could materially and adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.

 

Our financial results may be affected adversely if one or more of our significant equity or junior debt investments in a CLO vehicle defaults on its payment obligations or fails to perform as we expect or if the market price fluctuates significantly in such illiquid investments.

 

Up to 30% of our portfolio may consist of equity and junior debt investments in CLO vehicles, which involves a number of significant risks. CLO vehicles that we invest in are typically very highly levered (10-14 times), and therefore, the junior debt and equity tranches that we invest in are subject to a higher degree of risk of total loss. In particular, investors in CLO vehicles indirectly bear risks of the underlying debt investments held by such CLO vehicles. We will generally have the right to receive payments only from the CLO vehicles, and will generally not have direct rights against the underlying borrowers or the entity that sponsored the CLO vehicle. While the CLO vehicles we have and continue to target generally enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of leveraged corporate loans without the expenses associated with directly holding the same investments, when we invest in an equity tranche of a CLO vehicle we will generally pay a proportionate share of the CLO vehicles’ administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying CLO vehicles will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of the CLO vehicles) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally.

 

The interests we intend to acquire in CLO vehicles will likely be thinly traded or have only a limited trading market. CLO vehicles are typically privately offered and sold, even in the secondary market. As a result, investments in CLO vehicles may be characterized as illiquid securities. In addition to the general risks associated with investing in debt securities, CLO vehicles carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the fact that our investments in CLO tranches will likely be subordinate to other senior classes of note tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the CLO vehicle or unexpected investment results.

 

Investments in structured vehicles, including equity and junior debt instruments issued by CLO vehicles, involve risks, including credit risk and market risk. Changes in interest rates and credit quality may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the underlying leveraged corporate loans held by a CLO vehicle may cause payments on the instruments we hold to be reduced, either temporarily or permanently.

 

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Structured investments, particularly the subordinated interests in which we intend to invest, are less liquid than many other types of securities and may be more volatile than the leveraged corporate loans underlying the CLO vehicles we intend to target. Fluctuations in interest rates may also cause payments on the tranches of CLO vehicles that we hold to be reduced, either temporarily or permanently.

 

Investments in foreign securities may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments.

 

Our investment strategy involves investments in securities issued by foreign entities, including foreign CLO vehicles. Investing in foreign entities may expose us to additional risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issues. These risks include changes in exchange control regulations, political and social instability, expropriation, imposition of foreign taxes, less liquid markets and less available information than is generally the case in the U.S., higher transaction costs, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, less developed bankruptcy laws, difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and greater price volatility. Further, we, and the CLO vehicles in which we invest, may have difficulty enforcing creditor’s rights in foreign jurisdictions. In addition, the underlying companies of the CLO vehicles in which we invest may be foreign, which may create greater exposure for us to foreign economic developments.

 

Although we expect that most of our investments will be U.S. dollar-denominated, any investments denominated in a foreign currency will be subject to the risk that the value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more other currencies. Among the factors that may affect currency values are trade balances, the level of short-term interest rates, differences in relative values of similar assets in different currencies, long-term opportunities for investment and capital appreciation, and political developments. We may employ hedging techniques to minimize these risks, but we can offer no assurance that we will, in fact, hedge currency risk, or that if we do, such strategies will be effective.

 

Risks Related to an Investment in Our Securities

 

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

The trading price of our common stock may fluctuate substantially depending on many factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be directly related to our operating performance. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market from time to time;

 

   

significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of securities of regulated investment companies, business development companies or other financial services companies;

 

   

changes in regulatory policies or tax guidelines with respect to regulated investment companies or business development companies;

 

   

actual or anticipated changes in our earnings or fluctuations in our operating results or changes in the expectations of securities analysts;

 

   

general economic conditions and trends;

 

   

loss of a major funding source; or

 

   

departures of key personnel.

 

In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been brought against that company. Due to the potential volatility of our stock price, we may therefore be the target of securities litigation in the future. Securities litigation could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources from our business.

 

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Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

Shares of closed-end investment companies have frequently traded at a market price that is less than the net asset value that is attributable to those shares. In part as a result of adverse economic conditions and increasing pressure within the financial sector of which we are a part, our common stock consistently traded below our net asset value per share throughout 2009, and have remained below our net asset value per share during some periods in 2010 and 2011. Our shares could revert to trading at a discount to net asset value. The possibility that our shares of common stock may trade at a discount from net asset value over the long term is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. We cannot predict whether shares of our common stock will trade above, at or below our net asset value. If our common stock trades below its net asset value, we will generally not be able to issue additional shares of our common stock at its market price without first obtaining the approval for such issuance from our stockholders and our independent directors. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease our new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decrease and our level of distributions could be impacted.

 

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

We cannot assure you that we will achieve investment results or maintain a tax status that will allow or require any specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. In particular, our future dividends are dependent upon the investment income we receive on our portfolio investments. To the extent such investment income declines, our ability to pay future dividends may be harmed.

 

We will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus, to the extent it is successful.

 

We will have significant flexibility in applying the proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus. We will also pay operating expenses, and may pay other expenses such as due diligence expenses of potential new investments, from net proceeds. Our ability to achieve our investment objective may be limited to the extent that the net proceeds of the offering, pending full investment, are used to pay operating expenses. In addition, we can provide you no assurance that the current offering will be successful, or that by increasing the size of our available equity capital our aggregate expenses, and correspondingly, our expense ratio, will be lowered.

 

Your interest in us may be diluted if you do not fully exercise your subscription rights in any rights offering.

 

In the event we issue subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, stockholders who do not fully exercise their rights should expect that they will, at the completion of the offer, own a smaller proportional interest in us than would otherwise be the case if they fully exercised their rights. We cannot state precisely the amount of any such dilution in share ownership because we do not know at this time what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of the offer.

 

In addition, if the subscription price is less than our net asset value per share, then our stockholders would experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate net asset value of their shares as a result of the offer. The amount of any decrease in net asset value is not predictable because it is not known at this time what the subscription price and net asset value per share will be on the expiration date of the rights offering or what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of the offer. Such dilution could be substantial.

 

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock will likely become more volatile.

 

We cannot assure you that the issuance of preferred stock would result in a higher yield or return to the holders of the common stock. The issuance of preferred stock would likely cause the net asset value and market

 

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value of the common stock to become more volatile. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock were to approach the net rate of return on our investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the holders of the common stock would be reduced. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock were to exceed the net rate of return on our portfolio, the leverage would result in a lower rate of return to the holders of common stock than if we had not issued preferred stock. Any decline in the net asset value of our investments would be borne entirely by the holders of common stock. Therefore, if the market value of our portfolio were to decline, the leverage would result in a greater decrease in net asset value to the holders of common stock than if we were not leveraged through the issuance of preferred stock. This greater net asset value decrease would also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for the common stock. We might be in danger of failing to maintain the required asset coverage of the preferred stock or of losing our ratings, if any, on the preferred stock or, in an extreme case, our current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the dividend requirements on the preferred stock. In order to counteract such an event, we might need to liquidate investments in order to fund a redemption of some or all of the preferred stock. In addition, we would pay (and the holders of common stock would bear) all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the preferred stock, including higher advisory fees if our total return exceeds the dividend rate on the preferred stock. Holders of preferred stock may have different interests than holders of common stock and may at times have disproportionate influence over our affairs.

 

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of our Board of Directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue, voting separately as a single class, would have the right to elect two members of our Board of Directors at all times and in the event dividends become two full years in arrears would have the right to elect a majority of the directors until such arrearage is completely eliminated. In addition, preferred stockholders have class voting rights on certain matters, including changes in fundamental investment restrictions and conversion to open-end status, and accordingly can veto any such changes. Restrictions imposed on the declarations and payment of dividends or other distributions to the holders of our common stock and preferred stock, both by the 1940 Act and by requirements imposed by rating agencies, if any, or the terms of our credit facilities, if any, might impair our ability to maintain our qualification as a RIC for federal income tax purposes. While we would intend to redeem our preferred stock to the extent necessary to enable us to distribute our income as required to maintain our qualification as a RIC, there can be no assurance that such actions could be effected in time to meet the tax requirements.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about TICC, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

   

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

interest rate volatility could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy;

 

   

currency fluctuations could adversely affect the results of our investments in foreign companies, particularly to the extent that we receive payments denominated in foreign currency rather than U.S. dollars; and

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus and in our filings with the SEC.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this prospectus. However, we will update this prospectus to reflect any material changes to the information contained herein.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities in primarily privately negotiated transactions, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes. Because our primary business is to originate loans and make investments in non-public small- to medium-sized companies, we are continuously identifying, reviewing and, to the extent consistent with our investment objective, funding new investments. As a result, we typically raise capital as we deem appropriate to fund such new investments. The supplement to this prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering.

 

We estimate that it will take three to six months for us to substantially invest the net proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus, depending on the availability of attractive opportunities and market conditions. However, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to achieve this goal.

 

Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which are consistent with maintaining our election as a RIC. These temporary investments are expected to provide a lower net return than we hope to achieve from our target investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in such securities.

 

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” The following table sets forth, for each fiscal quarter during the last two fiscal years and the current fiscal year, the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of our common stock, the high and low sales prices for our common stock, such sales prices as a percentage of NAV per share and quarterly distributions per share.

 

    NAV(1)     Price Range     High Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Low Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Cash
Distributions
Per Share(3)
 
    High     Low        

Fiscal 2012

           

First Quarter (through January 30, 2012)

    *      $ 9.77      $ 8.22        *        *        *   

Fiscal 2011

           

Fourth Quarter

    *        9.24        7.29        *        *      $ 0.25   

Third Quarter

  $ 9.34        10.04        7.71        107 %     83 %     0.25   

Second Quarter

    9.85        11.75        9.17        119 %     93 %     0.25   

First Quarter

    9.97        13.11        9.43        131 %     95 %     0.24   

Fiscal 2010

           

Fourth Quarter

    9.85        11.62        9.90        118     101     0.24   

Third Quarter

    9.27        10.70        7.88        115     85     0.22   

Second Quarter

    9.03        8.70        6.50        96     72     0.20   

First Quarter

    8.87        7.05        5.62        79     63     0.15   

 

(1)   Net asset value per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The net asset values shown are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.
(2)   Calculated as the respective high or low sales price divided by NAV.
(3)   Represents the cash distribution declared in the specified quarter.
*   Not determinable at the time of filing.

 

On January 30, 2012, the last reported sales price of our common stock was $9.47 per share. As of January 30, 2012, we had approximately 167 stockholders of record.

 

Shares of BDCs may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from net asset value or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term are separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. Since 2008 through the fourth quarter of 2011, our shares of common stock have traded at both a premium and a discount to the net assets attributable to those shares. As of January 30, 2012, our shares of common stock traded at a premium equal to approximately 1.4% of the net assets attributable to those shares based upon our net asset value as of September 30, 2011. It is not possible to predict whether the shares offered hereby will trade at, above, or below net asset value.

 

We currently intend to distribute a minimum of 90% of our ordinary income and net realized short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, on a quarterly basis to our stockholders. The amount of our quarterly dividends is determined by our Board of Directors. To the extent our taxable earnings for any fiscal year fall below the total amount of our distributions for that fiscal year, a portion of those distributions may be deemed a tax return of capital to our stockholders. There can be no assurance that we will achieve investment results or maintain a tax status that will permit any particular level of dividend payment. Our ability to make distributions is limited by the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act. For a more detailed discussion, see “Regulation as a Business Development Company.”

 

We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan. If your shares of common stock are registered in your own name, your distributions will automatically be reinvested under our dividend reinvestment plan in additional whole and fractional shares of common stock, unless you opt out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent. If your shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee, you should contact the broker or nominee for details regarding opting out of our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

The information contained in this section should be read in conjunction with the Selected Financial and Other Data and our Financial Statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to historical information, the following discussion and other parts of this prospectus contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking information due to the factors discussed under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

Overview

 

Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing in corporate debt securities. We have also invested and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including CLO vehicles, which own debt securities. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. We operate as a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company and have elected to be treated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. We have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under the Code, beginning with our 2003 taxable year.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management, a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act. TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our Investment Advisory Agreement, we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base fee calculated on gross assets, and an incentive fee based upon our performance. Under our Administration Agreement, we have agreed to pay or reimburse BDC Partners, as administrator, for certain expenses incurred in operating TICC. Our executive officers and directors, and the executive officers of TICC Management and BDC Partners, serve or may serve as officers and directors of entities that operate in a line of business similar to our own. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. For more information, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Business and Structure—There are significant potential conflicts of interest, which could impact our investment returns.”

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by the Securitization Issuer, a subsidiary of Holdings, which is in turn a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the Subordinated Notes, which totaled $123.75 million, and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we invest primarily in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have been operating for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies will have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range between $5 million and $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates. As of September 30, 2011, our debt investments had stated interest rates of between 2.15% and 15.58% (excluding our investment in GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc., which carries a zero interest rate through October 30, 2014) and maturity dates of between 15 and 133 months. In

 

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addition, our total investment portfolio had a weighted average yield on debt investments of approximately 11.4% including GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc.

 

Our loans may carry a provision for deferral of some or all of the interest payments and amendment fees, which will be added to the principal amount of the loan. This form of deferred income is referred to as “payment-in-kind,” or “PIK,” interest or other income and, when earned, is recorded as interest or other income and an increase in the principal amount of the loan. For the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we recognized approximately $147,000 of interest income attributable to PIK associated with our investments in Pegasus Solutions, Inc., Merrill Communications, LLC. and Shearers Food, Inc., compared to PIK interest of approximately $71,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.

 

We have historically and may continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we are exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to TICC Management, will be borne by our common stockholders.

 

In addition, as a BDC under the 1940 Act, we are required to make available significant managerial assistance, for which we may receive fees, to our portfolio companies. These fees would be generally non-recurring, however in some instances they may have a recurring component. We have received no fee income for managerial assistance to date.

 

Prior to making an investment, we may enter into a non-binding term sheet with the potential portfolio company. These term sheets are generally subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to the satisfactory completion of our due diligence investigations of the company’s business and legal documentation for the loan.

 

To the extent possible, our loans will be collateralized by a security interest in the borrower’s assets or guaranteed by a principal to the transaction. Interest payments, if not deferred, are normally payable quarterly with most debt investments having scheduled principal payments on a monthly or quarterly basis. When we receive a warrant to purchase stock in a portfolio company, the warrant will typically have a nominal strike price, and will entitle us to purchase a modest percentage of the borrower’s stock.

 

During the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we closed approximately $81.0 million in new portfolio investments. During the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we recognized a total of $9.0 million from principal repayments on debt investments. We realized net gains on investments during the quarter ended September 30, 2011 in the amount of approximately $83,000.

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we had net unrealized depreciation of approximately $20.1 million, comprised of approximately $0.3 million gross unrealized appreciation, $20.3 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $0.1 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized appreciation as an investment was realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the quarter ended September 30, 2011 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
 

Vision Solutions, Inc.

   $ (0.4

CIFC CLO - 2006-1A B2L

     (0.4

Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d

     (0.4

Hewetts Island CDO 2007 - 1RA E

     (0.4

Nextag, Inc.

     (0.4

Primus 2007 2X Class E CLO

     (0.4

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     (0.4

Canaras CLO Equity - 2007-1A, 1X

     (0.4

Latitude II CLO 2006 2A D

     (0.4

RBS Holding Company

     (0.4

Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE

     (0.5

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

     (0.5

Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D

     (0.5

Jersey Straits 2006-1A CLO LTD

     (0.5

Avenue CLO V LTD 2007-5A D1

     (0.5

SourceHov, LLC

     (0.6

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a

     (0.6

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

     (0.6

Latitude III CLO 2007-3A

     (0.6

Landmark V CDO LTD

     (0.6

Emporia CLO 2007 3A E

     (0.7

Harch 2005-2A BB CLO

     (0.7

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

     (0.9

Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4

     (1.0

Prospero CLO II BV

     (2.0

All other, net

     (5.3
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ (20.1
  

 

 

 

 

For the quarter ended September 30, 2010, we recorded net realized gains on investments of approximately $867,000, which largely represents the gains associated with the repayment of our debt investments in Palm, Inc. (approximately $540,000) and the sale of our debt investments First Data Corporation (approximately $394,000) and X-Rite Incorporated (approximately $342,000). These gains were partially offset by the loss associated with our partial sale of our debt investment in SCS Holdings II, Inc. (approximately $612,000).

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the quarter ended September 30, 2010, we had net unrealized gains of approximately $5.0 million, comprised of $9.7 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $4.1 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $0.6 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized appreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the quarter ended September 30, 2010 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
 

American Integration Technologies, LLC

   $ 3.3   

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

     0.7   

Landmark V CDO LTD

     0.4   

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

     0.4   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     0.4   

First Data Corporation

     (0.3

Workflow Management, Inc.

     (0.7

Palm, Inc.

     (0.5

All other, net

     1.3   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 5.0   
  

 

 

 

 

Current Market and Economic Conditions

 

Beginning in mid-2007, global credit and other financial markets suffered substantial stress, volatility, illiquidity and disruption. These developments caused a series of failures and restructurings among a large number of financial institutions, which either participated in the origination and distribution of structured finance or syndicated loan credit products, or invested in them. The debt and equity capital markets in the U.S. have been impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to these products and the re-pricing of credit risk in the loan market, among other things.

 

These events constrained the availability of capital for the market as a whole, and the financial services sector in particular. During 2009, the syndicated corporate loans market experienced both unprecedented price declines and volatility. While prices remained depressed across many sectors and ratings categories through most of 2009, we witnessed a strong upward move during the second half of 2009, which continued through 2010. During 2011, we saw ongoing price volatility for corporate loans, consistent with many other parts of the debt and equity markets. Although corporate loan prices may still be below historical averages, our view is that certain, primarily larger-issuer, broadly syndicated corporate loans still may not adequately reflect the spreads necessary to compensate investors for the risks involved. In view of the above circumstances, we continue to focus more heavily on middle-market issuers and to a limited extent larger issuers, and, opportunistically, on certain structured finance investments, including CLO investment vehicles, and have recently made a number of selective purchases in these markets.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and revenues and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified our investment valuation policy as a critical accounting policy.

 

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Investment Valuation

 

The most significant estimate inherent in the preparation of our financial statements is the valuation of investments and the related amounts of unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments recorded. There is no single method for determining fair value in good faith. As a result, determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments we make. We are required to specifically fair value each individual investment on a quarterly basis.

 

In May 2011, the FASB issued an update to requirements relating to “ Fair Value Measurement which represents amendments to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in US GAAP and IFRS .” The amendments are of two types: (i) those that clarify the FASB’s intent about the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements and (ii) those that change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The amendments that change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements relate to (i) measuring the fair value of the financial instruments that are managed within a portfolio; (ii) application of premium and discount in a fair value measurement; and (iii) additional disclosures about fair value measurements. The update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 with early adoption prohibited. We do not believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact on our financial statements.

 

We adopted ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure, which establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements, on January 1, 2008. ASC 820-10 clarified the definition of fair value and requires companies to expand their disclosure about the use of fair value to measure assets and liabilities in interim and annual periods subsequent to initial recognition. ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820-10 also establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, which includes inputs such as quoted prices for similar securities in active markets and quoted prices for identical securities in markets that are not active; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. We have determined that due to the general illiquidity of the market for our investment portfolio, whereby little or no market data exists, all of our investments are based upon “Level 3” inputs.

 

Our Board of Directors determines the value of our investment portfolio each quarter. In connection with that determination, members of TICC Management’s portfolio management team prepare portfolio company valuations using the most recent portfolio company financial statements and forecasts. Since March 2004, we have engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing our bilateral investments and, more recently, for certain of our syndicated loans, although our Board of Directors ultimately determines the appropriate valuation of each such investment.

 

Our process for determining the fair value of a bilateral investment begins with determining the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Enterprise value means the entire value of the company to a potential buyer, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The fair value of our investment is based, in part, on the enterprise value at which the portfolio company could be sold in an orderly disposition over a reasonable period of time between willing parties other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The liquidity event whereby we exit a private investment is generally the sale, the recapitalization or, in some cases, the initial public offering of the portfolio company.

 

There is no one methodology to determine enterprise value and, in fact, for any one portfolio company, enterprise value is best expressed as a range of fair values, from which we derive a single estimate of enterprise value. To determine the enterprise value of a portfolio company, we analyze the historical and projected financial

 

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results, as well as the nature and value of any collateral. We also use industry valuation benchmarks and public market comparables. We also consider other events, including private mergers and acquisitions, a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent debt or equity sale or restructuring, and include these events in the enterprise valuation process. We generally require portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Typically, our bilateral debt investments are valued on the basis of a fair value determination arrived at through an analysis of the borrower’s financial and operating condition or other factors, as well as consideration of the entity’s enterprise value. The types of factors that we may take into account in valuing our investments include: market trading and transaction comparables, applicable market yields and multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flows, among other factors. The fair value of equity interests in portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including the enterprise value remaining for equity holders after the repayment of the portfolio company’s debt and other preference capital, and other pertinent factors such as recent offers to purchase a portfolio company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the portfolio company’s equity securities, or other liquidity events. The determined equity values are generally discounted when we have a minority position, restrictions on resale, specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other factors.

 

We will record unrealized depreciation on bilateral investments when we believe that an investment has become impaired, including where collection of a loan or realization of an equity security is doubtful. To the extent that we believe that it has become probable that a loan is not collectible or probable that an equity investment is not realizable, we will classify that amount as a realized loss. We will record unrealized appreciation if we believe that the underlying portfolio company has appreciated in value and our equity security has also appreciated in value. Changes in fair value, other than such changes that are considered probable of non-collection or non-realization, as described above, are recorded in the statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

 

Under the valuation procedures approved by our Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee, a third-party valuation firm will prepare valuations for each of our bilateral investments for which market quotations are not readily available that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company, (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of those third-party valuations of our portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under our credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly. TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on our behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both our bilateral portfolio securities and our syndicated loan investments. Our Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment.

 

On April 9, 2009, the FASB issued additional guidelines under ASC 820-10-35, “Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly,” which provides guidance on factors that should be considered in determining when a previously active market becomes inactive and whether a transaction is orderly. In accordance with ASC 820-10-35, our valuation procedures specifically provide for the review of indicative quotes supplied by the large agent banks that make a market for each security. However, the marketplace for which we obtain indicative bid quotes for purposes of determining the fair value of our syndicated loan investments have shown these attributes of illiquidity as described by ASC-820-10-35. Due to limited market liquidity in the syndicated loan market, TICC believes that the non-binding indicative bids received from agent banks for certain syndicated investments that we own may not be determinative of their fair value and therefore alternative valuation procedures may need to be undertaken. As a result, TICC has engaged third-party valuation

 

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firms to provide assistance in valuing certain syndicated investments that we own. In addition, TICC Management prepares an analysis of each syndicated loan, including a financial summary, covenant compliance review, recent trading activity in the security, if known, and other business developments related to the portfolio company. All available information, including non-binding indicative bids which may not be determinative of fair value, is presented to the Valuation Committee to consider in its determination of fair value. In some instances, there may be limited trading activity in a security even though the market for the security is considered not active. In such cases the Valuation Committee will consider the number of trades, the size and timing of each trade, and other circumstances around such trades, to the extent such information is available, in its determination of fair value. The Valuation Committee will evaluate the impact of such additional information, and factor it into its consideration of the fair value that is indicated by the analysis provided by third-party valuation firms. We have considered the factors described in ASC 820-10 and have determined that we are properly valuing the securities in our portfolio.

 

During the past several quarters, we have acquired a number of debt and equity positions in CLO investment vehicles. These investments are special purpose financing vehicles. In valuing such investments, we consider the operating metrics of the specific investment vehicle, including compliance with collateralization tests, defaulted and restructured securities, and payment defaults, if any. In addition, we consider the indicative prices provided by the broker who arranges transactions in such investment vehicles, as well as any available information on other relevant transactions in the market. TICC Management or the Valuation Committee may request an additional analysis by a third-party firm to assist in the valuation process of CLO investment vehicles. All information is presented to our Board of Directors for its determination of fair value of these investments.

 

Our assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at September 30, 2011, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)

   Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using         

Assets

   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
Other Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
     Total  

Cash equivalents

   $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 0.0   

Senior Secured Notes

     0.0         0.0         263.0         263.0   

CLO Debt

     0.0         0.0         51.6         51.6   

CLO Equity

     0.0         0.0         34.5         34.5   

Subordinated Notes

     0.0         0.0         5.1         5.1   

Common Stock

     0.0         0.0         4.7         4.7   

Preferred Shares

     0.0         0.0         2.5         2.5   

Warrants to purchase equity

     0.0         0.0         0.8         0.8   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 362.2       $ 362.2   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for three months ending September 30, 2011, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity
Investments
    Warrants
to Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at June 30, 2011

  $ 200.0      $ 61.0      $ 33.1      $ 5.5      $ 5.8      $ 2.5      $ 0.9      $ 308.8   

Realized Gains included in earnings

    0.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.1   

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    (5.6 )     (10.4 )     (2.7 )     (0.2 )     (1.1 )     0.0        (0.1 )     (20.1 )

Accretion of discount

    0.8        0.5        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        1.3   

Purchases

    76.4        0.5        4.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        81.0   

Repayments and Sales (1)

    (8.7 )     0.0        0.0        (0.2 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        (8.9 )

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2011

  $ 263.0      $ 51.6      $ 34.5      $ 5.1      $ 4.7      $ 2.5      $ 0.8      $ 362.2   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ (5.5 )   $ (10.4 )   $ (2.6 )   $ (0.2 )   $ (1.1 )   $ (0.1 )   $ (0.1 )   $ (20.0 )
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Includes PIK interest of approximately $147,000.

 

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Table of Contents

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for nine months ending September 30, 2011, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity
Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 173.9      $ 50.4      $ 8.9      $ 6.0      $ 5.8      $ 2.0      $ 0.5      $ 247.5   

Realized Gains included in earnings

    2.3        0.4        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        2.7   

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    (4.7 )     (9.6 )     (1.8 )     (0.3 )     (1.1 )     0.2        0.3        (17.0 )

Accretion of discount

    2.2        1.5        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        3.7   

Purchases

    174.2        10.6        27.4        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        212.2   

Repayments and Sales (1)

    (84.9 )     (1.7 )     0.0        (0.6 )     0.0        0.3        0.0        (86.9 )

Transfers in and/or out of
level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2011

  $ 263.0      $ 51.6      $ 34.5      $ 5.1      $ 4.7      $ 2.5      $ 0.8      $ 362.2   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ (2.8 )   $ (9.4 )   $ (1.6 )   $ (0.3 )   $ (1.1 )   $ 0.2      $ 0.3      $ (14.7 )
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Includes PIK interest of approximately $953,000.

 

Our assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at December 31, 2010, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)

   Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using         

Assets

   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
Other Observable
Inputs

(Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
     Total  

Cash equivalents

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 68.5   

Senior Secured Notes

     0.0         0.0         173.9         173.9   

CLO Debt

     0.0         0.0         50.4         50.4   

CLO Equity

     0.0         0.0         8.9         8.9   

Subordinated Notes

     0.0         0.0         6.0         6.0   

Common Stock

     0.0         0.0         5.8         5.8   

Preferred Shares

     0.0         0.0         2.0         2.0   

Warrants to purchase equity

     0.0         0.0         0.5         0.5   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 247.5       $ 316.0   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for the year ended December 31, 2010, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity
Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2009

  $ 180.1      $ 4.9      $ 2.2      $ 2.7      $ 5.5      $ 0.0      $ 0.5      $ 195.9   

Realized Losses included in earnings

    (42.4 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        (42.4 )

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    63.7        15.0        1.8        0.8        (0.1 )     1.2        0.0        82.4   

Accretion of discount

    4.5        1.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        5.6   

Purchases

    88.1        31.5        4.9        3.9        0.4        0.8        0.0        129.6   

Repayments and
Sales (1)

    (120.1 )     (2.1 )     0.0        (1.4 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        (123.6 )

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 173.9      $ 50.4      $ 8.9      $ 6.0      $ 5.8      $ 2.0      $ 0.5      $ 247.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ 18.7      $ 15.0      $ 1.8      $ 0.9      ($ 0.1 )   $ 1.1      $ 0.1      $ 37.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   PIK interest of approximately $710,000 and rounding adjustments to reconcile period balances.

 

The following are the carrying values and fair values of our debt liabilities as of September 30, 2011. Fair value is based upon the bid price provided by the placement agent at the measurement date. There were no debt liabilities as of December 31, 2010.

 

     As of September 30, 2011
(in thousands)
     As of December 31, 2010
(in thousands)
 
     Carrying
Value
     Fair Value      Carrying
Value
     Fair Value  

Class A Notes

   $ 99,671       $ 97,706       $       $   

 

PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

 

The total fair value of our investment portfolio was approximately $362.2 million and $247.5 million as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. The increase in investments during the nine month period was due to the deployment of cash of approximately $113.5 million, comprised of the purchases of portfolio investments of approximately $201.3 million and debt repayments and sales of securities of approximately $87.8 million, as well as by the fair value adjustments on our portfolio.

 

In certain instances, we receive payments based on scheduled amortization of the outstanding balances and sales of portfolio investments. In addition, we receive repayments of some of our debt investments prior to their

 

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scheduled maturity date. The frequency or volume of these repayments may fluctuate significantly from period to period. For the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we received proceeds of approximately $9.0 million resulting primarily from repayments and amortization payments on outstanding balances on our debt investments, whereas, for the year ended December 31, 2010, we had repayments and amortization payments of approximately $73.8 million. The repayments on our debt investments during the quarter ended September 30, 2011, largely consisted of repayment of our original investment in senior secured notes issued by Flexera Software ($4.4 million) as well as partial repayments on our investment in Airvana Network Solutions, Inc. ($1.3 million). During the quarter ended September 30, 2011, we did not sell any of our investments, where as for the year ended December 31, 2010, we recognized proceeds of approximately $54.8 million from the sales of securities.

 

As of September 30, 2011, we had investments in debt securities of, or loans to, 65 portfolio companies, with a fair value of approximately $319.7 million, and equity investments in 19 portfolio companies, with a fair value of approximately $42.5 million. As of December 31, 2010, we had investments in debt securities of, or loans to, 47 portfolio companies, with a fair value of approximately $230.3 million, and equity investments in 10 portfolio companies, with a fair value of approximately $17.2 million.

 

A reconciliation of the investment portfolio for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010 follows:

 

     September 30, 2011     December 31, 2010  
     (dollars in millions)     (dollars in millions)  

Beginning Investment Portfolio

   $ 247.5      $ 200.3   

Portfolio Investments Acquired

     212.2        129.8   

Debt repayments

     (79.4 )     (73.8 )

Sales of securities

     (8.4 )     (54.8 )

Payment in Kind

     0.9        0.7   

Original Issue Discount

     3.7        5.6   

Net Unrealized (Depreciation) Appreciation

     (17.0 )     81.8   

Net Realized Gains (Losses)

     2.7        (42.1 )
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending Investment Portfolio

   $ 362.2      $ 247.5   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

The following table indicates the quarterly portfolio investment activity for the past seven quarters:

 

     New
Investments
     Debt
Repayments
     Sales of
Securities
 
     (dollars in
millions)
     (dollars in
millions)
     (dollars in
millions)
 

Quarter ended

        

September 30, 2011

   $ 81.0       $ 9.0       $ 0.0   

June 30, 2011

     30.6         12.6         0.0   

March 31, 2011

     100.6         57.8         8.4   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 212.2       $ 79.4       $ 8.4   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

December 31, 2010

   $ 30.8       $ 31.8       $ 7.5   

September 30, 2010

     44.7         13.4         34.5   

June 30, 2010

     15.0         10.8         6.6   

March 31, 2010

     39.3         17.8         6.2   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 129.8       $ 73.8       $ 54.8   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

The following table shows the fair value of our portfolio of investments by asset class as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:

 

     September 30, 2011     December 31, 2010  
     Investments at
Fair Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
    Investments at
Fair Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
 
     (dollars in millions)            (dollars in millions)         

Senior Secured Notes

   $ 263.0         72.6 %   $ 173.9         70.3 %

CLO Debt

     51.6         14.3 %     50.4         20.4 %

CLO Equity

     34.5         9.5 %     8.9         3.6 %

Subordinated Notes

     5.1         1.4 %     6.0         2.4 %

Common Stock

     4.7         1.3 %     5.8         2.3 %

Preferred Shares

     2.5         0.7 %     2.0         0.8 %

Warrants

     0.8         0.2 %     0.5         0.2 %
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 362.2         100.0 %   $ 247.5         100.0 %
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

The following table shows our portfolio of investments by industry at fair value, as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:

 

    September 30, 2011     December 31, 2010  
    Investments at
Fair Value
    Percentage of
Fair Value
    Investments at
Fair Value
    Percentage of
Fair Value
 

Structured finance

  $ 86.1        23.8   $ 59.3        24.0

Software

    44.3        12.2     66.8        27.0

Business services

    33.7        9.3     9.1        3.7

Telecommunication services

    28.9        8.0     12.1        4.9

Healthcare

    26.9        7.4     7.4        3.0

Semiconductor capital equipment

    24.0        6.6     21.8        8.8

Enterprise software

    18.5        5.1     13.2        5.3

Printing and publishing

    15.2        4.2     5.2        2.1

Retail

    14.8        4.1     0.0        0.0

Computer hardware

    10.2        2.8     10.3        4.2

IT consulting

    9.7        2.7     2.4        1.0

Auto parts manufacturer

    9.5        2.6     8.8        3.5

Advertising

    7.6        2.1     7.9        3.2

Financial intermediaries

    5.8        1.6     1.8        0.7

Packaging and glass

    4.9        1.4     0.0        0.0

Cable/satellite television

    4.8        1.3     0.0        0.0

Building and development

    4.8        1.3     0.0        0.0

Education

    4.8        1.3     0.0        0.0

Food products manufacturer

    4.0        1.1     4.1        1.6

Interactive voice messaging services

    2.0        0.6     2.0        0.8

IT value-added reseller

    1.7        0.5     2.0        0.8

Grocery

    0.0        0.0     5.0        2.0

Shipping & transportation

    0.0        0.0     4.4        1.8

Retail food products

    0.0        0.0     3.9        1.6
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

  $ 362.2        100.0   $ 247.5        100.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO GRADING

 

We have adopted a credit grading system to monitor the quality of our debt investment portfolio. As of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, our portfolio had a weighted average grade of 2.2 and 2.2, respectively, based upon the fair value of the debt investments in the portfolio. Equity securities are not graded.

 

At September 30, 2011, and December 31, 2010, our debt investment portfolio was graded as follows:

 

          September 30, 2011  

Grade

  

Summary Description

   Principal Value      Percentage of
Total Portfolio
    Portfolio at
Fair
Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
 
          (dollars in millions)            (dollars in millions)         
1   

Company is ahead of expectations and/or outperforming financial covenant requirements and such trend is expected to continue.

   $ 7.8         2.1 %   $ 7.6         2.4
2   

Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

     280.7         78.1 %     245.4         76.8 %
3   

Closer monitoring is required. Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

     67.4         18.8 %     64.7         20.2
4   

A reduction of interest income has occurred or is expected to occur. No loss of principal is expected.

     —           0.0 %     —           0.0 %
5   

A loss of some portion of principal is expected.

     3.5         1.0 %     2.0         0.6 %
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
      $ 359.4         100.0 %   $ 319.7         100.0 %
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
          December 31, 2010  

Grade

  

Summary Description

   Principal Value      Percentage of
Total Portfolio
    Portfolio at
Fair
Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
 
          (dollars in millions)            (dollars in millions)         
1   

Company is ahead of expectations and/or outperforming financial covenant requirements and such trend is expected to continue.

   $ 11.8         4.6 %   $ 11.8         5.1 %
2   

Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

     184.9         72.4 %     163.0         70.8 %
3   

Closer monitoring is required. Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

     55.1         21.6 %     53.5         23.2 %
4   

A reduction of interest income has occurred or is expected to occur. No loss of principal is expected.

     —           0.0 %     —           0.0 %
5   

A loss of some portion of principal is expected.

     3.5         1.4 %     2.0         0.9 %
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 
      $ 255.3         100.0 %   $ 230.3         100.0 %
     

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

We expect that a portion of our investments will be in the grades 3, 4 or 5 categories from time to time, and, as such, we will be required to work with troubled portfolio companies to improve their business and protect our investment. The number and amount of investments included in grades 3, 4 or 5 may fluctuate from period to period.

 

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Further discussion regarding the other investments which experienced significant unrealized depreciation is presented in “Results of Operations.”

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Set forth below is a comparison of our results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010, and the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008.

 

Comparison of the nine months ended September 30, 2011 to September 30, 2010.

 

Investment Income

 

As of September 30, 2011, our debt investments had stated interest rates of between 2.15% and 15.58% (excluding our investment in GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc. which carries a zero interest rate through October 30, 2014) and maturity dates of between 15 and 133 months. In addition, our total portfolio had a weighted average yield on debt investments of approximately 11.4% including GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc., compared to 13.8% as of September 30, 2010.

 

Investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $32.0 million compared to approximately $24.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010. This increase was due largely to greater distributions from the equity interests in our securitization vehicle investments, an increase in the principal value of income producing investments and a greater return on our investment portfolio due to market discounts on new debt investments. The total principal value of income producing investments for the period ending September 30, 2011 and 2010 was approximately $359.4 million and $260.2 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, investment income consisted of approximately $17.3 million in cash interest from portfolio investments, approximately $3.7 million in amortization of original issue and market discount, approximately $461,000 of discount income derived from unscheduled principal cash remittances at par on discounted securities, $9.1 million in distributions from securitized vehicles and approximately $953,000 of interest income attributable to PIK associated with our investments in Pegasus Solutions, Inc., Merrill Communications, LLC. and Shearers Food, Inc.

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, fee income of approximately $507,000 was recorded, compared to fee income of approximately $580,000 for the same period in 2010. Fee income consists of non-recurring fees in connection with our investments in portfolio companies, including commitment fees, origination fees and amendment fees.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Total expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 were $10.3 million, which includes an accrual of approximately $873,000 for a capital gains incentive fee.

 

Expenses before incentive fees, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 were approximately $8.0 million. This amount consisted of investment advisory fees, professional fees, compensation expense, and general and administrative expenses. Expenses before incentive fees increased approximately $2.2 million from the comparable period in 2010, attributable primarily to higher investment advisory fees (consisting of the base management fee) and interest expense and other debt financing expenses associated with the senior notes issued under our debt securitization financing transaction. Expenses before incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 were approximately $5.8 million.

 

The investment advisory fee for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $5.2 million, representing the base fee as provided for in the Investment Advisory Agreement. The investment advisory fee in the comparable period in 2010 was approximately $3.7 million. The increase of approximately $1.5 million is due to an increase in average gross assets. At each of September 30, 2011 and December 31,

 

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2010, respectively, approximately $2.4 million and $1.8 million of investment advisory fees remained payable to TICC Management, including the net investment income incentive fee discussed below.

 

Interest expense and other debt financing expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $434,000, which was directly related to our debt securitization financing transaction. Senior notes in the amount of approximately $101.3 million were issued by a newly formed special purpose vehicle in which a wholly-owned subsidiary of TICC owns all of the equity. Under this structure, the notes bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month LIBOR plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). The accrued interest payable on these notes during the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was $383,000. Additionally, for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the amortization of the discount on the issued notes was approximately $8,700 and amortization of deferred debt issuance costs was approximately $42,300.

 

Professional fees, consisting of legal, valuation, audit and consulting fees, were approximately $847,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to approximately $788,000 for the same period in 2010. This was the result of an increase in audit fees of approximately $137,000 and legal fees of approximately $34,000, partially offset by a decrease in valuations services of approximately $95,000 and consulting expenses of $12,000 incurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2011.

 

Compensation expenses were approximately $713,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to approximately $723,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, reflecting the allocation of compensation expenses for the services of our chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, controller and senior accountant, and other administrative support personnel. At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, approximately $337,000 and $0 of compensation expenses remained payable.

 

General and administrative expenses, consisting primarily of directors’ fees, insurance, listing fees, transfer agent and custodian fees, office supplies, facilities costs and other expenses, were approximately $761,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to approximately $603,000 for the same period in 2010. This increase was due largely to costs associated with regulatory filing fees, proxy materials, listing fees and directors’ fees. Office supplies, facilities costs and other expenses are allocated to us under the terms of the Administration Agreement.

 

Incentive Fees

 

The net investment income incentive fee for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $1.4 million compared to $1.0 million for the same period in 2010. The net investment income incentive fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Company’s “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding calendar quarter subject to a hurdle rate which is determined as of December 31 of the preceding year. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income accrued during the calendar quarter minus the Company’s operating expenses for the quarter (including the base fee, expenses payable under the Administration Agreement with BDC Partners, and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee).

 

During the first quarter of 2011 we recorded significant net unrealized appreciation in our portfolio and, as a result, we recorded a capital gains incentive fee of approximately $6.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 based on a hypothetical liquidation of our portfolio on March 31, 2011. There was no such fee accrued for the same period in 2010. The capital gains incentive fee expense, as reported under generally accepted accounting principles, is calculated on the basis of net realized gains/losses and net unrealized appreciation/depreciation at the end of each period. For the quarters ending June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011, TICC recorded net unrealized depreciation of approximately $6.0 million and $20.1 million, respectively, and, as a result, the capital gains incentive fee liability was reduced by approximately $1.5 million and $4.1 million for the

 

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respective periods in 2011. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the capital gains incentive fee was approximately $873,000 and there was no such fee for the same period in 2010. The amount of capital gains incentive fee expense related to the hypothetical liquidation of the portfolio (and assuming no other changes in realized or unrealized gains and losses) would only become payable to TICC Management in the event of a complete liquidation of our portfolio as of period end and the termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement on such date. The $6.5 million capital gains incentive fee expense accrual for the first quarter of 2011, as well as the aggregate $5.6 million reduction for the quarters ended June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011, relate entirely to the hypothetical liquidation calculation. Also, it should be noted that the capital gains incentive fee expense fluctuates with our overall investment results.

 

The amount of the capital gains incentive fee which will actually be payable is determined in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and is calculated as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Agreement). The terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement state that the capital gains incentive fee calculation is based on net realized gains, if any, offset by gross unrealized depreciation for the calendar year. No effect is given to gross unrealized appreciation.

 

Realized and Unrealized Gains/Losses on Investments

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, we recorded net realized gains on investments of approximately $2.7 million, which largely represents relatively small gains on several different investments including the realized gains on the repayment of our investment in Prodigy Health Group ($0.7 million) and the sale of our investment in Del Mar CLO I Ltd. 2006-1 ($0.4 million).

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the nine months ended September 30, 2011, we had net unrealized losses of approximately $17.1 million, comprised of $18.2 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $32.9 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $2.4 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized appreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the nine months ended September 30, 2011 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   YTD
Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
 

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     1.7   

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

     1.1   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc. common stock

     1.0   

Fusionstorm, Inc.

     0.5   

Sargas CLO 2006-1A

     0.5   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc. preferred equity

     0.4   

Vision Solutions, Inc.

     (0.4

CIFC CLO—2006-1A B2L

     (0.4

Hewetts Island CDO 2007—1RA E

     (0.4

Nextag, Inc.

     (0.4

Harbourview—2006A CLO Equity

     (0.4

Primus 2007 2X Class E CLO

     (0.4

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     (0.4

Canaras CLO Equity—2007-1A, 1X

     (0.4

Del Mar CLO I Ltd. 2006-1

     (0.4

RBS Holding Company

     (0.4

Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE

     (0.5

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

     (0.5

Jersey Straits 2006-1A CLO LTD

     (0.5

SourceHov, LLC

     (0.6

Emporia CLO 2007 3A E

     (0.7

Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d

     (0.7

Prodigy Health Group

     (0.8

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a

     (0.9

Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D

     (1.0

Prospero CLO II BV

     (1.3

Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4

     (1.6

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

     (1.9

Net all other

     (7.3
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ (17.1
  

 

 

 

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we recorded net realized losses on investments of approximately $29.1 million, which largely represents the loss of approximately $22.9 million on our investment in The CAPS Group as well as the loss of approximately $7.8 million on our investment in Box Services, LLC.

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the nine months ended September 30, 2010, we had net unrealized gains of approximately $51.6 million, comprised of $34.3 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $12.8 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $30.1 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized depreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Unrealized
appreciation
(depreciation)
 

The CAPS Group

   $ 22.9   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     13.7   

Box Services, LLC

     7.8   

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

     1.9   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

     1.8   

Palm, Inc.

     1.1   

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc.

     0.9   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc. preferred equity

     0.8   

Stratus Technologies, Inc. high yield notes

     0.8   

Power Tools, Inc.

     0.8   

Fusionstorm, Inc.

     0.8   

Questia Media, Inc.

     0.6   

Hyland Software, Inc.

     0.5   

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

     0.5   

Landmark V CDO LTD

     0.4   

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a

     0.4   

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

     (0.5

Cavtel Holdings, LLC

     (0.5

First Data Corporation

     (0.7

Stratus Technologies, Inc. senior secured notes

     (0.7

Sargas CLO 2006-1A

     (0.9

Workflow Management, Inc.

     (0.9

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

     (1.5

All other, net

     1.6   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 51.6   
  

 

 

 

 

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Net Investment Income

 

Net investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 was $21.7 million and $17.6 million, respectively. This increase was due largely to greater distributions from the equity interests in our securitization vehicle investments, an increase in the principal value of income producing investments and a greater return on our investment portfolio due to market discounts on new debt investments. This increase was partially offset by the accrual of a capital gains incentive fee recorded for the nine month period ended September 30, 2011.

 

Excluding the impact of the capital gains incentive fee accrual of approximately $873,000, core net investment income would have increased from $17.6 million to $22.6 million over the same period in the prior year.

 

Based on a weighted-average of 32,327,163 shares outstanding (basic and diluted), the net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per common share for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $0.67 for basic and diluted, compared to approximately $0.65 per share for the same period in

 

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2010. Excluding the impact of the capital gains incentive fee, the net increase in net assets resulting from core net investment income per common share would have been $0.70, basic and diluted, compared to $0.65 per share for the same period in 2010.

 

Please see “—Supplemental Information Regarding Core Net Investment Income and Core Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations” below for more information.

 

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

 

We had a net increase in net assets resulting from operations of approximately $7.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, compared to a net increase of approximately $40.0 million for the comparable period in 2010. This decrease was attributable directly to increased net unrealized depreciation on investments, partially offset by greater net realized gains.

 

Based on a weighted-average of 32,327,163 shares outstanding (basic and diluted), the net increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $0.23 for basic and diluted, compared to a net increase in net assets resulting from operations of approximately $1.49 per share for the same period in 2010. Excluding the impact of the capital gains incentive fee reduction, the core net increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share would have been $0.25, basic and diluted, compared to $1.49 per share for the same period in 2010.

 

Please see “—Portfolio Grading” above for more information.

 

Please see “—Supplemental Information Regarding Core Net Investment Income and Core Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations” below for more information.

 

Supplemental Information Regarding Core Net Investment Income and Core Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

 

On a supplemental basis, we provide information relating to core net investment income, its ratio to net assets, and core net increase in net assets resulting from operations, which are non-GAAP measures. These measures are provided in addition to, but not as a substitute for, net investment income and net increase in net assets resulting from operations. The Company’s non-GAAP measures may differ from similar measures by other companies, even if similar terms are used to identify such measures. Core net investment income represents net investment income excluding our capital gains incentive fee. Core net increase in net assets resulting from operations represents net increase in net assets resulting from operations excluding the capital gains incentive fee. As the capital gains incentive fee is based on a hypothetical event that did not occur, we believe that core net investment income and core net increase in net assets resulting from operations are useful indicators of performance during this period. Further, as the capital gains incentive fee is not a currently tax deductible expense and as the RIC requirements are to distribute taxable earnings, the core net investment income provides an indication of taxable income for the year to date.

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of net investment income to core net investment income (for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011):

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30, 2011
    Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011
 
     Amount     Per Share
Amounts
    Amount      Per Share
Amounts
 

Net investment income

   $ 11,615,785      $ 0.36      $ 21,687,245       $ 0.67   

Capital gains incentive fee

     (4,153,198 )     (0.13 )     873,288         0.03   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Core net investment income

   $ 7,462,587      $ 0.23      $ 22,560,533       $ 0.70   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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The following table provides a reconciliation of net increase in net assets resulting from operations to core net increase in net assets resulting from operations (for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011):

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30, 2011
    Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011
 
     Amount     Per Share
Amounts
    Amount      Per Share
Amounts
 

Net (decrease) increase in net assets resulting from operations

   $ (8,415,279 )   $ (0.26 )   $ 7,349,009       $ 0.22   

Capital gains incentive fee

     (4,153,198 )     (0.13 )     873,288         0.03   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Core net (decrease) increase in net assets resulting from operations

   $ (12,568,477 )   $ (0.39   $ 8,222,297       $ 0.25   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

In addition, the following ratio is presented to supplement the financial highlights included in Note 10 to the financial statements:

 

     2011     2010  
     Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
    Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
 

Ratio of core net investment income to average net assets, for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively

     9.13 %     9.36 %     10.79 %     9.88 %

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of the ratio of net investment income to average net assets to the ratio of core net investment income to average net assets, for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

 

     2011     2010  
     Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
    Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets

     14.21 %     9.00 %     10.79 %     9.88 %

Ratio of capital gain incentive fee to average net assets

     (5.08 %)     0.36 %     —          —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratio of core net investment income to average net assets

     9.13 %     9.36 %     10.79 %     9.88 %
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009

 

Investment Income

 

As of December 31, 2010, our debt investments had stated interest rates of between 2.19% and 15.58% (excluding our investment in GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc. which carries a zero interest rate through October 30, 2014) and maturity dates of between 7 and 142 months. In addition, our total portfolio had a weighted average yield on debt investments of approximately 14.1% including all investments in the portfolio, compared to 9.0% as of December 31, 2009.

 

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Investment income for the year ended December 31, 2010 was approximately $33.5 million compared to approximately $20.5 million for the period ended December 31, 2009. This increase was due largely to an increase in the amount of performing assets in the portfolio, an increase in the amortization of discounts on new debt investments and distributions from the equity interests in our CLO vehicle investments. The total principal value of income producing debt investments as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 was approximately $251.8 million and $204.0 million, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2010, investment income consisted of approximately $20.5 million in cash interest from portfolio investments, approximately $5.6 million in amortization of original issue and market discount, approximately $2.0 million of discount income derived from unscheduled principal cash remittances at par on discounted debt securities, approximately $3.7 million in distributions from the equity interest in securitized vehicle investments and approximately $710,000 in PIK interest income.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2010, fee income of approximately $968,000 was recorded, compared to fee income of approximately $129,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009. Fee income consists of non-recurring fees in connection with our investments in portfolio companies, including commitment fees, origination fees and amendment fees.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2010 were approximately $9.3 million. This amount consisted primarily of investment advisory fees, compensation expense, professional fees, and general and administrative expenses. Expenses increased approximately $2.3 million from the period ended December 31, 2009, attributable primarily to higher investment advisory fees. Operating expenses for the period ended December 31, 2009 were approximately $7.0 million.

 

The investment advisory fee for the year ended December 31, 2010 was approximately $6.4 million, representing the base fee for the period as provided for in the Investment Advisory Agreement as well as income incentive fees earned of approximately $1.4 million. The investment advisory fee in the comparable period in 2009 was approximately $4.1 million which consisted of the base fee for the period as well as incentive fees of approximately $52,000. The total increase of approximately $2.3 million is due to an increase in average gross assets and the increase in pre-incentive fee net investment income. For the year ended December 31, 2010, TICC Management determined to waive $50,000 of the fourth quarter income incentive fee. At each of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively, approximately $1.8 million and $1.1 million of investment advisory fees remained payable to TICC Management.

 

Compensation expenses were approximately $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, compared to approximately $971,000 for the period ending December 31, 2009, reflecting the allocation of compensation expenses for the services of our Chief Financial Officer, our Chief Compliance Officer and our Controller. For each period ending December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, approximately $0 of compensation expenses remained payable.

 

Professional fees, consisting of legal, valuation, audit and consulting fees, were approximately $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, compared to approximately $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. This was primarily the result of decreases in fees for valuation services of approximately $158,000 and legal costs of approximately $118,000 incurred during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010.

 

General and administrative expenses, consisting primarily of printing expenses, listing fees, facilities costs and other expenses, were approximately $401,000 in 2010 compared to approximately $250,000 for the same period in 2009. This increase was primarily the result of greater proxy related costs of approximately $69,000 as well as an increase in transaction charges related to participations in syndicated loans of approximately $39,000. Office supplies, facilities costs and other office expenses are allocated to us under the terms of the Administration Agreement.

 

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Realized and Unrealized Gains/Losses on Investments

 

For the year ended December 31, 2010, we had a net realized loss on investments of approximately $42.1 million, which largely represents the loss of approximately $22.9 million on our investment in The CAPS Group, $15.0 million on our investment in WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC, as well as the loss of approximately $7.8 million on our investment in Box Services, LLC. These losses were partially offset by the gain on our investment in Cavtel Holdings, LLC of approximately $1.5 million.

 

Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the year ended December 31, 2010, we had net unrealized gains of approximately $81.8 million, comprised of $53.6 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $16.0 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $44.2 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized depreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the year ended December 31, 2010 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Changes In
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

The CAPS Group

   $ 22.9   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     14.3   

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

     13.5   

Box Services, LLC

     7.8   

SCS Holdings II, Inc

     2.6   

Prospero CLO II BV

     2.1   

Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D

     2.1   

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a

     1.8   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc

     1.7   

Power Tools, Inc

     1.5   

Palm, Inc

     1.1   

Sargas CLO 2006 -1A

     1.1   

Workflow Management, Inc

     (1.0

Cavtel Holdings, LLC

     (2.2

Net all other (1)

     12.5   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 81.8   
  

 

 

 

 

(1)   Unrealized gains and losses less than $1.0 million have been combined.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2009, we had a net realized loss on investments of approximately $10.5 million, which is primarily comprised of the loss on our debt investment in Falcon Communications, Inc. of approximately $9.5 million, the loss on the partial sale of our debt investment in AKQA, Inc. of approximately $1.4 million, the write off of preferred stock of TrueYou.com Inc. of approximately $1.3 million, as well as a loss of approximately $2.5 million resulting from the restructuring of notes held in, and the sale of warrants issued by, Punch Software, LLC (new notes were subsequently issued by Punch Software, LLC with an amended interest rate and maturity date). These losses were partially offset by the realized gain associated with the sale of warrants issued by Segovia, Inc. of approximately $5.4 million.

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the year ended December 31, 2009, we had net unrealized gains of approximately $32.2 million, comprised of $43.9 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $22.5 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $10.8 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized depreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the year ended December 31, 2009 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Changes in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Falcon Communications, Inc.

   $ 9.5   

Questia Media, Inc.

     5.9   

Palm, Inc.

     4.1   

AKQA, Inc.

     3.3   

Punch Software LLC

     3.1   

Power Tools, Inc.

     2.9   

Hyland Software, Inc.

     2.7   

Cavtel Holdings, LLC

     2.2   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     2.1   

Integra Telecom, Inc.

     2.1   

Netquote, Inc.

     2.0   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     1.7   

TrueYou.com Inc.

     1.3   

Workflow Management, Inc.

     1.0   

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

     1.0   

The CAPS Group

     (1.4

Segovia, Inc.

     (1.6

Box Services, LLC

     (5.9

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

     (7.5

Net all other (1)

     3.7   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 32.2   
  

 

 

 

 

(1)   Unrealized gains and losses less than $1.0 million have been combined.

 

Please see “—Portfolio Grading” above for more information.

 

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Net Investment Income

 

Net investment income for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 was $24.2 million and $13.5 million, respectively. This increase was due largely to a greater return on our investment portfolio due to market discounts on new debt investments, distributions from the equity interests in our securitization vehicle investments as well as an increase in the amount of performing assets in the portfolio.

 

Based on a weighted-average of 27,253,552 shares outstanding (basic and diluted), the net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per common share for the year ended December 31, 2010 was approximately $0.89 for basic and diluted, compared to approximately $0.51 per share for the year ended December 31, 2009.

 

Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

 

We had a net increase in net assets resulting from operations of approximately $63.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, compared to a net increase of approximately $35.2 million in 2009. This net increase

 

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in net assets was attributable to greater net unrealized appreciation on investments and increased net investment income, partially offset by increased net realized losses on investments.

 

Based on a weighted-average of 27,253,552 shares outstanding (basic and diluted), the net increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share for the year ended December 31, 2010 was approximately $2.35 for basic and diluted, compared to a net increase in net assets of approximately $1.32 per share in 2009.

 

Please see “—Portfolio Grading” above for more information.

 

Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

 

Investment Income

 

As of December 31, 2009, our debt investments had stated interest rates of between 3.00% and 13.75% (excluding our investment in GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc. which carries a zero interest rate through October 30, 2014 and Punch Software, LLC, which carries a zero interest rate through October 31, 2012) and maturity dates of between 1 and 150 months. In addition, our total portfolio had a weighted average yield on debt investments of approximately 9.0%, including GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc. and Punch Software, LLC, and all investments on non-accrual status, compared to 8.9% as of December 31, 2008.

 

Investment income for the year ended December 31, 2009 was approximately $20.5 million compared to approximately $37.3 million for the period ended December 31, 2008. This decrease resulted primarily from a lower return on investments and a decrease of the size of our debt investment portfolio over the past year, as the average outstanding principal value declined. The total principal value of income producing investments for the period ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 was approximately $204.0 million and $242.1 million, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2009, investment income consisted of approximately $17.2 million in cash interest from portfolio investments, approximately $2.8 million in amortization of original issue discount and approximately $162,000 in PIK interest income primarily from our investments in Cavtel Holdings, LLC and Allen Systems Group, Inc.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2009, other income of approximately $129,000 was recorded, compared to other income of approximately $1,029,000, in 2008. Other income consists primarily of non-recurring amendment fees earned in conjunction with existing portfolio investments. The decline in other income during 2009 compared with 2008 was due primarily to fewer closed deals and fewer amendments associated with our investment portfolio.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2009, were approximately $7.0 million. This amount consisted primarily of investment advisory fees, professional fees, compensation expenses and general and administrative expenses. This was a decrease of approximately $8.1 million from the period ended December 31, 2008, which was primarily attributable to a decrease in interest expense of approximately $4.8 million related to our de-levering activity during 2008 and a decrease in investment advisory fees of approximately $2.9 million resulting from the decrease in gross assets during the year ended December 31, 2009. Our operating expenses for the period ended December 31, 2008 were approximately $15.1 million.

 

The investment advisory fee for fiscal 2009 was approximately $4.1 million, representing primarily the base fee as provided for in the Investment Advisory Agreement, as well as an investment income incentive fee of approximately $52,000. The investment advisory fee in 2008 was approximately $7.0 million, which consisted of the base fee as well as an income incentive fee of approximately $485,000.

 

Compensation expenses were approximately $971,000 for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to approximately $906,000 for the period ending December 31, 2008, reflecting primarily the allocation of

 

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compensation expenses for the services of our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Controller, and other administrative support personnel. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, no compensation expenses remained payable to BDC Partners.

 

Professional fees, consisting of legal, valuation, audit and consulting fees, were approximately $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to approximately $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2008. This was primarily the result of decreases in fees for valuation services of approximately $249,000 and legal costs of approximately $73,000, incurred during the twelve months ended December 31, 2009.

 

No interest expense was incurred during the period ended December 31, 2009. During the same period in the prior year, however, interest expense was approximately $4.8 million as a result of the average level of borrowings outstanding under our credit facility during that period. At December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively, there was no outstanding accrued interest expense.

 

General and administrative expenses, consisting primarily of printing expenses, listing fees, facilities costs and other expenses, were approximately $250,000 in 2009 compared to approximately $401,000 in 2008. This decrease was due primarily to lower listing costs of approximately $43,000 and decreased miscellaneous expenses of approximately $112,000 as a result of proxy solicitation and rights offering costs incurred during 2008. Office supplies, facilities costs and other expenses are allocated to us under the terms of the Administration Agreement.

 

Realized Losses on Investments

 

For the year ended December 31, 2009, we had a net realized loss on investments of approximately $10.5 million, which is primarily comprised of the loss on our debt investment in Falcon Communications, Inc. of approximately $9.5 million, the loss on the partial sale of our debt investment in AKQA, Inc. of approximately $1.4 million, the write off of preferred stock of TrueYou.com Inc. of approximately $1.3 million, as well as a loss of approximately $2.5 million resulting from the restructuring of notes held in, and the sale of warrants issued by, Punch Software, LLC (new notes were subsequently issued by Punch Software, LLC with an amended interest rate and maturity date). These losses were partially offset by the realized gain associated with the sale of warrants issued by Segovia, Inc. of approximately $5.4 million. For the year ended December 31, 2008, we had net realized losses on our investments of approximately $8.5 million.

 

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Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Investments

 

Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the year ended December 31, 2009, we had net unrealized gains of approximately $32.2 million, comprised of $43.9 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $22.5 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $10.8 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized depreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the year ended December 31, 2009 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Changes in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Falcon Communications, Inc.

   $ 9.5   

Questia Media, Inc.

     5.9   

Palm, Inc.

     4.1   

AKQA, Inc.

     3.3   

Punch Software LLC

     3.1   

Power Tools, Inc.

     2.9   

Hyland Software, Inc.

     2.7   

Cavtel Holdings, LLC

     2.2   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     2.1   

Integra Telecom, Inc.

     2.1   

Netquote, Inc.

     2.0   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     1.7   

TrueYou.com Inc.

     1.3   

Workflow Management, Inc.

     1.0   

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

     1.0   

The CAPS Group

     (1.4

Segovia, Inc.

     (1.6

Box Services, LLC

     (5.9

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

     (7.5

Net all other (1)

     3.7   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 32.2   
  

 

 

 

 

(1)   Unrealized gains and losses less than $1.0 million have been combined.

 

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Based upon the fair value determinations made in good faith by our Board of Directors, during the year ended December 31, 2008, we had net unrealized losses of approximately $66.9 million, comprised of $13.5 million in gross unrealized appreciation, $93.2 million in gross unrealized depreciation and approximately $12.8 million relating to the reversal of prior period net unrealized depreciation as certain investments were realized. The most significant changes in net unrealized appreciation and depreciation during the year ended December 31, 2008 were as follows (in millions):

 

Portfolio Company

   Changes in
Unrealized
Appreciation
(Depreciation)
 

Pulvermedia, LLC

   $ 10.6   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

     (1.2

Fusionstorm, Inc.

     (1.4

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc.

     (1.7

Integra Telecom, Inc.

     (1.7

Box Services, LLC

     (1.9

Netquote, Inc.

     (2.1

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

     (2.8

Punch Software, LLC

     (2.9

Power Tools, Inc.

     (3.0

Hyland Software, Inc.

     (3.1

AKQA, Inc.

     (3.6

Palm, Inc.

     (4.3

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

     (5.7

Questia Media, Inc.

     (6.2

American Integration Technologies, LLC

     (14.7

The CAPS Group

     (18.9

Net all other (1)

     (2.3
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ (66.9
  

 

 

 

 

(1)   Unrealized gains and losses less than $1.0 million have been combined.

 

Net Increase in Net Assets from Operations

 

We had a net increase in net assets resulting from operations of approximately $35.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to a net decrease in net assets of approximately $53.3 million in 2008. Based on a weighted-average of 26,624,217 shares outstanding (basic and diluted), our net increase in net assets from operations per common share for the year ended December 31, 2009, was approximately $1.32 for basic and diluted earnings, compared to a decrease of $2.19 per share in 2008.

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, cash and cash equivalents decreased from approximately $68.8 million at the beginning of the period to approximately $7.0 million at the end of the period. Net cash used by operating activities for the period, consisting primarily of the items described in “—Results of Operations,” was approximately $96.6 million, largely reflecting purchases of new investments of approximately $203.0 million offset by proceeds from principal repayments and sales of investments of approximately $87.8 million. Net cash used by investing activities reflects the restriction on cash raised in the debt securitization transaction. During the period, net cash provided by financing activities was approximately $81.0 million reflecting primarily the net proceeds of approximately $99.7 million borrowed under the debt securitization financing transaction partially offset by the distribution of dividends.

 

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Use of Proceeds from Sales of Registered Securities

 

During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, we sold 651,599 shares of our common stock pursuant to an “at-the-market” share issuance plan. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as the sales agent for the “at-the-market” share issuance plan. The total amount of capital raised under these issuances was approximately $6.7 million and net proceeds were approximately $6.4 million, after deducting sales agent commissions and offering expenses. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, we sold 234,651 shares of our common stock pursuant to an “at-the-market” share issuance plan and 4.6 million shares of our common stock pursuant to an underwritten follow-on equity offering, which closed on December 6, 2010. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as the sole book-running manager for the follow-on equity offering and as the sales agent for the “at-the-market” share issuance plan. The total amount of capital raised under these issuances was approximately $49.7 million and net proceeds were approximately $46.9 million, after deducting approximately $2.4 million of underwriters’ discounts and commissions, sales agent commissions and approximately $0.4 million of offering expenses. We have used, and will continue to use, the net proceeds from these offerings for investing in debt or equity securities, and other general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements.

 

Share Repurchase Program

 

On July 30, 2009, our Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program which provides for the purchase of up to $10 million worth of shares to be implemented at the discretion of our management team. Under the repurchase program, we may, but are not obligated to, repurchase our outstanding common stock in the open market from time to time. The timing and number of shares to be repurchased in the open market will depend on a number of factors, including market conditions and alternative investment opportunities. In addition, any repurchases will be conducted in accordance with the 1940 Act. There were no share repurchases during the nine months ending September 30, 2011 and the year ending December 31, 2010.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

We have certain obligations with respect to the investment advisory and administration services we receive. See “—Overview”. We incurred approximately $5.2 million and $5.0 million for investment advisory services, excluding pre-incentive net investment income incentive fees, and $761,000 and $761,000 for administrative services for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010, respectively.

 

TICC CLO is obligated to repay the notes issued in connection with the debt securitization financing. The notes mature in 2021, in the total amount of $101,250,000. There are no amortization payments due on the notes prior to maturity. See “Borrowings” below.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

We currently have no off-balance sheet arrangements, including any risk management of commodity pricing or other hedging practices.

 

Borrowings

 

On August 10, 2011, the Company completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, and are secured by the assets held by the trustee on behalf of the Securitization Issuer. The notes are an obligation of TICC CLO. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes which bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month LIBOR plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). The notes were sold at a discount to par, and the amount of the discount is being amortized over the term of the notes. The Class A Notes are included in the September 30, 2011 consolidated statements of assets and liabilities. Holdings retained all of the Subordinated

 

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Notes totaling $123.75 million and all of the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer. The Subordinated Notes do not bear interest, but are entitled to the residual economic interest in the Securitization Issuer.

 

We had no borrowings as of December 31, 2010.

 

Distributions

 

In order to qualify as a regulated investment company and to avoid corporate level tax on the income we distribute to our stockholders, we are required, under Subchapter M of the Code, to distribute at least 90% of our ordinary income and short-term capital gains to our stockholders on an annual basis.

 

The following table reflects the cash distributions, including dividends and returns of capital, if any, per share that we have declared on our common stock to date:

 

Date Declared

   Record Date      Payment Date      Amount  

Fiscal 2011

        

November 3, 2011

     December 16, 2011         December 30, 2011       $ 0.25   

July 28, 2011

     September 16, 2011         September 30, 2011         0.25   

May 3, 2011

     June 16, 2011         June 30, 2011         0.25   

March 3, 2011

     March 21, 2011         March 31, 2011         0.24   
        

 

 

 

Total (2011)

           0.99   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2010

        

November 2, 2010

     December 10, 2010         December 31, 2010         0.24   

July 29, 2010

     September 10, 2010         September 30, 2010         0.22   

April 29, 2010

     June 10, 2001         June 30, 2010         0.20   

March 4, 2010

     March 24, 2010         March 31, 2010         0.15   
        

 

 

 

Total (2010)

           0.81   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2009

        

October 29, 2009

     December 10, 2009         December 31, 2009         0.15   

July 30, 2009

     September 10, 2009         September 30, 2009         0.15   

May 5, 2009

     June 10, 2009         June 30, 2009         0.15   

March 5, 2009

     March 17, 2009         March 31, 2009         0.15   
        

 

 

 

Total (2009)

           0.60   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2008

        

October 30, 2008

     December 10, 2008         December 31, 2008         0.20   

July 31, 2008

     September 10, 2008         September 30, 2008         0.20   

May 1, 2008

     June 16, 2008         June 30, 2008         0.30   

March 11, 2008

     March 21, 2008         March 31, 2008         0.36   
        

 

 

 

Total (2008)

           1.06 (1)  
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2007

        

October 25, 2007

     December 10, 2007         December 31, 2007         0.36   

July 26, 2007

     September 7, 2007         September 28, 2007         0.36   

April 30, 2007

     June 8, 2007         June 29, 2007         0.36   

February 27, 2007

     March 9, 2007         March 30, 2007         0.36   
        

 

 

 

Total (2007)

           1.44 (2)  
        

 

 

 

 

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Date Declared

   Record Date      Payment Date      Amount  

Fiscal 2006

        

December 20, 2006

     December 29, 2006         January 17, 2007         0.12   

October 26, 2006

     December 8, 2006         December 29, 2006         0.34   

July 26, 2006

     September 8, 2006         September 29, 2006         0.32   

April 26, 2006

     June 9, 2006         June 30, 2006         0.30   

February 9, 2006

     March 10, 2006         March 31, 2006         0.30   
        

 

 

 

Total (2006)

           1.38   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2005

        

December 7, 2005

     December 30, 2005         January 18, 2006         0.12   

October 27, 2005

     December 9, 2005         December 30, 2005         0.30   

July 27, 2005

     September 10, 2005         September 30, 2005         0.25   

April 27, 2005

     June 10, 2005         June 30, 2005         0.20   

February 9, 2005

     March 10, 2005         March 31, 2005         0.14   
        

 

 

 

Total (2005)

           1.01   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2004

        

October 27, 2004

     December 10, 2004         December 31, 2004         0.11   

July 28, 2004

     September 10, 2004         September 30, 2004         0.11   

May 5, 2004

     June 10, 2004         June 30, 2004         0.11   

February 2, 2004

     March 15, 2004         April 5, 2004         0.10   
        

 

 

 

Total (2004)

           0.43 (3)  
        

 

 

 

Total Distributions:

         $ 7.72 (4)  
        

 

 

 

 

(1)  

Includes a return of capital of approximately $0.08 per share for tax purposes.

(2)  

Includes a return of capital of approximately $0.02 per share for tax purposes.

(3)  

Includes a return of capital of approximately $0.10 per share for tax purposes.

(4)  

We did not declare a dividend for the period ended December 31, 2003.

 

Related Parties

 

We have a number of business relationships with affiliated or related parties, including the following:

 

   

We have entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with TICC Management. TICC Management is controlled by BDC Partners, its managing member. Charles M. Royce holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. BDC Partners, as the managing member of TICC Management, manages the business and internal affairs of TICC Management. In addition, BDC Partners provides us with office facilities and administrative services pursuant to the Administration Agreement.

 

   

Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, for T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (f/k/a T2 Income Fund Limited) (“GLIF”), a Guernsey fund investing in syndicated loans. BDC Partners is the managing member of T2 Advisers, LLC. In addition, Mr. Conroy serves as the Chief Financial Officer of GLIF and the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer of T2 Advisers, LLC.

 

   

Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, of Oxford Lane Capital Corp., a non-diversified closed-end management investment company that currently invests primarily in CLO debt and equity tranches, and its investment adviser, Oxford Lane Management, LLC (“Oxford Lane Management”). BDC Partners provides Oxford Lane Capital Corp. with office

 

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facilities and administrative services pursuant to an administration agreement and also serves as the managing member of Oxford Lane Management. In addition, Patrick F. Conroy serves as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer of Oxford Lane Management.

 

   

BDC Partners is the managing member of Oxford Gate Capital, LLC, a private fund in which Messrs. Cohen, Rosenthal and Conroy, along with certain investment and administrative personnel of TICC Management, are invested.

 

We, Oxford Lane Capital Corp., Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited and Oxford Gate Capital, LLC have adopted a written policy with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities in view of the potential conflicts of interest raised by the relationships described above.

 

In the ordinary course of business, we may enter into transactions with portfolio companies that may be considered related party transactions. In order to ensure that we do not engage in any prohibited transactions with any persons affiliated with us, we have implemented certain policies and procedures whereby our executive officers screen each of our transactions for any possible affiliations between the proposed portfolio investment, us, companies controlled by us and our employees and directors. We will not enter into any agreements unless and until we are satisfied that doing so will not raise concerns under the 1940 Act or, if such concerns exist, we have taken appropriate actions to seek board review and approval or exemptive relief for such transaction. Our Board of Directors reviews these procedures on an annual basis.

 

We have also adopted a Code of Ethics which applies to, among others, our senior officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as well as all of our officers, directors and employees. Our Code of Ethics requires that all employees and directors avoid any conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between an individual’s personal interests and our interests. Pursuant to our Code of Ethics, each employee and director must disclose any conflicts of interest, or actions or relationships that might give rise to a conflict, to our Chief Compliance Officer. Our Audit Committee is charged with approving any waivers under our Code of Ethics. As required by the NASDAQ Global Select Market corporate governance listing standards, the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is also required to review and approve any transactions with related parties (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K).

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

 

On November 3, 2011, our Board of Directors declared a distribution of $0.25 per share for the fourth quarter, payable on December 30, 2011 to stockholders of record as of December 16, 2011.

 

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

We are subject to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates. As of September 30, 2011, three debt investments in our portfolio were at a fixed rate, and the remaining sixty-four debt investments were at variable rates, representing approximately $23.4 million and $336.0 million in principal debt, respectively. At September 30, 2011, $332.5 million of our variable rate investments were income producing. The variable rates are based upon the five-year Treasury note, the Prime rate or LIBOR, and, in the case of our bilateral investments, are generally reset annually, whereas our non-bilateral investments generally reset quarterly. We expect that future debt investments will generally be made at variable rates. Many of the variable rate investments contain floors.

 

To illustrate the potential impact of a change in the underlying interest rate on our net increase in net assets resulting from operations, we have assumed a 1% increase or decrease in the underlying five-year Treasury note, the Prime rate or LIBOR, and no other change in our portfolio as of September 30, 2011. We have also assumed outstanding borrowings of approximately $101.3 million. Under this analysis, net investment income would be

 

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essentially unchanged on an annual basis, due to the amount of investments in our portfolio which have implied floors that would be unaffected by a 1% change in the underlying interest rate. However, if the increase in rates was more significant, such as 5.0%, the net effect on the net increase in net assets resulting from operations would be an increase of approximately $7.0 million. To the extent that the rate underlying certain investments, as well as our borrowings, is at an historic low, it may not be possible for the underlying rate to decrease by 1.0% or 5.0%, and the impact of that reality is reflected in this analysis. Although management believes that this analysis is indicative of our existing interest rate sensitivity, it does not adjust for changes in the credit quality, size and composition of our portfolio, and other business developments, including a change in the level of our borrowings, that could affect the net increase in net assets resulting from operations. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that actual results would not differ materially from the results under this hypothetical analysis.

 

We may in the future hedge against interest rate fluctuations by using standard hedging instruments such as futures, options and forward contracts. While hedging activities may insulate us against adverse changes in interest rates, they may also limit our ability to participate in the benefits of lower interest rates with respect to the investments in our portfolio with fixed interest rates.

 

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SENIOR SECURITIES

 

Information about our senior securities is shown in the following tables as of the end of each fiscal year since our formation.

 

Year

   Total Amount
Outstanding
Exclusive of
Treasury
Securities(1)
     Asset Coverage
Ratio Per
Unit(2)
     Involuntary
Liquidation
Preference
Per

Unit(3)
     Average Market
Value Per
Unit(4)
 

For the quarter ended September 30, 2011 (unaudited)

   $ 101,250,000       $ 4,005         —           N/A   

2010

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

2009

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

2008

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

2007

   $ 136,500,000       $  2,885         —           N/A   

2006

   $ 58,500,000       $ 5,638         —           N/A   

2005

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

2004

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

2003

   $ —         $ —           —           N/A   

 

(1)   Total amount of each class of senior securities outstanding at the end of the period presented. For the years ended 2006 and 2007, senior securities are represented by indebtedness under a credit facility with Royal Bank of Canada as agent. For the quarter ended September 30, 2011, senior securities are represented by senior notes issued by TICC CLO LLC.
(2)   Asset coverage per unit is the ratio of the carrying value of our total consolidated assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, to the aggregate amount of senior securities representing indebtedness. Asset coverage per unit is expressed in terms of dollar amounts per $1,000 of indebtedness.
(3)   The amount to which such class of senior security would be entitled upon the voluntary liquidation of the issuer in preference to any security junior to it. The “—” in this column indicates that the Securities and Exchange Commission expressly does not require this information to be disclosed for certain types of senior securities.
(4)   Not applicable because senior securities are not registered for public trading.

 

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BUSINESS

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including CLO investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company, we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we invest primarily in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have been operating for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies will have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

We have historically and may in the future continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our common stockholders.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by the Securitization Issuer, a subsidiary of Holdings, which is in turn a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the Subordinated Notes, which totaled $123.75 million, and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our Investment Advisory Agreement with TICC Management, we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management — Investment Advisory Agreement.”

 

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We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act. As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company.” In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Market Opportunity

 

Beginning in mid-2007, global credit and other financial markets suffered substantial stress, volatility, illiquidity and disruption. These developments caused a series of failures and restructurings among a large number of financial institutions, which either participated in the origination and distribution of structured finance or syndicated loan credit products, or invested in them. The debt and equity capital markets in the U.S. have been impacted by significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to these products and the re-pricing of credit risk in the loan market, among other things.

 

These events constrained the availability of capital for the market as a whole, and the financial services sector in particular. During 2009, the syndicated corporate loans market experienced both unprecedented price declines and volatility. While prices remained depressed across many sectors and ratings categories through most of 2009, we witnessed a strong upward move during the second half of 2009, which continued through 2010. During 2011, we saw ongoing price volatility for corporate loans, consistent with many other parts of the debt and equity markets. Although corporate loan prices may still be below historical averages, our view is that certain, primarily larger-issuer, broadly syndicated corporate loans still may not adequately reflect the spreads necessary to compensate investors for the risks involved. In view of the above circumstances, we continue to focus more heavily on middle-market issuers and to a limited extent larger issuers, and, opportunistically, on certain structured finance investments, including CLO investment vehicles, and have recently made a number of selective purchases in these markets.

 

Competitive Advantages

 

We believe that we are well positioned to provide financing primarily to middle-market companies for the following reasons:

 

   

Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments;

 

   

Flexible investment approach; and

 

   

Established transaction sourcing network.

 

Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments

 

While our investment focus is middle-market companies, we have invested, and in the future will likely continue to invest, in larger and smaller companies and in other investment structures on an opportunistic basis. Most recently, we have invested in a number of CLO investment vehicles. We believe our experience in analyzing middle-market companies and CLO investment structures, as detailed in the biographies of TICC Management’s senior investment professionals, affords us a sustainable competitive advantage over lenders with limited experience in investing in these markets. In particular, we have expertise in evaluating the operating characteristics of middle-market companies as well as the structural features of CLO investments, and in monitoring the credit risk of such investments after closing until full repayment.

 

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Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, has more than 20 years of experience in equity research and investment. Mr. Cohen is also the Chief Executive Officer of T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment manager of Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (LSE AIM: GLIF), a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. Mr. Cohen has also served as Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (Nasdaq GS:OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Cohen was also the owner, managing member, and a principal of JHC Capital Management, a registered investment adviser that served as the sub-adviser to the Royce Technology Value Fund, a technology-focused mutual fund, and was previously a managing member and principal of Privet Financial Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer, from 2003 to 2004. Prior to founding JHC Capital Management in 2001, Mr. Cohen managed technology research groups at Wit Capital and SoundView Technology Group from 1999 to 2001. He has also managed securities research groups at Merrill Lynch & Co. from 1998 to 1999. He was named to Institutional Investor’s “All-American” research team in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

 

   

Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, has 13 years of experience in the capital markets, with a focus on middle-market transactions. Mr. Rosenthal is also the President of T2 Advisers, LLC, which serves as the investment manager of Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (LSE AIM: GLIF), a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal has served as President and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (Nasdaq GS:OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as President of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Rosenthal previously was a Vice President and co-founder of the Private Equity Group at Wit Capital. Prior to joining Wit Capital, Mr. Rosenthal was an attorney at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling LLP. Mr. Rosenthal serves on the board of Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared) and the New York City chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO-WPO).

 

   

Darryl Monasebian is the Senior Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Management of TICC Management, LLC, the advisor of TICC. Previously, Mr. Monasebian was a Director in the Merchant Banking Group at BNP Paribas, and prior to that was a Director at Swiss Bank Corporation and a Senior Account Officer at Citibank. He began his business career at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an Investment Analyst in the Corporate Investments Department. Mr. Monasebian has more than 20 years of banking and investment management experience.

 

   

Hari Srinivasan is Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of TICC Management, LLC, the advisor of TICC. Previously, Mr. Srinivasan was a Credit Manager focusing on the restructuring and monetization of distressed assets in Lucent Technologies’ vendor finance portfolio, and on the credit analysis of several of Lucent’s telecom customers. Prior to that, he was an analyst in Fixed Income with Lehman Brothers. Mr. Srinivasan began his career as a Computer Science engineer.

 

Flexible investment approach

 

While we must comply with the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs, we have significant flexibility in selecting and structuring our investments. We also have fairly broad latitude as to the term and nature of our investments. We recognize that middle-market companies in some cases may make corporate development decisions that favorably impact long-term enterprise value at the expense of short-term financial performance. We believe that this fundamental investment understanding results in a more flexible approach to managing investments which facilitates positive, long-term relationships with our portfolio companies, bankers and other intermediaries and enables us to be a preferred source of capital to them. We also believe our approach enables our debt financing to be a viable alternative capital source for funding middle-market companies that wish to avoid the dilutive effects of equity financings.

 

We are not subject to the investment time requirements and reinvestment limitations of private funds. These provisions typically require that such private funds invest capital within a set period of time and then ultimately

 

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return to investors the initial capital and associated capital gains, with certain limitation on reinvesting such capital. We believe that our ability to make investments at the most opportune time rather than based on a pre-agreed time horizon with the ability to reinvest such funds indefinitely should help us to maximize returns on our invested capital.

 

Established transaction sourcing network

 

Through the investment professionals of TICC Management, we have extensive contacts and sources from which to generate investment opportunities. These contacts and sources include private equity funds, companies, brokers and bankers. We believe that senior professionals of TICC Management have developed strong relationships within the investment community over their years within the banking, investment management and equity research field.

 

INVESTMENT PROCESS

 

Identification of prospective portfolio companies

 

We identify and source new prospective portfolio companies through a network of venture capital and private equity funds, investment banks, accounting and law firms and direct company relationships. We have identified several criteria that we believe are important in seeking our investment objective. These criteria provide general guidelines for our investment decisions; however, we do not require each prospective portfolio company in which we choose to invest to meet all of these criteria.

 

   

Experienced management . We generally require that our portfolio companies have an experienced management team. We also require the portfolio companies to have in place proper incentives to induce management to succeed and to act in concert with our interests as investors, including having significant equity interests.

 

   

Significant financial or strategic sponsor and / or strategic partner . We prefer to invest in companies in which established private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors have previously invested and are willing to make an ongoing contribution to the management of the business, including participation as board members or as business advisers.

 

   

Strong competitive position in industry . We seek to invest in companies that have developed a strong competitive position within their respective sector or niche of a specific industry.

 

   

Profitable on a cash flow basis . We focus on companies that are profitable or nearly profitable on an operating cash flow basis. Typically, we would not expect to invest in start-up companies.

 

   

Clearly defined exit strategy . Prior to making an investment in a debt security that is accompanied by an equity-based security in a portfolio company, we analyze the potential for that company to increase the liquidity of its common equity through a future event that would enable us to realize appreciation, if any, in the value of our equity interest. Liquidity events may include an initial public offering, a merger or an acquisition of the company, a private sale of our equity interest to a third party, or a purchase of our equity position by the company or one of its stockholders.

 

   

Liquidation value of assets . Although we do not operate as an asset-based lender, the prospective liquidation value of the assets, if any, collateralizing the debt securities that we hold is an important factor in our credit analysis. We emphasize both tangible assets, such as accounts receivable, inventory and equipment, and intangible assets, such as intellectual property, software code, customer lists, networks and databases.

 

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Due diligence

 

If a company meets some of the characteristics described above, we perform a preliminary due diligence review including company and technology assessments, market analysis, competitive analysis, evaluation of management, risk analysis and transaction size, pricing and structure analysis. The criteria delineated below provide general parameters for our investment decisions, although not all of such criteria will be followed in each instance. Upon successful completion of this preliminary evaluation process, we will decide whether to deliver a non-binding letter of intent, after which our administrator, BDC Partners, generally receives an upfront advance to cover our due diligence-related expenses, begin the due diligence process and move forward towards the completion of a transaction.

 

Our due diligence process generally includes the following elements:

 

Management team and financial sponsor

 

   

management assessment including a review of management’s track record with respect to product development, sales and marketing, mergers and acquisitions, alliances, collaborations, research and development outsourcing and other strategic activities, reference and background checks; and

 

   

financial sponsor reputation, track record, experience and knowledge (where a financial sponsor is present in a transaction).

 

Business

 

   

industry and competitive analysis;

 

   

customer and vendor interviews to assess both business prospects and standard practices of the company;

 

   

assessment of likely exit strategies; and

 

   

potential regulatory / legal issues.

 

Financial condition

 

   

detailed review of the historical financial performance and the quality of earnings;

 

   

development of detailed pro forma financial projections;

 

   

review of internal controls and accounting systems;

 

   

review of assets and liabilities, including contingent liabilities; and

 

Technology assessment

 

   

evaluation of intellectual property position;

 

   

review of research and development milestones;

 

   

analysis of core technology under development;

 

   

assessment of collaborations and other technology validations; and

 

   

assessment of market and growth potential.

 

Contemporaneous with our due diligence process, the investment team prepares a detailed credit memorandum for presentation to our Investment Committee, which currently consists of Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal. Our Investment Committee reviews and approves each of our portfolio investments.

 

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Investment Structuring

 

We seek to achieve a high level of current income by investing in debt securities, consisting primarily of senior debt, senior subordinated debt and junior subordinated debt, of primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make loans.

 

In structuring our investments, we seek to ascertain the asset quality as well as the earnings quality of our prospective portfolio companies. Frequently, we obtain a senior secured position and thus receive a perfected, first priority security interest in substantially all of our portfolio companies’ assets, which entitles us to a preferred position on payments in the event of liquidation, and in many cases a pledge of the equity by the equity owners. It should be noted, however, that because we are not primarily an asset-based lender, in the current economic environment, the value of collateral and security interests may dissipate rapidly. In addition, we seek to structure loan covenants to assist in the management of risk. Our loan documents ordinarily include affirmative covenants that require the portfolio company to take specific actions such as periodic financial reporting, notification of material events and compliance with laws, restrictive covenants that prevent portfolio companies from taking a range of significant actions such as incurring additional indebtedness or making acquisitions without our consent, covenants requiring the portfolio company to maintain or achieve specified financial ratios such as debt to cash flow and interest coverage, and operating covenants requiring them to maintain certain operational benchmarks such as minimum revenue or minimum cash flow. Our loan documents also provide protection against customary events of default such as non-payment, breach of covenant, insolvency and change of control.

 

Senior Debt

 

The senior debt in which we invest generally holds a senior position in the capital structure of a portfolio company. Such debt may include loans that hold the most senior position, loans that hold an equal ranking with other senior debt, or loans that are, in the judgment of our investment adviser, in the category of senior debt. A senior position in the borrower’s capital structure generally gives the holder of the senior debt a claim on some or all of the borrower’s assets that is senior to that of subordinated debt, preferred stock and common stock in the event the borrower defaults or becomes bankrupt. The senior debt in which we invest may be wholly or partially secured by collateral, or may be unsecured. However, there may be instances in which senior debt held by other investors is in a superior position in the borrower’s capital structure.

 

Senior Subordinated Debt

 

Senior subordinated debt is subordinated in its rights to receive its principal and interest payments from the borrower to the rights of the holders of senior debt. As a result, senior subordinated debt is riskier than senior debt. Although such loans are sometimes secured by significant collateral, we principally rely on the borrower’s cash flow for repayment. Additionally, we often receive warrants to acquire shares of stock in borrowers in connection with these loans.

 

Junior Subordinated Debt

 

Structurally, junior subordinated debt is subordinate in priority of payment to senior debt (and is often unsecured), but is senior in priority to equity. Junior subordinated debt often has elements of both debt and equity instruments, having the fixed returns associated with senior debt while also providing the opportunity to participate in the future growth potential of a company through an equity component, typically in the form of warrants. Due to its higher risk profile and less restrictive covenants, loans associated with junior subordinated debt financing generally earn a higher return than senior debt or senior subordinated debt instruments.

 

ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

 

Monitoring .    We monitor the financial trends of each portfolio company to assess the appropriate course of action for each company and to evaluate overall portfolio quality. We closely monitor the status and performance of each individual company on at least a quarterly and, in most cases, a monthly basis.

 

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We have several methods of evaluating and monitoring the performance of our bilateral debt and equity positions, including but not limited to the following:

 

   

assessment of business development success, including product development, profitability and the portfolio company’s overall adherence to its business plan;

 

   

periodic and regular contact with portfolio company management to discuss financial position, requirements and accomplishments;

 

   

periodic formal update interviews with portfolio company management and, if appropriate, the financial or strategic sponsor;

 

   

board observation rights; and

 

   

review of monthly and quarterly financial statements and financial projections for portfolio companies.

 

In addition, we may from time to time identify investments that require closer monitoring or become workout assets. In such cases, we will develop a strategy for workout assets and periodically gauge our progress against that strategy. As a private equity holder, we may incur losses from our investing activities from time to time, however we attempt where possible to work with troubled portfolio companies in order to recover as much of our investments as is practicable.

 

Portfolio Grading

 

We have developed a credit grading system to monitor the quality of our debt investment portfolio. We use an investment rating scale of 1 to 5. The following table provides a description of the conditions associated with each debt investment. Equity securities are not graded.

 

Grade

  

Summary Description

1   

Company is ahead of expectations and/or outperforming financial covenant requirements and such

trend is expected to continue.

2   

Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

3   

Closer monitoring is required. Full repayment of principal and interest is expected.

4   

A reduction of interest income has occurred or is expected to occur. No loss of principal is expected.

5   

A loss of some portion of principal is expected.

 

Managerial assistance

 

As a business development company, we are required to offer managerial assistance to portfolio companies. This assistance typically involves monitoring the operations of portfolio companies, participating in their board and management meetings, consulting with and advising their officers and providing other organizational and financial guidance.

 

Portfolio Overview

 

We seek to create a portfolio that includes primarily senior secured loans, senior subordinated and junior subordinated debt investments, as well as warrants and other equity instruments we may receive in connection with such debt investments. We historically have invested between $5 million and $30 million in each of our portfolio companies with a goal of maintaining a diversified portfolio.

 

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The following is a representative list of the industries in which we have invested:

 

•Software

 

•    IT consulting

•IT value-added reseller

 

•    Healthcare

•Structured finance

 

•    Building development

•Printing and publishing

 

•    Telecommunication services

•Semiconductor capital equipment

 

•    Interactive voice messaging services

•Food products manufacturer

 

•    Auto parts manufacturer

•Financial intermediaries

 

•    Computer hardware

•Advertising

 

•    Retail

•Business services

 

•    Packaging and glass

•Education

 

•    Cable/satellite television

•Enterprise software

 

 

During 2011 we have seen significant price volatility for corporate loans consistent with many other parts of the debt and equity markets. Although corporate loan prices may still be below historical averages, our view is that certain, primarily larger-issuer, broadly syndicated corporate loans still may not adequately reflect the spreads necessary to compensate investors for the risks involved. In view of the above circumstances, we continue to focus more heavily on middle-market issuers and to a limited extent larger issuers, and, opportunistically, on certain structured finance investments, including CLO investment vehicles, and have recently made a number of selective purchases in these markets. For the period from January 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011, we invested approximately $212.2 million comprised of approximately 82.1% in senior secured notes, 12.9% in CLO equity and 5.0% in CLO debt. At September 30, 2011, our portfolio was invested approximately 72.6% in senior secured notes and bonds, 14.3% in CLO debt, 9.5% in CLO equity, 1.4% in subordinated notes and 2.2% in equity.

 

TEN LARGEST PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Our ten largest portfolio company investments at September 30, 2011, based on the combined fair value of the debt and equity securities we hold in each portfolio company, were as follows:

 

          At September 30, 2011  
          ($ in millions)  

Portfolio Company

   Industry    Cost      Fair
Value
     Fair Value
Percentage
of Total
Portfolio
 

American Integration Technologies, LLC

   Semiconductor capital equipment    $ 20.8       $ 24.0         6.6

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc

   Software      17.5         17.3         4.8

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

   Enterprise software      7.4         10.9         3.0

Stratus Technologies, Inc

   Computer hardware      9.6         10.2         2.8

Nextag, Inc.

   Retail      10.3         10.1         2.8

Decision Resources, LLC.

   Healthcare      10.2         10.1         2.8

Vision Solutions, Inc.

   Software      9.9         9.6         2.7

Unitek Global Services, Inc.

   IT consulting      7.7         7.7         2.1

Power Tools, Inc

   Software      8.5         7.6         2.1

AKQA, Inc.

   Advertising      7.8         7.6         2.1
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

      $ 109.7       $ 115.1         31.8
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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For a description of the factors relevant to the changes in the value of the above portfolio investments for the year ended September 30, 2011, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Portfolio Grading.”

 

Set forth below are descriptions of the ten largest portfolio investments as of September 30, 2011:

 

American Integration Technologies, LLC

 

American Integration Technologies, LLC (“AIT”) is a semiconductor capital equipment contract manufacturer. AIT specializes in precision sheet metal fabrication, tubular frame welding, integration of components and assembly of complex equipment, primarily used for the semiconductor industry.

 

Our original investment in AIT, which closed in May 2006, consisted of $12.0 million in senior secured notes. During April 2007, we invested an additional $15.0 million in senior secured notes. Also, during 2007 through 2008, AIT paid down approximately $6.1 million on the notes. In April 2010, the notes were restructured and AIT paid down approximately $2.0 million of the notes; as of September 30, 2011, $23.4 million remained outstanding.

 

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a “Ai Squared”)

 

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (“Ai Squared”) has been providing assistive technology for more than 15 years to computer users with low vision. The Company’s flagship product is ZoomText, a screen magnification and reading software application for the visually impaired.

 

Our investment in Ai Squared, which closed in September 2006, consisted of $22.0 million in senior secured notes and common stock. TICC and an individual investor each acquired 50% of the outstanding equity of Ai Squared in connection with our investment in the company. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $14.7 million remained outstanding on our investment in the senior secured notes.

 

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

 

Pegasus Solutions, Inc. (“Pegasus”) provides mission-critical technology and services to hotels and travel distributors. Pegasus’ services include central reservations systems (“CRSs”), distribution systems linking CRSs to travel agent systems and travel websites, third-party hotel marketing services and commission processing for hotels, travel agents and travel websites.

 

In January 2010, we acquired $4.8 million in second lien senior secured notes issued by Pegasus, and during September 2010, we acquired $3.0 million in first lien senior secured notes. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $8.3 million remained outstanding on our combined investment in the senior secured notes, including PIK interest.

 

Stratus Technologies, Inc.

 

Stratus Technologies, Inc. provides fault tolerant computer products, servers and services for companies which require continuous operations to run mission critical businesses.

 

In April 2010, we purchased $10.0 million of the first lien secured high yield notes issued by Stratus, as well as common and preferred equity. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $9.8 million remained outstanding on our investment in the notes.

 

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Nextag, Inc.

 

Nextag, Inc. (“Nextag”) is a pure-play online comparison shopping marketplace with diversified operations in multiple vertical categories which enable consumers to find items to buy, compare products, prices and stores, and make purchases from online merchants.

 

In February 2011, we acquired $11.2 million in senior secured notes issued by Nextag. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $10.9 million remained outstanding on our investment in the senior secured notes.

 

Decision Resources, LLC

 

Decision Resources, LLC (“Decision Resources”) provides information services across pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets, managed care markets and medical technology device markets to assist their clients in decision making and identification of growth opportunities.

 

In December 2010, we purchased $4.5 million of the 1st lien senior secured notes issued by Decision Resources and during January 2011, we purchased an additional $500,000 of the same notes. In May 2011, we acquired $5.3 million of the 2nd lien senior secured notes issued by Decision Resources. As of September 30, 2011, $10.3 million remained outstanding on our combined investments in the senior secured notes.

 

Vision Solutions, Inc.

 

Vision Solutions, Inc. (“Vision”) is a provider of information availability software, which is defined as software that prevents and manages system downtime.

 

In March 2011, we acquired $10.0 million of the 2nd lien senior secured notes issued by Vision. As of September 30, 2011, $10.0 million remained outstanding on our investment in the senior secured notes.

 

Unitek Global Services, Inc.

 

Unitek Global Services, Inc. (“Unitek”) is a full-service provider of permanently outsources infrastructure services, offering an end-to-end suit of technical services to the wireless and wireline telecommunications, satellite television and broadband cable industries, operating throughout the U.S. and Canada. Unitek’s services include network engineering and design, construction and project management, comprehensive installation and fulfillment, and wireless telecommunication infrastructure services.

 

In April 2011, we acquired $8.0 million in the senior secured notes issued by Unitek. As of September 30, 2011, $8.0 million remained outstanding on our investment in the senior secured notes.

 

Power Tools, Inc. (d/b/a “Axceler”)

 

Power Tools, Inc. (“Power Tools”) provides software for content and data integration, workflow and automated administration for IBM Lotus Notes and Domino.

 

In May 2006, we acquired $12.0 million in senior secured notes issued by Power Tools and, also at the time of closing, we acquired $350,000 in warrants to purchase common stock issued by Power Tools. At September 30, 2011, $8.3 million of the senior secured notes remained outstanding.

 

AKQA, Inc.

 

AKQA, Inc. (“AKQA”) is a digital interactive advertising company that delivers marketing solutions to blue chip clients. AKQA focuses on creating and delivering marketing solutions in digital media such as the Internet, mobile products, digital outdoor signage, gaming consoles and kiosks.

 

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In March 2007, we acquired $25.0 million in senior secured notes issued by AKQA. During 2008 and 2009, we sold approximately $15.0 million of those notes. As of September 30, 2011, approximately $7.8 million remained outstanding on our investment in the notes.

 

Competition

 

Our primary competitors to provide financing to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies include private equity and venture capital funds, other equity and non-equity based investment funds, including other business development companies, and investment banks and other sources of financing, including traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks and specialty finance companies. Many of these entities have greater financial and managerial resources than we will have. For additional information concerning the competitive risks we face, see “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure — We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.”

 

Employees

 

We have no employees. Our day-to-day investment operations are managed by our investment adviser. In addition, we reimburse BDC Partners for an allocable portion of expenses incurred by it in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including a portion of the rent and the compensation of our chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, controller and other administrative support personnel.

 

Properties

 

We do not own any real estate or other physical properties materially important to our operation. Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, Connecticut, where we occupy our office space pursuant to our Administration Agreement with BDC Partners. We believe that our office facilities are suitable and adequate for our business as it is presently conducted.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

We are not currently subject to any material legal proceedings, nor, to our knowledge, is any material legal proceeding threatened against us. From time to time, we may be a party to certain legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings relating to the enforcement of our rights under contracts with our portfolio companies. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon our financial condition or results of operations.

 

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PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

 

The following table sets forth certain information as of September 30, 2011 regarding each portfolio company in which we have a debt or equity investment. The general terms of our loans and other investments are described in “Business — Investment Process — Investment Structuring.” We offer to make available significant managerial assistance to our qualified portfolio companies. We may receive rights to observe the meetings of our portfolio companies’ board of directors. Other than these investments, our only relationships with our portfolio companies are the managerial assistance we may separately provide to our portfolio companies, which services would be ancillary to our investments.

 

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO preferred equity(11)(12)

    20.3   $ 2,200,000      $ 3,950,000   

Airvana Network Solutions, Inc .

19 Alpha Road

Chelmsford, MA 10824

 

telecommunication services

 

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(10.00%, due March 25, 2015)

    —          7,421,615        7,572,148   

AKQA, Inc.

118 King Street 6th Floor

San Fransisco, CA 94107

 

advertising

 

senior secured notes(4)(6)(10)

(4.90%, due March 20, 2013)

    —          7,763,996        7,608,716   

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc.

(d/b/a “Ai Squared”)

 

software

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)

(9.84%, due September 11, 2013)

    —          14,513,698        14,650,000   

130 Taconic Business Park Road

Manchester Center, VT 05255

   

common stock(12)

    47.2     3,000,000        2,600,000   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

481 N. Dean Avenue

Chandler, AZ 85226

 

semiconductor capital

equipment

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)

(11.75%, due December 31, 2013)

    —          20,844,695        23,986,954   

Anchor Glass Container Corporation

401 E. Jackson Street, Ste. 2800

Tampa, FL 33602

 

packaging and glass

 

senior secured notes(4)(10)

(6.00%, due March 2, 2016)

    —          4,957,465        4,898,620   

Attachmate

1500 Dexter Avenue

Seattle, WA 98109

 

enterprise software

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(6.50%, due April 27, 2017)

    —          4,850,122        4,800,000   

Avenue CLO V LTD 2007-5A D1

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(3.70%, due April 25, 2019)

    —          2,285,199        2,504,679   

Band Digital Inc.

(F/K/A “WHITTMANHART, Inc.”)

 

IT consulting

 

senior secured notes(4)(6)

(15.58%, due December 31, 2012)

    —          1,975,000        1,975,000   

440 W. Ontario Street

Chicago, IL 60610

   

warrants to purchase common

stock(7)(12)(14)

    —          —          —     

BNY Convergex

1633 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

 

financial intermediaries

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(10)

(8.75%, due December 17, 2017)

    —          1,852,545        1,862,494   

Canaras CLO—2007-1A E

Templar House

Don Road

St. Helier

Jersey JE1 2TR

Channel Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.70%, due June 19, 2021)

    —          1,863,633        2,318,750   

 

84


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

Canaras CLO Equity—2007-1A, 1X

Templar House

Don Road

St. Helier

Jersey JE1 2TR

Channel Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    21.4     4,355,000        3,690,000   

CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc.

4000 Meridian Blvd

Franklin, TN 37067

 

healthcare

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(3.82%, due July 25, 2014)

    —          4,615,327        4,528,356   

CIFC CLO—2006-1A B2L

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.25%, due October 20, 2020)

    —          1,656,784        2,005,036   

Decision Resources, LLC

8 New England Executive Park

 

healthcare

 

first lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due December 28, 2016)

    —          4,900,768        4,801,219   

Burlington, MA 01803

   

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)

(9.50%, due May 13, 2018)

    —          5,282,115        5,280,000   

Diversified Machine, Inc.

28059 Center Oaks Court

Wixom, MI 48393

 

autoparts manufacturer

 

first lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(10.50%, due October 28, 2015)

    —          5,152,875        5,214,344   

Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group, Inc.

50 Northwest Point Blvd.

Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

 

education

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.50%, due June 27, 2017)

    —          4,838,877        4,788,000   

Emporia CLO 2007 3A E

c/o Walkers SPV Limited

PO Box 908GT

Walker House

Mary Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(3.95%, due April 23, 2021)

    —          4,117,591        3,288,510   

Flagship 2005-4A D

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(5.08%, due June 1, 2017)

    —          1,617,216        1,816,027   

Fusionstorm, Inc.

2 Bryant Street, Suite 150

 

IT value-added reseller

 

subordinated notes(4)(5)(6)

(11.74%, due February 28, 2013)

    —          1,247,350        1,172,837   

San Fransisco, CA 94105

   

warrants to purchase common stock(7)(12)

    3.4     725,000        578,000   

GALE 2007-4A CLO

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

PO Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    7.3     1,965,000        1,950,000   

GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc.

28202 Cabot Road, Suite 650

 

interactive voice messaging

services

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(7)

(0.0%, due October 30, 2014)

    —          3,140,413        2,000,000   

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

   

convertible preferred stock(7)(15)

    67.0     1,500,000        —     

Getty Images, Inc.

601 North 34th Street

Seattle, WA 98103

 

printing and publishing

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.25%, due November 5, 2016)

    —          4,938,728        4,953,150   

Goodman Global, Inc.

5151 San Felipe, Suite 500

Houston, TX 77056

 

building and development

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.75%, due October 28, 2016)

    —          4,774,529        4,796,975   

 

85


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

GXS Worldwide Inc.

100 Edison Park Drive

Gaitherburg, MD 20878

 

business services

 

senior secured notes(5)(10)

(9.75%, due June 15, 2015)

    —          7,901,468        7,590,000   

Harbourview—2006A CLO Equity

Walker House

87 Mary Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

KY1-9002

Grand Cayman(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO subordinates notes(11)

    12.6     3,639,870        2,906,150   

Harch 2005-2A BB CLO

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(5.25%, due October 22, 2017)

    —          2,527,274        3,132,520   

Hewetts Island CDO 2007—1RA E

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO secured notes(4)(5)(6)(11)

(7.03%, due November 12, 2019)

    —          1,871,257        2,349,043   

Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(6.02%, due August 9, 2017)

    —          3,572,302        4,838,270   

Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4 E

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.82%, due May 9, 2018)

    —          5,521,165        5,044,775   

HHI Holdings LLC

2727 W. 14 Mile Road

Royal Oak, MI 48073

 

auto parts manufacturer

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due March 21, 2017)

    —          4,459,036        4,253,625   

Hudson Straits CLO 2004-1A E

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(7.00%, due October 15, 2016)

    —          1,356,438        1,829,096   

Hyland Software, Inc.

28500 Clemens Road

Westlake, OH 44145

 

enterprise software

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.75%, due December 19, 2016)

    —          2,932,971        2,882,728   

Immucor, Inc.

3130 Gateway Drive

Norcross, GA 30091-5625

 

healthcare

 

senior secured term B notes(4)(5)(10)

(7.25% , due August 19, 2018)

    —          4,339,582        4,426,875   

InfoNXX Inc.

655 Madison Avenue

21st Floor

New York, NY 10021

 

telecommunication services

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(6.56% , due December 1, 2013)

    —          6,657,109        6,300,000   

 

86


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 500

Portland, OR 97232

 

telecommunication services

 

common stock(7)(12)

    0.6     1,712,397        1,202,561   

Jersey Street 2006-1A CLO LTD

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    21.7     4,924,237        4,258,800   

Landmark V CDO LTD

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CDO senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(11)

(5.58%, due June 1, 2017)

    —          2,204,862        2,463,689   

Latitude II CLO 2006 2A D

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(11)

(4.10%, due December 15, 2018)

    —          1,549,004        1,564,460   

Latitude III CLO 2007-3A

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.00%, due April 11, 2021)

    —          1,909,016        2,360,000   

Liberty CDO LTD 2005-1A C

c/o Walkers SPV

P.O. Box 908GT

Walker House

87 Mary Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(6)(11)

(2.15%, due November 1, 2017)

    —          1,132,580        1,307,157   

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8A

c/o Walkers SPV

P.O. Box 908GT

Walker House

87 Mary Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(6.75%, due July 25, 2018)

    —          2,853,980        3,750,000   

Lightpoint CLO 2005-3X

c/o Walkers SPV Limited

P.O. Box 908GT

Walker House

Mary Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    12.8     3,330,000        3,301,875   

Lightpoint CLO VII LTD 2007-7

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO subordinated notes(11)

    6.0     1,562,500        1,470,000   

 

87


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.10%, due October 26, 2020)

    —          1,881,189        2,043,640   

Marlborough 2007-1A

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    10.0     1,739,000        1,668,500   

Mercury Payment Systems, LLC

Tech Center Plaza

10 Burnett Court, Suite 300

Durango, CO 81301

 

financial intermediaries

 

senior secured notes(4)(6)(10)

(6.50%, due July 1, 2017)

    —          3,990,000        3,950,100   

Merrill Communications, LLC

One Merrill Circle

St. Paul, MN 55108

 

printing and publishing

 

second lien senior secured notes(3)(4)(5)(10)

(13.76%, due November 15, 2013)

    —          6,136,606        5,832,659   

MLM Holdings, Inc.

780 3rd Avenue

New York, NY 10017

 

business services

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due December 1, 2016)

    —          4,883,529        4,801,500   

Nextag, Inc.

1300 South El Camino Real

Suite 600

San Mateo, CA 94402

 

retail

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(7.00%, due January 27, 2016)

    —          10,267,701        10,090,208   

Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO subordinated secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.75%, due June 27, 2022)

    —          2,052,852        2,262,814   

OCT11 2007-1A CLO

c/o Maples Finance Limited

P.O. Box 1093GT

Boundary Hall, Cricket Square

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO income notes(11)

    5.9     2,434,162        2,227,500   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

 

enterprise software

 

first lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

    —          2,480,879        2,566,841   

Campbell Centre I

   

(7.75%, due April 17, 2013)

     

8350 North Central Expressway

   

second lien senior secured notes(3)(5)(6)

    —          3,794,152        5,296,515   

Suite 1900

   

(13.00%, due April 15, 2014)

     

Dallas, TX 75206

   

common equity(7)(12)

    0.8     62,595        933,013   
   

preferred equity(7)

    7.8     1,045,451        2,096,220   

Petco, Inc.

9125 Rehco Road

San Diego, CA 92121

 

retail

 

senior secured notes(4)(10)

(4.50%, due November 24, 2017)

    —          4,762,500        4,721,250   

Phillips Plastics Corporation

1201 Hanley Road

Hudson, WI 54016

 

healthcare

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(7.25%, due February 12, 2017)

    —          2,974,242        2,962,500   

Power Tools, Inc.

 

software

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)

    —          8,188,905        7,425,000   

600 Unicorn Park Drive

   

(12.00%, due May 16, 2014)

     

Woburn, MA 01801

   

warrants to purchase common stock(7)(12)

    4.6     350,000        200,000   

Presidio IS Corp.

7601 Ora Glen Drive, Suite 100

Greenbelt, MD 20770

 

business services

 

senior secured notes(4)(6)(10)

(7.25%, due March 31, 2017)

    —          4,871,795        4,701,282   

 

88


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

Primus 2007 2X Class E CLO

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO notes (4)(5)(11)

(5.00%, due July 15, 2021)

    —          2,157,263        1,743,299   

Prospero CLO II BV

Fred Roeskestraat 123

1076 EE Amsterdam

The Netherlands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO senior secured notes(4)(5)(11)

(4.20%, due October 20, 2022)

    —          4,337,626        4,950,000   

RBS Holding Company

30 East 33rd Street

New York, NY 10016

 

printing and publishing

 

term B senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(6.50%, due March 23, 2017)

    —          4,928,511        4,427,750   

Rampart 2007-1A CLO Equity

c/o Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Ltd.

P.O. Box 1984

Boundary Hall, Cricket Square

171 Elgin Ave

Grand Cayman KY1-1104

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO subordinated notes(11)

    8.7     3,412,500        2,835,000   

RCN Cable

196 Van Buren Street

Herndon, VA 20170

 

cable/satellite television

 

senior secured notes(4)(10)

(6.50%, due August 26, 2016)

    —          4,900,126        4,797,585   

Sargas CLO 2006 -1A

c/o Maples Finance Limited

Queensgate House

P.O. Box 1093GT

South Church Street

George Town, Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands(13)

 

structured finance

 

CLO subordinated notes(11)

    32.9     4,945,500        6,262,000   

Securus Technologies

14651 Dallas Parkway

Dallas, TX 75254

 

telecommunication services

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(10.00%, due May 18, 2018)

    —          5,295,487        5,265,000   

Shearer’s Food Inc.

692 Wabash Avenue

North Brewster, OH 44613

 

food products manufacturer

 

subordinated notes(3)(4)(5)(10)

(15.50%, due March 31, 2016)

    —          4,097,665        3,971,248   

Shield Finance Co.

Abingdon Science Park

Abingdon , OX14 3YP

United Kindgom

 

software

 

first lien term notes(4)(5)(10)(11)

(7.75%, due June 15, 2016)

    —          3,699,685        3,706,064   

SkillSoft Corporation

107 Northeastern Boulevard

Nashua, NH 03062

 

business services

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(6.50%, due May 26, 2017)

    —          4,950,457        4,925,000   

SonicWall, Inc.

 

software

 

first lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

    —          1,192,557        1,220,480   

2001 Logic Drive

   

(8.25%, due January 23, 2016)

     

San Jose, CA 95124

   

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

    —          4,869,284        4,950,000   
   

(12.00%, due January 23, 2017)

     

SourceHOV, LLC

3232 McKinney Avenue

Dallas, TX 75204

 

business services

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)

(10.50%, due May 19, 2018)

    —          7,652,812        7,055,040   

Stratus Technologies, Inc.

 

computer hardware

 

first lien high yield notes(5)(10)

    —          9,059,389        9,753,000   

111 Powdermill Road

   

(12.00%, due March 29, 2015)

     

Maynard, MA 01754-3409

   

common equity(7)(12)

    0.5     377,928        —     
   

preferred equity(7)

    0.5     186,622        410,844   

 

89


Table of Contents

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Percentage
of Class
Held
    Cost     Fair
Value(2)
 

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

Williams Centre

250 South Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

 

healthcare

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(6.25%, due December 16, 2016)

    —          4,876,417        4,881,516   

Syniverse

8125 Highwoods Way

Tampa, FL 33647

 

telecommunication services

 

senior secured notes(4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.25%, due December 21, 2017)

    —          3,841,261        3,920,126   

Targus

8010 Towers Crescent Drive

Vienna, VA 22182

 

business services

 

senior secured notes(4)(6)(10)

(7.00%, due December 29, 2016)

    —          4,668,853        4,598,820   

Teleguam Holdings, LLC

624 North Marine Corps Drive

Tamuning, Guam 96913

 

telecommunication services

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(9.75%, due June 9, 2017)

    —          4,642,369        4,640,625   

Unitek Global Services, Inc.

177 Sentry Parkway West

Gywnedd Hall, Suite 302

Blue Bell, PA 19422

 

IT consulting

 

tranche B term loan (4)(5)(10)

(9.00%, due April 15, 2018)

    —          7,725,775        7,721,200   

Vision Solutions, Inc

15300 Barranca Parkway

Irvine, CA 92614

 

software

 

second lien senior secured notes(4)(5)(10)

(9.50%, due July 23, 2017)

    —          9,906,078        9,600,000   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Investments

        $ 357,952,312      $ 362,235,578   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Other than Algorithmic Implementation, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared), which we may be deemed to control, we do not “control” and are not an “affiliate” of any of our portfolio companies, each as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). In general, under the 1940 Act, we would be presumed to “control” a portfolio company if we owned 25% or more of its voting securities and would be an “affiliate” of a portfolio company if we owned 5% or more of its voting securities.
(2)   Fair value is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(3)   Investment includes payment-in-kind interest.
(4)   Notes bear interest at variable rates.
(5)   Cost value reflects accretion of original issue discount or market discount.
(6)   Cost value reflects repayment of principal.
(7)   Non-income producing at the relevant period end.
(8)   As a percentage of net assets at September 30, 2011, investments at fair value are categorized as follows: senior secured notes (86.0%), subordinated notes (1.7%), CLO debt (16.9%), CLO equity (11.3%), common stock (1.5%), preferred shares (0.8%) and warrants to purchase equity securities (0.2%).
(9)   Aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for federal income tax purposes is $18,248,799; aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for federal income tax purposes is $28,858,203. Net unrealized appreciation is $10,609,404 based upon a tax cost basis of $372,844,982.
(10)   All or a portion of this investment is pledged as collateral under the debt securitization financing through TICC CLO LLC.
(11)   Investment is not a qualified asset as defined under Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act.
(12)   Expressed as a percentage of common equity outstanding, assuming conversion of any warrants or convertible securities into the underlying common equity.
(13)   The listed address is the registered office of the issuer.
(14)   Warrants only become exercisable upon the earlier of a liquidation event involving Band Digital Inc., including the sale of or initial public offering of Band Digitial Inc., and the repayment of the outstanding senior notes.
(15)   Subject to an economic-share adjustment, upon a realization event, with equity co-owner.

 

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DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

We determine the net asset value per share of our common stock quarterly. The net asset value per share is equal to the value of our total assets minus liabilities and any preferred stock outstanding divided by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding. As of the date of this prospectus, we do not have any preferred stock outstanding.

 

Value, as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of 1940 Act, is (i) the market price for those securities for which a market quotation is readily available and (ii) for all other securities and assets, fair value is as determined in good faith by our Board of Directors.

 

There is no single standard for determining fair value in good faith. As a result, determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments we make. We are required to specifically value each individual investment on a quarterly basis. Our investments are valued in accordance with written valuation procedures, which are approved by our Board of Directors and are in compliance with Section 2(a)(41) of the 1940 Act.

 

Our Board of Directors determines the value of our investment portfolio each quarter. In connection with that determination, members of TICC Management’s portfolio management team prepare portfolio company valuations using the most recent portfolio company financial statements and forecasts. Since March 2004, we have engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing our bilateral investments and, more recently, for our syndicated loans, although our Board of Directors ultimately determines the appropriate valuation of each such investment.

 

Our process for determining the fair value of a bilateral investment begins with determining the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Enterprise value means the entire value of the company to a potential buyer, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The fair value of our investment is based in part on the enterprise value at which the portfolio company could be sold in an orderly disposition over a reasonable period of time between willing parties other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The liquidity event whereby we exit a private investment is generally the sale, the recapitalization or, in some cases, the initial public offering of the portfolio company.

 

There is no one methodology to determine enterprise value and, in fact, for any one portfolio company, enterprise value is best expressed as a range of fair values, from which we derive a single estimate of enterprise value. To determine the enterprise value of a portfolio company, we analyze the historical and projected financial results, as well as the nature and value of any collateral. We also use industry valuation benchmarks and public market comparables. We also consider other events, including private mergers and acquisitions, a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent debt or equity sale or restructuring, and include these events in the enterprise valuation process. We generally require portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Typically, our bilateral debt investments are valued on the basis of a fair value determination arrived at through an analysis of the borrower’s financial and operating condition or other factors, as well as consideration of the entity’s enterprise value and other market factors, such as changes in relative interest rates or credit spreads for similar investments. The types of factors that we may take into account in valuing our investments include: market trading and transaction comparables, applicable market yields and multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flows, among other factors. The fair value of equity interests in portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including the enterprise value remaining for equity holders after the repayment of the portfolio company’s debt and other preference capital, and other pertinent factors such as recent offers to purchase a portfolio company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the portfolio company’s equity securities, or other liquidity events. The determined equity values are generally discounted when we have a minority position, restrictions on resale, specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other factors.

 

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We will record unrealized depreciation on bilateral investments when we believe that an investment has become impaired, including where collection of a loan or realization of an equity security is doubtful. We will record unrealized appreciation if we believe that the underlying portfolio company has appreciated in value and our equity security has also appreciated in value. Changes in fair value are recorded in the statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

 

Under the written valuation procedures approved by our Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee, a third-party valuation firm will prepare valuations for each of our bilateral investments for which market quotations are not readily available that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company, (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of those third-party valuations of our portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under our credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly. TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on our behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both our bilateral portfolio securities and our syndicated loan investments. Our Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment.

 

Determinations in Connection with Offerings

 

In connection with any offering of shares of our common stock, our Board of Directors or a committee thereof will be required to make the determination that we are not selling shares of our common stock at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made. Our Board of Directors will consider the following factors, among others, in making such determination:

 

   

the net asset value of our common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC;

 

   

our management’s assessment of whether any material change in the net asset value of our common stock has occurred (including through the realization of gains on the sale of our portfolio securities) during the period beginning on the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock and ending two days prior to the date of the sale of our common stock; and

 

   

the magnitude of the difference between (i) the net asset value of our common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC and our management’s assessment of any material change in the net asset value of our common stock since the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock, and (ii) the offering price of the shares of our common stock in the proposed offering.

 

Importantly, this determination will not require that we calculate the net asset value of our common stock in connection with each offering of shares of our common stock, but instead it will involve the determination by our Board of Directors or a committee thereof that we are not selling shares of our common stock at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made.

 

Moreover, to the extent that there is even a remote possibility that we may (i) issue shares of our common stock at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made or (ii) trigger the undertaking (which we provide in certain registration statements we file with the SEC) to suspend the offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus if the net asset value of our common stock fluctuates by certain amounts in certain circumstances until the prospectus is amended, our Board of Directors will elect, in the case of clause (i) above, either to postpone the offering until such time that there is no longer the possibility of the occurrence of such event or to undertake to determine the net asset value of our common stock within two days prior to any such sale to ensure that such sale will not be below our then current net asset value, and, in the case of clause (ii) above, to comply with such undertaking or to undertake to determine the net asset value of our common stock to ensure that such undertaking has not been triggered.

 

These processes and procedures are part of our compliance policies and procedures. Records will be made contemporaneously with all determinations described in this section and these records will be maintained with other records that we are required to maintain under the 1940 Act.

 

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MANAGEMENT

 

Our Board of Directors oversees our management. Our Board of Directors currently consists of five members, three of whom are not “interested persons” of TICC as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. We refer to these individuals as our independent directors. Our Board of Directors elects our officers, who serve at the discretion of our Board of Directors. The responsibilities of each director will include, among other things, the oversight of our investment activity, the quarterly valuation of our assets, and oversight of our financing arrangements. Our Board of Directors has also established an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a Valuation Committee, and may establish additional committees in the future.

 

Board of Directors and Executive Officers

 

Directors

 

Information regarding our Board of Directors is as follows:

 

Name

   Age     

Position

   Director
Since
     Expiration
of Term
 

Interested Directors

           

Jonathan H. Cohen

     46       Chief Executive Officer and Director      2003         2012   

Charles M. Royce

     72       Chairman of the Board and Director      2003         2014   

Independent Directors

           

Steven P. Novak

     64       Director      2003         2014   

G. Peter O’Brien

     66       Director      2003         2012   

Tonia L. Pankopf

     43       Director      2003         2013   

 

The address for each of our directors is c/o TICC Capital Corp., 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830.

 

Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors

 

Name

   Age     

Position

Saul B. Rosenthal

     43       President and Chief Operating Officer

Patrick F. Conroy

     54      

Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary

 

Biographical Information

 

Directors

 

Our directors have been divided into two groups — interested directors and independent directors. An interested director is an “interested person” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Interested Directors

 

Mr. Cohen is an “interested person” of TICC as defined in the 1940 Act due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of TICC and TICC Management, TICC’s investment adviser, and as the managing member of BDC Partners, the managing member of TICC Management. Mr. Royce is an interested person due to his relationship with TICC’s investment adviser, TICC Management.

 

Jonathan H. Cohen has served as Chief Executive Officer of both TICC and TICC Management, and as the managing member of BDC Partners, since 2003. In addition, Mr. Cohen has served since 2005 as the Chief Executive Officer of T2 Advisers, LLC, which serves as the investment adviser to GLIF, a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in leveraged corporate loans across a variety of industries. Mr. Cohen has also served as Chief

 

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Executive Officer and Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS:OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Cohen was also the owner, managing member, and a principal of JHC Capital Management, a registered investment adviser that served as the sub-adviser to the Royce Technology Value Fund, a technology-focused mutual fund, and was previously a managing member and principal of Privet Financial Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer, from 2003 to 2004. Prior to founding JHC Capital Management in 2001, Mr. Cohen managed technology research groups at Wit Capital and SoundView Technology Group from 1999 to 2001. He has also managed securities research groups at Merrill Lynch & Co. from 1998 to 1999. He was named to Institutional Investor’s “All-American” research team in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Mr. Cohen’s depth of experience in managerial positions in investment management, securities research and financial services, as well as his intimate knowledge of our business and operations, gives our Board of Directors valuable industry-specific knowledge and expertise on these and other matters.

 

Charles M. Royce has served as Chairman of our Board of Directors since 2003. Mr. Royce became President of Royce & Associates in 1972. He also serves as a Co-Chief Investment Officer of Royce & Associates and manages or co-manages twelve of Royce & Associates’ open- and closed-end registered funds. Mr. Royce serves on the Board of Directors of The Royce Funds. Mr. Royce’s history with us, familiarity with our investment platform, and extensive knowledge of the financial services industry and the investment valuation process in particular qualify him to serve as the Chairman of our Board of Directors.

 

Independent Directors

 

The following directors are not “interested persons” of TICC, as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

Steven P. Novak currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mederi Therapeutics Inc., an early stage medical device company, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Aperio Technologies Inc., the leading vendor of digital pathology systems to the healthcare and life sciences markets. Until July 2010, Mr. Novak also served on the Board of Directors of CyberSource Corporation, an Internet based epayments processor company, where he served as the Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Nominating Committee. Mr. Novak previously served as President of Palladio Capital Management, LLC and as the Principal and Managing Member of the General Partner of Palladio Partners, LP, an equities hedge fund, from July 2002 until July 2009. Prior to founding Palladio Partners, LP, Mr. Novak was a Managing Director of C.E. Unterberg, Towbin from February 1993 through December 2001. Mr. Novak’s financial expertise from his experience as a financial manager and varied roles on the boards of both publicly-traded and privately-held companies provides our Board of Directors with particular technology-related knowledge and the perspective of a knowledgeable corporate leader.

 

G. Peter O’Brien is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Hill House, Inc., a congregate care facility for low income elderly residents, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bridges School. Mr. O’Brien serves on the Board of Directors of the Legg Mason Family of Mutual Funds and The Royce Funds. Mr. O’Brien was a member of the Board of Trustees of Colgate University from May 1996 to May 2005. Mr. O’Brien retired as a Managing Director of Merrill Lynch & Co. in 1999 after working in the equity capital markets area since he joined Merrill Lynch & Co. in 1971. Mr. O’Brien’s extensive familiarity with the financial industry and the investment management process in particular, and experience as a director of other publicly-traded and privately-held companies, provides our Board of Directors with valuable insight and perspective.

 

Tonia L. Pankopf is managing partner of Pareto Advisors, LLC. Previously, she was a senior analyst and managing director at Palladio Capital Management from January 2004 through April 2005. She previously served as an analyst and portfolio manager with P.A.W. Capital Partners, LP from 2001 to July 2003. Ms. Pankopf was a senior analyst and vice president at Goldman, Sachs & Co. from 1999 to 2001 and at Merrill Lynch & Co. from 1998 to 1999. Ms. Pankopf currently serves on the Board of Directors of the University System of Maryland Foundation. Ms. Pankopf is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and holds an ISS Accredited Certificate of Director Education. Ms. Pankopf’s extensive experience in investment research and analysis of mid-market and technology companies provides our Board of Directors with valuable insights of an experienced and diligent financial and investment manager, as well as a diverse perspective.

 

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Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors

 

Saul B. Rosenthal has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2003 and President since 2004 of TICC and TICC Management, and is a member of BDC Partners. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal has served since 2005 as the President of T2 Advisers, LLC, which serves as investment adviser for GLIF, a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal has served as President and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS:OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as President of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Rosenthal previously was a Vice President and co-founder of the Private Equity Group at Wit Capital. Prior to joining Wit Capital, Mr. Rosenthal was an attorney at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling LLP. Mr. Rosenthal serves on the board of Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared) and is a member of the board of the New York City chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO-WPO).

 

Patrick F. Conroy has served as the Chief Financial Officer since 2003, and the Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary since 2004 of TICC, TICC Management, and BDC Partners. Mr. Conroy has served as the Treasurer of TICC Management and BDC Partners since 2004, and previously served as the Treasurer of TICC from 2004 to 2009. Mr. Conroy has also served since 2005 as the Chief Financial Officer of T2 Advisers, LLC, which serves as investment adviser for GLIF, a Guernsey fund that primarily invests in senior loans, and which also serves as collateral manager of T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle sponsored by Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited. In addition, Mr. Conroy has served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS:OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. He is a certified public accountant.

 

Director Independence

 

In accordance with rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market, our Board of Directors annually determines each director’s independence. We do not consider a director independent unless our Board of Directors has determined that he or she has no material relationship with us. We monitor the relationships of our directors and officers through a questionnaire each director completes no less frequently than annually and updates periodically as information provided in the most recent questionnaire changes.

 

In order to evaluate the materiality of any such relationship, our Board of Directors uses the definition of director independence set forth in the rules promulgated by the NASDAQ Stock Market. Rule 5605(a)(2) provides that a director of a BDC, shall be considered to be independent if he or she is not an “interested person” of TICC, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

The Board of Directors has determined that each of the directors is independent and has no relationship with us, except as a director and stockholder, with the exception of Jonathan H. Cohen, as a result of his position as our Chief Executive Officer, and Charles M. Royce, as a result of his position as President and Chief Investment Officer of Royce & Associates, the non-managing member of our investment adviser, TICC Management.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

Our Board of Directors monitors and performs an oversight role with respect to the business and affairs of TICC, including with respect to investment practices and performance, compliance with regulatory requirements and the services, expenses and performance of service providers to TICC. Among other things, our Board of Directors approves the appointment of our investment adviser and officers, reviews and monitors the services and activities performed by our investment adviser and executive officers and approves the engagement, and reviews the performance of, our independent registered public accounting firm.

 

Under our bylaws, our Board of Directors may designate a Chairman to preside over the meetings of our Board of Directors and meetings of the stockholders and to perform such other duties as may be assigned to him

 

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by our Board of Directors. We do not have a fixed policy as to whether the Chairman of our Board of Directors should be an independent director and believe that we should maintain the flexibility to select the Chairman and reorganize the leadership structure, from time to time, based on the criteria that is in the best interests of TICC and its stockholders at such times.

 

Presently, Mr. Royce serves as the Chairman of our Board of Directors. Mr. Royce is an “interested person” of TICC as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act as a result of his ownership of a minority, non-controlling interest in our investment adviser, TICC Management. We believe that Mr. Royce’s history with TICC, familiarity with its investment platform, and extensive knowledge of the financial services industry and the investment valuation process in particular qualify him to serve as the Chairman of our Board of Directors. We believe that we are best served through this existing leadership structure, as Mr. Royce’s relationship with our investment adviser provides an effective bridge and encourages an open dialogue between management and our Board of Directors, ensuring that these groups act with a common purpose.

 

Our Board of Directors does not currently have a designated lead independent director. We are aware of the potential conflicts that may arise when a non-independent director is Chairman of our Board of Directors, but believe these potential conflicts are offset by our strong corporate governance policies. Our corporate governance policies include regular meetings of the independent directors in executive session without the presence of interested directors and management, the establishment of Audit and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees comprised solely of independent directors and the appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer, with whom the independent directors meet regularly without the presence of interested directors and other members of management, for administering our compliance policies and procedures.

 

We recognize that different board leadership structures are appropriate for companies in different situations. We re-examine our corporate governance policies on an ongoing basis to ensure that they continue to meet our needs.

 

Board’s Role In Risk Oversight

 

Our Board of Directors performs its risk oversight function primarily through (i) its three standing committees, which report to the entire Board of Directors and are comprised solely of independent directors, and (ii) active monitoring of our Chief Compliance Officer and our compliance policies and procedures.

 

As described below in more detail under “Committees of the Board of Directors,” the Audit Committee, the Valuation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its risk oversight responsibilities. The Audit Committee’s risk oversight responsibilities include overseeing our accounting and financial reporting processes, our systems of internal controls regarding finance and accounting, and audits of our financial statements. The Valuation Committee’s risk oversight responsibilities include establishing guidelines and making recommendations to our Board of Directors regarding the valuation of our loans and investments. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s risk oversight responsibilities include selecting, researching and nominating directors for election by our stockholders, developing and recommending to the Board of Directors a set of corporate governance principles and overseeing the evaluation of our Board of Directors and our management.

 

Our Board of Directors also performs its risk oversight responsibilities with the assistance of our Chief Compliance Officer. Our Board of Directors annually reviews a written report from the Chief Compliance Officer discussing the adequacy and effectiveness of the compliance policies and procedures of TICC and its service providers. The Chief Compliance Officer’s annual report addresses at a minimum (i) the operation of the compliance policies and procedures of TICC and its service providers since the last report; (ii) any material changes to such policies and procedures since the last report; (iii) any recommendations for material changes to such policies and procedures as a result of the Chief Compliance Officer’s annual review; and (iv) any compliance matter that has occurred since the date of the last report about which our Board of Directors would

 

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reasonably need to know to oversee our compliance activities and risks. In addition, the Chief Compliance Officer meets separately in executive session with the independent directors at least quarterly.

 

We believe that our Board of Directors’ role in risk oversight is effective and appropriate given the extensive regulation to which we are already subject as a BDC. As a BDC, we are required to comply with certain regulatory requirements that control the levels of risk in our business and operations. For example, our ability to incur indebtedness is limited such that our asset coverage must equal at least 200% immediately after each time we incur indebtedness, we generally have to invest at least 70% of our total assets in “qualifying assets” and we are limited in our ability to invest in any portfolio company in which one of our affiliates currently has an investment.

 

We recognize that different board roles in risk oversight are appropriate for companies in different situations. We re-examine the manner in which our Board of Directors administers its oversight function on an ongoing basis to ensure that they continue to meet our needs.

 

Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Our Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Valuation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. During 2011, our Board of Directors held five Board meetings, five Audit Committee meetings, four Valuation Committee meetings and one Nominating and Corporate Governance Meeting. All directors attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of our Board of Directors and of the respective committees on which they served. We require each director to make a diligent effort to attend all Board and committee meetings, as well as each annual meeting of stockholders.

 

The Audit Committee

 

The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our Board of Directors. The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include recommending the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing with such independent registered public accounting firm the planning, scope and results of their audit of our financial statements, pre-approving the fees for services performed, reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the adequacy of internal control systems, reviewing our annual financial statements and periodic filings, and receiving the audit reports covering our financial statements. The Audit Committee is presently composed of three persons: Messrs. Novak and O’Brien and Ms. Pankopf, all of whom are considered independent under the rules promulgated by the NASDAQ Stock Market. Our Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Novak is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined under Item 407 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Mr. Novak meets the current independence and experience requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and, in addition, is not an “interested person” of TICC as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Mr. Novak currently serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee met on five occasions during 2011.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our Board of Directors. The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s responsibilities include selecting, researching and nominating directors for election by our stockholders, selecting nominees to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, monitoring and making recommendations to the Board of Directors on matters of Company policies and practices relating to corporate governance and overseeing the evaluation of the Board of Directors and our management. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is presently composed of three persons: Messrs. Novak and O’Brien and Ms. Pankopf, all of whom are considered independent under the rules promulgated by the NASDAQ Stock Market. Mr. O’Brien currently serves as Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met on one occasion during 2011.

 

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The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not currently have a written policy with regard to nominees recommended by our stockholders. The absence of such a policy does not mean, however, that a stockholder recommendation would not have been considered had one been received.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider qualified director nominees recommended by stockholders when such recommendations are submitted in accordance with our bylaws and any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding director nominations. When submitting a nomination for consideration, a stockholder must provide certain information that would be required under applicable SEC rules, including the following minimum information for each director nominee: full name, age and address; principal occupation during the past five years; current directorships on publicly held companies and investment companies; number of shares of Company common stock owned, if any; and, a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by our Board of Directors and to serve if elected by our stockholders.

 

In evaluating director nominees, the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consider the following factors:

 

   

the appropriate size and composition of our Board of Directors;

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person” of TICC as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act;

 

   

the needs of TICC with respect to the particular talents and experience of its directors;

 

   

the knowledge, skills and experience of nominees in light of prevailing business conditions and the knowledge, skills and experience already possessed by other members of the Board of Directors;

 

   

familiarity with national and international business matters;

 

   

experience with accounting rules and practices;

 

   

appreciation of the relationship of our business to the changing needs of society;

 

   

the desire to balance the considerable benefit of continuity with the periodic injection of the fresh perspective provided by new members; and

 

   

all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and listing standards.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s goal is to assemble a Board of Directors that brings to TICC a variety of perspectives and skills derived from high quality business and professional experience.

 

Other than the foregoing there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees, although the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may also consider such other factors as they may deem are in the best interests of TICC and its stockholders. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also believes it appropriate for certain key members of our management to participate as members of the Board of Directors.

 

The members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identify nominees by first evaluating the current members of the Board of Directors willing to continue in service. Current members of the Board of Directors with skills and experience that are relevant to our business and who are willing to continue in service are considered for re-nomination, balancing the value of continuity of service by existing members of the Board of Directors with that of obtaining a new perspective. If any member of the Board of Directors does not wish to continue in service or if the Board of Directors decides not to re-nominate a member for re-election, the independent members of the Board of Directors identify the desired skills and experience of a new nominee in light of the criteria above. The entire Board of Directors is polled for suggestions as to individuals meeting the aforementioned criteria. Research may also be performed to identify qualified individuals. To date, neither the Board of Directors nor the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has engaged third parties to identify or evaluate or assist in identifying potential nominees although each reserves the right in the future to retain a third party search firm, if necessary.

 

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The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not adopted a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees. In determining whether to recommend a director nominee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers and discusses diversity, among other factors, with a view toward the needs of our Board of Directors as a whole. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee generally conceptualizes diversity expansively to include, without limitation, concepts such as race, gender, national origin, differences of viewpoint, professional experience, education, skill and other qualities that contribute to our Board of Directors, when identifying and recommending director nominees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes that the inclusion of diversity as one of many factors considered in selecting director nominees is consistent with the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s goal of creating a Board of Directors that best serves the needs of TICC and the interest of its stockholders.

 

The Valuation Committee

 

The Valuation Committee establishes guidelines and makes recommendations to our Board of Directors regarding the valuation of our loans and investments. Our portfolio investments are generally not publicly traded securities. As a result, there is no readily determinable market value for these securities. Thus, as required by the 1940 Act for such securities, we value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board of Directors based upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee.

 

Our process for determining the fair value of a bilateral investment begins with determining the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Enterprise value means the entire value of the company to a potential buyer, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The fair value of our investment is based on the enterprise value at which the portfolio company could be sold in an orderly disposition over a reasonable period of time between willing parties other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The liquidity event whereby we exit a private investment is generally the sale, the recapitalization or, in some cases, the initial public offering of the portfolio company.

 

There is no one methodology to determine enterprise value and, in fact, for any one portfolio company, enterprise value is best expressed as a range of fair values, from which we derive a single estimate of enterprise value. To determine the enterprise value of a portfolio company, we analyze the historical and projected financial results, as well as the nature and value of any collateral. We also use industry valuation benchmarks and public market comparables. We also consider other events, including private mergers and acquisitions, a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent debt or equity sale or restructuring, and include these events in the enterprise valuation process. We generally require portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Typically, our bilateral debt investments are valued on the basis of a fair value determination arrived at through an analysis of the borrower’s financial and operating condition or other factors, as well as consideration of the entity’s enterprise value. The types of factors that we may take into account in valuing our investments include: market trading and transaction comparables, applicable market yields and multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flows, among other factors. The fair value of equity interests in portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including the enterprise value remaining for equity holders after the repayment of the portfolio company’s debt and other preference capital, and other pertinent factors such as recent offers to purchase a portfolio company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the portfolio company’s equity securities, or other liquidity events. The determined equity values are generally discounted when we have a minority position, restrictions on resale, specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other factors.

 

We will record unrealized depreciation on bilateral investments when we believe that an investment has become impaired, including where collection of a loan or realization of an equity security is doubtful. We will

 

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record unrealized appreciation if we believe that the underlying portfolio company has appreciated in value and our equity security has also appreciated in value. Changes in fair value are recorded in the statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

 

Under the valuation procedures approved by our Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee, a third-party valuation firm will prepare valuations for each of our bilateral investments for which market quotations are not readily available that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company, (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of our total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of those third-party valuations of our portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under our credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly. TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on our behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both our bilateral portfolio securities and our syndicated loan investments. Our Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment.

 

During the past several quarters, we have acquired a number of debt and equity positions in CLO investment vehicles. These investments are asset-backed special purpose financing vehicles. In valuing such investments, we consider the operating metrics of the specific investment vehicle, including compliance with collateralization tests, defaulted and restructured securities, and payment defaults, if any. In addition, we consider the marks provided by the broker who makes the market or arranges transactions in such investment vehicles, as well as any available information on other relevant transactions in the market. TICC Management or the Valuation Committee may request an additional analysis by a third-party firm to assist in the valuation process of CLO investment vehicles. All information is presented to our Board of Directors for its determination of fair value of these investments.

 

The Valuation Committee is presently composed of Messrs. Novak and O’Brien and Ms. Pankopf. Mr. Novak currently serves as Chairman of the Valuation Committee. The Valuation Committee met on four occasions during 2011.

 

The Compensation Committee

 

We do not have a compensation committee because our executive officers do not receive any direct compensation from TICC.

 

Communication with the Board of Directors

 

Stockholders with questions about TICC are encouraged to contact our Investor Relations Department. However, if stockholders believe that their questions have not been addressed, they may communicate with our Board of Directors by sending their communications to TICC Capital Corp., c/o Patrick F. Conroy, Corporate Secretary, 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830. All stockholder communications received in this manner will be delivered to one or more members of our Board of Directors, as appropriate.

 

Code of Ethics

 

We have adopted a code of ethics which applies to, among others, our senior officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, as well as every officer, director and employee of TICC. Our code can be accessed via its website at http://www.ticc.com . We intend to disclose amendments to or waivers from a required provision of the code on Form 8-K.

 

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Compensation of Directors

 

The following table sets forth compensation of our directors for the year ended December 31, 2011.

 

Name

   Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash(1)
     All Other
Compensation(2)
     Total  

Interested Directors

        

Jonathan H. Cohen

     —           —           —     

Charles M. Royce

     —           —           —     

Independent Directors

        

G. Peter O’Brien

   $ 72,500         —         $ 72,500   

Steven P. Novak

   $ 80,750         —         $ 80,750   

Tonia L. Pankopf

   $ 69,500         —         $ 69,500   

 

(1)   For a discussion of the independent directors’ compensation, see below.
(2)   We do not maintain a stock or option plan, non-equity incentive plan or pension plan for our directors.

 

Effective for the third quarter of 2011, the independent directors receive an annual fee of $55,000 (prior to the third quarter of 2011, the annual fee was $35,000). In addition, the independent directors receive $2,000 plus reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending each Board of Directors meeting, $1,500 plus reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending each Valuation Committee meeting, $1,500 plus reimbursement of reasonable out of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending each Audit Committee meeting and $1,000 plus reimbursement of reasonable out of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attending each Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meeting. The Chairman of the Audit Committee also receives an additional annual fee of $7,500 for his service as chair of the Audit Committee. The Chairman of the Valuation Committee also receives an additional annual fee of $7,500 for his service as chair of the Valuation Committee. The Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also receives an additional annual fee of $3,000 for his service as chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. No compensation was paid to directors who are interested persons of TICC as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

Compensation of Chief Executive Officer and Other Executive Officers

 

None of our officers receive direct compensation from TICC. Mr. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, through their ownership interest in BDC Partners, the managing member of TICC Management, are entitled to a portion of any profits earned by TICC Management, which includes any fees payable to TICC Management under the terms of our Investment Advisory Agreement, less expenses incurred by TICC Management in performing its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement. Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal do not receive any additional compensation from TICC Management in connection with the management of our portfolio.

 

The compensation of Mr. Conroy, our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary, is paid by our administrator, BDC Partners, subject to reimbursement by us of an allocable portion of such compensation for services rendered by Mr. Conroy to TICC. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we accrued approximately $1.1 million for the allocable portion of compensation expenses incurred by BDC Partners on our behalf for our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, our Treasurer and Controller, and other support personnel, pursuant to our Administration Agreement with BDC Partners.

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

 

The management of our investment portfolio is the responsibility of TICC Management, and our investment adviser’s investment committee, which currently consists of Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer. Our investment adviser’s investment Committee must approve each new investment that we make. The members of our investment adviser’s investment committee are not employed by us, and receive no compensation from us in connection with their portfolio management activities. Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal, through their ownership of BDC Partners, the managing member of TICC Management, are entitled to a portion of any investment advisory fees paid by TICC to TICC Management.

 

Because TICC Management currently provides portfolio management services only to us, we do not believe there are any conflicts of interests with respect to TICC Management’s management of our portfolio on the one hand, and the management of other accounts or investment vehicles by affiliates of TICC Management on the other. However, Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer, and President, respectively, for T2 Advisers, LLC, an investment adviser to GLIF, a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in leveraged corporate loans across a variety of industries. T2 Advisers, LLC also manages T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd., a CLO vehicle established by GLIF. In addition, Mr. Cohen serves as Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Rosenthal serves as President of Oxford Lane Capital Corp., a registered closed-end fund. BDC Partners is the managing member of both T2 Advisers, LLC and Oxford Lane Management, the investment adviser for Oxford Lane Capital Corp. In addition, Charles M. Royce, Chairman of our Board of Directors, is a non-managing member of Oxford Lane Management. As a result, Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal may be subject to certain conflicts of interests with respect to their management of our portfolio on the one hand, and their respective obligations to manage GLIF, T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd. and Oxford Lane Capital Corp. on the other hand.

 

Set forth below is additional information regarding the additional entities that are managed by Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal:

 

Name

  

Entity

  

Investment Focus

   Gross
Assets (2)
 
Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited (1)    Guernsey-based fund    Principally debt investments across a variety of industries globally      $325 million   
Oxford Lane Capital Corp.    Registered closed-end fund    Debt and equity investments in CLO vehicles and other structured corporate debt      $38 million   

 

(1)   Includes the total assets held by T2 Income Fund CLO I Ltd.
(2)   Total assets are calculated as of September 30, 2011, and are rounded to the nearest million.

 

Investment Personnel

 

Our investment adviser is led by Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer. We consider Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal, who are the members of our investment adviser’s investment committee, to be our portfolio managers.

 

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The table below shows the dollar range of shares of common stock owned by each of our portfolio managers as of January 30, 2012.

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in TICC Capital Corp.(1)(2)

Jonathan H. Cohen

   Over $1,000,000

Saul B. Rosenthal

   Over $1,000,000

 

(1)   Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1 — $10,000, $10,001 — $50,000, $50,001 — $100,000, $100,001 — $500,000; $500,001 — $1,000,000 or Over $1,000,000.
(2)   The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in us is based on the closing price for our common stock of $9.47 on January 30, 2012 on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

 

The following information pertains to the members of TICC Management’s investment team who are not executive officers of TICC:

 

Darryl M. Monasebian.  Mr. Monasebian is the senior managing director and head of portfolio management of TICC Management. Mr. Monasebian has also served since 2005 as the senior managing director and head of portfolio management of T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to GLIF, a Guernsey fund that invests primarily in leveraged corporate loans across a variety of industries. In addition, Mr. Monasebian is the senior managing director and head of portfolio management of Oxford Lane Management. Prior to joining TICC Management, Mr. Monasebian was a director in the Merchant Banking Group at BNP Paribas, and prior to that was a director at Swiss Bank Corporation and a senior account officer at Citibank. He began his business career at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an investment analyst in the Corporate Investments Department. Mr. Monasebian received a Bachelor of Science in Management Science/Operations Research from Case Western Reserve University and a Masters of Business Administration from Boston University’s Graduate School of Management.

 

Hari Srinivasan.  Mr. Srinivasan is a managing director and portfolio manager of TICC Management, and of T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to GLIF. In addition, Mr. Srinivasan is a managing director and portfolio manager of Oxford Lane Management. Previously, Mr. Srinivasan was a credit manager at Lucent Technologies from 2002 to 2005, focusing on restructuring and monetization of distressed assets in Lucent’s vendor finance portfolio, and on the credit analysis of Lucent’s telecom customers. Prior to that, Mr. Srinivasan was an analyst in the fixed income group at Lehman Brothers from 1998 to 2002. Mr. Srinivasan received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Poona University, India and a Masters of Business Administration from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

 

Kevin P. Yonon. Mr. Yonon is a senior vice president of TICC Management and T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to GLIF. In addition, Mr. Yonon is a senior vice president of Oxford Lane Management. Previously, Mr. Yonon was an Associate at Deutsche Bank Securities and prior to that he was an Analyst at Blackstone Mezzanine Partners. Before joining Blackstone, he worked as an Analyst at Merrill Lynch in the Mergers & Acquisitions group. Mr. Yonon received a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated magna cum laude, and an Masters of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School.

 

Debdeep Maji.  Mr. Maji is a vice president of TICC Management and T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to GLIF. In addition, Mr. Maji is a vice president of Oxford Lane Management. Mr. Maji graduated from the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School (and was designated a Joseph Wharton Scholar) and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the School of Engineering.

 

Joseph Kupka.  Mr. Kupka is an associate of TICC Management and T2 Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to GLIF. In addition, Mr. Kupka is an associate of Oxford Lane Management. Previously, he worked as a risk analyst for First Equity Card Corporation. Mr. Kupka received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

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Compensation

 

None of TICC Management’s investment personnel receive any direct compensation from us in connection with the management of our portfolio. Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal, through their ownership interest in BDC Partners, the managing member of TICC Management, are entitled to a portion of any profits earned by TICC Management, which includes any fees payable to TICC Management under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, less expenses incurred by TICC Management in performing its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement. Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal do not receive any additional compensation from TICC Management in connection with the management of our portfolio. The compensation paid by TICC Management to its other investment personnel includes: (i) annual base salary; (ii) portfolio-based performance award; and (iii) individual performance award and/or individual performance bonus.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

Management Services

 

TICC Management serves as our investment adviser. TICC Management is registered as our investment adviser under the Advisers Act. Subject to the overall supervision of our Board of Directors, TICC Management manages our day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory services to us. Under the terms of our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), TICC Management:

 

   

determines the composition of our portfolio, the nature and timing of the changes to our portfolio and the manner of implementing such changes;

 

   

identifies, evaluates and negotiates the structure of the investments we make;

 

   

closes, monitors and services the investments we make; and

 

   

determines what securities we will purchase, retain or sell.

 

TICC Management’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and it is free to furnish similar services to other entities so long as its services to us are not impaired. TICC Management has agreed that, during the term of its Investment Advisory Agreement with us, it will not serve as investment adviser to any other public or private entity that utilizes a principal investment strategy of providing debt financing to middle-market companies similar to those we target.

 

Management Fee

 

We pay TICC Management a fee for its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement consisting of two components — a base management fee and an incentive fee. The cost of both the base management fee payable to TICC Management and any incentive fees earned by TICC Management are ultimately borne by our common stockholders.

 

The base management fee (the “Base Fee”) is calculated at an annual rate of 2.00% of our gross assets. For services rendered under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Base Fee is payable quarterly in arrears, and is calculated based on the average value of our gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters, and appropriately adjusted for any equity or debt capital raises, repurchases or redemptions during the current calendar quarter. The Base Fee for any partial quarter will be appropriately pro rated.

 

The incentive fee has two parts. The first part is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees, such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that we receive from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter minus our operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base Fee, expenses payable under our administration agreement with BDC Partners (the “Administration Agreement”), and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with PIK interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that we have not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of our net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, is compared to one-fourth of an annual “hurdle rate.”

 

For each year commencing on or after January 1, 2005, the annual hurdle rate has been determined as of the immediately preceding December 31 st by adding 5.0% to the interest rate then payable on the most recently issued five-year U.S. Treasury Notes, up to a maximum annual hurdle rate of 10.0%. The annual hurdle rate for the 2009

 

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calendar year was 6.55% and the annual hurdle rate for the 2010 calendar year was 7.69%. The current hurdle rate for the 2011 calendar year, calculated as of December 31, 2010, is 7.01%. Our net investment income (to the extent not distributed to our stockholders) used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of our gross assets used to calculate the 2% base management fee. In addition, in the event we recognize PIK loan interest in excess of our available capital, we may be required to liquidate assets in order to pay a portion of the incentive fee. TICC Management, however, is not required to reimburse us for the portion of any fees attributable to accrued deferred loan interest in the event of a default by the obligor. The operation of the incentive fee with respect to our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for each quarter is as follows:

 

   

no incentive fee is payable to TICC Management in any calendar quarter in which our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed one fourth of the annual hurdle rate (currently 7.01% for the 2011 calendar year).

 

   

20% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds one-fourth of the annual hurdle rate in any calendar quarter (currently 7.01% for the 2011 calendar year) is payable to TICC Management (i.e., once the hurdle rate is reached, 20% of all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter is allocated to TICC Management).

 

For example, for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, pre-incentive fee net investment income of $7,918,451 exceeded the hurdle of $5,639,131 (based upon net assets of $321,776,403 at June 30, 2011 and the quarterly hurdle rate of 1.7525%). The incentive fee rate of 20% resulted in an incentive of $455,864 for the quarter.

 

The second part of the incentive fee is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), and equals 20% of our “Incentive Fee Capital Gains,” which consist of our realized capital gains for each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation for that calendar year.

 

Example 1: Income Related Portion of Incentive Fee for Each Calendar Quarter (*)

 

Alternative 1

 

Assumptions

 

Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 1.25%

Quarterly Hurdle rate (1) = 1.9225%

Management fee (2) = 0.5%

Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.) = 0.2%

Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income

(investment income – (management fee + other expenses)) = 0.55%

Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed hurdle rate, therefore there is no income-related incentive fee.

 

Alternative 2

 

Assumptions

 

Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 4.0%

Quarterly Hurdle rate (1) = 1.9225%

Management fee (2) = 0.5%

Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.) = 0.2%

Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income

(investment income – (management fee + other expenses)) = 3.3%

Incentive fee = 20% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income in excess of the hurdle rate

= 20% × (3.3% – 1.9225%)

= 20% × 1.3775%

= 0.2755%

Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds hurdle rate, therefore the income-related incentive fee is 0.2755%

 

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(1)   Represents 7.69% annualized hurdle rate for 2010 calendar year.
(2)   Represents 2% annualized management fee.

 

Example 2: Capital Gains Portion of Incentive Fee (*)

 

Capital Gains Incentive Fee = 20% × Incentive Fee Capital Gains (i.e., our realized capital gains for each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation for that calendar year)

 

Assumptions:

 

   

Year 1 = no realized capital gains or losses

 

   

Year 2 = 9% realized capital gains, 0% realized capital losses, 1% unrealized depreciation and 0% unrealized appreciation

 

   

Year 3 = 12% realized capital gains, 0% realized capital losses, 2% unrealized depreciation and 2% unrealized appreciation

 

Year 1 incentive fee

• Total Incentive Fee Capital Gains = 0

• No capital gains incentive fee paid to TICC Management in Year 1

 

Year 2 incentive fee

• Total Incentive Fee Capital Gains = 8%

 

(9% realized capital gains less 1% unrealized depreciation )

• Total capital gains incentive fee paid to TICC Management in Year 2

= 20% × 8%

= 1.6%

 

Year 3 incentive fee

• Total Incentive Fee Capital Gains = 10%

 

  (12% realized capital gains less 2% unrealized depreciation; unrealized appreciation has no effect )

• Total capital gains incentive fee paid to TICC Management in Year 3

= 20% × 10%

= 2%

 

(*)   The hypothetical amount of returns shown are based on a percentage of our total net assets and assumes no leverage. There is no guarantee that positive returns will be realized and actual returns may vary from those shown in this example.

 

Payment of our Expenses

 

All personnel of our investment adviser when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory services, and the compensation and expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, will be provided and paid for by BDC Partners, the investment adviser’s managing member. We are responsible for all other costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including, without limitation, the cost of calculating our net asset value; the cost of effecting sales and repurchases of shares of our common stock and other securities; investment advisory fees; fees payable to third parties relating to, or associated with, making investments; transfer agent and custodial fees; federal and state registration fees; any exchange listing fees; federal, state and local taxes; independent directors’ fees and expenses; brokerage commissions; costs of proxy statements, stockholders’ reports and notices; fidelity bond, directors and officers/errors and omissions liability insurance and other insurance premiums; direct costs such as printing, mailing, long distance telephone, staff, independent audits and outside legal costs and all other expenses incurred by either BDC Partners or us in connection with administering our business, including payments under the Administration Agreement that will be based upon our allocable

 

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portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by BDC Partners in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including a portion of the rent and the compensation of our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Controller and other administrative support personnel. All of these expenses are ultimately borne by our common stockholders.

 

Duration and Termination

 

Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect if approved annually by our Board of Directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities, including, in either case, approval by a majority of our directors who are not interested persons. The Investment Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 60 days’ written notice to the other. See “Risk Factors — Risks relating to our business and structure — We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.”

 

Indemnification

 

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their respective duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of their respective duties and obligations, TICC Management and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it, including without limitation BDC Partners, are entitled to indemnification from TICC for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of TICC Management’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of TICC.

 

Organization of the Investment Adviser

 

TICC Management is a Delaware limited liability company that is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. BDC Partners, a Delaware limited liability company, is its managing member and provides the investment adviser with all personnel necessary to manage our day-to-day operations and provide the services under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The principal address of TICC Management and of BDC Partners is 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.

 

Charles M. Royce, our non-executive Chairman, has a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Mr. Royce has agreed to make himself or certain other portfolio managers available to the investment adviser to provide certain consulting services without compensation.

 

Board Approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement

 

A discussion regarding the basis for our board of director’s approval of our Investment Advisory Agreement was included in our proxy statement that was incorporated by reference in our annual report on Form 10-K for the period ending December 31, 2010.

 

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ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to a separate Administration Agreement, BDC Partners furnishes us with office facilities, together with equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities. Under the Administration Agreement, BDC Partners also performs, or oversees the performance of our required administrative services, which includes being responsible for the financial records which we are required to maintain and preparing reports to our stockholders and reports filed with the SEC. In addition, BDC Partners assists us in determining and publishing our net asset value, overseeing the preparation and filing of our tax returns and the printing and dissemination of reports to our stockholders, and generally overseeing the payment of our expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to us by others. Payments under the Administration Agreement are based upon our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by BDC Partners in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including a portion of the rent and the compensation of our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Controller, and other administrative support personnel. The Administration Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 60 days’ written notice to the other party.

 

The Administration Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their respective duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of their respective duties and obligations, BDC Partners and its officers, manager, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from TICC for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of BDC Partners’ services under the Administration Agreement or otherwise as administrator for TICC.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

The following discussion is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us and to an investment in shares of our common stock. This summary does not purport to be a complete description of the income tax considerations applicable to such an investment. For example, we have not described tax consequences that may be relevant to certain types of holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, including stockholders subject to the alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, dealers in securities, a trader in securities that elects to use a market-to-market method of accounting for its securities holdings, pension plans and trusts, and financial institutions. This summary assumes that investors hold our shares of common stock as capital assets (within the meaning of the Code). The discussion is based upon the Code, Treasury regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations, each as of the date of this prospectus supplement and all of which are subject to change, possibly retroactively, which could affect the continuing validity of this discussion. We have not sought and will not seek any ruling from the IRS regarding this offering. This summary does not discuss any aspects of U.S. estate or gift tax or foreign, state or local tax. It does not discuss the special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws that could result if we invested in tax-exempt securities or certain other investment assets.

 

A “U.S. stockholder” generally is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

   

A citizen or individual resident of the U.S.;

 

   

A corporation or other entity treated as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the U.S., any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

   

A trust if a court within the U.S. is asked to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantive decisions of the trust; or

 

   

An estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

 

A “Non-U.S. stockholder” generally is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

   

A nonresident alien individual;

 

   

A foreign corporation; or

 

   

An estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from a note.

 

If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective stockholder that is a partner of a partnership holding shares of our common stock should consult his, her or its tax advisers with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.

 

Tax matters are very complicated and the tax consequences to an investor of an investment in our shares will depend on the facts of his, her or its particular situation. We encourage investors to consult their own tax advisers regarding the specific consequences of such an investment, including tax reporting requirements, the applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, eligibility for the benefits of any applicable tax treaty and the effect of any possible changes in the tax laws.

 

Election to be Taxed as a RIC

 

As a business development company, we have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, beginning with our 2003 taxable year. As a RIC, we generally will not have to

 

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pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To continue to qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements (as described below). In addition, to qualify for RIC tax treatment we must distribute to our stockholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of our “investment company taxable income,” which is generally our ordinary income plus the excess of our realized net short-term capital gains over our realized net long-term capital losses (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”).

 

Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company

 

If we:

 

   

qualify as a RIC; and

 

   

satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement,

 

then we will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our income we distribute (or are deemed to distribute) to stockholders. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate rates on any income or capital gains not distributed (or deemed distributed) to our stockholders.

 

We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless we distribute in a timely manner an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of our net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of our capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”). We generally will endeavor in each taxable year to make sufficient distributions to our stockholders to avoid any U.S. federal excise tax on our earnings.

 

In order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must, among other things:

 

   

continue to qualify as a business development company under the 1940 Act at all times during each taxable year;

 

   

derive in each taxable year at least 90% of our gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of certain securities, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, net income from certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” or other income derived with respect to our business of investing in such stock or securities (the “90% Income Test”); and

 

   

diversify our holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year:

 

   

at least 50% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of our assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer; and

 

   

no more than 25% of the value of our assets is invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by us and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or of certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (the “Diversification Tests”).

 

We may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which we do not receive cash. For example, if we hold debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with PIK interest or, in certain cases, increasing interest rates or issued with warrants), we must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation, regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by us in the same taxable year. We may also have to include in income other amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as PIK interest and deferred loan origination fees that are paid after origination of the loan or are paid in non-cash compensation such as warrants or stock. Because any original issue discount or other amounts accrued will be included in our investment company taxable income for the year of accrual, we may be required to make a distribution to our

 

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stockholders in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, even though we will not have received any corresponding cash amount. In addition, we may be required to accrue for federal income tax purposes amounts attributable to our investment in CLOs that may differ from the distributions received in respect of such investments. Although we do not presently expect to do so, we are authorized to borrow funds, to sell assets and to make taxable distributions of our stock and debt securities in order to satisfy distribution requirements. Our ability to dispose of assets to meet our distribution requirements may be limited by (1) the illiquid nature of our portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to our status as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If we dispose of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, we may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, we may fail to qualify as a RIC and become subject to tax as an ordinary corporation.

 

Under the 1940 Act, we are not permitted to make distributions to our stockholders while our debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain “asset coverage” tests are met. If we are prohibited to make distributions, we may fail to qualify as a RIC and become subject to tax as an ordinary corporation.

 

We have purchased and may in the future purchase residual or subordinated interests in CLOs that are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as shares in a PFIC. We may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our allocable share of a portion of any “excess distribution” received on, or any gain from the disposition of, such shares even if our allocable share of such income is distributed as a taxable dividend to the PFIC’s stockholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest generally will be imposed on us in respect of deferred taxes arising from any such excess distribution or gain. If we elect to treat a PFIC as a QEF under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, we will be required to include in income each year our proportionate share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF, even if such income is not distributed by the QEF. Alternatively, we may elect mark-to-market treatment for a PFIC; in this case, we will recognize as ordinary income our allocable share of any increase in the value of such shares, and as ordinary loss our allocable share of any decrease in such value to the extent that any such decrease does not exceed prior increases included in our income. Under either election, we may be required to recognize in a year income in excess of distributions from PFICs and proceeds from dispositions of PFIC shares during that year, and such income will nevertheless be subject to the Annual Distribution Requirement and will be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax.

 

Under certain circumstances, a CLO may be treated as a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If a CLO is treated as a CFC, and we are considered to own 10% or more of total voting power in such CLO, we would be required to include in income each year any “subpart F income” generated by such CLO, which would generally include its net investment income, regardless of whether we received any distributions with respect to such income.

 

Although the Code generally provides that income inclusions from a QEF and subpart F income will be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test to the extent it is distributed to a RIC in the year it is included in the RIC’s income, the Code does not specifically provide whether income inclusions from a QEF and subpart F income for which no distribution is received during the RIC’s taxable year would be “good income” for the 90% Income Test. The IRS has issued a series of private rulings in which it has concluded that all income inclusions from a QEF and subpart F income included in a RIC’s income would constitute “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test. Such rulings are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the taxpayer to whom such rulings were issued. Accordingly, although we believe that the income inclusions from a QEF and subpart F income of a CLO that we are required to include in our taxable income would be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test, no guaranty can be made that the IRS would not assert that such income would not be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test. If such income were not considered “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test, we may fail to qualify as a RIC.

 

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The remainder of this discussion assumes that we qualify as a RIC and have satisfied the Annual Distribution Requirement.

 

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

 

Distributions by us generally are taxable to U.S. stockholders as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, our net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses) will be taxable as ordinary income to U.S. stockholders to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. To the extent such distributions paid by us in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013 to stockholders taxed at individual rates are attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, such distributions (“Qualifying Dividends”) may be eligible for a maximum tax rate of 15%. In this regard, it is anticipated that distributions paid by us will generally not be attributable to dividends and, therefore, generally will not qualify for the 15% maximum rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends. Distributions of our net capital gains (which are generally our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) made in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013 and properly reported by us as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable to a U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gains that are currently taxable at a maximum rate of 15% in the case of stockholders taxed at individual rates, regardless of the U.S. stockholder’s holding period for his, her or its common stock and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. Distributions in excess of our earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such stockholder’s common stock and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. stockholder.

 

We may retain some or all of our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses, but designate the retained net capital gain as a “deemed distribution.” In that case, among other consequences, we will pay tax on the retained amount, each U.S. stockholder will be required to include his, her or its share of the deemed distribution in income as if it had been actually distributed to the U.S. stockholder, and the U.S. stockholder will be entitled to claim a credit equal to his, her or its allocable share of the tax paid thereon by us. Because we expect to pay tax on any retained capital gains at our regular corporate tax rate, and because that rate is in excess of the maximum rate currently payable by U.S. stockholders taxed at individual rates on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that individual U.S. stockholders will be treated as having paid will exceed the tax they owe on the capital gain distribution and such excess generally may be refunded or claimed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s other U.S. federal income tax obligations. The amount of the deemed distribution net of such tax will be added to the U.S. stockholder’s cost basis for his, her or its common stock. In order to utilize the deemed distribution approach, we must provide written notice to our stockholders prior to the expiration of 60 days after the close of the relevant taxable year. We cannot treat any of our investment company taxable income as a “deemed distribution.”

 

For purposes of determining (1) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (2) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, we may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If we make such an election, the U.S. stockholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by us in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by our U.S. stockholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

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

 

A U.S. stockholder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder sells or otherwise disposes of his, her or its shares of our common stock. The amount of gain or loss will be measured by the difference between such U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock sold and the amount of the proceeds received in exchange. Any gain arising from such sale or disposition generally will be treated as long-

 

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term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held his, her or its shares for more than one year. Otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of shares of our common stock held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or undistributed capital gain deemed received, with respect to such shares. In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of shares of our common stock may be disallowed if other shares of our common stock are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition.

 

In general, U.S. stockholders taxed at individual rates currently are subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% on their net capital gain (i.e., the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses) recognized in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013, including any long-term capital gain derived from an investment in our shares. Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by such U.S. stockholders. The maximum rate on long-term capital gains for U.S. stockholders taxed at individual rates is scheduled to return to 20% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2012. In addition, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, individuals with income in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly) and certain estates and trusts are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, and rents, and net capital gains (other than certain amounts earned from trades or businesses). Corporate U.S. stockholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 35% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate U.S. stockholders with net capital losses for a year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each year. Any net capital losses of a non-corporate U.S. stockholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent years as provided in the Code. Corporate U.S. stockholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a year, but may carry back such losses for three years or carry forward such losses for five years.

 

We will send to each of our U.S. stockholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a notice reporting the amounts includible in such U.S. stockholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain. In addition, the federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the IRS (including the amount of dividends, if any, eligible for the 15% maximum rate). Dividends paid by us generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends because our income generally will not consist of dividends. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. stockholder’s particular situation.

 

We may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) from all distributions to any U.S. stockholder (other than a corporation (for payments before January 1, 2012), a financial institution, or a stockholder that otherwise qualifies for an exemption) (1) who fails to furnish us with a correct taxpayer identification number or a certificate that such stockholder is exempt from backup withholding or (2) with respect to whom the IRS notifies us that such stockholder has failed to properly report certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect. An individual’s taxpayer identification number is his or her social security number. Any amount withheld under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s federal income tax liability, provided that proper information is provided to the IRS.

 

U.S. stockholders that hold their common stock through foreign accounts or intermediaries will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% on dividends paid after December 31, 2013, and proceeds on the sale of our common stock received after December 31, 2014 if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts are not satisfied.

 

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Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

 

Whether an investment in the shares is appropriate for a Non-U.S. stockholder will depend upon that person’s particular circumstances. An investment in the shares by a Non-U.S. stockholder may have adverse tax consequences. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisers before investing in our common stock.

 

Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” to Non-U.S. stockholders (including interest income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized long-term capital losses, which generally would be free of withholding if paid to Non-U.S. stockholders directly) will be subject to withholding of federal tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits unless an applicable exception applies. If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder, we will not be required to withhold federal tax if the Non-U.S. stockholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. persons. (Special certification requirements apply to a Non-U.S. stockholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their own tax advisers.)

 

However, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2012, no withholding was required with respect to certain distributions if (i) the distributions are properly reported as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” (ii) the distributions are derived from sources specified in the Code for such dividends and (iii) certain other requirements are satisfied. Currently, we do not anticipate that any significant amount of our distributions will be reported as eligible for this proposed exemption from withholding. No assurance can be provided that this exemption will be so extended for years beginning after December 31, 2012; or if extended, whether any of our distributions will be designated as eligible for this exemption. Actual or deemed distributions of our net capital gains to a Non-U.S. stockholder, and gains realized by a Non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale of our common stock, will not be subject to federal withholding tax and generally will not be subject to federal income tax unless the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder.

 

The tax consequences to Non-U.S. stockholders entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty or that are individuals that are present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during a taxable year may be different from those described herein. Non-U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisers with respect to the procedure for claiming the benefit of a lower treaty rate and the applicability of foreign taxes.

 

If we distribute our net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a Non-U.S. stockholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the stockholder’s allocable share of the tax we pay on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed. In order to obtain the refund, the Non-U.S. stockholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the Non-U.S. stockholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return. For a corporate Non-U.S. stockholder, distributions (both actual and deemed), and gains realized upon the sale of our common stock that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty). Accordingly, investment in the shares may not be appropriate for a Non-U.S. stockholder.

 

A Non-U.S. stockholder who is a non-resident alien individual, and who is otherwise subject to withholding of federal tax, may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on dividends unless the Non-U.S. stockholder provides us or the dividend paying agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN (or an acceptable substitute form) or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a Non-U.S. stockholder or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.

 

Recently enacted legislation generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions that fail to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have

 

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U.S. persons as substantial owners). The types of income subject to the tax include U.S. source interest and dividends paid after December 31, 2013 and the gross proceeds from the sale of any property that could produce U.S.-source interest or dividends received after December 31, 2014. The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a U.S. person and transaction activity within the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, this legislation also imposes a 30% withholding on payments to foreign entities that are not financial institutions unless the foreign entity certifies that it does not have a greater than 10% U.S. owner or provides the withholding agent with identifying information on each greater than 10% U.S. owner. When these provisions become effective, depending on the status of a Non-U.S. Holder and the status of the intermediaries through which they hold their shares, Non-U.S. Holders could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on their shares and proceeds from the sale of their shares. Under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. Holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.

 

Non-U.S. persons should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax, and state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in the shares.

 

Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company

 

If we were unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, we would be subject to tax on all of our taxable income at regular corporate rates, regardless of whether we make any distributions to our stockholders. Distributions would not be required, and any distributions made in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013 would be taxable to our stockholders as ordinary dividend income that, subject to certain limitations, may be eligible for the 15% maximum rate to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate distributees would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain.

 

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REGULATION AS A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

 

General

 

A business development company is regulated by the 1940 Act. A business development company must be organized in the U.S. for the purpose of investing in or lending to primarily private companies and making managerial assistance available to them. A business development company may use capital provided by public stockholders and from other sources to invest in long-term, private investments in businesses. A business development company provides stockholders the ability to retain the liquidity of a publicly traded stock, while sharing in the possible benefits, if any, of investing in primarily privately owned companies.

 

We may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a business development company unless authorized by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, as required by the 1940 Act. A majority of the outstanding voting securities of a company is defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of such company’s voting securities present at a meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company. We do not anticipate any substantial change in the nature of our business.

 

As with other companies regulated by the 1940 Act, a business development company must adhere to certain substantive regulatory requirements. A majority of our directors must be persons who are not interested persons, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. Additionally, we are required to provide and maintain a bond issued by a reputable fidelity insurance company to protect the business development company. Furthermore, as a business development company, we are prohibited from protecting any director or officer against any liability to the company or our stockholders arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.

 

As a business development company, we are required to meet a coverage ratio of the value of total assets to total senior securities, which include all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 200%. We may also be prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our directors who are not interested persons and, in some cases, prior approval by the SEC.

 

We are not generally able to sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Business and Structure — Regulations governing our operation as a business development company affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.” We may, however, sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the consent of the majority of our common stockholders, or (iii) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit. For example, we may sell our common stock, or warrants, options or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock if our Board of Directors determines that such sale is in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders, and our stockholders approve our policy and practice of making such sales. In any such case, under such circumstances, the price at which our common stock to be issued and sold may not be less than a price which, in the determination of our Board of Directors, closely approximates the market value of such common stock. In addition, we may generally issue new shares of our common stock at a price below net asset value in rights offerings to existing stockholders, in payment of dividends and in certain other limited circumstances.

 

We may be examined by the SEC for compliance with the 1940 Act.

 

As a business development company, we are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Business and Structure.”

 

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Qualifying Assets

 

As a business development company, we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represent at least 70% of the value of our total assets. The principal categories of qualifying assets relevant to our business are:

 

   

Securities purchased in transactions not involving any public offering, the issuer of which is an eligible portfolio company;

 

   

Securities received in exchange for or distributed with respect to securities described in the bullet above or pursuant to the exercise of options, warrants or rights relating to such securities; and

 

   

Cash, cash items, government securities or high quality debt securities (within the meaning of the 1940 Act), maturing in one year or less from the time of investment.

 

An eligible portfolio company is generally a domestic company that is not an investment company (other than a small business investment company wholly owned by a business development company) and that:

 

   

does not have a class of securities with respect to which a broker may extend margin credit at the time the acquisition is made;

 

   

is controlled by the business development company and has an affiliate of the business development company on its board of directors;

 

   

does not have any class of securities listed on a national securities exchange;

 

   

is a public company that lists its securities on a national securities exchange with a market capitalization of less than $250 million; or

 

   

meets such other criteria as may be established by the SEC.

 

Control, as defined by the 1940 Act, is presumed to exist where a business development company beneficially owns more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of the portfolio company.

 

In addition, a business development company must have been organized and have its principal place of business in the U.S. and must be operated for the purpose of making investments in eligible portfolio companies, or in other securities that are consistent with its purpose as a business development company.

 

Significant Managerial Assistance

 

To include certain securities described above as qualifying assets for the purpose of the 70% test, a business development company must offer to the issuer of those securities managerial assistance such as providing guidance and counsel concerning the management, operations, or business objectives and policies of a portfolio company. We offer to provide managerial assistance to our portfolio companies.

 

Code of Ethics

 

As required by the 1940 Act, we maintain a Code of Ethics that establishes procedures for personal investments and restricts certain transactions by our personnel. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Business and Structure — There are significant potential conflicts of interest.” Our Code of Ethics generally does not permit investments by our employees in securities that may be purchased or held by us. You may read and copy the Code of Ethics at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the Code of Ethics is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov . You may obtain copies of the Code of Ethics, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following Email address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Our Code of Ethics is also available on our website at http://www.ticc.com .

 

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Compliance Policies and Procedures

 

We and our investment adviser have adopted and implemented written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws, and are required to review these compliance policies and procedures annually for their adequacy and the effectiveness of their implementation, and designate a Chief Compliance Officer to be responsible for administering the policies and procedures.

 

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 imposes a wide variety of new regulatory requirements on publicly-held companies and their insiders. Many of these requirements affect us. For example:

 

   

Pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the 1934 Act, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer must certify the accuracy of the financial statements contained in our periodic reports;

 

   

Pursuant to Item 307 of Regulation S-K, our periodic reports must disclose our conclusions about the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures;

 

   

Pursuant to Rule 13a-15 of the 1934 Act, our management must prepare a report regarding its assessment of our internal control over financial reporting; and

 

   

Pursuant to Item 308 of Regulation S-K and Rule 13a-15 of the 1934 Act, our periodic reports must disclose whether there were significant changes in our internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect these controls subsequent to the date of their evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires us to review our current policies and procedures to determine whether we comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder. We will continue to monitor our compliance with all regulations that are adopted under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and will take actions necessary to ensure that we are in compliance therewith.

 

Fundamental Investment Policies

 

The restrictions identified as fundamental below, along with our investment objective of seeking to maximize total return, are our only fundamental policies. Fundamental policies may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities, as defined in the 1940 Act. The percentage restrictions set forth below, apply at the time a transaction is effected, and a subsequent change in a percentage resulting from market fluctuations or any cause will not require us to dispose of portfolio securities or to take other action to satisfy the percentage restriction.

 

As a matter of fundamental policy, we will not: (1) act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers (except to the extent that we may be deemed an “underwriter” of securities we purchase that must be registered under the 1933 Act before they may be offered or sold to the public); (2) purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate investment trusts (except that we may (A) purchase and sell real estate or interests in real estate in connection with the orderly liquidation of investments, or in connection with foreclosure on collateral, (B) own the securities of companies that are in the business of buying, selling or developing real estate or (C) finance the purchase of real estate by our portfolio companies); (3) sell securities short (except with regard to managing the risks associated with publicly-traded securities issued by our portfolio companies); (4) purchase securities on margin (except to the extent that we may purchase securities with borrowed money); or (5) engage in the purchase or sale of commodities or commodity contracts, including futures contracts (except where necessary in working out distressed loan or investment situations or in hedging the risks associated with interest rate fluctuations), and, in such cases, only after all necessary registrations (or exemptions from registration) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have been obtained.

 

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We may invest up to 100% of our assets in securities acquired directly from issuers in privately negotiated transactions. With respect to such securities, we may, for the purpose of public resale, be deemed an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the 1933 Act. Our intention is to not write (sell) or buy put or call options to manage risks associated with the publicly-traded securities of our portfolio companies, except that we may enter into hedging transactions to manage the risks associated with interest rate fluctuations, and, in such cases, only after all necessary registrations (or exemptions from registration) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have been obtained. However, we may purchase or otherwise receive warrants to purchase the common stock or other equity securities of our portfolio companies in connection with acquisition financing or other investment. Similarly, in connection with an acquisition, we may acquire rights to require the issuers of acquired securities or their affiliates to repurchase them under certain circumstances. We also do not intend to acquire securities issued by any investment company that exceed the limits imposed by the 1940 Act. Under these limits, unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, we currently cannot acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any registered investment company, invest more than 5% of the value of our total assets in the securities of one investment company or invest, in the aggregate, in excess of 10% of the value of our total assets in the securities of one or more investment companies. With regard to that portion of our portfolio invested in securities issued by investment companies, it should be noted that such investments might subject our stockholders to additional expenses.

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

 

We have delegated our proxy voting responsibility to our investment adviser, TICC Management. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of TICC Management are set forth below. The guidelines are reviewed periodically by TICC Management and our non-interested directors, and, accordingly, are subject to change. For purposes of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures described below, “we” “our” and “us” refers to TICC Management.

 

Introduction

 

As an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act, we have a fiduciary duty to act solely in the best interests of our clients. As part of this duty, we recognize that we must vote client securities in a timely manner free of conflicts of interest and in the best interests of our clients.

 

These policies and procedures for voting proxies for our investment advisory clients are intended to comply with Section 206 of, and Rule 206(4)-6 under, the Advisers Act.

 

Proxy Policies

 

We vote proxies relating to our portfolio securities in the best interests of our clients’ stockholders. We review on a case-by-case basis each proposal submitted to a stockholder vote to determine its impact on the portfolio securities held by our clients. Although we generally vote against proposals that may have a negative impact on our clients’ portfolio securities, we may vote for such a proposal if there exist compelling long-term reasons to do so.

 

Our proxy voting decisions are made by the senior officers who are responsible for monitoring each of our clients’ investments. To ensure that our vote is not the product of a conflict of interest, we require that: (i) anyone involved in the decision making process disclose to our Chief Compliance Officer any potential conflict that he or she is aware of and any contact that he or she has had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; and (ii) employees involved in the decision making process or vote administration are prohibited from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties.

 

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Proxy Voting Records

 

You may obtain information about how we voted proxies by making a written request for proxy voting information to: Chief Compliance Officer, TICC Management, LLC, 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830.

 

Periodic Reporting and Audited Financial Statements

 

We have registered our common stock under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and have reporting obligations thereunder, including the requirement that we file annual and quarterly reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this annual report contains financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accounting firm. You may obtain our annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and our current reports on Form 8-K on our website at http://www.ticc.com free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports electronically with the SEC.

 

NASDAQ Global Select Market Requirements

 

We have adopted certain policies and procedures intended to comply with the NASDAQ Global Select Market’s corporate governance rules. We will continue to monitor our compliance with all future listing standards that are approved by the SEC and will take actions necessary to ensure that we are in compliance therewith.

 

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DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

 

We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan, through which all dividends are paid to stockholders in the form of additional shares of our common stock, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash as provided below. In this way, a stockholder can maintain an undiluted investment in us and still allow us to pay out the required distributable income.

 

No action is required on the part of a registered stockholder to receive a distribution in shares of our common stock. A registered stockholder may elect to receive an entire distribution in cash by notifying Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the plan administrator and our transfer agent and registrar, in writing so that such notice is received by the plan administrator no later than 10 days prior to the record date for distributions to stockholders. The plan administrator will set up an account for shares acquired through the plan for each stockholder who has not elected to receive distributions in cash and hold such shares in non-certificated form. Upon request by a participant, received in writing not less than 10 days prior to the record date, the plan administrator will, instead of crediting shares to the participant’s account, issue a certificate registered in the participant’s name for the number of whole shares of our common stock and a check for any fractional share.

 

Those stockholders whose shares are held by a broker or other financial intermediary may receive distributions in cash by notifying their broker or other financial intermediary of their election.

 

We use only newly issued shares to implement the plan, whether our shares are trading at a premium or at a discount to net asset value. The number of shares to be issued to a stockholder is determined by dividing the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to such stockholder by the market price per share of our common stock at the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the valuation date for such distribution. Market price per share on that date will be the closing price for such shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or, if no sale is reported for such day, at the average of their electronically-reported bid and asked prices. The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after giving effect to payment of the distribution cannot be established until the value per share at which additional shares will be issued has been determined and elections of our stockholders have been tabulated.

 

There is no charge to stockholders for receiving their distributions in the form of additional shares of our common stock. The plan administrator’s fees for handling distributions in stock are paid by us. There are no brokerage charges with respect to shares we have issued directly as a result of distributions payable in stock. If a participant elects by written or telephonic notice to the plan administrator to have the plan administrator sell part or all of the shares held by the plan administrator in the participant’s account and remit the proceeds to the participant, the plan administrator is authorized to deduct a $2.50 transaction fee plus brokerage commissions from the proceeds.

 

Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of stock are subject to the same federal, state and local tax consequences as are stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash. A stockholder’s basis for determining gain or loss upon the sale of stock received in a distribution from us will be equal to the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to the stockholder.

 

The plan may be terminated by us upon notice in writing mailed to each participant at least 30 days prior to any record date for the payment of any dividend or distribution by us. All correspondence concerning the plan should be directed to the plan administrator by mail at 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021 or by phone at 1-800-426-5523.

 

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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

 

The following table sets forth, as of January 30, 2012, the beneficial ownership of each of our directors, executive officers, each person known to us to beneficially own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock, and the executive officers and directors as a group.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that each beneficial owner set forth in the table has sole voting and investment power and has the same address as TICC. Our address is 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.

 

Name of Beneficial Owner

   Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned(1)
     Percentage
of Class(2)
 

Interested Directors

     

Jonathan H. Cohen(3)

     310,224         *   

Charles M. Royce

     392,696         1.2%   

Independent Directors

     

Steven P. Novak

     14,474         *   

G. Peter O’Brien

     65,993         *   

Tonia L. Pankopf

     8,927         *   

Executive Officers

     

Saul B. Rosenthal(3)

     107,361         *   

Patrick F. Conroy

     54,985         *   

Executive Officers and Directors as a Group

     954,660         2.9%   

 

*   Represents less than one percent
(1)   Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Assumes no other purchases or sales of our common stock since the most recently available SEC filings. This assumption has been made under the rules and regulations of the SEC and does not reflect any knowledge that we have with regard to the present intent of the beneficial owners of our common stock listed in this table.
(2)   Based on a total of 32,818,428 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding on January 30, 2012.
(3)   Includes 224 shares held by BDC Partners, which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal by virtue of their ownership interests therein.

 

Set forth below is the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each of our directors as of January 30, 2012. We are not part of a “family of investment companies,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.

 

Name of Director

  

Dollar Range of Equity
Securities Beneficially Owned(1)(2)

Interested Directors

  

Jonathan H. Cohen

   Over $100,000

Charles M. Royce

   Over $100,000

Independent Directors

  

Steven P. Novak

   Over $100,000

G. Peter O’Brien

   Over $100,000

Tonia L. Pankopf

   $50,001 — $100,000

 

(1)   Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1 — $10,000, $10,001 — $50,000, $50,001 — $100,000, or Over $100,000.
(2)   The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in us is based on the closing price for our common stock of $9.47 on January 30, 2012 on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSACTIONS

 

We have entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with TICC Management. TICC Management is controlled by BDC Partners, its managing member. Charles M. Royce holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. BDC Partners, as the managing member of TICC Management, manages the business and internal affairs of TICC Management. In addition, BDC Partners provides us with office facilities and administrative services pursuant to the Administration Agreement. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, as well as a director, is the managing member of and controls BDC Partners. Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, is also the President and Chief Operating Officer of TICC Management and a member of BDC Partners. BDC Partners is also the managing member of Oxford Gate Capital, LLC, a private fund in which Messrs. Cohen, Rosenthal and Conroy, along with certain investment and administrative personnel of TICC Management, are invested.

 

Charles M. Royce, a director and the non-executive Chairman of our Board of Directors, has a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management, but he does not take part in the management or participate in the operations of TICC Management; however, Mr. Royce has agreed to make himself or certain other portfolio managers available to TICC Management to provide certain consulting services without compensation.

 

In addition, Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, for T2 Advisers, LLC, an investment adviser to GLIF. BDC Partners is the managing member of T2 Advisers, LLC. Further, Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal currently serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, respectively, of Oxford Lane Capital Corp., a non-diversified closed-end management investment company that invests primarily in leveraged corporate loans, and its investment adviser, Oxford Lane Management. BDC Partners provides Oxford Lane Capital Corp. with office facilities and administrative services pursuant to an administration agreement and also serves as the managing member of Oxford Lane Management. In addition, Patrick F. Conroy, the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of TICC Management, BDC Partners and TICC, serves in the same capacities for Oxford Lane Capital Corp. and Oxford Lane Management and also serves as the Chief Financial Officer of GLIF and as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Treasurer of T2 Advisers, LLC.

 

We, Oxford Lane Capital Corp., Greenwich Loan Income Fund Limited and Oxford Gate Capital, LLC have adopted a written policy with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities in view of the potential conflicts of interest raised by the relationships described above.

 

In the ordinary course of business, we may enter into transactions with portfolio companies that may be considered related party transactions. In order to ensure that we do not engage in any prohibited transactions with any persons affiliated with us, we have implemented certain policies and procedures whereby our executive officers screen each of our transactions for any possible affiliations between the proposed portfolio investment, us, companies controlled by us and our employees and directors. We will not enter into any agreements unless and until we are satisfied that doing so will not raise concerns under the 1940 Act or, if such concerns exist, we have taken appropriate actions to seek board review and approval or exemptive relief for such transaction. Our Board of Directors reviews these procedures on an annual basis.

 

We have also adopted a Code of Ethics which applies to, among others, our senior officers, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as well as all of our officers, directors and employees. Our Code of Ethics requires that all employees and directors avoid any conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between an individual’s personal interests and our interests. Pursuant to our Code of Ethics, each employee and director must disclose any conflicts of interest, or actions or relationships that might give rise to a conflict, to our Chief Compliance Officer. Our Audit Committee is charged with approving any waivers under our Code of Ethics. As required by the NASDAQ Global Select Market corporate governance listing standards, the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is also required to review and approve any transactions with related parties (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K).

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

This prospectus contains a summary of the common stock, preferred stock and subscription rights. These summaries are not meant to be a complete description of each security. However, this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement will contain the material terms and conditions for each security.

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following description is based in part on relevant portions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and on our charter and bylaws. This summary is not necessarily complete, and we refer you to the Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below.

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of 100,000,000 shares of stock, par value $.01 per share, all of which is initially designated as common stock. We have listed our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “TICC.” There are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase our stock. No stock has been authorized for issuance under any equity compensation plans. Under Maryland law, our stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations.

 

The following are our outstanding classes of securities as of January 30, 2012:

 

        (1)

Title of Class

   (2)
Amount
Authorized
     (3)
Amount Held by
Us  or for our

Account
     (4)
Amount
Outstanding
Exclusive of

Amounts  Shown
Under(3)
 

Common Stock

     100,000,000         —           32,818,428   

 

Under our charter, our Board of Directors is authorized to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock without obtaining stockholder approval. As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that the Board of Directors, without any action by our stockholders, may amend the charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue.

 

Common Stock

 

All shares of our common stock have equal rights as to earnings, assets, dividends and voting privileges and, when they are issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Distributions may be paid to the holders of our common stock if, as and when authorized by our Board of Directors and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor. Shares of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or redemption rights and are freely transferable, except where their transfer is restricted by federal and state securities laws or by contract. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after we pay all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of our preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of our common stock will possess exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of our directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director.

 

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Preferred Stock

 

Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock, including preferred stock. The cost of any such reclassification would be borne by our existing common stockholders. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our Board of Directors is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Thus, our Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any dividend or other distribution is made with respect to our common stock and before any purchase of common stock is made, such preferred stock together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of our gross assets after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if dividends on such preferred stock are in arrears by full two years or more. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions. However, we do not currently have any plans to issue preferred stock.

 

Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses

 

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

Our charter authorizes us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of us in any of the capacities described above and any of our employees or agents or any employees or agents of our predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, we will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

 

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Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

 

Our insurance policy does not currently provide coverage for claims, liabilities and expenses that may arise out of activities that our present or former directors or officers have performed for another entity at our request. There is no assurance that such entities will in fact carry such insurance. However, we note that we do not expect to request our present or former directors or officers to serve another entity as a director, officer, partner or trustee unless we can obtain insurance providing coverage for such persons for any claims, liabilities or expenses that may arise out of their activities while serving in such capacities.

 

Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Our Charter and Bylaws

 

The Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquiror to acquire us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board of Directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms.

 

Classified Board of Directors

 

Our Board of Directors is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. The current terms of the first, second and third classes expire in 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively, and in each case, those directors will serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Upon expiration of their current terms, directors of each class will be elected to serve for three-year terms and until their successors are duly elected and qualify and each year one class of directors will be elected by the stockholders. A classified board may render a change in control of us or removal of our incumbent management more difficult. We believe, however, that the longer time required to elect a majority of a classified Board of Directors will help to ensure the continuity and stability of our management and policies.

 

Election of Directors

 

Our charter and bylaws provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote in the election of directors will be required to elect a director. Pursuant to our charter, our Board of Directors may amend the bylaws to alter the vote required to elect directors.

 

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Number of Directors; Vacancies; Removal

 

Our charter provides that the number of directors will be set only by our Board of Directors in accordance with our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that a majority of our entire Board of Directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, the number of directors may never be less than one nor more than twelve. Except as may be provided by our Board of Directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any and all vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

Under Maryland law, a director on a classified board may be removed only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors.

 

Action by Stockholders

 

The Maryland General Corporation Law provides that stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting. These provisions, combined with the requirements of our bylaws regarding the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders discussed below, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal until the next annual meeting.

 

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

 

Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to our Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by our Board of Directors or (3) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of our bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to our Board of Directors at a special meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by our Board of Directors or (3) provided that our Board of Directors has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.

 

The purpose of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford our Board of Directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by our Board of Directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders. Although our bylaws do not give our Board of Directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

 

Calling of Special Meetings of Stockholders

 

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by our Board of Directors and certain of our officers. Additionally, our bylaws provide that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders will be called by the secretary of the corporation upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting.

 

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Approval of Extraordinary Corporate Action; Amendment of Charter and Bylaws

 

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Under our charter, provided that at least 75% of our directors then in office have approved and declared the action advisable and submitted such action to the stockholders, our dissolution, an amendment to our charter that requires stockholder approval, a merger, or a sale of all or substantially all of our assets or a similar transaction outside the ordinary course of business, must be approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. If an extraordinary matter submitted to stockholders by our Board of Directors is approved and advised by less than 75% of our directors, such matter will require approval by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

Our charter and bylaws provide that our Board of Directors will have the exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal any provision of our bylaws.

 

No Appraisal Rights

 

Except with respect to appraisal rights arising in connection with the Control Share Act discussed below, as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that stockholders will not be entitled to exercise appraisal rights unless a majority of our Board of Directors shall determine such rights apply.

 

Control Share Acquisitions

 

The Maryland General Corporation Law provides that control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter (the “Control Share Act”). Shares owned by the acquirer, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

 

   

one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

 

   

one-third or more but less than a majority; or

 

   

a majority or more of all voting power.

 

The requisite stockholder approval must be obtained each time an acquirer crosses one of the thresholds of voting power set forth above. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

 

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the Board of Directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

 

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If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of the corporation to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations, including, compliance with the 1940 Act. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

 

The Control Share Act does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation. Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Control Share Act any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares of stock. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future. However, we will amend our bylaws to be subject to the Control Share Act only if the Board of Directors determines that it would be in our best interests and if the SEC staff does not object to our determination that our being subject to the Control Share Act does not conflict with the 1940 Act.

 

Business Combinations

 

Under Maryland law, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder (the “Business Combination Act”). These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:

 

   

any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or

 

   

an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

 

A person is not an interested stockholder under this statute if our Board of Directors approved in advance the transaction by which the stockholder otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. However, in approving a transaction, our Board of Directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

 

After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

 

   

80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and

 

   

two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

 

These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

 

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The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by our Board of Directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our Board of Directors has adopted a resolution that any business combination between us and any other person is exempted from the provisions of the Business Combination Act, provided that the business combination is first approved by our Board of Directors, including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons as defined in the 1940 Act. This resolution may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time; however, our Board of Directors will adopt resolutions so as to make us subject to the provisions of the Business Combination Act only if our Board of Directors determines that it would be in our best interests and if the SEC staff does not object to our determination that our being subject to the Business Combination Act does not conflict with the 1940 Act. If this resolution is repealed, or our Board of Directors does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

 

Conflict with 1940 Act

 

Our bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of the Maryland General Corporation Law, including the Control Share Act (if we amend our bylaws to be subject to such Act) and the Business Combination Act, or any provision of our charter or bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED STOCK

 

In addition to shares of common stock, our charter authorizes the issuance of preferred stock. If we offer preferred stock under this prospectus, we will issue an appropriate prospectus supplement. We may issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, without stockholder approval. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our Board of Directors is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Any such an issuance must adhere to the requirements of the 1940 Act, Maryland law and any other limitations imposed by law.

 

The 1940 Act currently requires, among other things, that (a) immediately after issuance and before any distribution is made with respect to common stock, the liquidation preference of the preferred stock, together with all other senior securities, must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of our total assets (taking into account such distribution), (b) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if dividends on the preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more and (c) such class of stock have complete priority over any other class of stock as to distribution of assets and payment of dividends, which dividends shall be cumulative.

 

For any series of preferred stock that we may issue, our board of directors will determine and the articles supplementary and the prospectus supplement relating to such series will describe:

 

   

the designation and number of shares of such series;

 

   

the rate and time at which, and the preferences and conditions under which, any dividends will be paid on shares of such series, as well as whether such dividends are participating or non-participating;

 

   

any provisions relating to convertibility or exchangeability of the shares of such series, including adjustments to the conversion price of such series;

 

   

the rights and preferences, if any, of holders of shares of such series upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

 

   

the voting powers, if any, of the holders of shares of such series;

 

   

any provisions relating to the redemption of the shares of such series;

 

   

any limitations on our ability to pay dividends or make distributions on, or acquire or redeem, other securities while shares of such series are outstanding;

 

   

any conditions or restrictions on our ability to issue additional shares of such series or other securities;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

any other relative powers, preferences and participating, optional or special rights of shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.

 

All shares of preferred stock that we may issue will be identical and of equal rank except as to the particular terms thereof that may be fixed by our board of directors, and all shares of each series of preferred stock will be identical and of equal rank except as to the dates from which dividends, if any, thereon will be cumulative.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

 

General

 

We may issue subscription rights to our stockholders to purchase common stock. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. In connection with a subscription rights offering to our stockholders, we would distribute certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a prospectus supplement to our stockholders on the record date that we set for receiving subscription rights in such subscription rights offering.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement would describe the following terms of subscription rights in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

 

   

the period of time the offering would remain open (which shall be open a minimum number of days such that all record holders would be eligible to participate in the offering and shall not be open longer than 120 days);

 

   

the title of such subscription rights;

 

   

the exercise price for such subscription rights (or method of calculation thereof);

 

   

the ratio of the offering (which, in the case of transferable rights, will require a minimum of three shares to be held of record before a person is entitled to purchase an additional share);

 

   

the number of such subscription rights issued to each stockholder;

 

   

the extent to which such subscription rights are transferable and the market on which they may be traded if they are transferable;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance or exercise of such subscription rights;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which such right shall expire (subject to any extension);

 

   

the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities and the terms of such over-subscription privilege;

 

   

any termination right we may have in connection with such subscription rights offering; and

 

   

any other terms of such subscription rights, including exercise, settlement and other procedures and limitations relating to the transfer and exercise of such subscription rights.

 

Exercise Of Subscription Rights

 

Each subscription right would entitle the holder of the subscription right to purchase for cash such amount of shares of common stock at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Subscription rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for such subscription rights set forth in the prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights would become void.

 

Subscription rights may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement we will forward, as soon as practicable, the shares of common stock purchasable upon such exercise. To the extent permissible under applicable law, we may determine to offer any unsubscribed offered securities directly to persons other than stockholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may offer, from time to time, in more than one offering or series, up to $100,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock,or subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock in one or more underwritten public offerings, at-the-market offerings to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market for the securities, on an exchange or otherwise, negotiated transactions, block trades, best efforts or a combination of these methods. We may sell securities through underwriters or dealers, directly to one or more purchasers, including existing stockholders in a rights offering, through agents or through a combination of any such methods of sale. In the case of a rights offering, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of each right and the other terms of such rights offering. Any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. A prospectus supplement or supplements will also describe the terms of the offering of securities, including: the purchase price of securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; the public offering price; any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. Only underwriters or agents named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters or agents of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.

 

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices, provided, however, that the offering price per share of our common stock, less any underwriting commissions or discounts, must equal or exceed the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of the offering except (a) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (b) with the consent of the majority of our common stockholders or (c) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit. The price at which the securities may be distributed may represent a discount from prevailing market prices.

 

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions they receive from us and any profit realized by them on the resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be identified and any such compensation received from us will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The maximum aggregate commission or discount to be received by any member of FINRA or independent broker-dealer will not be greater than 10% of the gross proceeds of the sale of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We may also reimburse the underwriter or agent for certain fees and legal expenses incurred by it.

 

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

 

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Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on the NASDAQ Global Select Market may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of our common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

We may sell the securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of the securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no trading market, other than our common stock, which is traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any exchanges, but we are not obligated to do so. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

 

Under agreements that we may enter, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of shares of our securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

 

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase our securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of our securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts. Such contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of such contracts.

 

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, our securities offered hereby will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters, if any, by the counsel named in the prospectus supplement.

 

CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AND DISTRIBUTION PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR

 

Our securities are held under a custody agreement by State Street Bank and Trust Company. The address of the custodian is 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110. Computershare Trust Company, N.A. acts as our transfer, dividend paying and reinvestment plan agent and registrar. The principal business address of our transfer agent, dividend paying and reinvestment plan agent and registrar is 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

 

Since we generally acquire and dispose of our investments in privately negotiated transactions, we infrequently use brokers in the normal course of our business. Subject to policies established by our Board of Directors, our investment adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the publicly traded securities portion of our portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage commissions. The investment adviser does not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for TICC, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While the investment adviser will generally seek reasonably competitive trade execution costs, TICC will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the investment adviser may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided to the investment adviser and TICC and any other clients. In return for such services, we may pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the investment adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Exchange Act. You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

     Page  

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

     F-2   

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-3   

Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009

     F-4   

Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2010

     F-5   

Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2009

     F-9   

Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-12   

Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-13   

Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-14   

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-15   

Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of September 30, 2011 and December  31, 2010

     F-29   

Consolidated Schedule of Investments as of September 30, 2011

     F-30   

Consolidated Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2010

     F-35   

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months and nine months ended September  30, 2011 and September 30, 2010

     F-38   

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the nine months ended September  30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010

     F-39   

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September  30, 2011 and September 30, 2010

     F-40   

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-41   

 

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MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

 

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, and for performing an assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Management performed an assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010 based upon criteria in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). Based on our assessment, management determined that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2010 based on the criteria in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by COSO. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an attestation report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010, as stated in its report, which is included herein.

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders

of TICC Capital Corp.:

 

In our opinion, the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities including the schedules of investments, and the related statements of operations, changes in net assets and cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of TICC Capital Corp. (“the Company”) at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, and the results of its operations, the changes in net assets, and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing on page 70 of the 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our integrated audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

New York, New York

March 9, 2011

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

     December 31, 2010     December 31, 2009  

ASSETS

    

Investments, at fair value (cost: $226,200,687 @ 12/31/10; $260,752,699 @ 12/31/09)

    

Non-affiliated/non-control investments (cost: $207,854,154 @ 12/31/10; $241,169,345 @ 12/31/09)

   $ 229,385,715      $ 180,226,123   

Control investments (cost: $18,346,533 @ 12/31/10; $19,583,354 @ 12/31/09)

     18,150,000        20,025,000   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investments at fair value

     247,535,715        200,251,123   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

     68,780,866        23,972,885   

Interest receivable

     1,488,984        860,271   

Prepaid expenses and other assets

     94,518        256,012   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 317,900,083      $ 225,340,291   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

    

Investment advisory fee payable to affiliate

   $ 1,760,896      $ 1,119,544   

Securities purchased not settled

     1,837,500        —     

Accrued expenses

     184,146        128,752   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     3,782,542        1,248,296   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

    

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, and 31,886,367 and 26,813,216 issued and outstanding, respectively

     318,864        268,132   

Capital in excess of par value

     369,163,104        320,175,874   

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     21,335,028        (60,501,576

Accumulated net realized losses on investments

     (74,545,034     (32,412,374

Distributions in excess of investment income

     (2,154,421     (3,438,061
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net assets

     314,117,541        224,091,995   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and net assets

   $ 317,900,083      $ 225,340,291   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value per common share

   $ 9.85      $ 8.36   

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-4


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

COMPANY (1)

 

INDUSTRY

 

INVESTMENT

  PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
    COST     FAIR
VALUE (2)
 
ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited   structured finance   CLO preferred equity     —        $ 2,200,000      $ 2,850,000   
Airvana Network Solutions, Inc.   software   senior secured notes  (4)(6) (11.00%, due August 27, 2014)   $ 8,847,171        8,700,153        8,858,230   
AKQA, Inc.   advertising   senior secured notes (4)(6) (4.96%, due March 20, 2013)     7,865,342        7,865,342        7,857,477   
Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a “Ai Squared”)   software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (9.84%, due September 11, 2013)

common stock

   

 

15,550,000

 

—  

  

  

   

 

15,346,533

 

3,000,000

  

  

   

 

15,550,000

 

2,600,000

  

  

American Integration Technologies, LLC   semiconductor capital equipment   senior secured notes (4)(5) (11.75%, due December 31, 2013)     23,401,906        20,059,705        21,763,773   
Avenue CLO V LTD 2007-5A D1   structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5)
(3.73%, due April 25, 2019)
    3,659,805        1,702,855        2,049,491   
Band Digital Inc. (F/K/A “WHITTMANHART, Inc.”)   IT consulting  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(15.58%, due December 31, 2011)

warrants to purchase common stock (7)

   

 

2,425,000

 

—  

  

  

   

 

2,425,000

 

0

  

  

   

 

2,425,000

 

0

  

  

Birch Communications, Inc.   telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)

(15.00%, due June 21, 2015)

    5,000,000        5,000,000        5,000,000   
BNY Convergex   financial intermediaries   second lien senior secured notes (4) (8.75%, due December 17, 2017)     1,875,000        1,837,500        1,837,500   
Canaras CLO—2007-1A E   structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5) (4.65%, due June 19, 2021)     3,500,000        1,804,206        2,660,000   
CIFC CLO—2006-1A B2L   structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5) (4.29%, due October 20, 2020)     3,247,284        1,593,673        2,273,099   
Decision Resources, LLC   healthcare   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (7.75%, due December 28, 2016)     4,500,000        4,432,525        4,432,500   
Del Mar CLO I Ltd. 2006-1   structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5)(6) (4.29%, due July 25, 2018)     1,831,690        934,388        1,373,768   
Diversified Machine, Inc.   autoparts manufacturer   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (10.50%, due October 28, 2015)     5,500,000        5,339,007        5,335,000   
Drew Marine Partners, L.P.   shipping & transportation   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (9.50%, due August 31, 2014)     4,468,750        4,371,448        4,424,063   
Fairway Group Acquisition Company   grocery   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (12.00%, due October 1, 2014)     4,950,008        4,832,815        4,956,196   
Flagship 2005-4A D   structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5) (5.05%, due June 1, 2017)     2,612,988        1,538,260        1,959,741   
Fusionstorm, Inc.   IT value-added reseller   subordinated notes (4)(5)(6) (11.74%, due February 28, 2013)     1,922,500        1,903,984        1,840,794   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)     —          725,000        150,000   

 

( Continued on next page )

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-5


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

COMPANY (1)

 

INDUSTRY

  

INVESTMENT

  AMOUNT      COST      FAIR
VALUE (2)
 

GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc.

  interactive voice messaging services    senior secured notes (4)(5)(7) (0.0%, due October 30, 2014)   $ 3,476,000       $ 3,079,396       $ 2,000,000   
     convertible preferred stock (7)     —           1,500,000         0   
GXS Worldwide Inc.   software    senior secured notes (5)
(9.75%, due June 15, 2015)
    8,000,000         7,885,499         7,900,000   
Harch CLO II LTD 2005-2a e   structured finance    CDO secured notes (4)(5) (5.29%, due October 22, 2017)     4,819,262         2,382,248         3,325,290   
Hewetts Island CDO 2007—1RA E   structured finance    CDO secured notes (4)(5)(6) (7.04%, due November 12, 2019)     3,193,918         1,859,658         2,746,769   
Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D   structured finance    CDO secured notes (4)(5) (6.04%, due August 9, 2017)     6,640,478         3,503,885         5,578,002   
Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4X E BB   structured finance    CDO secured notes (4)(5) (4.84%, due May 9, 2018)     3,251,816         1,491,511         2,438,862   
HHI Holdings LLC   auto parts manufacturer    senior secured notes (4)(5) (10.50%, due March 30, 2015)     3,381,236         3,292,190         3,415,049   
Hudson Straits CLO 2004-1A E   structured finance    CLO secured notes (4)(5)
(7.04%, due October 15, 2016)
    2,244,290         1,283,620         1,907,647   
Hyland Software, Inc.   enterprise software    first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)
(6.75%, due December 19, 2016)
    3,818,182         3,780,029         3,822,955   
Integra Telecomm, Inc.   telecommunication services    common stock (7)     —           1,712,397         3,115,022   
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation   retail food products    first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (10.75% , due February 16, 2014)     3,899,005         3,683,115         3,899,005   
Landmark V CDO LTD   structured finance    CDO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (5.55%, due June 1, 2017)     3,722,086         2,153,441         2,887,222   
Latitude II CLO 2006 2A D   structured finance    CLO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (4.05%, due December 15, 2018)     2,828,018         1,475,855         1,630,635   
Latitude III CLO 2007-3A   structured finance    CLO secured notes (4)(5)
(4.04%, due April 11, 2021)
    4,000,000         1,834,131         2,200,000   
Liberty CDO LTD 2005-1A C   structured finance    CLO secured notes (4)(5)(6)
(2.19%, due November 1, 2017)
    2,371,953         1,283,845         1,470,611   
Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a   structured finance    CLO secured notes (4)(5)
(6.79%, due July 25, 2018)
    5,000,000         2,738,631         4,500,000   
Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE   structured finance    CLO secured notes (4)(5)
(4.14%, due October 26, 2020)
    3,322,992         1,818,151         2,359,324   
MLM Holdings, Inc.   software    senior secured notes (4)(5)
(7.00%, due December 1, 2016)
    4,987,500         4,913,231         4,912,688   

 

( Continued on next page )

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-6


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

COMPANY (1)

 

INDUSTRY

 

INVESTMENT

  AMOUNT     COST      FAIR
VALUE (2)
 
Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d   structured finance   CLO subordinated secured notes (4)(5) (4.79%, due June 27, 2022)   $ 3,649,700      $ 1,974,935       $ 2,737,275   
Pegasus Solutions, Inc.   enterprise software   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (7.75%, due April 17, 2013)     2,950,461        2,722,247         2,768,506   
    second lien senior secured notes (3)(5)(6) (13.00%, due April 15, 2014)     5,290,695        3,153,479         4,936,219   
    common equity (7)     —          62,595         112,238   
    preferred equity (7)     —          657,247         1,530,949   
Power Tools, Inc.   software   senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)
(12.00%, due May 16, 2014)
    9,000,000        8,912,088         8,235,000   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)       350,000         370,000   
Presidio Inc.   business services   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (7.50%, due December 16, 2015)     9,375,000        9,141,699         9,140,625   
Prodigy Health Group   healthcare   second lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (8.27%, due November 29, 2013)     3,013,333        2,153,283         2,968,133   
Prospero CLO II BV   structured finance   CLO senior secured notes (4)(5)
(4.24%, due October 20, 2022)
    9,900,000        4,191,843         6,336,000   
QA Direct Holdings, LLC   printing and publishing   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (8.25%, due August 10, 2014)     5,488,999        5,150,835         5,205,381   
Sargas CLO 2006 -1A   structured finance   CLO subordinated notes     —          4,945,500         6,060,000   
Shearer’s Food Inc.   food products manufacturer   subordinated notes (3)(4)(5)
(15.50%, due March 31, 2016)
    4,071,049        3,979,305         4,111,759   
Shield Finance Co.   software   first lien term notes (4)(5)(6)
(7.75%, due June 15, 2016)
    5,910,000        5,681,659         5,880,450   
SonicWall, Inc.   software   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (8.25%, due January 23, 2016)     1,794,355        1,743,235         1,803,327   
    second lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (12.00%, due January 23, 2017)     5,000,000        4,856,725         5,000,000   
Stratus Technologies, Inc.   computer hardware   first lien high yield notes (5)
(12.00%, due March 29, 2015)
    10,000,000        9,175,912         9,885,000   
    common equity (7)     —          377,928         0   
    preferred equity (7)     —          186,622         431,480   
U.S. Telepacific Corp.   telecommunication services   senior secured notes (4)(5)
(9.25%, due August 4, 2011)
    3,970,000        3,946,073         4,000,410   
Vision Solutions, Inc   software   senior secured notes (4)(5)
(7.75%, due July 23, 2016)
    5,775,000        5,554,250         5,717,250   
       

 

 

    

 

 

 
Total Investments         $ 226,200,687       $ 247,535,715   
       

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-7


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

 

(1)   Other than Algorithmic Implementation, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared), which we may be deemed to control, we do not “control” and are not an “affiliate” of any of our portfolio companies, each as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). In general, under the 1940 Act, we would be presumed to “control” a portfolio company if we owned 25% or more of its voting securities and would be an “affiliate” of a portfolio company if we owned 5% or more of its voting securities.
(2)   Fair value is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(3)   Investment includes payment-in-kind interest.
(4)   Notes bear interest at variable rates.
(5)   Cost value reflects accretion of original issue discount or market discount.
(6)   Cost value reflects repayment of principal.
(7)   Non-income producing at the relevant period end.
(8)   As a percentage of net assets at December 31, 2010, investments at fair value are categorized as follows: senior secured notes (55.4%), subordinated notes (1.9%), CLO debt (16.1%), CLO equity (2.8%), common stock (1.9%), preferred shares (0.6%) and warrants to purchase equity securities (0.2%).
(9)   Aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for federal income tax purposes is $26,128,474; aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for federal income tax purposes is $19,686,116. Net unrealized appreciation is $6,442,358 based upon a tax cost basis of $241,093,357.

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-8


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2009

 

COMPANY (1)

 

INDUSTRY

 

INVESTMENT

  PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
    COST     FAIR
VALUE (2)  (8)
 

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

  structured finance   CLO preferred equity     —        $ 2,200,000      $ 2,200,000   

AKQA, Inc.

  advertising   senior secured notes (4)(6) (4.75%, due March 20, 2013)   $ 8,491,848        8,491,848        8,143,682   

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a “Ai Squared”)

  software   senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (9.84%, due September 11, 2013)     17,025,000        16,583,354        17,025,000   
    common stock     —          3,000,000        3,000,000   

Allen Systems Group, Inc.

  software   second lien senior secured notes (3)(4)(5) (13.00%, due
April 19, 2014)
    3,514,000        3,361,190        3,393,927   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

 

semiconductor capital
equipment

  senior secured notes (4)(6)(7)(10) (13.75%, due April 29, 2011)     20,950,000        20,950,000        8,380,000   

Attachmate Corporation

  enterprise software   second lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (7.00%, due October 13, 2013)     2,000,000        1,396,221        1,615,000   

Box Services, LLC

  digital imaging   senior secured notes (4)(6) (9.50%, due April 30, 2012)     11,915,170        11,915,170        4,106,563   

Cavtel Holdings, LLC

  telecommunication services   first lien senior secured notes (3)(4)(5)(6) (10.50%, due December 31, 2012)     6,438,805        4,208,627        6,390,515   

Del Mar CLO I Ltd. 2006-1

  structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5) (4.28%, due July 25, 2018)     1,876,262        903,895        891,224   

Drew Marine Partners, L.P.

  shipping & transportation   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (9.50%, due
August 31, 2014)
    4,906,250        4,769,087        4,832,656   

Fairway Group Acquisition Company

  grocery   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (12.00%, due October 1, 2014)     5,000,000        4,851,296        4,900,000   

First Data Corporation

  business services   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (3.00%, due September 24, 2014)     4,961,929        3,725,801        4,398,899   

Fusionstorm, Inc.

  IT value-added reseller   senior subordinated unsecured
notes (4)(5)(6) (11.74%, due
October 2, 2011)
    3,550,000        3,483,268        2,680,250   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)       725,000        250,000   

GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc.

 

interactive voice messaging services

  senior secured notes (4)(5)(7) (0.0%, due October 30, 2014)     3,476,000        2,906,779        2,000,000   
    convertible preferred stock (7)     —          1,500,000        0   

Group 329, LLC (d/b/a “The CAPS Group”)

  digital imaging   senior secured term A notes (4)(5)(7)(10) (11.89%, due February 28, 2012)     5,467,804        5,406,561        0   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)     —          110,000        0   
    senior secured term B notes (4)(5)(7)(10) (12.39%, due February 28, 2013)     17,485,000        17,250,655        0   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)     —          90,000        0   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

  software   senior secured notes (5) (9.75%, due June 15, 2015)     8,000,000        7,865,888        7,870,000   

 

( Continued on next page )

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

 

F-9


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2009

 

COMPANY (1)

 

INDUSTRY

 

INVESTMENT

  PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT
    COST     FAIR
VALUE (2)  (8)
 

Hyland Software, Inc.

  enterprise software   second lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (6.77%, due July 31, 2014)   $ 11,000,000      $ 10,936,317      $ 10,461,000   

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

  telecommunications services   common stock (7)     —          1,712,397        2,454,450   

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation

  retail food products   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (10.75%, due February 16, 2014)     4,980,973        4,534,476        4,738,151   

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a

  structured finance   CLO secured notes (4)(5) (6.78%, due July 25, 2018)     5,000,000        2,621,122        2,575,000   

NetQuote, Inc.

  web-based services   senior secured notes (4)(6) (9.50%, due May 1, 2011)     21,000,000        21,000,000        20,790,000   

Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d

  structured finance   CLO subordinated secured notes (4)(5) (4.78%, due June 27, 2022)     2,838,656        1,490,894        1,447,714   

Palm, Inc.

  consumer electronics   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (3.76%, due April 24, 2014)     14,575,446        13,609,015        12,462,006   

Power Tools, Inc.

  software   senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (12.00%, due May 16, 2014)     10,000,000        9,872,792        7,825,000   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)     —          350,000        220,000   

Prodigy Health Group

  healthcare   second lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (8.24%, due November 29, 2013)     4,000,000        2,546,288        3,386,000   

Punch Software LLC

  software   senior secured notes (4)(7) (0.00%, due October 31, 2012)     2,100,000        1,595,643        1,625,400   

QA Direct Holdings, LLC

  printing and publishing   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (8.00%, due August 10, 2014)     3,632,149        3,342,189        3,232,613   

Questia Media, Inc.

  digital media   senior secured notes (3) (11.00%, due Jan. 29, 2010)     14,358,128        14,358,128        13,767,127   

SCS Holdings II, Inc.

  IT value-added reseller   second lien senior secured notes (4) (6.25%, due May 30, 2013)     14,500,000        14,510,534        11,890,000   

Springboard Finance (d/b/a “Skype”)

  telecommunication services   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5) (9.00%, due November 19, 2014)     2,000,000        1,950,873        2,080,000   

Stratus Technologies, Inc.

  computer hardware   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (4.01%, due March 29, 2011)     4,721,536        3,767,988        4,459,491   

WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC

  real estate development   second lien senior secured
notes (4)(7)(9)(10) (9.31%, due July 31, 2009)
    15,000,000        15,000,000        1,500,000   

WHITTMANHART, Inc.

  IT consulting  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(13.58%, due December 31, 2010)
warrants to purchase common
stock (7)

   
 
 
3,125,000
    
—  
 
 
 
   
 
 
3,125,000
    
—  
 
 
  
   
 
 
3,125,000
    
—  
 
 
  

Workflow Management, Inc.

  printing & document management   first lien senior secured notes (3)(4)(5)(6) (9.50%, due November 30, 2011)     6,626,109        5,263,940        6,311,369   

X-Rite Incorporated

  software   first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6) (7.47%, due October 24, 2012)     3,994,865        3,470,463        3,823,086   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Investments

        $ 260,752,699      $ 200,251,123   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

( Continued on next page )

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-10


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2009

 

 

(1)    

Other than Algorithmic Implementation, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared), which TICC may be deemed to control, TICC does not “control” and is not an “affiliate” of any of its portfolio companies, each as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). In general, under the 1940 Act, TICC would be presumed to “control” a portfolio company if TICC owned 25% or more of its voting securities and would be an “affiliate” of a portfolio company if TICC owned 5% or more of its voting securities.

(2)    

Fair value is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.

(3)    

Investment includes payment-in-kind interest.

(4)    

Notes bear interest at variable rates.

(5)    

Cost value reflects accretion of original issue discount or market discount.

(6)    

Cost value reflects repayment of principal.

(7)    

Non-income producing at the relevant period end.

(8)    

As a percentage of net assets at December 31, 2009, investments at fair value are categorized as follows: senior secured notes (82.38%), CLO subordinated secured notes (2.2%), senior subordinated unsecured notes (1.2%), CLO preference shares (1.0%), common stock (2.4%), and warrants to purchase equity securities (0.2%).

(9)    

In 2009, the maturity date on our investment in WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC (“WAICCS”) became July 31, 2009 as a result of the failure of WAICCS’ equity sponsor to pre-fund interest reserves as required to extend the maturity beyond July 31, 2009. During July 2009, this investment was placed on non-accrual status and, as of December 31, 2009, the maturity date has not been revised as the interest reserves have not yet been pre-funded.

(10)    

Debt investment on non-accrual status at the relevant period end.

(11)    

Aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for federal income tax purposes is $7,807,742; aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for federal income tax purposes is $68,201,988. Net unrealized depreciation is $60,394,246 based upon a tax cost basis of $260,645,369.

 

See Accompanying Notes.

 

F-11


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 

     Year Ended
December 31,
2010
    Year Ended
December 31,
2009
    Year Ended
December 31,
2008
 

INVESTMENT INCOME

      

From non-affiliated/non-control investments:

      

Interest income—debt investments

   $ 26,959,707      $ 17,907,924      $ 33,355,098   

Distributions from securitization vehicles—equity investments

     3,728,638        —          —     

Commitment, amendment fee income and other income

     968,317        129,265        904,363   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income from non-affiliated/non-control investments

     31,656,662        18,037,189        34,259,461   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

From control investments:

      

Interest income—debt investments

     1,849,929        2,470,603        2,921,174   

Other income

     —          —          125,000   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income from control investments

     1,849,929        2,470,603        3,046,174   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income

     33,506,591        20,507,792        37,305,635   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EXPENSES

      

Compensation expense

     1,020,950        971,356        906,109   

Investment advisory fees

     6,447,570        4,122,005        7,001,236   

Professional fees

     1,033,650        1,305,894        1,626,028   

Interest expense

     —          —          4,814,408   

Insurance

     75,419        75,974        76,734   

Directors’ fees

     178,750        193,000        184,750   

Transfer agent and custodian fees

     105,389        98,012        104,572   

General and administrative

     401,366        249,567        400,635   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

     9,263,094        7,015,808        15,114,472   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

     24,243,497        13,491,984        22,191,163   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     81,836,604        32,203,525        (66,947,503
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized losses on investments

     (42,132,660     (10,513,051     (8,509,814
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

   $ 63,947,441      $ 35,182,458      $ (53,266,154
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per common share:

      

Basic and diluted

   $ 0.89      $ 0.51      $ 0.91   

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations per common share:

      

Basic and diluted

   $ 2.35      $ 1.32      $ (2.19

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:

      

Basic and diluted

     27,253,552        26,624,217        24,314,512   

 

SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES.

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

 

     Year Ended
December 31,
2010
    Year Ended
December 31,
2009
    Year Ended
December 31,
2008
 

Increase (decrease) in net assets from operations:

      

Net investment income

   $ 24,243,497      $ 13,491,984      $ 22,191,163   

Net realized losses on investments

     (42,132,660     (10,513,051     (8,509,814

Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments

     81,836,604        32,203,525        (66,947,503
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

     63,947,441        35,182,458        (53,266,154
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Dividends from net investment income

     (22,959,856     (15,973,470     (22,870,147

Tax return of capital distributions

     —          —          (1,898,860
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

     (22,959,856     (15,973,470     (24,769,007
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Capital share transactions:

      

Issuance of common stock (net of offering costs of $2,817,408, $0 and $1,629,542, respectively)

     46,859,868        —          20,934,434   

Reinvestment of dividends

     2,178,093        1,516,257        3,097,974   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions

     49,037,961        1,516,257        24,032,408   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total increase (decrease) in net assets

     90,025,546        20,725,245        (54,002,753

Net assets at beginning of period

     224,091,995        203,366,750        257,369,503   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net assets at end of period (including over distributed net investment income of $2,154,421, $3,438,061 and

      

$956,575, respectively)

   $ 314,117,541      $ 224,091,995      $ 203,366,750   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Capital share activity:

      

Shares sold

     4,834,651        —          4,339,226   

Shares issued from reinvestment of dividends

     238,500        329,670        580,603   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in capital share activity

     5,073,151        329,670        4,919,829   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES.

 

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Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

    Year Ended
December 31, 2010
    Year Ended
December 31, 2009
    Year Ended
December 31, 2008
 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

     

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

  $ 63,947,441      $ 35,182,458      $ (53,266,154

Adjustments to reconcile net increase in net assets resulting from operations to net cash provided by operating activities:

     

Amortization of discounts

    (5,577,631     (2,782,998     (1,881,183

Increase in investments due to PIK

    (710,108     (162,055     (235,000

Purchases of investments

    (128,038,228     (65,671,220     (18,290,000

Repayments of principal and reductions to investment cost value

    73,771,623        65,639,714        90,543,884   

Proceeds from the sale of investments

    54,811,196        14,010,037        50,178,603   

Net realized losses on investments

    42,132,660        10,513,051        8,509,814   

Net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation on investments

    (81,836,604     (32,203,525     66,947,503   

(Increase) decrease in interest receivable

    (628,713     291,432        1,724,721   

Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses and other assets

    161,494        (108,206     53,566   

Increase (decrease) in investment advisory fee payable

    641,352        (167,907     (835,717

Decrease in accrued interest payable

    —          —          (310,312

Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses

    55,394        (179,934     221,516   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

    18,729,876        24,360,847        143,361,241   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

     

Proceeds from the issuance of common stock

    49,677,276        —          22,563,976   

Offering expenses from the issuance of common stock

    (2,817,408     —          (1,629,542

Amounts borrowed under revolving credit facility

    —          —          10,500,000   

Amounts paid back under revolving credit facility

    —          —          (147,000,000

Distributions paid (net of stock issued under dividend reinvestment plan of $2,178,093, 1,516,257 and $3,097,974, respectively)

    (20,781,763     (14,457,213     (21,671,032
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided (used) by financing activities

    26,078,105        (14,457,213     (137,236,598
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

    44,807,981        9,903,634        6,124,643   

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

    23,972,885        14,069,251        7,944,608   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

  $ 68,780,866      $ 23,972,885      $ 14,069,251   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NON-CASH FINANCING ACTIVITIES

     

Value of shares issued in connection with dividend reinvestment plan

  $ 2,178,093      $ 1,516,257      $ 3,097,974   

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES

     

Securities purchased not settled

  $ 1,837,500      $ —        $ —     

Cash paid for interest

  $ —        $ —        $ 4,297,974   

 

SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES.

 

F-14


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION

 

TICC Capital Corp. (“TICC” or “the Company”) was incorporated under the General Corporation Laws of the State of Maryland on July 21, 2003 and is a non-diversified, closed-end investment company. The Company has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). In addition, the Company has elected to be treated for tax purposes as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company’s investment objective is to maximize its total return, principally by investing in the debt and/or equity securities of technology-related companies.

 

TICC’s investment activities are managed by TICC Management, LLC, (“TICC Management”), a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. BDC Partners, LLC (“BDC Partners”) is the managing member of TICC Management and serves as the administrator of TICC.

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

 

The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the Company. There are no related companies and no intercompany accounts to be eliminated.

 

In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 168, “The FASB Accounting Standards Codification and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles—a replacement of FASB Statement No. 162” (“SFAS 168”). The FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) organizes nongovernmental U.S. GAAP using a topic-based model consisting of 90 individual topics. Each topic contains at least one subtopic. Subtopics contain sections, which include the actual accounting guidance. Any new authoritative U.S. GAAP will be issued under a new FASB document called an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”). Once the new guidance becomes effective it will be referred to under the relevant ASC. The Company references its relevant accounting guidance based on the standards as organized under ASC.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES

 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America that require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

 

In the normal course of business, the Company may enter into contracts that contain a variety of representations and provide indemnifications. The Company’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Company that have not yet occurred. However, based upon experience, the Company expects the risk of loss to be remote.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Cash and cash equivalents are carried at cost or amortized cost which approximates fair value.

 

INVESTMENT VALUATION

 

The most significant estimate inherent in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements is the valuation of investments and the related amounts of unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments

 

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Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

recorded. There is no single method for determining fair value in good faith. As a result, determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments TICC makes. The Company is required to specifically fair value each individual investment on a quarterly basis.

 

The Company adopted ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure , which establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements, on January 1, 2008. ASC 820-10 clarified the definition of fair value and requires companies to expand their disclosure about the use of fair value to measure assets and liabilities in interim and annual periods subsequent to initial recognition. ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820-10 also establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, which includes inputs such as quoted prices for similar securities in active markets and quoted prices for identical securities in markets that are not active; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. The Company has determined that due to the general illiquidity of the market for the Company’s investment portfolio, whereby little or no market data exists, all of the Company’s investments are based upon “Level 3” inputs as of December 31, 2010.

 

The Company’s Board of Directors determines the value of TICC’s investment portfolio each quarter. In connection with that determination, members of TICC Management’s portfolio management team prepare portfolio company valuations using the most recent portfolio company financial statements and forecasts. Since March 2004, the Company has engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing its bilateral investments and, more recently, for certain of its syndicated loans, although the Board of Directors ultimately determines the appropriate valuation of each such investment.

 

The Company’s process for determining the fair value of a bilateral investment begins with determining the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Enterprise value means the entire value of the company to a potential buyer, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The fair value of the Company’s investment is based, in part, on the enterprise value at which the portfolio company could be sold in an orderly disposition over a reasonable period of time between willing parties other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The liquidity event whereby the Company exits a private investment is generally the sale, the recapitalization or, in some cases, the initial public offering of the portfolio company.

 

There is no one methodology to determine enterprise value and, in fact, for any one portfolio company, enterprise value is best expressed as a range of fair values, from which TICC derives a single estimate of enterprise value. To determine the enterprise value of a portfolio company, TICC analyzes the historical and projected financial results, as well as the nature and value of any collateral. The Company also uses industry valuation benchmarks and public market comparables. The Company also considers other events, including private mergers and acquisitions, a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent debt or equity sale or restructuring, and includes these events in the enterprise valuation process. The Company generally requires portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Typically, the Company’s bilateral debt investments are valued on the basis of a fair value determination arrived at through an analysis of the borrower’s financial and operating condition or other factors, as well as consideration of the entity’s enterprise value. The types of factors that the Company may take into account in valuing its investments include: market trading and transaction comparables, applicable market yields and

 

F-16


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flows, among other factors. The fair value of equity interests in portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including the enterprise value remaining for equity holders after the repayment of the portfolio company’s debt and other preference capital, and other pertinent factors such as recent offers to purchase a portfolio company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the portfolio company’s equity securities, or other liquidity events. The determined equity values are generally discounted when the Company has a minority position, when there are restrictions on resale, specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other factors.

 

The Company will record unrealized depreciation on bilateral investments when it believes that an investment has become impaired, including where collection of a loan or realization of an equity security is doubtful. The Company will record unrealized appreciation if it believes that the underlying portfolio company has appreciated in value and the Company’s equity security has also appreciated in value. Changes in fair value are recorded in the statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

 

Under the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee, a third-party valuation firm will prepare valuations for each of the Company’s bilateral investments for which market quotations are not readily available that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company, (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of TICC’s total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of TICC’s total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of those third-party valuations of TICC’s portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under TICC’s credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly. TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on the Company’s behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both the Company’s bilateral portfolio securities and the Company’s syndicated loan investments. The Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment.

 

Given the recent economic volatility, the market for syndicated loans had become increasingly illiquid with limited or no transactions for many of those securities which the Company holds. On April 9, 2009, the FASB issued additional guidelines under ASC 820-10-35, “Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly,” which provides guidance on factors that should be considered in determining when a previously active market becomes inactive and whether a transaction is orderly. In accordance with ASC 820-10-35, the Company’s valuation procedures specifically provide for the review of indicative quotes supplied by the large agent banks that make a market for each security. However, although there has been improvement during the course of 2010 in transaction volume, the liquidity of the markets and the quality of the indicative quotes, the marketplace for which the Company obtains indicative bid quotes for purposes of determining the fair value of its syndicated loan investments still have shown, at various times, some of the attributes of illiquidity as described by ASC-820-10-35. The Company has determined that the current agent bank non-binding indicative bids for the substantial majority of its syndicated investments may not be considered reliable, and alternative valuation procedures would need to be performed until liquidity returns to the marketplace. As such, the Company has engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing certain of its syndicated investments. In addition, TICC Management prepares an analysis of each syndicated loan, including a financial summary, covenant compliance review, recent trading activity in the security, if known, and other business developments related to the portfolio company. All available information, including non-binding indicative bids

 

F-17


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

which may not be considered reliable, is presented to the Valuation Committee to consider in its determination of fair value. In some instances, there may be limited trading activity in a security even though the market for the security is considered not active. In such cases the Valuation Committee will consider the number of trades, the size and timing of each trade, and other circumstances around such trades, to the extent such information is available, in its determination of fair value. The Valuation Committee will evaluate the impact of such additional information, and factor it into its consideration of the fair value that is indicated by the analysis provided by third-party valuation firms. The Company has considered the factors described in ASC 820-10 and has determined that it is properly valuing the securities in its portfolio.

 

During the past several quarters, the Company has acquired a number of debt and equity positions in collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles. These investments are special purpose financing vehicles. In valuing such investments, the Company considers the operating metrics of the specific investment vehicle, including compliance with collateralization tests, defaulted and restructured securities, and payment defaults, if any. In addition, the Company considers the indicative prices provided by the broker who arranges transactions in such investment vehicles, as well as any available information on other relevant transactions in the market. TICC Management or the Valuation Committee may request an additional analysis by a third-party firm to assist in the valuation process of CLO investment vehicles. All information is presented to the Board of Directors for its determination of fair value of these investments.

 

Our assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at December 31, 2010, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)

   Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using      Total  

Assets

   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
Other Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    

Cash equivalents

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 68.5   

Senior Secured Notes

     0.0         0.0         173.9         173.9   

CLO Debt

     0.0         0.0         50.4         50.4   

CLO Equity

     0.0         0.0         8.9         8.9   

Subordinated Notes

     0.0         0.0         6.0         6.0   

Common Stock

     0.0         0.0         5.8         5.8   

Preferred Shares

     0.0         0.0         2.0         2.0   

Warrants to purchase equity

     0.0         0.0         0.5         0.5   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 247.5       $ 316.0   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for the year ended December 31, 2010, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share Equity
Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2009

  $ 180.1      $ 4.9      $ 2.2      $ 2.7      $ 5.5      $ 0.0      $ 0.5      $ 195.9   

Realized Losses included in earnings

    (42.4     0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        (42.4

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    63.7        15.0        1.8        0.8        (0.1     1.2        0.0        82.4   

Accretion of discount

    4.5        1.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        5.6   

Purchases

    88.1        31.5        4.9        3.9        0.4        0.8        0.0        129.6   

Repayments and Sales (1)

    (120.1     (2.1     0.0        (1.4     0.0        0.0        0.0        (123.6

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 173.9      $ 50.4      $ 8.9      $ 6.0      $ 5.8      $ 2.0      $ 0.5      $ 247.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ 18.7      $ 15.0      $ 1.8      $ 0.9      ($ 0.1   $ 1.1      $ 0.1      $ 37.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)    

Includes amortization of discounts of approximately $5.6 million and PIK interest of approximately $710,000 and rounding adjustments to reconcile period balances.

 

F-19


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

The Company’s assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at December 31, 2009, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using  

Assets

  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
    Significant
Other Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
    Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    Total  

Cash equivalents

  $ 23.8      $ 0.0      $ 0.0      $ 23.8   

Bilateral investments

    0.0        0.0        84.8        84.8   

Syndicated investments

    0.0        4.4        104.0        108.4   

Collateralized loan obligation investments

    0.0        0.0        7.1        7.1   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

  $ 23.8      $ 4.4      $ 195.9      $ 224.1   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for the year ended December 31, 2009, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

   Bilateral
Investments
    Syndicated
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan Obligation
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2008

   $ 130.6      $ 59.0      $ 0.0      $ 189.6   

Realized losses included in earnings

     (7.8     (2.7     0.0        (10.5

Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) included in earnings

     18.5        13.9        (0.1     32.3   

Accretion of discount

     1.2        1.5        0.0        2.7   

Purchases, issuances and settlements (1)

     (57.7     36.7        7.2        (13.8

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

     0.0        (4.4     0.0        (4.4
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2009

   $ 84.8      $ 104.0      $ 7.1      $ 195.9   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

The change in unrealized appreciation for level 3 investments still held as of December 31, 2009 is approximately $20.3 million.

 

(1)    

Includes amortization of discounts of approximately $2.8 million and PIK interest of approximately $162,000.

 

The following table shows the fair value of TICC’s portfolio of investments by asset class as of December 31, 2010 and 2009:

 

     2010     2009  
     Investments at
Fair Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
    Investments at
Fair Value
     Percentage of
Total Portfolio
 
     (dollars in millions)            (dollars in millions)         

Senior Secured Notes

   $ 173.9         70.3   $ 184.6         92.1

CLO Debt

     50.4         20.4     4.9         2.5

CLO Equity

     8.9         3.6     2.2         1.1

Subordinated Notes

     6.0         2.4     2.7         1.4

Common Stock

     5.8         2.3     5.4         2.7

Preferred Shares

     2.0         0.8     0.0         0.0

Warrants

     0.5         0.2     0.5         0.2
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 247.5         100.0   $ 200.3         100.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

OTHER ASSETS

 

Other assets consists of prepaid expenses associated primarily with insurance costs.

 

INTEREST INCOME RECOGNITION

 

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis to the extent that such amounts are expected to be collected.

 

PAYMENT-IN-KIND

 

The Company has investments in its portfolio which contain a PIK provision. The PIK income is added to the principal balance of the investment and is recorded as income. To maintain the Company’s status as a RIC, this income must be paid out to stockholders in the form of dividends, even though the Company has not collected any cash. For the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company recorded PIK interest income of approximately $710,000. For the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, the Company recorded approximately $162,000 and $235,000 in PIK interest income, respectively.

 

In addition, the Company recorded discount income of approximately $7.5 million, $3.0 million and $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively, representing the amortization of the discount attributed to certain debt securities purchased by the Company, including original issue discount (“OID”) and discount income derived from unscheduled principal cash remittances at par on discounted debt securities.

 

OTHER INCOME

 

Other income includes closing fees, or origination fees, associated with investments in portfolio companies. Such fees are normally paid at closing of the Company’s investments, are fully earned and non-refundable, and are generally non-recurring.

 

MANAGERIAL ASSISTANCE FEES

 

The 1940 Act requires that a business development company offer managerial assistance to its portfolio companies. The Company offers to provide managerial assistance to its portfolio companies in connection with the Company’s investments and may receive fees for its services. The Company has not received any fees for such services since inception.

 

FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

 

The Company intends to operate so as to qualify to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code and, as such, to not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income and gains distributed to stockholders. To qualify for RIC tax treatment, TICC is required to distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income, as defined by the Code.

 

Because federal income tax regulations differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, distributions in accordance with tax regulations may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statement to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain or loss are recognized at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

 

F-21


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

For tax purposes, the cost basis of the portfolio investments at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 was approximately $241,093,357 and $260,645,369, respectively.

 

CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK

 

The Company places its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions and, at times, cash held in checking accounts may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured limit. In addition, the Company’s portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies in the technology-related sector, which will subject the Company to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that the Company holds or if the technology-related sector experiences a market downturn.

 

NOTE 3. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

At December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively, cash and cash equivalents consisted of:

 

     December 31,
2010
     December 31,
2009
 

Eurodollar Time Deposit (due1/03/11 and 1/4/10, respectively)

   $ 68,513,869       $ 23,759,409   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Cash Equivalents

     68,513,869         23,759,409   

Cash

     266,997         213,476   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

   $ 68,780,866       $ 23,972,885   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

NOTE 4. EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net increase in net assets resulting from operations per share for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008:

 

    Year ended
December 31,

2010
    Year ended
December 31,

2009
    Year ended
December 31,

2008
 

Numerator for basic and diluted income per share—net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income

  $ 24,243,497      $ 13,491,984      $ 22,191,163   

Numerator for basic and diluted income per share—net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

  $ 63,947,441      $ 35,182,458      $ (53,266,154

Denominator for basic and diluted income per share -weighted average shares (1)

    27,253,552        26,624,217        24,314,512   

Basic and diluted net investment income per common share (1)

  $ 0.89      $ 0.51      $ 0.91   

Basic and diluted net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations per common share (1)

  $ 2.35      $ 1.32      $ (2.19

 

(1)    

TICC issued transferable rights to stockholders of record on May 23, 2008. The rights entitled rights holders to subscribe for an aggregate of 4,339,226 shares of the Company’s common stock. Record date stockholders received one right for every outstanding share of common stock owned on the record date. The rights entitled the holders to purchase one new share of common stock for every five rights held. The subscription price equaled 88% of the volume-weighted average of the sales price of TICC’s common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on the five trading days that ended on the expiration date, which was June 13, 2008. On June 18, 2008 all 4,339,226 shares of common stock were issued. Accordingly, as

 

F-22


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

 

required by ASC 260-10, the number of weighted average shares of common stock outstanding for basic and diluted earnings per share have been increased retroactively by a factor of 1.021 for all periods presented before June 18, 2008. This factor represents the impact of the bonus element of the rights offering on the Company’s common stock, based upon the closing price of the stock immediately prior to the rights trading separately from the stock on May 20, 2008 ($6.76 per share), and the expected proceeds from the rights offering (assuming an exercise price of 88% of the closing price).

 

NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

TICC has entered into an investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) under which TICC Management, subject to the overall supervision of TICC’s Board of Directors, manages the day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory services to, TICC. For providing these services TICC Management receives a fee from TICC, consisting of two components: a base management fee (the “Base Fee”) and an incentive fee. The Base Fee is calculated at an annual rate of 2.00%. The Base Fee is payable quarterly in arrears, and is calculated based on the average value of TICC’s gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters, and appropriately adjusted for any equity or debt capital raises, repurchases or redemptions during the current calendar quarter. Accordingly, the Base Fee will be payable regardless of whether the value of TICC’s gross assets have decreased during the quarter.

 

The incentive fee has two parts. The first part is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Company’s “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees, such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that TICC receives from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter, minus the Company’s operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base Fee, expenses payable under the Company’s administration agreement with BDC Partners (the “Administration Agreement”), and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with PIK interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that the Company has not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, is compared to one- fourth of an annual “hurdle rate.” Given that this portion of the incentive fee is payable without regard to any capital gain, capital loss or unrealized depreciation that may occur during the quarter, this portion of TICC Management’s incentive fee may also be payable notwithstanding a decline in net asset value that quarter.

 

For each year commencing on or after January 1, 2005, the annual hurdle rate has been determined as of the immediately preceding December 31 st by adding 5.0% to the interest rate then payable on the most recently issued five-year U.S. Treasury Notes, up to a maximum annual hurdle rate of 10.0%. The annual hurdle rate for the 2010, 2009 and 2008 calendar year was 7.69, 6.55% and 8.45%, respectively. The current hurdle rate for the 2011 calendar year, calculated as of December 31, 2010, is 7.01%.

 

The second part of the incentive fee is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), and equals 20% of the Company’s “Incentive Fee Capital Gains,” which consist of the Company’s realized capital gains for each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation for that calendar year. For accounting purposes only, in order to reflect the theoretical capital gains incentive fee that would be payable for a given period as if all unrealized gains were realized, we will accrue a capital gains incentive fee

 

F-23


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

based upon net realized capital gains and unrealized capital depreciation for that calendar year (in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement), plus unrealized capital appreciation on investments held at the end of the period. It should be noted that a fee so calculated and accrued would not necessarily be payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and may never be paid based upon the computation of capital gains incentive fees in subsequent periods. Amounts paid under the Investment Advisory Agreement will be consistent with the formula reflected in the Investment Advisory Agreement. As of December 31, 2010, there was no accrual required under this methodology.

 

Incentive fees, based upon pre-incentive fee net investment income, were approximately $1.4 million, $51,800 and $485,000 for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. There were no capital gains incentive fees earned for any year in this three-year period. The Investment Advisor determined to waive $50,000 of the income incentive fee for the fourth quarter of 2010.

 

In addition, in the event the Company recognizes payment-in-kind, or “PIK,” interest income in excess of its available capital, the Company may be required to liquidate assets in order to pay a portion of the incentive fee. TICC Management, however, is not required to reimburse the Company for the portion of any incentive fees attributable to PIK loan interest income in the event of a subsequent default.

 

TICC has also entered into an Administration Agreement with BDC Partners under which BDC Partners provides administrative services for TICC. For providing these services, facilities and personnel, TICC reimburses BDC Partners for TICC’s allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by BDC Partners in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including rent.

 

The Company’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, TICC Management, pursuant to the investment advisory agreement described above. TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Royce & Associates, LLC (“Royce & Associates”). Jonathan Cohen, TICC’s Chief Executive Officer, and Saul Rosenthal, TICC’s President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners, and Charles Royce, TICC’s non-executive chairman, is the President of Royce & Associates. For the periods ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively, TICC incurred investment advisory fees of approximately $6.4 million, $4.1 million and $7.0 million in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, and incurred approximately $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $0.9 million in compensation expenses for the services of employees allocated to the administrative activities of TICC, pursuant to the Administration Agreement with BDC Partners. In addition, TICC incurred approximately $87,000, $77,000 and $74,000 for facility costs allocated under the agreement for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. At December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively $1.8 million, $1.1 million and $1.3 million of investment advisory fees remained payable to TICC Management, and no compensation expense remained payable to BDC Partners at the end of any year in the three-year period.

 

NOTE 6. OTHER INCOME

 

Other income includes primarily exit fees and closing fees, or origination fees, associated with investments in portfolio companies as well as dividends. Fees are normally paid at closing of the Company’s investments, are fully earned and non-refundable, and are generally non-recurring. For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively, TICC earned approximately $1.0 million, $0.1 million, and $1.0 million, in other income.

 

The 1940 Act requires that a business development company offer managerial assistance to its portfolio companies. The Company may receive fee income for managerial assistance it renders to portfolio companies in connection with its investments. For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the Company received no fee income for managerial assistance.

 

F-24


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

NOTE 7. COMMITMENTS

 

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into a variety of undertakings containing a variety of warranties and indemnifications that may expose the Company to some risk of loss. The risk of future loss arising from such undertakings, while not quantifiable, is expected to be remote.

 

As of December 31, 2010, the Company had not issued any commitments to purchase additional debt investments and/or warrants from any portfolio companies.

 

NOTE 8. REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

During the year ending December 31, 2010, the Company did not have a revolving credit facility agreement.

 

NOTE 9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

The Company declared, on March 3, 2011, a cash dividend of $0.24 per share payable March 31, 2011 to holders of record on March 21, 2011.

 

NOTE 10. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2010
    Year ended
December 31,
2009
    Year ended
December 31,
2008
    Year ended
December 31,
2007
    Year ended
December 31,
2006
 

Per Share Data

          

Net asset value at beginning of period

   $ 8.36      $ 7.68      $ 11.94      $ 13.77      $ 13.77   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (1)

     0.89        0.51        0.91        1.32        1.30   

Net realized and unrealized capital gains (losses) (2)

     1.19        0.81        (2.94     (1.79     0.05   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

     2.08        1.32        (2.03     (0.47     1.35   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Dividends from net investment income

     (0.81     (0.60     (0.98     (1.37     (1.28

Distributions from net realized capital gains

     (0.00     (0.00     (0.00     (0.05     (0.10

Tax return of capital distributions

     (0.00     (0.00     (0.08     (0.02     (0.00
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total distributions (3)

     (0.81     (0.60     (1.06     (1.44     (1.38
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effect of shares issued, net of offering expenses

     0.22        (0.04     (1.17     0.08        0.03   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value at end of period

   $ 9.85      $ 8.36      $ 7.68      $ 11.94      $ 13.77   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per share market value at beginning of period

   $ 6.05      $ 3.80      $ 9.23      $ 16.14      $ 15.10   

Per share market value at end of period

   $ 11.21      $ 6.05      $ 3.80      $ 9.23      $ 16.14   

Total return (4)

     102.39     81.15     (50.23 )%      (36.26 )%      17.02

Shares outstanding at end of period

     31,886,367        26,813,216        26,483,546        21,563,717        19,705,824   

Ratios/Supplemental Data

          

Net assets at end of period (000’s)

   $ 314,118      $ 224,092      $ 203,367      $ 257,370      $ 271,335   

Average net assets (000’s)

   $ 243,723      $ 206,183      $ 251,320      $ 277,994      $ 270,309   

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

     3.80     3.40     6.01     5.99     3.90

Ratio of expenses, excluding interest expense, to average net assets

     3.80     3.40     4.10     3.72     3.20

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets

     9.95     6.54     8.83     9.78     9.40

 

(1)    

Represents per share net investment income for the period, based upon average shares outstanding.

 

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Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

(2)    

Net realized and unrealized capital gain (losses) includes rounding adjustment to reconcile change in net asset value per share.

(3)    

For the years ending December 31, 2008 and 2007, approximately $0.08 per share and $0.02 per share of the Company’s distributions were characterized as a tax return of capital to the Company’s stockholders, respectively.

(4)    

Total return equals the increase or decrease of ending market value over beginning market value, plus distributions, divided by the beginning market value, assuming dividend reinvestment prices obtained under the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan.

 

NOTE 11. DIVIDENDS

 

The following table represents the cash distributions, including dividends and returns of capital, if any, declared per share:

 

Date Declared

   Record Date    Payment Date    Amount  

Fiscal 2011

        

March 3, 2011

   March 21, 2011    March 31, 2011    $ 0.24   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2010

        

November 2, 2010

   December 10, 2010    December 31, 2010      0.24   

July 29, 2010

   September 10, 2010    September 30, 2010      0.22   

April 29, 2010

   June 10, 2010    June 30, 2010      0.20   

March 4, 2010

   March 24, 2010    March 31, 2010      0.15   
        

 

 

 

Total (2010)

         $ 0.81   
        

 

 

 

Fiscal 2009

        

October 29, 2009

   December 10, 2009    December 31, 2009      0.15   

July 30, 2009

   September 10, 2009    September 30, 2009      0.15   

May 5, 2009

   June 10, 2009    June 30, 2009      0.15   

March 5, 2009

   March 17, 2009    March 31, 2009      0.15   
        

 

 

 

Total (2009)

         $ 0.60   
        

 

 

 

 

The tax character of distributions declared and paid in 2010 represented $22,959,856 from ordinary income, and $0 from tax return of capital. Generally accepted accounting principles require adjustments to certain components of net assets to reflect permanent differences between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no affect on net asset value per share.

 

The Company has available $59,545,010 of capital losses which can be used to offset future capital gains. If these losses are not utilized, $21,899,301 will expire in 2016, $8,377,450 will expire in 2017, and $29,268,259 will expire in 2018. Under the current law, capital losses related to securities realized after October 31 and prior to the Company’s fiscal year end may be deferred as occurring the first day of the following year. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Company had no such capital losses to defer. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the Company elected to defer capital losses of $2,135,599.

 

As of December 31, 2010, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follow:

 

Distributable ordinary income

   $ 438,119   

Distributable long-term capital gains (capital loss carry forward)

     (59,545,010

Unrealized appreciation on investments

     3,762,465   

 

F-26


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

As of December 31, 2009, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follow:

 

Distributable ordinary income

   $ 23,864   

Distributable long-term capital gains (capital loss carry forward)

     (30,276,751

Unrealized depreciation on investments

     (60,394,246

 

NOTE 12. SELECTED QUARTERLY DATA (UNAUDITED)

 

     Year Ended December 31, 2010  
   Quarter Ended
December 31,
     Quarter Ended
September 30,
     Quarter Ended
June 30,
     Quarter Ended
March 31,
 

Total Investment Income

   $ 9,138,830       $ 9,081,118       $ 8,730,552       $ 6,556,091   

Net Investment Income

     6,676,672         6,603,161         6,318,488         4,645,176   

Net Increase in Net Assets resulting from Operations

     23,918,817         12,442,822         9,601,956         17,983,846   

Net Increase in Net Assets resulting from Net Investment Income, per common share, basic and diluted )

   $ 0.24       $ 0.25       $ 0.24       $ 0.17   

Net Increase in Net Assets resulting from Operations, per common share, basic and diluted (1)

   $ 0.84       $ 0.46       $ 0.36       $ 0.67   
     Year Ended December 31, 2009  
     Quarter Ended
December 31,
     Quarter Ended
September 30,
     Quarter Ended
June 30,
     Quarter Ended
March 30,
 

Total Investment Income

   $ 5,515,343       $ 4,948,942       $ 4,920,199       $ 5,123,308   

Net Investment Income

     3,552,891         3,178,063         3,242,794         3,518,236   

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets resulting from Operations

     11,902,261         15,023,970         9,699,198         (1,442,971

Net Increase in Net Assets resulting from Net Investment Income, per common share, basic and diluted (1)

   $ 0.13       $ 0.12       $ 0.12       $ 0.13   

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets resulting from Operations, per common share, basic and diluted (1)

   $ 0.45       $ 0.56       $ 0.36       $ (0.05

 

(1)    

Aggregate of quarterly earnings per share differs from calculation of annual earnings per share for the years ending December 31, 2010 and 2009 due to rounding.

 

NOTE 13. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU No. 2010-6 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures related to Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures—(Topic 820) , Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements. This update provides amendments to Subtopic 820-10 that requires new disclosures for transfers in and out of Levels 1 and 2, reporting gross activity in Level 3 fair value measurements, and clarifications to the level of detail of existing disclosures. The new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, with the exception of reporting gross activity in Level 3 fair value measurements which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2010-6 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

 

F-27


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

NOTE 14. RISK DISCLOSURES

 

The U.S. capital markets have experienced periods of extreme volatility and disruption over the past three years. Disruptions in the capital markets tend to increase the spread between the yields realized on risk-free and higher risk securities, resulting in illiquidity in parts of the capital markets. The Company believes these conditions may reoccur in the future. A prolonged period of market illiquidity may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Adverse economic conditions could also increase the Company’s funding costs, limit the Company’s access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to the Company. These events could limit the Company’s investment originations, limit the Company’s ability to grow and negatively impact the Company’s operating results.

 

Many of the companies in which the Company has made or will make investments may be susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which may affect the ability of a company to repay TICC’s loans or engage in a liquidity event such as a sale, recapitalization, or initial public offering. Therefore, the Company’s nonperforming assets may increase, and the value of the Company’s portfolio may decrease during this period. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the value of any collateral securing some of the Company’s loans and the value of its equity investments. Adverse economic conditions could lead to financial losses in the Company’s portfolio and a decrease in its revenues, net income, and the value of the Company’s assets. For example, during 2010 the Company experienced significant losses on several of its portfolio investments, including realized losses on Group 329, LLC (The CAPS Group) and Box Services, LLC, and an impairment on WAICCS Las Vegas, LLC that is considered to be other than temporary, each of which was in part attributable to the adverse economic conditions in the industries in which those portfolio companies operate.

 

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by the Company or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of the portfolio company’s loans and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize the portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that the Company holds. The Company may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. In addition, if a portfolio company goes bankrupt, even though the Company may have structured its investment as senior debt or secured debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which the Company actually provided significant “managerial assistance,” if any, to that portfolio company, a bankruptcy court might re-characterize the Company’s debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of the Company’s claim to that of other creditors. These events could harm the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

 

As a business development company, the Company is required to carry its investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of its Board of Directors. Decreases in the market values or fair values of the Company’s investments are recorded as unrealized depreciation. The continuing unprecedented declines in prices and liquidity in the corporate debt markets have resulted in significant net unrealized depreciation in the Company’s portfolio, reducing its net asset value. Depending on market conditions, the Company could continue to incur substantial losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

F-28


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

(unaudited)

 

     September 30, 2011     December 31, 2010  

ASSETS

    

Non-affiliated/non-control investments (cost: $340,438,614 @ 9/30/11; $207,854,154 @ 12/31/10)

   $ 344,985,578      $ 229,385,715   

Control investments (cost: $17,513,698 @ 9/30/11; $18,346,533 @ 12/31/10)

     17,250,000        18,150,000   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investments at fair value

     362,235,578        247,535,715   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

     6,979,277        68,780,866   

Restricted cash

    
46,216,337
  
    —     

Deferred debt issuance costs

     2,972,124        —     

Interest receivable

     2,146,883        1,488,984   

Other assets

     135,692        94,518   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 420,685,891      $ 317,900,083   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

LIABILITIES

    

Notes payable, net of discount

   $ 99,670,616      $ —     

Accrued interest payable

     383,273        —     

Investment advisory fee payable to affiliate

     2,398,520        1,760,896   

Accrued capital gains incentive fee to affiliate

     873,288        —     

Securities purchased not settled

     10,947,626        1,837,500   

Accrued expenses

     611,499        184,146   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     114,884,822        3,782,542   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET ASSETS

    

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, and 32,745,881 and 31,886,367 issued and outstanding, respectively

     327,459        318,864   

Capital in excess of par value

     376,605,805        369,163,104   

Net unrealized appreciation on investments

     4,283,266        21,335,028   

Accumulated net realized losses on investments

     (71,831,508     (74,545,034

Distributions in excess of investment income

     (3,583,953     (2,154,421
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total net assets

     305,801,069        314,117,541   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and net assets

   $ 420,685,891      $ 317,900,083   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value per common share

   $ 9.34      $ 9.85   

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-29


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 

ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited

  structured finance   CLO preferred equity (11)   $ —        $ 2,200,000      $ 3,950,000   

Airvana Network Solutions, Inc.

  telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(10.00%, due March 25, 2015)

    7,559,523        7,421,615        7,572,148   

AKQA, Inc.

  advertising  

senior secured notes (4)(6)(10)

(4.90%, due March 20, 2013)

    7,763,996        7,763,996        7,608,716   

Algorithmic Implementations, Inc. (d/b/a “Ai Squared”)

  software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(9.84%, due September 11, 2013)

    14,650,000        14,513,698        14,650,000   
    common stock     —          3,000,000        2,600,000   

American Integration Technologies, LLC

  semiconductor capital equipment  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(11.75%, due December 31, 2013)

    23,401,906        20,844,695        23,986,954   

Anchor Glass Container Corporation

  packaging and glass  

senior secured notes (4)(10)

(6.00%, due March 2, 2016)

    4,957,465        4,957,465        4,898,620   

Attachmate

  enterprise software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(6.50%, due April 27, 2017)

    5,000,000        4,850,122        4,800,000   

Avenue CLO V LTD 2007-5A D1

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(3.70%, due April 25, 2019)

    4,574,757        2,285,199        2,504,679   

Band Digital Inc. (F/K/A “WHITTMANHART, Inc.”)

  IT consulting  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(15.58%, due December 31, 2012)

    1,975,000        1,975,000        1,975,000   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)     —          —          —     

BNY Convergex

  financial intermediaries  

second lien senior secured notes (4)(10)

(8.75%, due December 17, 2017)

    1,875,000        1,852,545        1,862,494   

Canaras CLO - 2007-1A E

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(4.70%, due June 19, 2021)

    3,500,000        1,863,633        2,318,750   

Canaras CLO Equity - 2007-1A, 1X

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          4,355,000        3,690,000   

CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc.

  healthcare  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(3.82%, due July 25, 2014)

    4,989,924        4,615,327        4,528,356   

CIFC CLO - 2006-1A B2L

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(4.25%, due October 20, 2020)

    3,247,284        1,656,784        2,005,036   

Decision Resources, LLC

  healthcare  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due December 28, 2016)

    4,962,500        4,900,768        4,801,219   
   

second lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(9.50%, due May 13, 2018)

    5,333,333        5,282,115        5,280,000   

Diversified Machine, Inc.

  auto parts manufacturer  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(10.50%, due October 28, 2015)

    5,293,750        5,152,875        5,214,344   

Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group, Inc.

  education  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.50%, due June 27, 2017)

    4,987,500        4,838,877        4,788,000   

Emporia CLO 2007 3A E

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(3.95%, due April 23, 2021)

    5,391,000        4,117,591        3,288,510   

Flagship 2005-4A D

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(5.08%, due June 1, 2017)

    2,612,988        1,617,216        1,816,027   

Fusionstorm, Inc.

  IT value-added reseller  

subordinated notes (4)(5)(6)

(11.74%, due February 28, 2013)

    1,247,500        1,247,350        1,172,837   
    warrants to purchase common stock  (7)     —          725,000        578,000   

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-30


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 

GALE 2007-4A CLO

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          1,965,000        1,950,000   

GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc. services

  interactive voice messaging  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(7)

(0.0%, due October 30, 2014)

    3,476,000        3,140,413        2,000,000   
    convertible preferred stock (7)     —          1,500,000        —     

Getty Images, Inc.

  printing and publishing  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.25%, due November 5, 2016)

    5,000,000        4,938,728        4,953,150   

Goodman Global, Inc.

  building and development  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.75%, due October 28, 2016)

    4,860,748        4,774,529        4,796,975   

GXS Worldwide Inc.

  business services  

senior secured notes (5)(10)

(9.75%, due June 15, 2015)

    8,000,000        7,901,468        7,590,000   

Harbourview - 2006A CLO Equity

  structured finance   CDO subordinates notes (11)     —          3,639,870        2,906,150   

Harch 2005-2A BB CLO

  structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(5.25%, due October 22, 2017)

    4,819,262        2,527,274        3,132,520   

Hewetts Island CDO 2007 - 1RA E

  structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)(6)(11)

(7.03%, due November 12, 2019)

    3,132,057        1,871,257        2,349,043   

Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D

  structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(6.02%, due August 9, 2017)

    6,512,680        3,572,302        4,838,270   

Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4 E

  structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(4.82%, due May 9, 2018)

    7,897,268        5,521,165        5,044,775   

HHI Holdings LLC

  auto parts manufacturer  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due March 21, 2017)

    4,477,500        4,459,036        4,253,625   

Hudson Straits CLO 2004-1A E

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(7.00%, due October 15, 2016)

    2,244,290        1,356,438        1,829,096   

Hyland Software, Inc.

  enterprise software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.75%, due December 19, 2016)

    2,992,462        2,932,971        2,882,728   

Immucor, Inc.

  healthcare  

senior secured term B notes (4)(5)(10)

(7.25%, due August 19, 2018)

    4,500,000        4,339,582        4,426,875   

InfoNXX Inc.

  telecommunication services  

second lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(6.56%, due December 1, 2013)

    7,000,000        6,657,109        6,300,000   

Integra Telecomm, Inc.

  telecommunication services   common stock (7)     —          1,712,397        1,202,561   

Jersey Straits 2006-1A CLO LTD

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          4,924,237        4,258,800   

Landmark V CDO LTD

  structured finance  

CDO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6(11)

(5.58%, due June 1, 2017)

    3,646,669        2,204,862        2,463,689   

Latitude II CLO 2006 2A D

  structured finance   CLO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(11) (4.10%, due December 15, 2018)     2,828,018        1,549,004        1,564,460   

Latitude III CLO 2007-3A

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(4.00%, due April 11, 2021)

    4,000,000        1,909,016        2,360,000   

Liberty CDO LTD 2005-1A C

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(6)(11)

(2.15%, due November 1, 2017)

    1,986,259        1,132,580        1,307,157   

Lightpoint CLO 2007-8A

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(6.75%, due July 25, 2018)

    5,000,000        2,853,980        3,750,000   

Lightpoint CLO 2005-3X

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          3,330,000        3,301,875   

Lightpoint CLO VII LTD 2007-7

  structured finance   CLO subordinated notes (11)     —          1,562,500        1,470,000   

Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE

  structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5(11)

(4.10%, due October 26, 2020)

    3,322,992        1,881,189        2,043,640   

Marlborough 2007-1A

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          1,739,000        1,668,500   

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-31


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 

Mercury Payment Systems, LLC

  financial intermediaries  

senior secured notes (4)(6)(10)

(6.50%, due July 1, 2017)

    3,990,000        3,990,000        3,950,100   

Merrill Communications, LLC

  printing and publishing  

second lien senior secured notes (3)(4)(5)(10)

(13.76%, due November 15, 2013)

    6,180,301        6,136,606        5,832,659   

MLM Holdings, Inc.

  business services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(7.00%, due December 1, 2016)

    4,950,000        4,883,529        4,801,500   

Nextag, Inc.

  retail  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(7.00%, due January 27, 2016)

    10,908,333        10,267,701        10,090,208   

Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d

  structured finance  

CLO subordinated secured notes (4)(5)(11)

(4.75%, due June 27, 2022)

    3,649,700        2,052,852        2,262,814   

OCT11 2007-1A CLO

  structured finance   CLO income notes (11)     —          2,434,162        2,227,500   

Pegasus Solutions, Inc.

  enterprise software  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(7.75%, due April 17, 2013)

    2,619,225        2,480,879        2,566,841   
   

second lien senior secured notes (3)(5)(6)

(13.00%, due April 15, 2014)

    5,634,590        3,794,152        5,296,515   
    common equity (7)     —          62,595        933,013   
    preferred equity (7)     —          1,045,451        2,096,220   

Petco, Inc.

  retail  

senior secured notes (4)(10)

(4.50%, due November 24, 2017)

    5,000,000        4,762,500        4,721,250   

Phillips Plastics Corporation

  healthcare  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(7.25%, due February 12, 2017)

    3,000,000        2,974,242        2,962,500   

Power Tools, Inc.

  software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(12.00%, due May 16, 2014)

    8,250,000        8,188,905        7,425,000   
   

warrants to purchase

common stock (7)

    —          350,000        200,000   

Presidio IS Corp.

  business services  

senior secured notes (4)(6)(10)

(7.25%, due March 31, 2017)

    4,871,795        4,871,795        4,701,282   

Primus 2007 2X Class E CLO

  structured finance  

CLO notes (4)(5)(11)

(5.00%, due July 15, 2021)

    2,834,633        2,157,263        1,743,299   

Prospero CLO II BV

  structured finance  

CLO senior secured notes (4)(5(11)

(4.20%, due October 20, 2022)

    9,900,000        4,337,626        4,950,000   

RBS Holding Company

  printing and publishing  

term B senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(6.50%, due March 23, 2017)

    4,975,000        4,928,511        4,427,750   

Rampart 2007-1A CLO Equity

  structured finance   CLO subordinated notes (11)     —          3,412,500        2,835,000   

RCN Cable

  cable/satellite television  

senior secured notes (4)(10)

(6.50%, due August 26, 2016)

    4,987,406        4,900,126        4,797,585   

Sargas CLO 2006 -1A

  structured finance   CLO subordinated notes (11)     —          4,945,500        6,262,000   

Securus Technologies

 

telecommunication

services

 

second lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(10.00%, due

May 18, 2018)

    5,400,000        5,295,487        5,265,000   

Shearer’s Food Inc.

  food products manufacturer  

subordinated notes (3)(4)(5)(10)

(15.50%, due

March 31, 2016)

    4,180,261        4,097,665        3,971,248   

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-32


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 

Shield Finance Co.

  software  

first lien term notes (4)(5)(10)(11)

(7.75%, due

June 15, 2016)

    3,820,685        3,699,685        3,706,064   

SkillSoft Corporation

  business services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(6.50%, due

May 26, 2017)

    5,000,000        4,950,457        4,925,000   

SonicWall, Inc.

  software  

first lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(8.25%, due

January 23, 2016)

    1,226,613        1,192,557        1,220,480   
   

second lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(12.00%, due

January 23, 2017)

    5,000,000        4,869,284        4,950,000   

SourceHOV, LLC

  business services  

second lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(10.50%, due

May 19, 2018)

    8,000,000        7,652,812        7,055,040   

Stratus Technologies, Inc.

  computer hardware  

first lien high yield

notes (5)(10)

(12.00%, due

March 29, 2015)

    9,753,000        9,059,389        9,753,000   
    common equity (7)     —          377,928        —     
    preferred equity (7)     —          186,622        410,844   

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

  healthcare  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(6.25%, due

December 16, 2016)

    4,987,500        4,876,417        4,881,516   

Syniverse

  telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)(10)

(5.25%, due

December 21, 2017)

    3,989,950        3,841,261        3,920,126   

Targus

  business services  

senior secured notes (4)(6)(10)

(7.00%, due

December 29, 2016)

    4,668,853        4,668,853        4,598,820   

Teleguam Holdings, LLC

  telecommunication services  

second lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(9.75%, due

June 9, 2017)

    4,687,500        4,642,369        4,640,625   

Unitek Global Services, Inc.

  IT consulting  

tranche B term loan (4)(5)(10)

(9.00%, due

April 15, 2018)

    7,960,000        7,725,775        7,721,200   

Vision Solutions, Inc

  software  

second lien

senior secured notes (4)(5)(10)

(9.50%, due

July 23, 2017)

    10,000,000        9,906,078        9,600,000   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Investments

        $ 357,952,312      $ 362,235,578   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)  

Other than Algorithmic Implementation, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared), which we may be deemed to control, we do not “control” and are not an “affiliate” of any of our portfolio companies, each as defined in the

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-33


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

 

Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). In general, under the 1940 Act, we would be presumed to “control” a portfolio company if we owned 25% or more of its voting securities and would be an “affiliate” of a portfolio company if we owned 5% or more of its voting securities.

(2)   Fair value is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(3)   Investment includes payment-in-kind interest.
(4)   Notes bear interest at variable rates.
(5)   Cost value reflects accretion of original issue discount or market discount.
(6)   Cost value reflects repayment of principal.
(7)   Non-income producing at the relevant period end.
(8)   As a percentage of net assets at September 30, 2011, investments at fair value are categorized as follows: senior secured notes (86.0%), subordinated notes (1.7%), CLO debt (16.9%), CLO equity (11.3%), common stock (1.5%), preferred shares (0.8%) and warrants to purchase equity securities (0.2%).
(9)   Aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for federal income tax purposes is $18,248,799; aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for federal income tax purposes is $28,858,203. Net unrealized depreciation is $10,609,404 based upon a tax cost basis of $372,844,982.
(10)   All or a portion of this investment is pledged as collateral under the debt securitization financing through TICC CLO LLC.
(11)   Investment is not a qualified asset as defined under Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act.

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-34


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 
ACA CLO 2006-2, Limited   structured finance   CLO preferred equity     —        $ 2,200,000      $ 2,850,000   
Airvana Network Solutions, Inc.   telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(11.00%, due August 27, 2014)

  $ 8,847,171        8,700,153        8,858,230   
AKQA, Inc.   advertising  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(4.96%, due March 20, 2013)

    7,865,342        7,865,342        7,857,477   
Algorithmic Implementations, Inc.
(d/b/a “Ai Squared”)
  software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(9.84%, due September 11, 2013)

    15,550,000        15,346,533        15,550,000   
    common stock     —          3,000,000        2,600,000   
American Integration Technologies, LLC   semiconductor capital equipment  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(11.75%, due December 31, 2013)

    23,401,906        20,059,705        21,763,773   
Avenue CLO V LTD 2007-5A D1   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(3.73%, due April 25, 2019)

    3,659,805        1,702,855        2,049,491   
Band Digital Inc. (f/k/a “WHITTMANHART, Inc.”)   IT consulting  

senior secured notes (4)(6)

(15.58%, due December 31, 2011)

    2,425,000        2,425,000        2,425,000   
    warrants to purchase common stock  (7)     —          —          —     
Birch Communications, Inc.   telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)

(15.00%, due June 21, 2015)

    5,000,000        5,000,000        5,000,000   
BNY Convergex   financial intermediaries  

second lien senior secured notes (4)

(8.75%, due December 17, 2017)

    1,875,000        1,837,500        1,837,500   
Canaras CLO—2007-1A E   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(4.65%, due June 19, 2021)

    3,500,000        1,804,206        2,660,000   
CIFC CLO—2006-1A B2L   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(4.29%, due October 20, 2020)

    3,247,284        1,593,673        2,273,099   
Decision Resources, LLC   healthcare  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(7.75%, due December 28, 2016)

    4,500,000        4,432,525        4,432,500   
Del Mar CLO I Ltd. 2006-1   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(4.29%, due July 25, 2018)

    1,831,690        934,388        1,373,768   
Diversified Machine, Inc.   auto parts manufacturer  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(10.50%, due October 28, 2015)

    5,500,000        5,339,007        5,335,000   
Drew Marine Partners, L.P.   shipping & transportation  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(9.50%, due August 31, 2014)

    4,468,750        4,371,448        4,424,063   
Fairway Group Acquisition Company   grocery  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(12.00%, due October 1, 2014)

    4,950,008        4,832,815        4,956,196   
Flagship 2005-4A D   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(5.05%, due June 1, 2017)

    2,612,988        1,538,260        1,959,741   
Fusionstorm, Inc.   IT value-added reseller  

subordinated notes (4)(5)(6)

(11.74%, due February 28, 2013)

    1,922,500        1,903,984        1,840,794   
    warrants to purchase common stock  (7)     —          725,000        150,000   
GenuTec Business Solutions, Inc.   interactive voice messaging services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(7)

(0.0%, due October 30, 2014)

    3,476,000        3,079,396        2,000,000   
    convertible preferred stock (7)     —          1,500,000        —     
GXS Worldwide Inc.   business software  

senior secured notes (5)

(9.75%, due June 15, 2015)

    8,000,000        7,885,499        7,900,000   
Harch CLO II LTD 2005-2a e   structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)

(5.29%, due October 22, 2017)

    4,819,262        2,382,248        3,325,290   
Hewetts Island CDO 2007—1RA E   structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(7.04%, due November 12, 2019)

    3,193,918        1,859,658        2,746,769   
Hewetts Island CDO III 2005-1A D   structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)

(6.04%, due August 9, 2017)

    6,640,478        3,503,885        5,578,002   
Hewetts Island CDO IV 2006-4X E BB   structured finance  

CDO secured notes (4)(5)

(4.84%, due May 9, 2018)

    3,251,816        1,491,511        2,438,862   
HHI Holdings LLC   auto parts manufacturer  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(10.50%, due March 30, 2015)

    3,381,236        3,292,190        3,415,049   

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-35


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 
Hudson Straits CLO 2004-1A E   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(7.04%, due October 15, 2016)

    2,244,290        1,283,620        1,907,647   
Hyland Software, Inc.   enterprise software  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(6.75%, due December 19, 2016)

    3,818,182        3,780,029        3,822,955   
Integra Telecomm, Inc.   telecommunication services   common stock (7)     —          1,712,397        3,115,022   
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation   retail food products  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(10.75%, due February 16, 2014)

    3,899,005        3,683,115        3,899,005   
Landmark V CDO LTD   structured finance  

CDO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(5.55%, due June 1, 2017)

    3,722,086        2,153,441        2,887,222   
Latitude II CLO 2006 2A D   structured finance  

CLO senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(4.05%, due December 15, 2018)

    2,828,018        1,475,855        1,630,635   
Latitude III CLO 2007-3A   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(4.04%, due April 11, 2021)

    4,000,000        1,834,131        2,200,000   
Liberty CDO LTD 2005-1A C   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(2.19%, due November 1, 2017)

    2,371,953        1,283,845        1,470,611   
Lightpoint CLO 2007-8a   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(6.79%, due July 25, 2018)

    5,000,000        2,738,631        4,500,000   
Loomis Sayles CLO 2006-1AE   structured finance  

CLO secured notes (4)(5)

(4.14%, due October 26, 2020)

    3,322,992        1,818,151        2,359,324   
MLM Holdings, Inc.   business services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(7.00%, due December 1, 2016)

    4,987,500        4,913,231        4,912,688   
Ocean Trails CLO II 2007-2a-d   structured finance  

CLO subordinated secured notes (4)(5)

(4.79%, due June 27, 2022)

    3,649,700        1,974,935        2,737,275   
Pegasus Solutions, Inc.   enterprise software  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(7.75%, due April 17, 2013)

    2,950,461        2,722,247        2,768,506   
   

second lien senior secured notes (3)(5)(6)

(13.00%, due April 15, 2014)

    5,290,695        3,153,479        4,936,219   
    common equity (7)     —          62,595        112,238   
    preferred equity (7)     —          657,247        1,530,949   
Power Tools, Inc.   software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(12.00%, due May 16, 2014)

    9,000,000        8,912,088        8,235,000   
    warrants to purchase common stock (7)       350,000        370,000   
Presidio Inc.   business services  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(7.50%, due December 16, 2015)

    9,375,000        9,141,699        9,140,625   
Prodigy Health Group   healthcare  

second lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(8.27%, due November 29, 2013)

    3,013,333        2,153,283        2,968,133   
Prospero II-XD BB CLO   structured finance  

CLO senior secured notes (4)(5)

(4.24%, due October 20, 2022)

    9,900,000        4,191,843        6,336,000   
QA Direct Holdings, LLC   printing and publishing  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)(6)

(8.25%, due August 10, 2014)

    5,488,999        5,150,835        5,205,381   
Sargas CLO 2006 -1A   structured finance   CLO subordinated notes     —          4,945,500        6,060,000   
Shearer’s Food Inc.   food products manufacturer  

subordinated notes (3)(4)(5)

(15.50%, due March 31, 2016)

    4,071,049        3,979,305        4,111,759   
Shield Finance Co.   software  

first lien term notes (4)(5)(6)

(7.75%, due June 15, 2016)

    5,910,000        5,681,659        5,880,450   
SonicWall, Inc.   software  

first lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(8.25%, due January 23, 2016)

    1,794,355        1,743,235        1,803,327   
   

second lien senior secured notes (4)(5)

(12.00%, due January 23, 2017)

    5,000,000        4,856,725        5,000,000   

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-36


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS—(Continued)

DECEMBER 31, 2010

 

Company (1)

 

Industry

 

Investment

  Principal
Amount
    Cost     Fair
Value (2)
 
Stratus Technologies, Inc.   computer hardware  

first lien high yield notes (5)

(12.00%, due March 29, 2015)

    10,000,000        9,175,912        9,885,000   
    common equity (7)     —          377,928        —     
    preferred equity (7)     —          186,622        431,480   
U.S. Telepacific Corp.   telecommunication services  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(9.25%, due August 4, 2011)

    3,970,000        3,946,073        4,000,410   
Vision Solutions, Inc   software  

senior secured notes (4)(5)

(7.75%, due July 23, 2016)

    5,775,000        5,554,250        5,717,250   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 
Total Investments         $ 226,200,687      $ 247,535,715   
       

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Other than Algorithmic Implementation, Inc. (d/b/a Ai Squared), which we may be deemed to control, we do not “control” and are not an “affiliate” of any of our portfolio companies, each as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). In general, under the 1940 Act, we would be presumed to “control” a portfolio company if we owned 25% or more of its voting securities and would be an “affiliate” of a portfolio company if we owned 5% or more of its voting securities.
(2)   Fair value is determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(3)   Investment includes payment-in-kind interest.
(4)   Notes bear interest at variable rates.
(5)   Cost value reflects accretion of original issue discount or market discount.
(6)   Cost value reflects repayment of principal.
(7)   Non-income producing at the relevant period end.
(8)   As a percentage of net assets at December 31, 2010, investments at fair value are categorized as follows: senior secured notes (55.4%), subordinated notes (1.9%), CLO debt (16.1%), CLO equity (2.8%), common stock (1.9%), preferred shares (0.6%) and warrants to purchase equity securities (0.2%).
(9)   Aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for federal income tax purposes is $26,128,474; aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for federal income tax purposes is $19,686,116. Net unrealized appreciation is $6,442,358 based upon a tax cost basis of $241,093,357.

 

(Continued on next page)

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-37


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
     Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2011
    Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2010
 

INVESTMENT INCOME

         

From non-affiliated/non-control investments:

         

Interest income—debt investments

   $ 7,435,546      $ 7,593,456       $ 21,198,270      $ 19,687,039   

Distributions from securitization vehicles and equity investments

     3,196,002        959,268         9,079,259        2,669,755   

Commitment, amendment fee income and other income

     60,953        102,693         506,972        579,997   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income from non-affiliated/non-control investments

     10,692,501        8,655,417         30,784,501        22,936,791   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

From control investments:

         

Interest income—debt investments

     392,449        425,701         1,194,871        1,430,970   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total investment income

     11,084,950        9,081,118         31,979,372        24,367,761   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

EXPENSES

         

Compensation expense

     217,639        244,039         713,491        723,235   

Investment advisory fees

     1,942,657        1,228,000         5,218,773        3,686,845   

Professional fees

     386,087        336,506         847,301        787,854   

Interest expense and other debt financing expenses

     434,283        —           434,283        —     

General and administrative

     185,833        187,356         760,576        603,173   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses before incentive fees

     3,166,499        1,995,901         7,974,424        5,801,107   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income incentive fees

     455,864        482,056         1,444,415        999,829   

Capital gains incentive fees

     (4,153,198     —           873,288     
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total incentive fees

     (3,697,334     482,056         2,317,703        999,829   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

     (530,835     2,477,957         10,292,127        6,800,936   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

     11,615,785        6,603,161         21,687,245        17,566,825   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments

     (20,114,242     4,972,601         (17,051,762     51,564,482   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net realized gains (losses) on investments

     83,178        867,060         2,713,526        (29,102,683
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) increase in net assets resulting from operations

   $ (8,415,279   $ 12,442,822       $ 7,349,009      $ 40,028,624   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per common share:

         

Basic and diluted

   $ 0.36      $ 0.25       $ 0.67      $ 0.65   

Net (decrease) increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share:

         

Basic and diluted

   $ (0.26   $ 0.46       $ 0.23      $ 1.49   

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:

         

Basic and diluted

     32,672,294        26,932,960         32,327,163        26,874,575   

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-38


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

(unaudited)

 

     Nine Months  Ended
September 30,
2011
    Year Ended
December 31,
2010
 

Increase in net assets from operations:

    

Net investment income

   $ 21,687,245      $ 24,243,497   

Net realized gains (losses) on investments

     2,713,526        (42,132,660

Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments

     (17,051,762     81,836,604   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations

     7,349,009        63,947,441   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

     (23,990,065     (22,959,856
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Capital share transactions:

    

Issuance of common stock (net of offering costs of $318,630 and $2,817,408, respectively)

     6,360,019        46,859,868   

Reinvestment of dividends

     1,964,565        2,178,093   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets from capital share transactions

     8,324,584        49,037,961   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total (decrease) increase in net assets

     (8,316,472     90,025,546   

Net assets at beginning of period

     314,117,541        224,091,995   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net assets at end of period (including over distributed net investment income of $3,583,953 and $2,154,421), respectively)

   $ 305,801,069      $ 314,117,541   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Capital share activity:

    

Shares sold

     651,599        4,834,651   

Shares issued from reinvestment of dividends

     207,915        238,500   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in capital share activity

     859,514        5,073,151   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-39


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

 

     Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011
    Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2010
 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

    

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations

   $ 7,349,009      $ 40,028,624   

Adjustments to reconcile net increase in net assets resulting from operations to net cash used by operating activities:

    

Amortization of discounts

     (3,691,433     (4,207,454

Increase in investments due to PIK

     (952,594     (356,562

Purchases of investments

     (203,123,442     (99,026,012

Repayments of principal and reductions to investment cost value

     79,432,400        42,038,804   

Proceeds from the sale of investments

     8,407,096        47,311,196   

Net realized (gains) losses on investments

     (2,713,526     29,102,683   

Net change in unrealized appreciation on investments

     17,051,762        (51,564,482

Amortization of discount on notes payable and deferred debt issuance costs

     51,010        —     

Increase in interest receivable

     (657,899     (1,442,857

(Increase) decrease in other assets

     (41,174     149,269   

Increase in accrued interest payable

     383,273        —     

Increase in investment advisory fee payable

     637,624        590,512   

Increase in accrued capital gains incentive fee

     873,288        —     

Increase in accrued expenses

     427,353        384,763   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash (used) provided by operating activities

     (96,567,253     3,008,484   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Restricted cash

     (46,216,337     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used by investing activities

     (46,216,337     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Notes payable (net of discount of $1,588,125)

     99,661,875        —     

Deferred debt issuance costs

     (3,014,393     —     

Proceeds from the issuance of common stock

     6,678,649        —     

Offering expenses from the issuance of common stock

     (318,630     —     

Distributions paid (net of stock issued under dividend reinvestment plan of $1,964,565 and $1,479,617, respectively)

  

 

(22,025,500

 

 

(13,842,465

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided (used) by financing activities

     80,982,001        (13,842,465
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

     (61,801,589     (10,833,981

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     68,780,866        23,972,885   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 6,979,277      $ 13,138,904   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

NON-CASH FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Value of shares issued in connection with dividend reinvestment plan

   $ 1,964,565      $ 1,479,617   

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES

    

Securities purchased not settled

   $ 10,947,626      $ —     

 

See accompanying notes.

 

F-40


Table of Contents

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

NOTE 1. UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Interim consolidated financial statements of TICC Capital Corp. (“TICC” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain disclosures accompanying annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP are omitted. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring accruals, necessary for the fair presentation of consolidated financial statements for the interim periods have been included. The current period’s consolidated results of operations are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for the year. The interim financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

 

Certain amounts have been reclassified in the 2010 financial statements to conform to the 2011 presentation.

 

NOTE 2. ORGANIZATION

 

TICC was incorporated under the General Corporation Laws of the State of Maryland on July 21, 2003 and is a non-diversified, closed-end investment company. TICC has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). In addition, TICC has elected to be treated for tax purposes as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company’s investment objective is to maximize its total return, principally by investing in the debt and/or equity securities of technology-related companies.

 

TICC’s investment activities are managed by TICC Management, LLC, (“TICC Management”), a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. BDC Partners, LLC (“BDC Partners”) is the managing member of TICC Management and serves as the administrator of TICC.

 

On August 10, 2011, the Company completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC (the “Securitization Issuer” or “ TICC CLO”), a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC (“Holdings”), a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million, and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer. For further information on the securitization, see Note 4.

 

The Company consolidated the results of its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC and TICC CLO LLC, in its consolidated financial statements as the subsidiaries are operated solely for investment activities of the Company, and the Company has substantial equity at risk. The creditors of TICC CLO have received security interests in the assets owned by TICC CLO and such assets are not intended to be available to the creditors of TICC (or any other affiliate of TICC).

 

NOTE 3. INVESTMENT VALUATION

 

The most significant estimate inherent in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements is the valuation of investments and the related amounts of unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments recorded. There is no single method for determining fair value in good faith. As a result, determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments the Company makes. The Company is required to specifically fair value each individual investment on a quarterly basis.

 

In May 2011, the FASB issued an update to requirements relating to “ Fair Value Measurement which represents amendments to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in US GAAP and IFRS .” The amendments are of two types: (i) those that clarify the FASB’s intent about the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements and (ii) those that change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The amendments that change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements relate to (i) measuring the fair value of the financial instruments that are managed within a portfolio; (ii) application of premium and discount in a fair value measurement; and (iii) additional disclosures about fair value measurements. The update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 with early adoption prohibited. We do not believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact on our financial statements.

 

The Company adopted ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure , which establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements, on January 1, 2008. ASC 820-10 clarified the definition of fair value and requires companies to expand their disclosure about the use of fair value to measure assets and liabilities in interim and annual periods subsequent to initial recognition. ASC 820-10 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820-10 also establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, which includes inputs such as quoted prices for similar securities in active markets and quoted prices for identical securities in markets that are not active; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. The Company has determined that due to the general illiquidity of the market for the Company’s investment portfolio, whereby little or no market data exists, all of the Company’s investments are based upon “Level 3” inputs as of September 30, 2011.

 

The Company’s Board of Directors determines the value of the Company’s investment portfolio each quarter. In connection with that determination, members of TICC Management’s portfolio management team prepare portfolio company valuations using the most recent portfolio company financial statements and forecasts. Since March 2004, the Company has engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing its bilateral investments and, more recently, for certain of its syndicated loans, although the Board of Directors ultimately determines the appropriate valuation of each such investment.

 

The Company’s process for determining the fair value of a bilateral investment begins with determining the enterprise value of the portfolio company. Enterprise value means the entire value of the company to a potential buyer, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The fair value of the Company’s investment is based, in part, on the enterprise value at which the portfolio company could be sold in an orderly disposition over a reasonable period of time between willing parties other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The liquidity event whereby the Company exits a private investment is generally the sale, the recapitalization or, in some cases, the initial public offering of the portfolio company.

 

There is no one methodology to determine enterprise value and, in fact, for any one portfolio company, enterprise value is best expressed as a range of fair values, from which the Company derives a single estimate of enterprise value. To determine the enterprise value of a portfolio company, the Company analyzes the historical and projected financial results, as well as the nature and value of any collateral. The Company also uses industry

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

valuation benchmarks and public market comparables. The Company also considers other events, including private mergers and acquisitions, a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent debt or equity sale or restructuring, and includes these events in the enterprise valuation process. The Company generally requires portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Typically, the Company’s bilateral debt investments are valued on the basis of a fair value determination arrived at through an analysis of the borrower’s financial and operating condition or other factors, as well as consideration of the entity’s enterprise value. The types of factors that the Company may take into account in valuing its investments include: market trading and transaction comparables, applicable market yields and multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flows, among other factors. The fair value of equity interests in portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including the enterprise value remaining for equity holders after the repayment of the portfolio company’s debt and other preference capital, and other pertinent factors such as recent offers to purchase a portfolio company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the portfolio company’s equity securities, or other liquidity events. The determined equity values are generally discounted when the Company has a minority position, when there are restrictions on resale, specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other factors.

 

The Company will record unrealized depreciation on bilateral investments when it believes that an investment has become impaired, including where collection of a loan or realization of an equity security is doubtful. The Company will record unrealized appreciation if it believes that the underlying portfolio company has appreciated in value and the Company’s equity security has also appreciated in value. Changes in fair value are recorded in the statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

 

Under the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Directors, upon the recommendation of the Valuation Committee, a third-party valuation firm will prepare valuations for each of the Company’s bilateral investments for which market quotations are not readily available that, when combined with all other investments in the same portfolio company, (i) have a value as of the previous quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of the Company’s total assets as of the previous quarter, and (ii) have a value as of the current quarter of greater than or equal to 2.5% of the Company’s total assets as of the previous quarter, after taking into account any repayment of principal during the current quarter. In addition, the frequency of those third-party valuations of the Company’s portfolio securities is based upon the grade assigned to each such security under the Company’s credit grading system as follows: Grade 1, at least annually; Grade 2, at least semi-annually; Grades 3, 4, and 5, at least quarterly. TICC Management also retains the authority to seek, on the Company’s behalf, additional third party valuations with respect to both the Company’s bilateral portfolio securities and the Company’s syndicated loan investments. The Board of Directors retains ultimate authority as to the third-party review cycle as well as the appropriate valuation of each investment.

 

On April 9, 2009, the FASB issued additional guidelines under ASC 820-10-35, “Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly,” which provides guidance on factors that should be considered in determining when a previously active market becomes inactive and whether a transaction is orderly. In accordance with ASC 820-10-35, the Company’s valuation procedures specifically provide for the review of indicative quotes supplied by the large agent banks that make a market for each security. However, although there has been improvement, since 2010, in transaction volume, the liquidity of the markets and the quality of the

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

indicative quotes, the marketplace for which the Company obtains indicative bid quotes for purposes of determining the fair value of its syndicated loan investments still have shown, at various times, some of the attributes of illiquidity as described by ASC-820-10-35. The Company has determined that the current agent bank non-binding indicative bids for the substantial majority of its syndicated loans may not be considered reliable, and alternative valuation procedures would need to be performed until liquidity returns to the marketplace. As such, the Company has engaged third-party valuation firms to provide assistance in valuing certain of its syndicated investments. In addition, TICC Management prepares an analysis of each syndicated loan, including a financial summary, covenant compliance review, recent trading activity in the security, if known, and other business developments related to the portfolio company. All available information, including non-binding indicative bids which may not be considered reliable, is presented to the Valuation Committee to consider in its determination of fair value. In some instances, there may be limited trading activity in a security even though the market for the security is considered not active. In such cases the Valuation Committee will consider the number of trades, the size and timing of each trade, and other circumstances around such trades, to the extent such information is available, in its determination of fair value. The Valuation Committee will evaluate the impact of such additional information, and factor it into its consideration of the fair value that is indicated by the analysis provided by third-party valuation firms. The Company has considered the factors described in ASC 820-10 and has determined that it is properly valuing the securities in its portfolio.

 

During the past several quarters, the Company has acquired a number of debt and equity positions in collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles. These investments are special purpose financing vehicles. In valuing such investments, the Company considers the operating metrics of the specific investment vehicle, including compliance with collateralization tests, defaulted and restructured securities, and payment defaults, if any. In addition, the Company considers the indicative prices provided by the broker who arranges transactions in such investment vehicles, as well as any available information on other relevant transactions in the market. TICC Management or the Valuation Committee may request an additional analysis by a third-party firm to assist in the valuation process of CLO investment vehicles. All information is presented to the Board of Directors for its determination of fair value of these investments.

 

The Company’s assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at September 30, 2011, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)    Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using      Total  

Assets

   Quoted Prices in
Active  Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
Other  Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
    

Cash equivalents

   $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 0.0   

Senior Secured Notes

     0.0         0.0         263.0         263.0   

CLO Debt

     0.0         0.0         51.6         51.6   

CLO Equity

     0.0         0.0         34.5         34.5   

Subordinated Notes

     0.0         0.0         5.1         5.1   

Common Stock

     0.0         0.0         4.7         4.7   

Preferred Shares

     0.0         0.0         2.5         2.5   

Warrants to purchase equity

     0.0         0.0         0.8         0.8   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 362.2       $ 362.2   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for three months ending September 30, 2011, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note

Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity

Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at June 30, 2011

  $ 200.0      $ 61.0      $ 33.1      $ 5.5      $ 5.8      $ 2.5      $ 0.9      $ 308.8   

Realized Gains included in earnings

    0.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.1   

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    (5.6 )     (10.4 )     (2.7 )     (0.2 )     (1.1 )     0.0        (0.1 )     (20.1 )

Accretion of discount

    0.8        0.5        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        1.3   

Purchases

    76.4        0.5        4.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        81.0   

Repayments and Sales  (1)

    (8.7 )     0.0        0.0        (0.2 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        (8.9 )

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2011

  $ 263.0      $ 51.6      $ 34.5      $ 5.1      $ 4.7      $ 2.5      $ 0.8      $ 362.2   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ (5.5 )   $ (10.4 )   $ (2.6 )   $ (0.2 )   $ (1.1 )   $ (0.1 )   $ (0.1 )   $ (20.0 )
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Includes PIK interest of approximately $147,000.

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for nine months ending September 30, 2011, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity
Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 173.9      $ 50.4      $ 8.9      $ 6.0      $ 5.8      $ 2.0      $ 0.5      $ 247.5   

Realized Gains included in earnings

    2.3        0.4        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        2.7   

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    (4.7 )     (9.6 )     (1.8 )     (0.3 )     (1.1 )     0.2        0.3        (17.0 )

Accretion of discount

    2.2        1.5        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        3.7   

Purchases

    174.2        10.6        27.4        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        212.2   

Repayments and Sales (1)

    (84.9 )     (1.7 )     0.0        (0.6 )     0.0        0.3        0.0        (86.9 )

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2011

  $ 263.0      $ 51.6      $ 34.5      $ 5.1      $ 4.7      $ 2.5      $ 0.8      $ 362.2   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ (2.8 )   $ (9.4 )   $ (1.6 )   $ (0.3 )   $ (1.1 )   $ 0.2      $ 0.3      $ (14.7 )
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   Includes PIK interest of approximately $953,000.

 

Our assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the disclosure requirements of ASC 820-10-35 at December 31, 2010, were as follows:

 

($ in millions)    Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using         

Assets

   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
     Significant
Other Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
     Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
     Total  

Cash equivalents

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 0.0       $ 68.5   

Senior Secured Notes

     0.0         0.0         173.9         173.9   

CLO Debt

     0.0         0.0         50.4         50.4   

CLO Equity

     0.0         0.0         8.9         8.9   

Subordinated Notes

     0.0         0.0         6.0         6.0   

Common Stock

     0.0         0.0         5.8         5.8   

Preferred Shares

     0.0         0.0         2.0         2.0   

Warrants to purchase equity

     0.0         0.0         0.5         0.5   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 68.5       $ 0.0       $ 247.5       $ 316.0   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

A reconciliation of the fair value of investments for the year ended December 31, 2010, utilizing significant unobservable inputs, is as follows:

 

($ in millions)

  Senior
Secured
Note
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Debt
Investments
    Collateralized
Loan
Obligation
Equity
Investments
    Subordinated
Note
Investments
    Common
Stock
Investments
    Preferred
Share
Equity
Investments
    Warrants to
Purchase
Common
Stock
Investments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2009

  $ 180.1      $ 4.9      $ 2.2      $ 2.7      $ 5.5      $ 0.0      $ 0.5      $ 195.9   

Realized Losses included in earnings

    (42.4 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        (42.4 )

Unrealized appreciation included in earnings

    63.7        15.0        1.8        0.8        (0.1 )     1.2        0.0        82.4   

Accretion of discount

    4.5        1.1        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        5.6   

Purchases

    88.1        31.5        4.9        3.9        0.4        0.8        0.0        129.6   

Repayments and Sales (1)

    (120.1 )     (2.1 )     0.0        (1.4 )     0.0        0.0        0.0        (123.6 )

Transfers in and/or out of level 3

    0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0        0.0   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2010

  $ 173.9      $ 50.4      $ 8.9      $ 6.0      $ 5.8      $ 2.0      $ 0.5      $ 247.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to our Level 3 assets still held at the reporting date and reported within the net change in unrealized gains or losses on investments in our Statement of Operations

  $ 18.7      $ 15.0      $ 1.8      $ 0.9      ($ 0.1 )   $ 1.1      $ 0.1      $ 37.5   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)   PIK interest of approximately $710,000 and rounding adjustments to reconcile period balances.

 

The following are the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt liabilities as of September 30, 2011. Fair value is based upon the bid price provided by the placement agent at the measurement date. There were no debt liabilities as of December 31, 2010.

 

     As of September 30,  2011
(in thousands)
     As of December 31, 2010
(in thousands)
 
     Carrying
Value
     Fair Value      Carrying
Value
     Fair Value  

Class A Notes

   $ 99,671       $ 97,706       $       $   

 

NOTE 4. BORROWINGS

 

In accordance with the 1940 Act, with certain limited exceptions, the Company is only allowed to borrow amounts such that its asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, is at least 200% after such borrowing. As of September 30, 2011, the Company’s asset coverage for borrowed amounts was 415.5%.

 

On August 10, 2011, the Company completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the securitization were issued by TICC CLO, and are secured by the assets held by

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

the trustee on behalf of the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes which bear interest, after the effective date, at three-month London Inter Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 2.25% (prior to the effective date, the Class A Notes bear interest at five-month LIBOR plus 2.25%). The notes were sold at a discount to par, and the amount of the discount is being amortized over the term of the notes. The Class A Notes are included in the September 30, 2011 consolidated statements of assets and liabilities. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes totaling $123.75 million and all of the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer. The subordinated notes do not bear interest, but are entitled to the residual economic interest in the Securitization Issuer.

 

During a period of up to three years from the closing date, all principal collections received on the underlying collateral may be used by the Securitization Issuer to purchase new collateral under the direction of TICC in its capacity as collateral manager of the Securitization Issuer and in accordance with the Company’s investment strategy, allowing the Company to maintain the initial leverage in the securitization for such three-year period. The Class A Notes are scheduled to mature on July 25, 2021.

 

The proceeds of the private placement of the Class A Notes, net of discount and debt issuance costs, were used for investment purposes. As part of the securitization, TICC entered into a master loan sale agreement with Holdings and the Securitization Issuer under which TICC agreed to sell or contribute certain senior secured and second lien loans (or participation interests therein) to Holdings, and Holdings agreed to sell or contribute such loans (or participation interests therein) to the Securitization Issuer and to purchase or otherwise acquire subordinated notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. The Class A Notes are the secured obligations of the Securitization Issuer, and an indenture governing the Notes includes customary covenants and events of default.

 

TICC serves as collateral manager to the Securitization Issuer under a collateral management agreement. TICC is entitled to a deferred fee for its services as collateral manager. The deferred fee is eliminated in consolidation.

 

As of September 30, 2011, there were 39 investments in portfolio companies with a total fair value of approximately $187,355,000, securing the Class A Notes. The pool of loans in the securitization must meet certain requirements, including asset mix and concentration, collateral coverage, term, agency rating, minimum coupon, minimum spread and sector diversity requirements.

 

For the period from closing until the effective date, the interest charged under the securitization is based on five-month LIBOR, which as of September 30, 2011 was 0.40%. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the securitization, was 3.0%. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, interest expense, including the amortization of deferred debt issuance costs and the discount on the face amount of the Class A Notes, was $434,283. Cash paid for interest during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 was $0.

 

The amounts, ratings and interest rates (expressed as a spread to LIBOR) of the Class A Notes are as follows:

 

Description

   Class A Notes

Type

   Senior Secured Floating Rate

Amount Outstanding

   $101,250,000

Moody’s Rating

   “Aaa”

Standard & Poor’s Rating

   “AAA”

Interest Rate

   LIBOR + 2.25%

Stated Maturity

   July 25, 2021

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

Deferred debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the Company’s debt securitization. As of September 30, 2011, the Company had deferred financing costs of $2,972,124. Discount on the Notes at the time of issuance totaled approximately $1,588,125. These amounts are being amortized and included in interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations over the term of the debt securitization. Amortization expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 was approximately $51,000. There was no amortization expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010.

 

NOTE 5. EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net increase in net assets resulting from operations per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively:

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30, 2011
    Three Months Ended
September 30, 2010
     Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011
     Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2010
 

Numerator for basic and diluted income per share—net increase in net assets resulting from investment income

   $ 11,615,785      $ 6,603,161       $ 21,687,245       $ 17,566,825   

Numerator for basic and diluted income per share—net increase in net assets resulting from operations

   $ (8,415,279   $ 12,442,822       $ 7,349,009       $ 40,0028,624   

Denominator for basic and diluted income per share—weighted average shares

     32,672,294        26,932,960         32,327,163         26,874,575   

Basic and diluted net investment income per common share

   $ 0.36      $ 0.25       $ 0.67       $ 0.65   

Basic and diluted net increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share

   $ (0.26   $ 0.46       $ 0.23       $ 1.49   

 

NOTE 6. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

The Company has entered into an investment advisory agreement with TICC Management. TICC Management is controlled by BDC Partners, its managing member. Charles M. Royce holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. BDC Partners, as the managing member of TICC Management, manages the business and internal affairs of TICC Management. In addition, BDC Partners provides TICC with office facilities and administrative services pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”). Jonathan H. Cohen, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as well as a Director, is the managing member of BDC Partners. Saul B. Rosenthal, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, is also the President and Chief Operating Officer of TICC Management and a member of BDC Partners. Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal have an equal equity interest in BDC Partners. Charles M. Royce, the Company’s non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, does not take part in the management or participate in the operations of TICC Management; however, Mr. Royce is expected to be available from time to time to TICC Management to provide certain consulting services without compensation. BDC Partners is also the managing member of Oxford Gate Capital, LLC, a private fund in which Messrs. Cohen and Rosenthal, along with certain investment and administrative personnel of TICC Management, are invested.

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

The Company has also entered into the Administration Agreement with BDC Partners under which BDC Partners provides administrative services for TICC. The Company pays BDC Partners an allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by BDC Partners in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including a portion of the rent and the compensation of the chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, controller and other administrative support personnel, which creates potential conflicts of interest that the Board of Directors must monitor.

 

For the quarters ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, TICC incurred investment advisory fees consisting of the base management fee of approximately $1,943,000 and $1,228,000, respectively; for the three quarters ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, TICC incurred investment advisory fees of approximately $5,219,000 and $3,687,000, respectively. The net investment income incentive fee payable to TICC Management for the third quarter of 2011 was approximately $456,000 compared to approximately $482,000 in the third quarter of 2010. The investment advisory fee payable, including the base management fee and the net investment income incentive fee, to TICC Management was approximately $2,399,000 and $1,710,000 at September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

 

Due to significant net unrealized appreciation in our portfolio, we recorded a capital gains incentive fee expense of approximately $6.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 based on a hypothetical liquidation of our portfolio on March 31, 2011. There was no such expense accrued for the same period in 2010. The capital gains incentive fee expense, as reported under generally accepted accounting principles, is calculated on the basis of net realized gains/losses and net unrealized appreciation/depreciation at the end of each period. For the quarters ending June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011, TICC recorded unrealized depreciation of approximately $6.0 million and $20.1 million, respectively. As a result, the capital gains incentive fee liability was reduced by approximately $1.5 million and $4.1 million for the second and third quarters of 2011, respectively. For the three quarters of 2011, the capital gains incentive fee expense was approximately $0.9 million and there was no such expense for the same period in 2010. The amount of capital gains incentive fee expense related to the hypothetical liquidation of the portfolio (and assuming no other changes in realized or unrealized gains and losses) would only become payable to TICC Management in the event of a complete liquidation of our portfolio as of period end and the termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement on such date. The $6.5 million capital gains incentive fee expense, and associated accrual, for the first quarter of 2011 as well as the aggregate $5.6 million reduction for the quarters ended June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011 relate entirely to the hypothetical liquidation calculation. Also, it should be noted that the capital gains incentive fee expense fluctuates with our overall investment results.

 

Pursuant to the terms of its administration agreement with BDC Partners, for the quarters ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 respectively, TICC incurred approximately $218,000 and $244,000 in compensation expenses for employees allocated to the administrative activities of TICC; for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, TICC incurred approximately $714,000 and $723,000, respectively, in such expenses, of which approximately $338,000 remained payable at the end of each respective quarter. TICC also incurred approximately $17,000 and $20,000 for reimbursement of facility costs for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively; for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, TICC incurred approximately $51,000 and $60,000 in facility costs of which amounts $6,000 and $0 remained payable at the end of each respective period.

 

NOTE 7. DIVIDENDS

 

The Company intends to continue to operate so as to qualify to be taxed as a RIC under the Code and, as such, the Company would not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income and gains

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

distributed to stockholders. To qualify as a RIC, the Company is required, among other requirements, to distribute at least 90% of its annual investment company taxable income, as defined by the Code. The amount to be paid out as a dividend is determined by the Board of Directors each quarter and is based upon the annual earnings estimated by the management of the Company. To the extent that the Company’s earnings fall below the amount of dividends declared, however, a portion of the total amount of the Company’s dividends for the fiscal year may be deemed a return of capital for tax purposes to the Company’s stockholders.

 

On September 30, 2011, the Company paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2011, the Company distributed $0.74 per share. The Company has a dividend reinvestment plan under which all distributions are paid to stockholders in the form of additional shares, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash.

 

NOTE 8. NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE

 

The Company’s net asset value per share at September 30, 2011 was $9.34, and at December 31, 2010 was $9.85. In determining the Company’s net asset value per share, the Board of Directors determined in good faith the fair value of the Company’s portfolio investments for which reliable market quotations are not readily available.

 

NOTE 9. PAYMENT-IN-KIND INTEREST

 

The Company may have investments in its portfolio which contain a payment-in-kind, or PIK, provision. The PIK interest is added to the cost basis of the investment and recorded as income. To maintain the Company’s status as a RIC (as discussed in Note 7 above), this non-cash source of income must be paid out to stockholders in the form of dividends, even though the Company has not yet collected the cash. Amounts necessary to pay these dividends may come from available cash or the liquidation of certain investments. For the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded approximately $147,000 and $71,000 in PIK interest, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded approximately $953,000 and $357,000 in PIK interest, respectively.

 

In addition, the Company recorded discount income of approximately $1.3 million and $1.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, representing the amortization of the discount attributed to certain debt securities purchased by the Company, including original issue discount (“OID”) and market discount. The Company had discount income of approximately $3.7 million and $4.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

 

NOTE 10. OTHER INCOME

 

Other income includes primarily closing fees or origination fees associated with investments in portfolio companies. Such fees are normally paid at closing of the Company’s investments, are fully earned and non-refundable, and are generally non-recurring.

 

The 1940 Act requires that a business development company make available managerial assistance to its portfolio companies. The Company may receive fee income for managerial assistance it renders to portfolio companies in connection with its investments. For the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, the Company received no fee income for managerial assistance.

 

The Company also receives distributions on the “equity” tranches of securitization vehicles in which it invests. These tranches represent the residual economic interests in such securitization vehicles, and those distributions are determined by the respective trustee on a quarterly basis. The distributions are recognized in the

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

period that they are finally determined and payable. The Company received approximately $3.2 million in such distributions during the quarter ended September 30, 2011, compared to approximately $1.0 million for the same period last year. The Company received distribution of approximately $9.1 million and $2.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

 

NOTE 11. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Financial highlights for the three months ending September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, are as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30, 2011
(unaudited)
    Three Months Ended
September 30, 2010
(unaudited)
    Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2011
(unaudited)
    Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2010
(unaudited)
 

Per Share Data

        

Net asset value at beginning of period

   $ 9.85      $ 9.03      $ 9.85      $ 8.36   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income (1)

     0.36        0.25        0.67        0.65   

Net realized and unrealized capital (losses) gains (2)

     (0.62 )     0.21        (0.44 )     0.83   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

     (0.26 )     0.46        0.23        1.48   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total distributions (3)

     (0.25 )     (0.22 )     (0.74 )     (0.57 )
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effect of shares issued, net of offering expenses

     0.00        0.00        0.00        (0.00 )
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value at end of period

   $ 9.34      $ 9.27      $ 9.34      $ 9.27   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per share market value at beginning of period

   $ 9.60      $ 8.40      $ 11.21      $ 6.05   

Per share market value at end of period

   $ 8.17      $ 10.35      $ 8.17      $ 10.35   

Total return (4)

     (12.29 %)     25.83 %     (21.23 %)     82.94 %

Shares outstanding at end of period

     32,745,881        26,989,408        32,745,881        26,989,408   

Ratios/Supplemental Data

        

Net assets at end of period (000’s)

     305,801        250,278        305,801        250,278   

Average net assets (000’s)

     326,988        244,873        321,174        237,008   

Ratio of expenses to average net assets:

        

Expenses before incentive fees (5)

     3.87 %     3.26 %     3.31 %     3.27 %

Net investment income incentive fees (5)

     0.56 %     0.79 %     0.60 %     0.56 %

Capital gains incentive fees (5)

     (5.08 %)     0.00 %     0.36 %     0.00 %
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total ratio of expenses to average net assets (5)

     (0.65 %)     4.05 %     4.27 %     3.83 %
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (5)

     14.21 %     10.79 %     9.00 %     9.88 %

 

(1)   Represents per share net investment income for the period, based upon average shares outstanding.

 

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TICC CAPITAL CORP.

 

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

 

(2)   Net realized and unrealized capital gains include rounding adjustments to reconcile change in net asset value per share.
(3)   Management monitors available taxable earnings, including net investment income and realized capital gains, to determine if a tax return of capital may occur for the year. To the extent the Company’s taxable earnings fall below the total amount of the Company’s distributions for that fiscal year, a portion of those distributions may be deemed a tax return of capital to the Company’s stockholders. The tax character of distributions will be determined at the end of the fiscal year. However, if the character of such distributions were determined as of September 30, 2011, none of the distributions for 2011 would have been characterized as a tax return of capital to the Company’s stockholders; this tax return of capital may differ from the return of capital calculated with reference to net investment income for financial reporting purposes.
(4)   Total return equals the increase or decrease of ending market value over beginning market value, plus distributions, divided by the beginning market value, assuming dividend reinvestment prices obtained under the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total return is not annualized.
(5)   Annualized.

 

NOTE 12. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, cash and cash equivalents consisted of:

 

     September 30,
2011
     December 31,
2010
 

Eurodollar Time Deposit (due 1/3/11)

   $       $ 68,513,869   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Cash Equivalents

             68,513,869   

Cash

     6,979,277         266,997   

Restricted Cash

     46,216,337           
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

   $ 53,195,614       $ 68,780,866   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Restricted cash, approximately $46.2 million at September 30, 2011, include amounts that are collected and are held by Bank of New York as trustee and custodian of the assets for the Company’s debt securitization. Restricted cash is held by the trustee for payment of interest expense and principal on the outstanding borrowings or reinvestment in new assets.

 

NOTE 13. COMMITMENTS

 

As of September 30, 2011, the Company had not issued any commitment to purchase additional debt investments and/or warrants from any portfolio companies.

 

NOTE 14. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

On November 3, 2011, the Board of Directors declared a distribution of $0.25 per share for the fourth quarter, payable on December 30, 2011 to shareholders of record as of December 16, 2011.

 

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$100,000,000

 

TICC Capital Corp.

 

LOGO

 

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Subscription Rights

 

 

 

P R E L I M I N A R Y    P R O S P E C T U S

 

                          , 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PART C — OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 25.    FINANCIAL   STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

1. Financial Statements

 

The following financial statements of TICC Capital Corp. (the “Registrant” or the “Company”) are included in Part A “Information Required to be in the Prospectus” of the Registration Statement.

 

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

     Page  

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

     F-2   

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-3   

Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009

     F-4   

Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2010

     F-5   

Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2009

     F-9   

Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-12   

Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-13   

Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2010, December  31, 2009 and December 31, 2008

     F-14   

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-15   

Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of September 30, 2011 and December  31, 2010

     F-29   

Consolidated Schedule of Investments as of September 30, 2011

     F-30   

Consolidated Schedule of Investments as of December 31, 2010

     F-35   

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months and nine months ended September  30, 2011 and September 30, 2010

     F-38   

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the nine months ended September  30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010

     F-39   

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September  30, 2011 and September 30, 2010

     F-40   

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-41   

 

2. Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

a.1    Articles of Incorporation (2)
a.2    Articles of Amendment (3)
b.    Amended and Restated Bylaws (4)
d.1    Form of Common Stock Certificate (2)
e.    Dividend Reinvestment Plan (5)
g.    Form of Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement by and between Registrant and TICC Management, LLC (6)
h.    Form of Underwriting Agreement (7)
j.    Custodian Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (4)
k.1    Administration Agreement between Registrant and BDC Partners, LLC (4)

 

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Exhibit

Number

  

Description

k.2    Purchase Agreement by and among the Registrant, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, TICC CLO LCC and Guggenheim Securities, LLC (8)
k.3    Master Loan Sale Agreement by and among the Registrant, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC and TICC CLO LLC (8)
k.4    Indenture by and between TICC CLO LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association (8)
k.5    Collateral Management Agreement by and between TICC CLO LLC and the Registrant (8)
k.6    Collateral Administration Agreement by and among TICC CLO LLC, the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association (8)
l    Opinion of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (1)
n.1    Consent of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (Incorporated by reference to exhibit l hereto) (1)
n.2    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (1)
r.    Code of Ethics (5)
99.1    Form of Prospectus Supplement For Common Stock Offerings. (1)
99.2    Form of Prospectus Supplement For Preferred Stock Offerings. (1)
99.3    Form of Prospectus Supplement For At-the-Market Offerings. (1)
99.4    Form of Prospectus Supplement For Rights Offerings. (1)

 

(1)    

Filed herewith.

(2)  

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-109055), filed on September 23, 2003.

(3)  

Incorporated by reference to Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00638) filed December 3, 2007.

(4)  

Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-109055), filed on November 19, 2003.

(5)  

Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-109055), filed on November 6, 2003.

(6)  

Incorporated by reference to Appendix B to the Registrant’s Proxy Materials on Schedule 14A (File No. 000-50398) filed on May 18, 2004.

(7)    

Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-169061), filed on October 15, 2010.

(8)    

Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s report on Form 8-K filed on August 11, 2011.

 

ITEM  26.    MARKETING   ARRANGEMENTS

 

The information contained under the heading “Plan of Distribution” on this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference and any information concerning any underwriters for a particular offering will be contained in the prospectus supplement related to that offering.

 

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ITEM  27.    OTHER   EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

 

SEC registration fee

   $ 11,460   

FINRA filing fee

     10,500   

NASDAQ Global Select Market listing fee

     65,000   

Printing and postage

     100,000   

Legal fees and expenses

     250,000   

Accounting fees and expenses

     100,000   

Miscellaneous

     10,000   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 546,960   
  

 

 

 

 

Note: Except the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee, all listed amounts are estimates.

 

ITEM 28.    PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL

 

We may be deemed to control certain portfolio companies. See “Portfolio Companies” in the prospectus.

 

ITEM  29.    NUMBER   OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock at January 30, 2012:

 

Title of Class

   Number of
Record  Holders

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

   167

 

ITEM 30.    INDEMNIFICATION  

 

Reference is made to Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, Article VIII of the Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, Article XI of the Registrant’s Bylaws, the Investment Advisory Agreement and Administration Agreement.

 

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

Our charter authorizes us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her status as a present or former director or officer and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made a party to the proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by

 

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reason of his or her status as a present or former director or officer and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of us in any of the capacities described above and any of our employees or agents or any employees or agents of our predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, we will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

 

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, TICC Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the Adviser’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Registrant.

 

The Administration Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, BDC Partners, LLC and its officers, manager, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of BDC Partners, LLC’s services under the Administration Agreement or otherwise as administrator for the Registrant.

 

The law also provides for comparable indemnification for corporate officers and agents. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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ITEM 31.    BUSINESS   AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which the Adviser, and each managing director, director or executive officer of the Adviser, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the sections entitled “Management — Independent Directors,” “ — Interested Directors,” “ — Information about Executive Officers who are not Directors” and “Portfolio Management — Investment Personnel.” Additional information regarding the Adviser and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-62278), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 32.    LOCATION   OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

 

  (1)   the Registrant, TICC Capital Corp., 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830;

 

  (2)   the Transfer Agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021;

 

  (3)   the Custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110; and

 

  (4)   the Adviser, TICC Management, LLC, 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830.

 

ITEM 33.    MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 34.    UNDERTAKINGS  

 

(1) Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of the shares of common stock covered hereby until it amends its prospectus contained herein if (a) subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, its net asset value per share of common stock declines more than 10% from its net asset value per share of common stock as of the effective date of this Registration Statement, or (b) its net asset value per share of common stock increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus contained herein.

 

(2) Not applicable.

 

(3) Registrant undertakes in the event that the securities being registered are to be offered to existing stockholders pursuant to warrants or rights, and any securities not taken by shareholders are to be reoffered to the public, to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by the underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent underwriting thereof. Registrant further undertakes that if any public offering by the underwriters of the securities being registered is to be made on terms differing from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, the Registrant shall file a post-effective amendment to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

(4) Registrant undertakes:

 

(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

 

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(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

 

(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

 

(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;

 

(d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C [17 CFR 230.430C]: Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act of 1933 [17 CFR 230.497(b), (c), (d) or (e)] as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933 [17 CFR 230.430A], shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use; and

 

(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act of 1933 [17 CFR 230.497];

 

(ii) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act of 1933 [17 CFR 230.482] relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

(iii) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

(f) To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement, and to suspend any offers or sales pursuant the registration statement until such post-effective amendment has been declared effective under the 1933 Act, in the event the shares of Registrant are trading below its net asset value and either (i) Registrant receives, or has been advised by its independent registered accounting firm that it will receive, an audit report reflecting substantial doubt regarding the Registrant’s ability to continue as a going concern or (ii) Registrant has concluded that a material adverse change has occurred in its financial position or results of operations that has caused the financial statements and other disclosures on the basis of which the offering would be made to be materially misleading.

 

(5) (a) For the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of a registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

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(b) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(6) Not applicable.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused Amendment No.2 to this Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Township of Greenwich, in the State of Connecticut, on this 31 st day of January 2012.

 

TICC CAPITAL CORP.

By:

  /s/    J ONATHAN H. C OHEN
 

Jonathan H. Cohen

Chief Executive Officer and Director

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Amendment No.2 to this Registration Statement on Form N-2 has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant, in the capacities indicated, on this 31 st day of January 2012. This document may be executed by the signatories hereto on any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/    J ONATHAN H. C OHEN

Jonathan H. Cohen

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

*

Steven P. Novak

  

Director

*

G. Peter O’Brien

  

Director

*

Tonia L. Pankopf

  

Director

*

Charles M. Royce

  

Chairman of the Board and Director

/s/    P ATRICK F. C ONROY

Patrick F. Conroy

   Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

*   Signed by Jonathan H. Cohen pursuant to a power of attorney signed by each individual and filed with this Registration Statement on February 11, 2011.

Exhibit l

[Letterhead of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP]

January 31, 2012

TICC Capital Corp.

8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255

Greenwich, CT 06830

 

  Re: TICC Capital Corp.

Registration Statement on Form N-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to TICC Capital Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company” ), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” ) of a registration statement on Form N-2 on February 11, 2011 (as amended from time to time, the “ Registration Statement ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), with respect to the offer, issuance and sale from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of up to $100,000,000 in aggregate offering amount of (i) shares ( “Common Shares” ) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock” ), (ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company ( “Preferred Shares” ), and (iii) subscription rights to purchase Common Shares ( “Rights” and together with the Common Shares and the Preferred Shares, the “Securities” ). The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be issued from time to time in amounts, at prices, and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements (each, a “Prospectus Supplement” ) to the final prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it becomes effective (the “Prospectus” ).

As counsel to the Company, we have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and have examined the originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true copies, of the following:

 

  (i) The Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended by the Articles of Amendment thereto, certified as of a recent date by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “Charter” );

 

  (ii) The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company (the “Bylaws” );

 

  (iii) A Certificate of Good Standing with respect to the Company issued by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland as of a recent date (the “Certificate of Good Standing” ); and


TICC Capital Corp.

January 31, 2012

Page 2

 

  (iv) The resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board” ) relating to, among other things, (a) the authorization and approval of the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, and (b) the authorization of the issuance, offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company (collectively, the “Resolutions” ).

With respect to such examination and our opinion expressed herein, we have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification, (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all documents submitted to us for examination, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed or reproduced copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copied documents, and (v) that all certificates issued by public officials have been properly issued. We also have assumed without independent investigation or verification the accuracy and completeness of all corporate records made available to us by the Company.

As to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions in this opinion letter, we have relied upon certificates of public officials (which we have assumed remain accurate as of the date of this opinion), upon certificates and/or representations of officers and employees of the Company, upon such other certificates as we deemed appropriate, and upon such other data as we have deemed to be appropriate under the circumstances. We have not independently established the facts, or in the case of certificates of public officials, the other statements, so relied upon.

The opinions set forth below are limited to the effect of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL” ), as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any other laws of such jurisdiction or the laws of any other jurisdictions. Without limiting the preceding sentence, we express no opinion as to any state securities or broker-dealer laws or regulations thereunder relating to the offer, issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, and subject to the limitations and qualifications set forth in this opinion letter, and assuming that (i) Articles Supplementary classifying and designating the number of shares and the terms of any class or series of Preferred Shares to be issued by the Company (the “Articles Supplementary” ) have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof in accordance with the Company’s Charter and Bylaws and have been filed with and accepted for record by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland prior to the issuance of any such Preferred Shares, and such Articles Supplementary comply with the applicable requirements with respect thereto under the MGCL and the Company’s Charter and Bylaws, (ii) the issuance, offer and sale of the Securities from time to time and the final terms of such issuance, offer and sale, including those relating to price and amount of the Securities to be issued, offered and sold, and certain terms thereof, have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof in accordance with the Company’s Charter and Articles Supplementary, if applicable, and the Company’s Bylaws, and are consistent with the terms and conditions for such issuance, offer and sale set forth in the Resolutions and the descriptions


TICC Capital Corp.

January 31, 2012

Page 3

 

thereof in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement (such authorization or action being hereinafter referred to as the “Corporate Proceedings” ), (iii) any Common Shares or Preferred Shares issued and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement, including upon the exercise of any Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares or Preferred Shares, have been delivered to, and the agreed consideration has been fully paid at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof, (iv) upon the issuance of any Common Shares or Preferred Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement, including upon the exercise of any Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Shares or Preferred Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Shares, as applicable, issued and outstanding does not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Shares, as applicable, that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter; and (v) the Certificate of Good Standing remains accurate, the Resolutions and the applicable Corporate Proceedings remain in effect, without amendment, and the Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and remains effective at the time of the issuance, offer and/or sale of the Securities, we are of the opinion that:

 

  1. Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the issuance of the Common Shares will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Common Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

  2. Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the issuance of the Preferred Shares will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Preferred Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

  3. Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the issuance of the Rights will be duly authorized.

The opinions expressed in this opinion letter (i) are strictly limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter, and without limiting the foregoing, no other opinions are to be implied and (ii) are only as of the date of this opinion letter, and we are under no obligation, and do not undertake, to advise the addressee of this opinion letter or any other person or entity either of any change of law or fact that occurs, or of any fact that comes to our attention, after the date of this opinion letter, even though such change or such fact may affect the legal analysis or a legal conclusion in this opinion letter.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We do not admit by giving this consent that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act. Otherwise, this opinion letter may not be relied on by, or furnished to, any other person or entity without our prior written consent and without limited the foregoing, may not be quoted, published or otherwise disseminated, without in each instance our prior written consent.


TICC Capital Corp.

January 31, 2012

Page 4

 

 

Respectfully submitted,
/s/ SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP

Exhibit n.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form N-2 of TICC Capital Corp. of our report dated March 9, 2011 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of TICC Capital Corp., which appear in such Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to us under the headings “Selected Financial and Other Data” and “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

New York, New York

January 31, 2012

Exhibit 99.1

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

[FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO BE USED IN

CONJUNCTION WITH FUTURE COMMON STOCK OFFERINGS]

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(to Prospectus dated                  , 20    )

 

Shares

 

LOGO

TICC Capital Corp.

Common Stock

 

 

 

We are a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. We are principally engaged in providing capital to primarily non-public small to mid-size companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return.

 

We are offering for sale [            ] shares of our common stock. We have granted the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase additional shares of our common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, to cover over-allotments.

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” On             , 20    , the last reported sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $             per share. We are required to determine the net asset value per share of our common stock on a quarterly basis. Our net asset value per share of our common stock as of [                    ] was $[    ].

 

 

 

An investment in our common stock is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [    ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

 

Please read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in our common stock and keep each for future reference. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing in our common stock. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This information is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275, or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . Information contained on our website is not incorporated by referenced into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains information about us.

 

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

 

     Per Share      Total  

Public Offering Price

   $                    $                

Sales Load (Underwriting Discounts and Commissions)

   $         $     

Proceeds to the Company (before expenses)

   $         $     

 

  The   underwriters expect to deliver the shares on or about                     , 20        .

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated                     , 20    .


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

       Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-3   

Summary

     S-4   

Offering

     S-7   

Fees and Expenses

     S-9   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-11   

Capitalization

     S-12   

Use of Proceeds

     S-13   

Price Range of Common Stock

     S-14   

Underwriting

     S-16   

Legal Matters

     S-18   

Experts

     S-18   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     S-18   

 

PROSPECTUS

 

       Page  

Summary

     1   

Offering

     8   

Fees and Expenses

     11   

Selected Financial and Other Data

     13   

Selected Quarterly Data

     14   

Risk Factors

     15   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     37   

Use of Proceeds

     38   

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     39   

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     40   

Senior Securities

     72   

Business

     73   

Portfolio Companies

     84   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     91   

Management

     93   

Portfolio Management

     102   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     110   

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     117   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     122   

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     123   

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     124   

Description of Securities

     125   

Description of Our Capital Stock

     125   

Description of Our Preferred Stock

     132   

Description of Our Subscription Rights

     133   

Plan of Distribution

     134   

Legal Matters

     136   

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     136   

Experts

     136   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     136   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     137   

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1   


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and disclosure. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from or is additional to the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement. Please carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, respectively, before investing in our common stock.

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. To the extent required by law, we will amend or supplement the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and prior to the completion of any offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

S-3


SUMMARY

 

The following summary contains basic information about the offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of the offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Together, these documents describe the specific terms of the shares we are offering. You should carefully read the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Except where the context requires otherwise, the terms “TICC,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TICC Capital Corp. together with its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings LLC (“Holdings”) and TICC CLO LLC (“Securitization Issuer” or “TICC CLO”); “TICC Management” refers to TICC Management, LLC; and “BDC Partners” refers to BDC Partners, LLC.

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing primarily in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company (“BDC”), we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we seek to invest in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have operated for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the

 

 

S-4


Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million (the “Subordinated Notes”), and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

We have historically and in the future may continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested, and therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our stockholders.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management – Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus. In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).

 

Our Corporate Information

 

Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Summary Risk Factors

 

The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our common stock, will fluctuate. Our investments may be risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investing in our common stock involves other risks, including those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 of the accompanying prospectus. In addition, the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. Some of these risks include:

 

   

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

 

S-5


   

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

   

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

 

   

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

   

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

   

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

   

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

   

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

   

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns.

 

   

Our investments in the companies that we are targeting may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to make speculative investments.

 

   

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

   

Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

   

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

   

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

   

The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

 

   

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of the board of directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

   

We are subject to risks associated with the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

 

S-6


The Offering

 

Common stock offered by us

[            ] shares

 

Common stock outstanding prior to this offering

[            ] shares

 

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option)

[            ] shares

 

Over-allotment option

[            ] shares

 

Use of proceeds

If we sell shares of our common stock with an aggregate offering price of $         million, we anticipate that our net proceeds, after deducting sales agent commissions and estimated expenses payable by us, will be approximately $         million. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities, and other general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements. Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities or other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less consistent with our business development company election and our election to be taxed as a RIC, at yields significantly below those we expect to earn on our other portfolio investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in these temporary investments. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Distribution

To the extent that we have income available, we intend to distribute quarterly dividends to our stockholders. The amount of our dividends, if any, will be determined by our Board of Directors. Any dividends to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution. See “Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Taxation

We have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally do not have to pay corporate-level federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To maintain our RIC tax treatment, we must meet specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute annually at least 90% of our ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. See “Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

NASDAQ Global Select Market symbol

“TICC”

 

 

S-7


Risk factors

An investment in our common stock is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [    ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

 

 

S-8


FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “us” or “TICC,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, you will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as an investor in TICC.

 

Stockholder transaction expenses:

  

Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (1)   

Offering expenses borne by us (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (2)   

Dividend reinvestment plan expenses

     None    (3)   
  

 

 

 

Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (4)   
  

 

 

 

Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock):

  

Base management fee

     [     ]% (5)   

Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement

     [     ]% (6)   

Interest payments on borrowed funds

     [     ]% (7)   

Acquired fund fees and expenses

     [     ]% (8)   

Other expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (9)   
  

 

 

 

Total annual expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (10)   
  

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE

 

The following example, required by the SEC, demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in us. In calculating the following expense amounts, we assumed we would maintain the current amount of leverage, that our operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above, that we pay the transaction expenses set forth in the table above, including a sales load of         % paid by you (the commission to be paid by us with respect to common stock sold by us in this offering).

 

     1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return

   $                $                $                $            

 

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have a de minimis effect, is not included in the example. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below net asset value. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” in the accompanying prospectus for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

(1)   Represents the commission with respect to the shares of our common stock being sold in this offering, which we will pay to              in connection with sales of shares of our common stock effected by              in this offering.
(2)   The offering expenses of this offering are estimated to be approximately $            .
(3)  

The expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan are included in “other expenses.”

 

S-9


(4)   Assumes gross assets of [$420.7] million and [$101.25] million of leverage, and assumes net assets of [$305.8] million. Our base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement is based on our gross assets, which is defined as all the assets of TICC, including those acquired using borrowings for investment purposes. Because we use borrowings for investment purposes, it has the effect of increasing our gross assets upon which our base management fee is calculated, while our net assets remain unchanged. See “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(5)   Assumes that annual incentive fees earned by TICC Management remain consistent with the incentive fees earned by TICC Management during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2010]. In subsequent periods, incentive fees would increase if, and to the extent that, we earn greater interest income through our investments in portfolio companies and realize additional capital gains upon the sale of warrants or other equity investments in such companies. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part, which is payable quarterly in arrears, equals 20.0% of the excess, if any, of pre-incentive fee net investment income over an annual hurdle rate (equal to the interest rate payable on a five-year U.S. Treasury Note plus 5%, up to a maximum of 10%). The second part of the incentive fee equals 20.0% of our net realized capital gains for the calendar year less any unrealized capital losses for such year and will be payable at the end of each calendar year. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(6)   Assumes that we maintain our current level of [$101.25] million of outstanding borrowings as of [September 30, 2011]. Interest payments on borrowed funds represents the Company’s annualized interest expense as of [September 30, 2011] and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the three months ended [September 30, 2011], the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the debt securitization financing transaction, was [3.0]%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the debt securitization financing transaction. We may also issue preferred stock, which may be considered a form of leverage, pursuant to our current shelf registration statement. In the event we were to issue preferred stock, our borrowing costs, and correspondingly our total annual expenses, including our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets, would increase. For example, if we were to issue $100,000,000 of preferred stock with a preferred rate equal to [8.0]%, our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets and our interest payments on borrowed funds would be approximately [3.41]% and [3.61]%, respectively, and our total annual expenses would be approximately [9.93]%.
(7)   Reflects the estimated annual base collateral manager fees that will be indirectly incurred by us in connection with our investments in CLO equity tranches based upon the CLO equity investments held as of [September 30, 2011]. Base collateral manager fees are charged on the total assets of the CLO vehicle, including the assets acquired with borrowed funds, but are assumed to be paid from the residual cash flows after interest payments to the senior debt tranches. Therefore, these base collateral manager fees (which are generally 0.50% to 0.55% of total assets) are effectively much higher when allocated only to the equity tranches. The calculation does not include any other operating expense ratios of the CLO vehicles, as these amounts are not routinely reported to stockholders on a basis consistent with this methodology; however, it is estimated that additional operating expenses of approximately 0.5% to 1.0% could be incurred. As a result of our investments in such CLO equity investments, our stockholders will be required to pay two levels of fees and expenses in connection with their investment in our common stock, including fees payable under our Investment Advisory Agreement and fees and expenses charged to us on the CLO equity tranches in which we are invested.
(8)   Assumes that the amount of operating expenses payable by TICC remains consistent with the operating expenses incurred by TICC during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2010].
(9)   The holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) indirectly bear the cost associated with our annual expenses.

 

S-10


CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our company, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

   

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

interest rate volatility could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy;

 

   

currency fluctuations could adversely affect the results of our investments in foreign companies, particularly to the extent that we receive payments denominated in foreign currency rather than U.S. dollars; and

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in our filings with the SEC.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the respective dates of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. However, we will update this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes to the information contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act.”

 

S-11


CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth:

 

   

the actual capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. at                     , 20        ; and

 

   

the pro forma capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. reflects the sale of              shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $             per share (the last reported closing price of our common stock on                     , 20        ) after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions of approximately $             and estimated offering expenses of approximately $             payable by us.

 

This table should be read in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds” included in this prospectus supplement and our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and financial statements and notes thereto included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

     As of                     , 20           
     TICC Capital Corp.      TICC Capital Corp.  
     Actual      Pro Forma (1)  
     (in thousands)      (in thousands)  

Assets:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $                            $                        

Investments at fair value

   $         $     

Other assets

   $         $     

Total assets

   $         $     

Liabilities:

     

Notes payable net of discount

   $         $     

Other Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

     

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share;                      shares authorized,                      shares issued and outstanding,                      shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted, respectively

      $     

Capital in excess of par value

      $     
     

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

      $     
     

 

 

 

 

(1)   We may change the size of this offering based on demand and market conditions. A $0.50 increase (decrease) in the assumed offering price per share would increase (decrease) net proceeds to us from this offering by $[            ] million, assuming the number of shares offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement remains the same, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses payable by us. Any additional proceeds to us resulting from an increase in the public offering price or the number of shares offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement will increase our cash and cash equivalents on an as adjusted basis and will be used as described in “Use of Proceeds.”

 

 

S-12


USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus supplement for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities in primarily privately negotiated transactions, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes.

 

We estimate that it will take [    ] to [    ] months for us to substantially invest the net proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus supplement, depending on the availability of attractive opportunities and market conditions. However, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to achieve this goal.

 

Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which are consistent with maintaining our election as a RIC. These temporary investments are expected to provide a lower net return than we hope to achieve from our target investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in such securities

 

S-13


PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” The following table sets forth, for each fiscal quarter during the last two fiscal years and the current fiscal year, the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of our common stock, the high and low sales prices for our common stock, such sales prices as a percentage of NAV per share and quarterly distributions per share.

 

     NAV(1)      Price Range     High Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Low Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Cash
Distributions
Per Share(3)
 
      High     Low        

Fiscal 2012

             

First Quarter (through         , 20    )

     *       $ [               $ [                 *        *        *   

Fiscal 2011

             

Fourth Quarter

     *         9.24        7.29        *        *      $ 0.25   

Third Quarter

   $ 9.34         10.04        7.71        107     83     0.25   

Second Quarter

     9.85         11.75        9.17        119     93     0.25   

First Quarter

     9.97         13.11        9.43        131     95     0.24   

Fiscal 2010

             

Fourth Quarter

     9.85         11.62        9.90        118     101     0.24   

Third Quarter

     9.27         10.70        7.88        115     85     0.22   

Second Quarter

     9.03         8.70        6.50        96     72     0.20   

First Quarter

     8.87         7.05        5.62        79     63     0.15   

 

(1)   Net asset value per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The net asset values shown are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.

 

(2)   Calculated as the respective high or low sales price divided by NAV.

 

(3)   Represents the cash distribution declared in the specified quarter.

 

*   Not determinable at the time of filing.

 

On [    ], 20    , the last reported sales price of our common stock was $[            ] per share. As of [    ], 20    , we had [            ] stockholders of record.

 

Shares of business development companies may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from net asset value or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term are separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. Since 2008 through the [            ] quarter of 20    , our shares of common stock have traded both at a premium and a discount to the net assets attributable to those shares. As of [    ], 20    , our shares of common stock traded at a discount equal to approximately [    ]% of the net assets attributable to those shares based upon our net asset value as of [                    ]. It is not possible to predict whether the shares offered hereby will trade at, above, or below net asset value.

 

We currently intend to distribute a minimum of 90% of our ordinary income and net realized short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, on a quarterly basis to our stockholders. The amount of our quarterly dividends is determined by our Board of Directors. To the extent our taxable earnings for any fiscal year fall below the total amount of our distributions for that fiscal year, a portion of those distributions may be deemed a tax return of capital to our stockholders. There can be no assurance that we will achieve investment results or maintain a tax status that will permit any particular level of dividend payment. Our ability to make distributions is limited by the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act. For a more detailed discussion, see “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

S-14


We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan. If your shares of common stock are registered in your own name, your distributions will automatically be reinvested under our dividend reinvestment plan in additional whole and fractional shares of common stock, unless you opt out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent. If your shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee, you should contact the broker or nominee for details regarding opting out of our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

S-15


UNDERWRITING

 

[                    ] is acting as sole book-running manager of the offering and as representative of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated [                    ], each underwriter named below severally agrees to purchase the number of shares indicated in the following table:

 

Underwriters

   Number of Shares
  
  

.

  
  

 

Total

  
  

 

 

The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the shares being offered, if any are purchased, other than the shares covered by the option described below.

 

Over-allotment Option

 

If the underwriters sell more shares than the total number set forth in the table above, the underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional [            ]shares from us. They may exercise that option for 30 days. If any shares are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.

 

Commissions and Discounts

 

The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

Paid by TICC Capital Corp.

   No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Per Share

   $                            $                        

Total

   $         $     

 

Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. If all the shares are not sold at the public offering price, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

 

We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $[            ].

 

We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

Lock-up Agreements

 

We, TICC Management, BDC Partners and our officers and directors have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to issue, sell, dispose of or hedge any of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the period from the date of this prospectus supplement continuing through the date 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, except with the prior written consent of [            ].

 

S-16


The 90-day restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be automatically extended if: (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period we issue an earnings release or announce material news or a material event; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the 90-day period, in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release of the announcement of the material news or material event.

 

Price Stabilizations and Short Positions

 

In connection with the offering, [                    ], on behalf of the underwriters, may purchase and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from us in the offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional shares pursuant to the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are any sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

 

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

 

Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our stock, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

The underwriters and their affiliates have provided, or may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory, brokerage and other services to us and our affiliates for which services they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and expense reimbursement. The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of our company. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

S-17


Sales Outside the U.S.

 

No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the U.S.) that would permit a public offering of the common shares, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other material relating to us or the common shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the common shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and none of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the common shares may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

 

Each of the underwriters may arrange to sell common shares offered hereby in certain jurisdictions outside the United States, either directly or through affiliates, where they are permitted to do so. In that regard, [                    ] may arrange to sell shares in certain jurisdictions through an affiliate, [                    ], or [                    ]. [                    ] is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of [                    ] and an affiliate of [                    ]. [                    ] is a U.K. incorporated investment firm regulated by the Financial Services Authority. [                    ] is the trade name for certain corporate and investment banking services of [                    ]and its affiliates, including [                    ] and [                    ].

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by                     .

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of [                    ] and [        ] and for each of the three years in the period ended [                    ] included in this prospectus supplement have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

 

S-18


 

 

 

$[                    ]

 

TICC Capital Corp.

 

LOGO

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

P R E L I M I N A R Y    P R O S P E C T U S    S U P P L E M E N T

 

                         , 20    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

[FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO BE USED IN

CONJUNCTION WITH FUTURE PREFERRED STOCK OFFERINGS]

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(to Prospectus dated                  , 20    )

$                

LOGO

TICC Capital Corp.

 

Series [    ] Preferred Stock

 

Liquidation Preference $                 Per Share

 

 

 

We are a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. We are principally engaged in providing capital to primarily non-public small to mid-size companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return.

 

All of the          shares of Series [            ] preferred stock, or the preferred stock, offered by this prospectus supplement are being sold by us. Each share of preferred stock has a liquidation preference of $                 per share, and the share of preferred stock are subject to redemption at the option of the holder as described in this prospectus supplement. [We have applied to list the Series [            ] Preferred Stock on              [so that trading on the exchange will begin within days after the date of this prospectus supplement, subject to notice of issuance. Prior to the expected commencement of trading on                             , the underwriters to not intend to make a market in our preferred stock. Consequently, it is anticipated that, prior to the commencement of trading on , an investment in our preferred stock will be illiquid and holders thereof may not be able to sell such shares as it is unlikely that a secondary market for our preferred stock will develop. If a secondary market does develop prior to the commencement of trading on                             , holders of our preferred stock may be able to sell such shares only at substantial discounts from their liquidation preference.] The trading symbol for our preferred stock will be “         ”.]

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” On             , 20    , the last reported sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $             per share. We are required to determine the net asset value per share of our common stock on a quarterly basis. Our net asset value per share of our common stock as of [                    ] was $[      ].

 

 

 

An investment in our preferred stock is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [    ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our preferred stock.

 

Please read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in our preferred stock and keep each for future reference. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing in our preferred stock. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This information is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275, or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . Information contained on our website is not incorporated by referenced into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains information about us.

 

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

 

     Per Share      Total  

Public Offering Price

   $                    $                

Sales Load (Underwriting Discounts and Commissions)

   $         $     

Proceeds to the Company (before expenses)

   $         $     

 

[In addition, the underwriters may purchase up to an additional              shares of preferred stock from us at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, within          days of the date of this prospectus supplement to cover overallotments. If the underwriters exercise this option in full, the total public offering price will be $            , the total underwriting discount (sales load) paid by us will be $            , and total proceeds, before expenses, will be $            .]

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares on or about                     , 20     .

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated                     , 20    .


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

       Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-3   

Summary

     S-4   

Offering

     S-7   

Risk Factors

     S-9   

Fees and Expenses

     S-11   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-13   

Capitalization

     S-15   

Use of Proceeds

     S-16   

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividends

     S-17   

Description of the Preferred Stock

     S-18   

Underwriting

     S-21   

Legal Matters

     S-23   

Experts

     S-23   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     S-23   

 

PROSPECTUS

 

       Page  

Summary

     1   

Offering

     8   

Fees and Expenses

     11   

Selected Financial and Other Data

     13   

Selected Quarterly Data

     14   

Risk Factors

     15   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     37   

Use of Proceeds

     38   

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     39   

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     40   

Senior Securities

     72   

Business

     73   

Portfolio Companies

     84   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     91   

Management

     93   

Portfolio Management

     102   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     110   

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     117   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     122   

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     123   

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     124   

Description of Securities

     125   

Description of Our Capital Stock

     125   

Description of Our Preferred Stock

     132   

Description of Our Subscription Rights

     133   

Plan of Distribution

     134   

Legal Matters

     136   

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     136   

Experts

     136   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     136   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     137   

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1   


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of preferred stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and disclosure. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from or is additional to the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement. Please carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, respectively, before investing in our common stock.

 

Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. To the extent required by law, we will amend or supplement the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and prior to the completion of any offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

S-3


SUMMARY

 

The following summary contains basic information about the offering of shares of our preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of the offering of shares of our preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Together, these documents describe the specific terms of the shares we are offering. You should carefully read the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Except where the context requires otherwise, the terms “TICC,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TICC Capital Corp. together with its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC (“Holdings”) and TICC CLO LLC (“Securitization Issuer” or “TICC CLO”); “TICC Management” refers to TICC Management, LLC; and “BDC Partners” refers to BDC Partners, LLC.

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing primarily in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company (“BDC”), we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we invest primarily in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have operated for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization

 

 

S-4


Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million (the “Subordinated Notes”), and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

We have historically and in the future may continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested, and therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our stockholders.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management – Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus. In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).

 

Our Corporate Information

 

Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Summary Risk Factors

 

The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our common stock, will fluctuate. Our investments may be risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investing in our common stock involves other risks, including those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 of the accompanying prospectus. In addition, the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. Some of these risks include:

 

   

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

   

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

 

S-5


   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

   

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

 

   

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

   

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

   

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

   

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

   

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

   

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns.

 

   

Our investments in the companies that we are targeting may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to make speculative investments.

 

   

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

   

Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

   

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

   

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

   

The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

 

   

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of the board of directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

   

We are subject to risks associated with the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

 

S-6


The Offering

 

Shares of Series [            ] Preferred Stock Offered by Us

             shares, excluding              shares of preferred stock issuable pursuant to the overallotment often granted to the Underwriters.

 

Shares of Series [            ] Preferred Stock Outstanding after this Offering

             shares excluding              shares of preferred stock issuable pursuant to the overallotment often granted to the Underwriters.

 

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from selling our securities for general corporate purposes, which includes investing in debt and equity securities, repayment of any outstanding indebtedness and other general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus supplement for more information.

 

Dividend Rate

      % per annum

 

Dividend Payment Dates

            ,             ,              and              or each year, commencing on             ,

 

Record Dates

            ,             ,              and             

 

[            ] symbol

“            ”

 

Liquidation Preference

The liquidation preference of our preferred stock is $             per share.

 

Restrictions on Dividend, Redemption and Other Payments

No full dividends and distributions will be declared or paid on the preferred stock for any dividend period, or a part of a dividend period, unless the full cumulative dividends and distributions due through the most recent dividend payment dates for all outstanding shares of preferred stock have been, or contemporaneously are, declared and paid through the most recent dividend payment dates for each series of preferred stock. If full cumulative dividends and distributions due have not been paid on all outstanding preferred stock of any series, any dividends and distributions being declared and paid on preferred stock will be declared and paid as nearly pro rata as possible in proportion to the respective amounts of dividends and distributions accumulated but unpaid on the shares of each such series of preferred stock on the relevant dividend payment date. No holders of preferred stock will be entitled to any dividends and distributions in excess of full cumulative dividends and distributions as provided in the Certificate of Designations.

 

Optional Redemption

The preferred stock may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time after                 ,                  at a redemption price per share equal to the

 

 

S-7


 

applicable percentage set forth below multiplied by the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends not previously added to the liquidation preference on such share.

 

               Year              Applicable Percentage         %

 

Redemption at the Option of the Holder

On and after                 ,                 , each holder of our preferred stock will have the right to require us to repurchase all or any part of such holder’s preferred stock at a purchase price per share equal to         % of the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends. In addition, each holder of our preferred stock will have the right to require us to repurchase all or any part of such holder’s preferred stock at a purchase price per share equal to         % of the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends upon the occurrence of certain fundamental changes.

 

Voting Rights

Voting rights associated with the preferred stock are described under the heading “Description of Preferred Stock—Voting Rights.”

 

Rating

The preferred stock is not rated.

 

Conversion

[Describe any applicable conversion provisions set forth in the Certificate of Designations.]

 

Exchange

[Describe any applicable exchange provisions set forth in the Certificate of Designations.]

 

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences

[Insert summary disclosure regarding federal income tax consequences of an investment in the preferred stock.]

 

 

S-8


RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves a number of significant risks. Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware of various risks, including those described below and those set forth in the accompanying prospectus. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before you decide whether to make an investment in our securities. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us may also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value and the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risk factors described below, together with those set forth in the accompanying prospectus, are the principal risk factors associated with an investment in us as well as those factors generally associated with an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to ours.

 

[Market yields may increase, which would result in a decline in the price of our preferred stock.

 

The prices of fixed income investments, such as our preferred stock, vary inversely with changes in market yields. The market yields on securities comparable to our preferred stock may increase, which could result in a decline in the secondary market price of our preferred stock prior to the term redemption date. See “Description of Preferred Stock—Dividends and Dividend Periods”.]

 

[Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our preferred stock, and we cannot assure you that the market price of our preferred stock will not decline following the offering.

 

We cannot assure you that a trading market will develop for our preferred stock after this offering or, if one develops, that such trading market can be sustained. [During a period of up to          days from the date of this prospectus supplement, the preferred stock will not be listed on any securities exchange. During this period, the underwriters do not intend to make a market in our preferred stock. Consequently, an investment in our preferred stock during this period will likely be illiquid and holders thereof may not be able to sell such shares as it is unlikely that a secondary market for our preferred stock will develop during this period. If a secondary market does develop during this period, holders of our preferred stock may be able to sell such shares only at substantial discounts from liquidation preference.] [Application has been made to list our preferred stock on                          [so that trading on the exchange will begin within          days from the date of this prospectus supplement, subject to notice of issuance]. If we are unable to list the preferred stock on a national securities exchange, holders thereof may be unable to sell such shares at all, or if they are able to, only at substantial discounts from liquidation preference. Even after the preferred stock is listed on                      as anticipated, there is a risk that the market for such shares may be thinly traded and relatively illiquid compared to the market for other types of securities, with the spread between the bid and asked prices considerably greater than the spreads of other securities with comparable terms and features.]]

 

[The preferred stock are unrated securities.

 

We do not intend to have the preferred stock rated by any rating agency. Unrated securities typically trade at a discount to similar, rated securities, depending on the rating of the rated securities. As a result, there is a risk that the preferred stock may trade at a price that is lower than what they might otherwise trade at if rated by a rating agency.]

 

[The preferred stock will be subordinate to the rights of holders of senior indebtedness.

 

While holders of our preferred stock will have equal liquidation and distribution rights to any other preferred stock that might be issued by us, they will be subordinated to the rights of holders of senior

 

S-9


indebtedness, if any. Therefore, dividends, distributions and other payments to holders of our preferred stock in liquidation or otherwise may be subject to prior payments due to the holders of senior indebtedness. In addition, the 1940 Act may provide debt holders with voting rights that are superior to the voting rights of the preferred stock.]

 

[Insert any additional relevant risk factors not included in the base prospectus.]

 

S-10


FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “us” or “TICC,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, you will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as an investor in TICC.

 

Stockholder transaction expenses:

  

Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (1)   

Offering expenses borne by us (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (2)   

Dividend reinvestment plan expenses

     None    (3)   

Preferred Stock Offering Expenses Borne by Holders of Common Stock

     —%   
  

 

 

 

Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)

         %   
  

 

 

 

Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock):

  

Base management fee

     [     ]% (4)   

Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement

     [     ]% (5)   

Interest payments on borrowed funds

     [     ]% (6)   

Acquired fund fees and expenses

     [     ]% (7)   

Other expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (8)   
  

 

 

 

Total annual expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (9)   
  

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE

 

The following example, required by the SEC, demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in us. In calculating the following expense amounts, we assumed we would maintain the current amount of leverage, that our operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above, that we pay the transaction expenses set forth in the table above, including a sales load of         % paid by you (the commission to be paid by us with respect to common stock sold by us in this offering).

 

     1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return

   $                $                $                $            

 

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have a de minimis effect, is not included in the example. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below net asset value. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” in the accompanying prospectus for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

S-11


 

(1)   Represents the commission with respect to the shares of our preferred stock being sold in this offering, which we will pay to              in connection with sales of shares of our preferred stock effected by              in this offering.
(2)   The offering expenses of this offering are estimated to be approximately $            .
(3)   The expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan are included in “other expenses.”
(4)   Assumes gross assets of [$420.7] million and [$101.25] million of leverage, and assumes net assets of [$305.8] million. Our base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement is based on our gross assets, which is defined as all the assets of TICC, including those acquired using borrowings for investment purposes. Because we use borrowings for investment purposes, it has the effect of increasing our gross assets upon which our base management fee is calculated, while our net assets remain unchanged. See “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(5)   Assumes that annual incentive fees earned by TICC Management remain consistent with the incentive fees earned by TICC Management during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011]. In subsequent periods, incentive fees would increase if, and to the extent that, we earn greater interest income through our investments in portfolio companies and realize additional capital gains upon the sale of warrants or other equity investments in such companies. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part, which is payable quarterly in arrears, equals 20.0% of the excess, if any, of pre-incentive fee net investment income over an annual hurdle rate (equal to the interest rate payable on a five-year U.S. Treasury Note plus 5%, up to a maximum of 10%). The second part of the incentive fee equals 20.0% of our net realized capital gains for the calendar year less any unrealized capital losses for such year and will be payable at the end of each calendar year. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(6)   Assumes that we maintain our current level of [$101.25] million of outstanding borrowings as of [September 30, 2011]. Interest payments on borrowed funds represents the Company’s annualized interest expense as of [September 30, 2011] and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the three months ended [September 30, 2011], the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the debt securitization financing transaction, was 3.0%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the debt securitization financing transaction. We may also issue preferred stock, which may be considered a form of leverage, pursuant to our current shelf registration statement. In the event we were to issue preferred stock, our borrowing costs, and correspondingly our total annual expenses, including our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets, would increase. For example, if we were to issue $100,000,000 of preferred stock with a preferred rate equal to [8.0]%, our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets and our interest payments on borrowed funds would be approximately [3.41]% and [3.61]%, respectively, and our total annual expenses would be approximately [9.93]%.
(7)   Reflects the estimated annual base collateral manager fees that will be indirectly incurred by us in connection with our investments in CLO equity tranches based upon the CLO equity investments held as of [September 30, 2011]. Base collateral manager fees are charged on the total assets of the CLO vehicle, including the assets acquired with borrowed funds, but are assumed to be paid from the residual cash flows after interest payments to the senior debt tranches. Therefore, these base collateral manager fees (which are generally 0.50% to 0.55% of total assets) are effectively much higher when allocated only to the equity tranches. The calculation does not include any other operating expense ratios of the CLO vehicles, as these amounts are not routinely reported to shareholders on a basis consistent with this methodology; however, it is estimated that additional operating expenses of approximately 0.5% to 1.0% could be incurred. As a result of our investments in such CLO equity investments, our stockholders will be required to pay two levels of fees and expenses in connection with their investment in our common stock, including fees payable under our Investment Advisory Agreement and fees and expenses charged to us on the CLO equity tranches in which we are invested.
(8)   Assumes that the amount of operating expenses payable by TICC remains consistent with the operating expenses incurred by TICC during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011].
(9)   The holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) indirectly bear the cost associated with our annual expenses.

 

S-12


CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our company, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

   

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

interest rate volatility could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy;

 

   

currency fluctuations could adversely affect the results of our investments in foreign companies, particularly to the extent that we receive payments denominated in foreign currency rather than U.S. dollars; and

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in our filings with the SEC.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the

 

S-13


respective dates of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. However, we will update this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes to the information contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act.”

 

S-14


CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth:

 

   

the actual capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. at                             , 20    ; and

 

   

the pro forma capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. to give effect to the sale of                 shares of our preferred stock in this offering based on the public offering price of $             per share, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions of $             million payable by us and estimated offering expenses of approximately $             payable by us.

 

This table should be read in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds” included in this prospectus supplement and our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and financial statements and notes thereto included in the accompanying prospectus.

     As of                     , 20      
     TICC Capital Corp.      TICC Capital Corp.  
     Actual      Pro Forma(1)  
     (in thousands)      (in thousands)  

Assets:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $                        $                    

Investments at fair value

   $         $     

Other assets

   $         $     

Total assets

   $         $     

Liabilities:

     

Notes payable net of discount

   $         $     

Other Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

     

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share;                  shares authorized,                  shares issued and outstanding,                  shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted, respectively

      $     

Preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share; 100,000,000 shares authorized, shares issued and outstanding,                  shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted, respectively

      $     
     

 

 

 

Capital in excess of par value

      $     

Total stockholders’ equity

      $     

 

(1)   We may change the size of this offering based on demand and market conditions. A $0.50 increase (decrease) in the assumed offering price per share would increase (decrease) net proceeds to us from this offering by $[        ] million, assuming the number of shares offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement remains the same, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses payable by us. Any additional proceeds to us resulting from an increase in the public offering price or the number of shares offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement will increase our cash and cash equivalents on an as adjusted basis and will be used as described in “Use of Proceeds.”

 

S-15


USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus supplement for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities in primarily privately negotiated transactions, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes.

 

We estimate that it will take [        ] to [        ] months for us to substantially invest the net proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus supplement, depending on the availability of attractive opportunities and market conditions. However, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to achieve this goal.

 

Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which are consistent with maintaining our election as a RIC. These temporary investments are expected to provide a lower net return than we hope to achieve from our target investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in such securities

 

S-16


RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS

 

[Insert information required by Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K at time of offering.]

 

S-17


DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED STOCK

 

The following is a brief description of the terms of our preferred stock. This is not a complete description and is subject to and entirely qualified by reference to our articles of incorporation, as amended, and the certificate of designations setting forth the terms of the preferred stock. These documents are filed with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is a part, and the Certificate of Designations is attached as Appendix A to this prospectus supplement.

 

General

 

At the time of issuance the Preferred Stock will be fully paid and non-assessable and have no preemptive, conversion or exchange rights or rights to cumulative voting. The Preferred Stock and all other preferred stock that we may issue from time to time in accordance with the 1940 Act, if any, are senior as to dividends and distributions to our common stock. We may issue additional series of preferred stock in the future to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

Dividends

 

Holders of our Preferred Stock are entitled to receive dividends per shares in an amount equal to         % per annum, or the dividend rate. Dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears                      on         ,         ,         ,         ,         , and         ,          (each, a “Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on                         ,          to holders of record as of the immediately preceding             ,             ,              and             . [In addition, in the event a cash dividend or other distribution in cash is declared on our common stock, holders of our Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive an additional amount equal to the liquidation preference divided by                 , as may be adjusted from time to time, times the cash amount per share distributed or to be distributed in respect of our common stock.]

 

Dividends payable at the dividend rate will begin to accrue and be cumulative from                         ,         , whether or not we have funds legally available for such dividends or such dividends are declared, and shall compound on each Dividend Payment Date (i.e., no dividends shall accrue on other dividends unless and until the first Dividend Payment Date for such other dividends has passed without such other dividends having been paid on such date). Dividends that are payable on the Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date shall be payable to holders of record of the Preferred Stock as they appear on the stock register of the Company on the record date for such dividend.

 

Dividends on our Preferred Stock will be computed on the basis of a [360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months]. The amount of dividends payable on our preferred stock on any date prior to the end of a dividend period, and for the initial dividend period, will be computed on the basis of a [360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and actual days elapsed over a 30-day month].

 

Cash dividends will be paid only to the extent we have assets legally available for such payment and only when authorized by our Board of Directors and declared by us. Dividends not paid in cash will be added to the liquidation preference.

 

We will not declare any dividend (other than a dividend payable in common stock) or other distribution on our common stock or purchase any common stock unless at the time of the declaration of such dividend or distribution or at the time of any such purchase we have an asset coverage of at least 200%, as computed in accordance with the 1940 Act, after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price.

 

S-18


Voting Rights

 

Except for matters that do not require the vote of holders of the Preferred Stock under the 1940 Act and except as otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws, in the Certificate of Designation or as otherwise required by applicable law, (1) each holder of Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote for each share of Preferred Stock held on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company and (2) the holders of outstanding Preferred Stock and shares of Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holders of the Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will have the right to elect [two] members of the Board of Directors. The holders of outstanding shares of common stock together with the holders of outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class, will elect the remaining members of the Board of Directors.

 

In addition, in the event that dividends on the Preferred Stock are unpaid in an amount equal to two full years’ dividends on the Preferred Stock, we will increase the size of our Board of Directors such that the holders of the Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will have the ability to elect a majority of the members of the Board of Directors until such time as all dividends in arrears shall have been paid or otherwise provided for at which point the size of the Board of Directors shall be decreased and the term of such additional directors shall terminate.

 

During the period in which any shares of Preferred Stock are outstanding, we will not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock determined with reference to a “majority of outstanding voting securities” as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act (a “ 1940 Act Majority ”), voting as a separate class:

 

   

amend, alter or repeal any of the preferences, rights or powers of the Preferred Stock so as to affect materially and adversely such preferences, rights or powers [(for purposes of the foregoing, no matters shall be deemed to adversely affect any right, preference or power unless such matter (i) alters or abolishes any preferential right of the Series [            ] Preferred Stock; (ii) creates, alters or abolishes any right in respect of redemption of the Series [            ] Preferred Stock; or (iii) creates or alters (other than to abolish) any restriction on transfer applicable to the Series [            ] Preferred Stock)]; or

 

   

create, authorize or issue shares of any class of capital stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets, or any securities convertible into, or warrants, options or similar rights to purchase, acquire or receive, such shares of capital stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the Preferred Stock or reclassify any authorized shares of our capital stock into any shares ranking senior to or on a parity with the Preferred Stock (except that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors, without the vote or consent of the holders of the shares of Series [            ] Preferred Stock may from time to time authorize, create and classify, and the Company, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, may from time to time issue, shares or series of preferred stock ranking on a parity with the Series [            ] Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, and may authorize, reclassify and/or issue any additional Series [            ] Preferred Stock, including shares previously purchased or redeemed by the Company); provided that any such class of Capital Stock shall be created, authorized or issued only to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act).

 

The affirmative vote of the holders of a 1940 Act Majority of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock , voting as a separate class, will be required to approve any plan of reorganization (as such term is used in the 1940 Act) adversely affecting such shares or any action requiring a vote of our security holders under Section 13(a) of the 1940 Act.

 

Redemption

 

Optional Redemption . The Preferred Stock may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time after             ,     , at our option, upon giving notice of redemption at a redemption price per share equal to the

 

S-19


applicable percentage set forth below multiplied by the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends not previously added to the liquidation preference on such share. The following redemption prices are for shares of Preferred Stock redeemed during the     -month period commencing on              of the years set forth below:

 

Year      Applicable Percentage

 

Redemption at the Option of the Holder . Upon the occurrence of certain bankruptcy events or the delisting of our common stock from a national securities exchange, each holder of the Preferred Stock will have the right to require us to repurchase all or any part of the holder’s Preferred Stock at a purchase price per share equal to         % of the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends not previously added to the liquidation preference on such share.

 

On and after                         ,         , each holder of the Preferred Stock will have the right, by providing written notice to us, to require us to repurchase all or any part of the holder’s Preferred Stock at a purchase price equal to % of the sum of the liquidation preference per share plus accrued but unpaid dividends not previously added to the liquidation preference on such share.

 

Partial Redemption . In case of any partial redemption of the preferred stock, the shares to be redeemed will be selected pro rata. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Designation, we have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of preferred stock shall be redeemed from time to time. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.

 

Redemption Procedures . We will provide notice of any redemption of the preferred stock by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on our books and through any means required under the 1940 Act. Such mailing shall be at least          days and not more than          days before the date fixed for redemption.

 

Liquidation

 

Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up by us, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of shares of our preferred stock will be entitled to be paid (before any distribution or payment is made upon any shares of common stock) the liquidation preference per share. However, if upon liquidation, the available funds and assets to be distributed among the holders of our Preferred Stock are insufficient to permit payment in full of the liquidation preference per share, then our entire available funds and assets upon liquidation shall be distributed ratably among the holders on a pro rata basis.

 

If there are any of our available funds or assets upon liquidation remaining after the payment or distribution to the holders of the Preferred Stock of their full preferential amounts described above, all such remaining available funds and assets shall be distributed as follows: [describe applicable payment priority provisions].

 

Modification

 

Without the consent of any holders of the Preferred Stock, we, when authorized by resolution of the Board of Directors may amend or modify these terms of the Preferred Stock to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision in the Certificate of Designation, make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under these terms of the Preferred Stock that are not inconsistent with the provisions in the Certificate of Designation.

 

S-20


UNDERWRITING

 

[                         ] is acting as sole book-running manager of the offering and as representative of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated [                ], each underwriter named below severally agrees to purchase the number of securities indicated in the following table:

 

Underwriter

   Number of
Shares
  
  
  

Total

  

 

The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the shares being offered, if any are purchased, other than the shares covered by the option described below.

 

Over-allotment Option

 

If the underwriters sell more shares than the total number set forth in the table above, the underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional [            ] shares from us. They may exercise that option for 30 days. If any shares are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.

 

Commissions and Discounts

 

The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

Paid by TICC Capital Corp.

   No Exercise      Full Exercise  

Per Share

   $                    $                

Total

   $         $     

 

Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. If all the shares are not sold at the public offering price, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

 

We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $[                ].

 

We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

Lock-up Agreements

 

We, TICC Management, BDC Partners and our officers and directors have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to issue, sell, dispose of or hedge any of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the period from the date of this prospectus supplement continuing through the date 90 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, except with the prior written consent of [            ].

 

S-21


The 90-day restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be automatically extended if: (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period we issue an earnings release or announce material news or a material event; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the 90-day period, in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release of the announcement of the material news or material event.

 

Price Stabilizations and Short Positions

 

In connection with the offering, [                    ], on behalf of the underwriters, may purchase and sell securities in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from us in the offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional shares pursuant to the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are any sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the security in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of securities made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

 

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased securities sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

 

Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our securities, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of our securities. As a result, the price of the securities may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

The underwriters and their affiliates have provided, or may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory, brokerage and other services to us and our affiliates for which services they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and expense reimbursement. The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of our company. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

S-22


Sales Outside the U.S.

 

No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the U.S.) that would permit a public offering of the securities, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other material relating to us or the securities in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and none of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the securities may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

 

Each of the underwriters may arrange to sell securities offered hereby in certain jurisdictions outside the United States, either directly or through affiliates, where they are permitted to do so. In that regard, [            ] may arrange to sell securities in certain jurisdictions through an affiliate, [                        ], or [                ]. [              ] is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of [                ] and an affiliate of [                        ]. [                        ] is a U.K. incorporated investment firm regulated by the Financial Services Authority. [                    ] is the trade name for certain corporate and investment banking services of [                ] and its affiliates, including [                ] and [                ].

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by                     .

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of [                    ] and [        ] and for each of the three years in the period ended [                    ] included in this prospectus supplement have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

 

S-23


 

 

 

$[                        ]

 

TICC Capital Corp.

 

LOGO

 

Preferred Stock

 

 

 

P R E L I M I N A R Y    P R O S P E C T U S    S U P P L E M E N T

 

                         , 20     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.3

 

[FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO BE USED IN

CONJUNCTION WITH FUTURE AT-THE-MARKET COMMON STOCK OFFERINGS]

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(to Prospectus dated                  , 20    )

 

$                

 

LOGO

TICC Capital Corp.

Common Stock

 

 

 

We have entered into an equity distribution agreement, dated             , 20    , with              relating to the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We are a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. We are principally engaged in providing capital to primarily non-public small to mid-size companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return.

 

The equity distribution agreement provides that we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $             from time to time through             , as our sales agent. Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be “at the market,” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or similar securities exchange or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

Our sales agent will receive a commission from us equal to             % of the gross sales price of any shares of our common stock sold through              under the equity distribution agreement. Our sales agent is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of common stock, but will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its sales and trading practices to sell the shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. See “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page [    ] of this prospectus supplement. The sales price per share of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, less our sales agent’s commission, will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of such sale.

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” On             , 20    , the last reported sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $             per share. We are required to determine the net asset value per share of our common stock on a quarterly basis. Our net asset value per share of our common stock as of [                    ] was $[    ].

 

 

 

An investment in our common stock is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [    ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

 

Please read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in our common stock and keep each for future reference. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing in our common stock. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This information is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275, or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . Information contained on our website is not incorporated by referenced into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains information about us.

 

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

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated                     , 20    .


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

       Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-3   

Summary

     S-4   

Offering

     S-7   

Fees and Expenses

     S-8   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-10   

Use of Proceeds

     S-12   

Price Range of Common Stock

     S-13   

Plan of Distribution (Potential Conflicts of Interest)

     S-14   

Legal Matters

     S-15   

Experts

     S-15   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     S-15   

 

PROSPECTUS

 

       Page  

Summary

     1   

Offering

     8   

Fees and Expenses

     11   

Selected Financial and Other Data

     13   

Selected Quarterly Data

     14   

Risk Factors

     15   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     37   

Use of Proceeds

     38   

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     39   

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     40   

Senior Securities

     72   

Business

     73   

Portfolio Companies

     84   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     91   

Management

     93   

Portfolio Management

     102   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     110   

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     117   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     122   

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     123   

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     124   

Description of Securities

     125   

Description of Our Capital Stock

     125   

Description of Our Preferred Stock

     132   

Description of Our Subscription Rights

     133   

Plan of Distribution

     134   

Legal Matters

     136   

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     136   

Experts

     136   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     136   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     137   

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1   


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of common stock and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and disclosure. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from or is additional to the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement. Please carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, respectively, before investing in our common stock.

 

Neither we nor                  has authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. To the extent required by law, we will amend or supplement the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and prior to the completion of any offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

S-3


SUMMARY

 

The following summary contains basic information about the offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of the offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Together, these documents describe the specific terms of the shares we are offering. You should carefully read the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Except where the context requires otherwise, the terms “TICC,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TICC Capital Corp. together with its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC (“Holdings”) and TICC CLO LLC (“Securitization Issuer” or “TICC CLO”); “TICC Management” refers to TICC Management, LLC; and “BDC Partners” refers to BDC Partners, LLC.

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing primarily in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company (“BDC”), we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we seek to invest in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have operated for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million (the “Subordinated Notes”), and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

 

S-4


We have historically and in the future may continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested, and therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our stockholders.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management – Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus. In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).

 

Our Corporate Information

 

Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Summary Risk Factors

 

The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our common stock, will fluctuate. Our investments may be risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investing in our common stock involves other risks, including those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 of the accompanying prospectus. In addition, the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. Some of these risks include:

 

   

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

   

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

   

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

 

   

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

   

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

 

S-5


   

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

   

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

   

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

   

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns.

 

   

Our investments in the companies that we are targeting may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to make speculative investments.

 

   

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

   

Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

   

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

   

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

   

The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

 

   

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of the board of directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

   

We are subject to risk associated with the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

 

S-6


The Offering

 

Common stock offered by us

Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of $            .

 

Manner of offering

“At the market” offering that may be made from time to time through             , as sales agent using commercially reasonable efforts. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

Use of proceeds

If we sell shares of our common stock with an aggregate offering price of $         million, we anticipate that our net proceeds, after deducting sales agent commissions and estimated expenses payable by us, will be approximately $         million. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities, and other general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements. Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities or other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less consistent with our business development company election and our election to be taxed as a RIC, at yields significantly below those we expect to earn on our other portfolio investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in these temporary investments. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Distribution

To the extent that we have income available, we intend to distribute quarterly dividends to our stockholders. The amount of our dividends, if any, will be determined by our Board of Directors. Any dividends to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution. See “Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Taxation

We have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally do not have to pay corporate-level federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To maintain our RIC tax treatment, we must meet specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute annually at least 90% of our ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. See “Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

NASDAQ Global Select Market symbol

“TICC”

 

Risk factors

An investment in our common stock is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [    ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

 

 

S-7


FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “us” or “TICC,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, you will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as an investor in TICC.

 

Stockholder transaction expenses:

  

Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (1)   

Offering expenses borne by us (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (2)   

Dividend reinvestment plan expenses

     None    (3)   
  

 

 

 

Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)

         %   
  

 

 

 

Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock):

  

Base management fee

     [     ]% (4)   

Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement

     [     ]% (5)   

Interest payments on borrowed funds

     [     ]% (6)   

Acquired fund fees and expenses

     [     ]% (7)   

Other expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (8)   
  

 

 

 

Total annual expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (9)   
  

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE

 

The following example, required by the SEC, demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in us. In calculating the following expense amounts, we assumed we would maintain the current amount of leverage, that our operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above, that we pay the transaction expenses set forth in the table above, including a sales load of         % paid by you (the commission to be paid by us with respect to common stock sold by us in this offering).

 

     1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return

   $                $                $                $            

 

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have a de minimis effect, is not included in the example. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below net asset value. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” in the accompanying prospectus for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

(1)   Represents the commission with respect to the shares of our common stock being sold in this offering, which we will pay to              in connection with sales of shares of our common stock effected by              in this offering. There is no guaranty that there will be any sales of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
(2)   The offering expenses of this offering are estimated to be approximately $            .
(3)   The expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan are included in “other expenses.”

 

S-8


(4)   Assumes gross assets of [$420.7] million and [$101.23] million of leverage, and assumes net assets of [$305.8] million. Our base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement is based on our gross assets, which is defined as all the assets of TICC, including those acquired using borrowings for investment purposes. Because we use borrowings for investment purposes, it has the effect of increasing our gross assets upon which our base management fee is calculated, while our net assets remain unchanged. See “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(5)   Assumes that annual incentive fees earned by TICC Management remain consistent with the incentive fees earned by TICC Management during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011]. In subsequent periods, incentive fees would increase if, and to the extent that, we earn greater interest income through our investments in portfolio companies and realize additional capital gains upon the sale of warrants or other equity investments in such companies. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part, which is payable quarterly in arrears, equals 20.0% of the excess, if any, of pre-incentive fee net investment income over an annual hurdle rate (equal to the interest rate payable on a five-year U.S. Treasury Note plus 5%, up to a maximum of 10%). The second part of the incentive fee equals 20.0% of our net realized capital gains for the calendar year less any unrealized capital losses for such year and will be payable at the end of each calendar year. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(6)   Assumes that we maintain our current level of [$101.25] million of outstanding borrowings as of [September 30, 2011]. Interest payments on borrowed funds represents the Company’s annualized interest expense as of [September 30, 2011] and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the three months ended [September 30, 2011], the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the debt securitization financing transaction, was 3.0%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the debt securitization financing transaction. We may also issue preferred stock, which may be considered a form of leverage, pursuant to our current shelf registration statement. In the event we were to issue preferred stock, our borrowing costs, and correspondingly our total annual expenses, including our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets, would increase. For example, if we were to issue $100,000,000 of preferred stock with a preferred rate equal to [8.0]%, our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets and our interest payments on borrowed funds would be approximately [3.41]% and [3.61]%, respectively, and our total annual expenses would be approximately [9.93]%.
(7)   Reflects the estimated annual base collateral manager fees that will be indirectly incurred by us in connection with our investments in CLO equity tranches based upon the CLO equity investments held as of [September 30, 2011]. Base collateral manager fees are charged on the total assets of the CLO vehicle, including the assets acquired with borrowed funds, but are assumed to be paid from the residual cash flows after interest payments to the senior debt tranches. Therefore, these base collateral manager fees (which are generally 0.50% to 0.55% of total assets) are effectively much higher when allocated only to the equity tranches. The calculation does not include any other operating expense ratios of the CLO vehicles, as these amounts are not routinely reported to shareholders on a basis consistent with this methodology; however, it is estimated that additional operating expenses of approximately 0.5% to 1.0% could be incurred. As a result of our investments in such CLO equity investments, our stockholders will be required to pay two levels of fees and expenses in connection with their investment in our common stock, including fees payable under our Investment Advisory Agreement and fees and expenses charged to us on the CLO equity tranches in which we are invested.
(8)   Assumes that the amount of operating expenses payable by TICC remains consistent with the operating expenses incurred by TICC during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011].
(9)   The holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) indirectly bear the cost associated with our annual expenses.

 

S-9


CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our company, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

   

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

interest rate volatility could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy;

 

   

currency fluctuations could adversely affect the results of our investments in foreign companies, particularly to the extent that we receive payments denominated in foreign currency rather than U.S. dollars; and

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in our filings with the SEC.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the

 

S-10


respective dates of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. However, we will update this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes to the information contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act.”

 

S-11


USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be “at the market,” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or similar securities exchange or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. There is no guaranty that there will be any sales of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Actual sales, if any, of our common stock under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be less than as set forth in this paragraph depending on, among other things, the market price of our common stock at the time of any such sale. As a result, the actual net proceeds we receive may be more or less than the amount of net proceeds estimated in this prospectus supplement. However, the sales price per share of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, less our sale agent’s commission, will not be less that the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of such sale. If we sell shares of our common stock with an aggregate offering price of $         million, we anticipate that our net proceeds, after deducting sales agent commissions and estimated expenses payable by us, will be approximately $         million.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities, and other general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements.

 

Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less consistent with our business development company election and our election to be taxed as a RIC, at yields significantly below those we expect to earn on our other portfolio investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in these temporary investments.

 

S-12


PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” The following table sets forth, for each fiscal quarter during the last two fiscal years and the current fiscal year, the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of our common stock, the high and low sales prices for our common stock, such sales prices as a percentage of NAV per share and quarterly distributions per share.

 

    NAV(1)     Price Range     High Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Low Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Cash
Distributions
Per Share(3)
 
    High     Low        

Fiscal 2012

           

First Quarter (through    , 20    )

    *      $ [            ]      $ [            ]        *        *        *   

Fiscal 2011

           

Fourth Quarter

    *        9.24        7.29        *        *      $ 0.25   

Third Quarter

  $ 9.34        10.04        7.71        107     83 %     0.25   

Second Quarter

    9.85        11.75        9.17        119     93 %     0.25   

First Quarter

    9.97        13.11        9.43        131     95 %     0.24   

Fiscal 2010

           

Fourth Quarter

    9.85        11.62        9.90        118     101 %     0.24   

Third Quarter

    9.27        10.70        7.88        115     85 %     0.22   

Second Quarter

    9.03        8.70        6.50        96     72 %     0.20   

First Quarter

    8.87        7.05        5.62        79     63 %     0.15   

 

(1)   Net asset value per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The net asset values shown are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.
(2)   Calculated as the respective high or low sales price divided by NAV.
(3)   Represents the cash distribution declared in the specified quarter.
*   Not determinable at the time of filing.

 

On [    ], 20    , the last reported sales price of our common stock was $[            ] per share. As of [    ], 20    , we had [            ] stockholders of record.

 

Shares of business development companies may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from net asset value or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term are separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. Since 2008 through the [            ] quarter of 20    , our shares of common stock have traded both at a premium and a discount to the net assets attributable to those shares. As of [    ], 20    , our shares of common stock traded at a discount equal to approximately [      ]% of the net assets attributable to those shares based upon our net asset value as of [                    ]. It is not possible to predict whether the shares offered hereby will trade at, above, or below net asset value.

 

We currently intend to distribute a minimum of 90% of our ordinary income and net realized short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, on a quarterly basis to our stockholders. The amount of our quarterly dividends is determined by our Board of Directors. To the extent our taxable earnings for any fiscal year fall below the total amount of our distributions for that fiscal year, a portion of those distributions may be deemed a tax return of capital to our stockholders. There can be no assurance that we will achieve investment results or maintain a tax status that will permit any particular level of dividend payment. Our ability to make distributions is limited by the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act. For a more detailed discussion, see “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan. If your shares of common stock are registered in your own name, your distributions will automatically be reinvested under our dividend reinvestment plan in additional whole and fractional shares of common stock, unless you opt out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent. If your shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee, you should contact the broker or nominee for details regarding opting out of our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

S-13


PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

                                      is acting as our sales agent in connection with the offer and sale of shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Upon written instructions from us,              will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its sales and trading practices to sell, as our sales agent, our common stock under the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in our equity distribution agreement with              dated             , 20    . We will instruct              as to the amount of common stock to be sold by it. We may instruct              not to sell common stock if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any instruction. The sales price per share of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, less              commission, will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of such sale. We or              may suspend the offering of shares of common stock upon proper notice and subject to other conditions.

 

Sales of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be “at the market,” as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or similar securities exchange or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

                                      will provide written confirmation of a sale to us no later than the opening of the trading day on the NASDAQ Global Select Market following each trading day in which shares of our common stock are sold under the equity distribution agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares of common stock sold on the preceding day, the net proceeds to us and the compensation payable by us to              in connection with the sales.

 

                                      will receive a commission from us equal to         % of the gross sales price of any shares of our common stock sold through              under the equity distribution agreement. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding compensation payable to              under the terms of the equity distribution agreement, will be approximately $            .

 

Settlement for sales of shares of common stock will occur on the              trading day following the date on which such sales are made, or on some other date that is agreed upon by us and              in connection with a particular transaction, in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

 

We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of our common stock sold through              under the equity distribution agreement and the net proceeds to us.

 

In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf,              may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of              may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to              against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

The offering of our shares of common stock pursuant to the equity distribution agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all common stock subject to the equity distribution agreement or (ii) the termination of the equity distribution agreement. The equity distribution agreement may be terminated by us in our sole discretion under the circumstances specified in the equity distribution agreement by giving notice to             . In addition,              may terminate the equity distribution agreement under the circumstances specified in the equity distribution agreement by giving notice to us.

 

S-14


Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

                                      and its affiliates have provided, or may in the future provide, various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory, brokerage and other services to us and our affiliates for which services they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and expense reimbursement.                                  and its affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities,                          and its affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of our company.                      and its affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

The principal business address of                      is                     .

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by                     .

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of [                    ] and [            ] and for each of the three years in the period ended [                    ] included in this prospectus supplement have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

 

S-15


 

 

 

 

$[                             ]

 

TICC Capital Corp.

 

LOGO

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

P R E L I M I N A R Y    P R O S P E C T U S    S U P P L E M E N T

 

                         , 20     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.4

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

[FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO BE USED IN

CONJUNCTION WITH FUTURE RIGHTS OFFERINGS]

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(to Prospectus dated             , 20    )

 

$                

 

LOGO

TICC Capital Corp.

 

Up to             Shares of

Common Stock

Issuable Upon

Exercise of Rights

 

 

 

We are a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. We are principally engaged in providing capital to primarily non-public small to mid-size companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return.

 

We are issuing [transferable/non-transferable] rights to our stockholders of record, or record date stockholders, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             , 20        , or the record date. The rights entitle holders of rights, or rights holders, to subscribe for an aggregate of up to             shares of our common stock. Record date stockholders will receive one right for each share of common stock owned on the record date. The rights entitle the holder to purchase one new share of common stock for every [    ] rights held, which we refer to as the basic subscription right[, and record date stockholders who fully exercise their rights will be entitled to subscribe, subject to certain limitations and pro-rata allocation, for additional shares that remain unsubscribed as a result of any unexercised rights.] [In addition, any non-record date stockholder who exercises rights will be entitled to subscribe, subject to certain limitations and pro-rata allocation, for any remaining shares that are not otherwise subscribed for by record date stockholders.]

 

The subscription price per share will be [describe means of computing subscription price]. Because the subscription price will be determined on the expiration date, stockholders who elect to exercise their rights will not know the subscription price per share at the time they exercise such rights. The rights will expire if they are not exercised by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                 , 20        , the expiration date of this offering, unless extended. We, in our sole discretion, may extend the period for exercising the rights. You will have no right to rescind your subscription after receipt of your payment of the estimated subscription price or a notice of guaranteed delivery except as described in this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus.

 

This offering will dilute the ownership interest and voting power of the common stock owned by stockholders who do not fully exercise their subscription rights. Stockholders who do not fully exercise their subscription rights should expect, upon completion of the offering, to own a smaller proportional interest in us than before the offering. Further, if the net proceeds per share from the offering are at a discount to our net asset value per share, this offering will reduce our net asset value per share.

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” On             , 20    , the last reported sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $             per share. We are required to determine the net asset value per share of our common stock on a quarterly basis. Our net asset value per share of our common stock as of [                    ] was $[    ].

 

 

 

An investment in our common stock is subject to significant risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page [        ] of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

 

Please read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in our securities and keep each for future reference. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing in our securities. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This information is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275, or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . Information contained on our website is not incorporated by referenced into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains information about us.

 

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

 

     Per Share      Total(4)  

Estimated subscription price(1)

   $                $            

Estimated sales load (underwriting discounts and commissions) [(2)](3)

   $                $            

Proceeds to us, before estimated expenses(1)(3)

   $                $            

 

 (1)   Estimated on the basis of [describe means of computing subscription price]. See “The Offer—Subscription Price.”
[(2)   In connection with this offering,            , the dealer manager for this offering, will receive a fee for its financial advisory, marketing and soliciting services equal to         % of the subscription price per share for each share issued pursuant to the exercise of rights[, including pursuant to the over-subscription privilege].]
 (3)   We estimate that we will incur offering expenses of approximately $        in connection with this offering. We estimate that net proceeds to us after expenses will be $            assuming all of the rights are exercised at the estimated subscription price.
 (4)   Assumes all rights are exercised at the estimated subscription price.

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated                     , 20    .


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

       Page  

About this Prospectus Supplement

     S-3   

Summary

     S-4   

The Rights Offering

     S-7   

Fees and Expenses

     S-11   

Risk Factors

     S-13   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-15   

Capitalization

     S-16   

Use of Proceeds

     S-17   

Dilution

     S-18   

Price Range of Common Stock

     S-19   

The Offer

     S-21   

Legal Matters

     S-33   

Experts

     S-33   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     S-33   

 

PROSPECTUS

 

       Page  

Summary

     1   

Offering

     8   

Fees and Expenses

     11   

Selected Financial and Other Data

     13   

Selected Quarterly Data

     14   

Risk Factors

     15   

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     37   

Use of Proceeds

     38   

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     39   

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     40   

Senior Securities

     72   

Business

     73   

Portfolio Companies

     84   

Determination of Net Asset Value

     91   

Management

     93   

Portfolio Management

     102   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     110   

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     117   

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     122   

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     123   

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     124   

Description of Securities

     125   

Description of Our Capital Stock

     125   

Description of Our Preferred Stock

     132   

Description of Our Subscription Rights

     133   

Plan of Distribution

     134   

Legal Matters

     136   

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     136   

Experts

     136   

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     136   

Where You Can Find Additional Information

     137   

Index to Financial Statements

     F-1   


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of [transferable/non-transferable] rights to our stockholders of record and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and disclosure. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from or is additional to the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement. Please carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, respectively, before investing in our common stock.

 

We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. To the extent required by law, we will amend or supplement the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and prior to the completion of any offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

S-3


SUMMARY

 

The following summary contains basic information about this offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of this offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Together, these documents describe the specific terms of this offering. You should carefully read the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Except where the context requires otherwise, the terms “TICC,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TICC Capital Corp. together with its subsidiaries, TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings (“Holdings”) and TICC LLO LLC (“Securitization Issuer” or “TICC CLO”); “TICC Management” refers to TICC Management, LLC; and “BDC Partners” refers to BDC Partners, LLC.

 

Overview

 

We are a specialty finance company principally providing capital to primarily non-public small- to medium-sized companies. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary focus is to seek current income by investing primarily in corporate debt securities. Our debt investments may include bilateral loans (loans where we hold the entirety of a particular loan) and syndicated loans (those where multiple investors hold portions of that loan). We have and may continue to invest in structured finance investments, including collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) investment vehicles, that own debt securities. We may also seek to provide our stockholders with long-term capital growth through the appreciation in the value of warrants or other equity instruments that we may receive when we make debt investments or equity investments. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a business development company (“BDC”), we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.

 

Our capital is generally used by our portfolio companies to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property.

 

We expect that our investments will generally range from $5 million to $30 million each, although this investment size may vary proportionately as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant, and accrue interest at fixed or variable rates.

 

While the structures of our investments vary, we seek to invest in the debt of middle-market companies. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have operated for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and are cash flow positive. Many of these companies have financial backing provided by private equity or venture capital funds or other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment.

 

On August 10, 2011, we completed a $225.0 million debt securitization financing transaction. The Class A Notes offered in the debt securitization were issued by TICC CLO LLC, a subsidiary of TICC Capital Corp. 2011-1 Holdings, LLC, a direct subsidiary of TICC, and the notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization

 

 

S-4


Issuer. The securitization was executed through a private placement of $101.25 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings retained all of the subordinated notes, which totaled $123.75 million (the “Subordinated Notes”), and retained all the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer.

 

We may have historically and in the future may continue to borrow funds to make investments. As a result, we may be exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested, and therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee payable to our investment adviser, TICC Management, will be borne by our stockholders.

 

Our investment activities are managed by TICC Management. TICC Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). TICC Management is owned by BDC Partners, its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in TICC Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, are the members of BDC Partners. Under our investment advisory agreement with TICC Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), we have agreed to pay TICC Management an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Portfolio Management — Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). As a business development company, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. See “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus. In addition, we have elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”).

 

Our Corporate Information

 

Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255 Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.

 

Summary Risk Factors

 

The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our common stock, will fluctuate. Our investments may be risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investing in our common stock involves other risks, including those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 of the accompanying prospectus. In addition, the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. Some of these risks include:

 

   

We are dependent upon TICC Management’s key management personnel for our future success, particularly Jonathan H. Cohen and Saul B. Rosenthal.

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

   

Because our investments are generally not in publicly traded securities, there is uncertainty regarding the fair value of our investments, which could adversely affect the determination of our net asset value.

 

 

S-5


   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

 

   

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

 

   

Economic recessions and downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

   

We are permitted to borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

   

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to, and the way in which we raise additional capital, which may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.

 

   

A change in interest rates may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes.

 

   

Our investment portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt securities that we hold or if the sectors in which we invest experience a market downturn.

 

   

The sectors in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles and periodic downturns.

 

   

Our investments in the companies that we are targeting may be extremely risky and we could lose all or part of our investments.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce TICC Management to make speculative investments.

 

   

Our investments in CLO vehicles may be riskier and less transparent than direct investments in portfolio companies.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile.

 

   

Our shares of common stock have traded at a discount from net asset value and may do so in the future.

 

   

You may not receive dividends or our dividends may decline or may not grow over time.

 

   

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

 

   

The recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and uncertainty about the financial stability of several countries in the European Union (EU) could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

If we issue preferred stock, the net asset value and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

 

   

Holders of any preferred stock we might issue would have the right to elect members of the board of directors and class voting rights on certain matters.

 

   

We are subject to risks associated with the debt securitization financing transaction.

 

   

The market price of our common stock may decline following this offering and our shares of common stock may trade at discounts from net asset value.

 

   

[There is no established trading market for the rights, which could make it more difficult for you to sell rights and could adversely affect their price.]

 

   

We may terminate the rights offering at any time prior to delivery of the shares of our common stock offered hereby, and neither we nor the subscription agent will have any obligation to you except to return your subscription payments, without interest.

 

   

[Your economic and voting interest in us, as well as your proportionate interest in our net asset value, may be diluted as a result of this rights offering.]

 

 

S-6


THE RIGHTS OFFERING

 

The Offer

 

We are issuing to stockholders of record, or record date stockholders, on            ,            , or the record date, one [transferable/non-transferable] right for each share of our common stock held on the record date. Each holder of the rights, or rights holder, is entitled to subscribe for one share of our common stock for every             rights held [            , which we refer to as the primary subscription right]. We will not issue fractional shares of our common stock upon the exercise of rights; accordingly, rights may be exercised only in multiples of         .

 

[The rights are transferable and will be listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “            ” during the course of this offer. See “The Offer.”]

 

Subscription Price

 

The subscription price per share will be [describe means of computing subscription price]. [Because the subscription price will be determined on the expiration date, rights holders who decide to acquire shares pursuant to the primary subscription right or pursuant to the over-subscription privilege will not know the actual purchase price of those shares when they make that decision.] See “The Offer—Subscription Price.”

 

[Over-Subscription Privilege

 

Record date stockholders who fully exercise all rights issued to them (other than those rights which cannot be exercised because they represent the right to acquire less than one share) are entitled to subscribe for additional shares of our common stock which were not subscribed for by other stockholders, which we refer to as the remaining shares. If sufficient remaining shares of our common stock are available, all record date stockholders’ over-subscription requests will be honored in full. In addition, any non-record date stockholder who exercises rights is entitled to subscribe for remaining shares that are not otherwise subscribed for by record date stockholders. Shares acquired pursuant to the over-subscription privilege are subject to certain limitations and pro-rata allocations. See “The Offer—Over-Subscription Privilege.”]

 

Purpose of the Offer

 

Our Board of Directors has determined that it would be in the best interest of TICC Capital Corp. and its stockholders to increase the capital available for making additional investments, as well as to pay operating expenses, temporarily repay debt and generally enhance our liquidity. We believe that we must have sufficient liquidity available to remain a credible source of capital. This offering will increase the capital available for us to make additional investments. This offering gives existing stockholders the right to purchase additional shares at a price that is expected to be below market without incurring any commission or charge, while providing us access to additional capital resources. In connection with the approval of this rights offering, our board of directors considered, among other things, the following factors:

 

   

the subscription price relative to the market price and to our net asset value per share, including the likelihood that the subscription price will be below our net asset value per share;

 

   

the increased capital to be available upon completion of this rights offering for us to make additional investments consistent with our investment objective;

 

   

the dilution to be experienced by non-exercising stockholders;

 

   

the dilutive effect the offering will have on the dividends per share we distribute subsequent to completion of the offering;

 

   

[the terms and expenses in connection with the offering relative to other alternatives for raising capital, including fees payable to the dealer manager;]

 

 

S-7


   

the size of the offering in relation to the number of shares outstanding;

 

   

[the fact that the rights will be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market during the subscription period;]

 

   

the market price of our common stock, both before and after the announcement of the rights offering;

 

   

the general condition of the securities markets; and

 

   

any impact on operating expenses associated with an increase in capital, including an increase in fees payable to TICC Management.

 

There can be no assurance of the amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience or that the rights offering will be successful.

 

[The purpose of setting the determination of the subscription price upon the expiration of the offer is to attract the maximum participation of stockholders in the offer, with minimum dilution to non-participating stockholders.]

 

[The transferable rights will allow non-participating stockholders the potential of receiving cash payment upon the sale of the rights, receipt of which may be viewed as partial compensation for the dilution of their interests.]

 

We cannot assure you that this offering will be successful, or that by increasing the amount of our available capital, our aggregate expenses and, correspondingly, our expense ratio will be lowered. In addition, the management fee we pay to TICC Management is based upon our gross assets, which include any cash or cash equivalents that we have not yet invested in the securities of portfolio companies.

 

[In determining that this offer is in our best interest and in the best interests of our stockholders, we have retained            , the dealer manager for this offer, to provide us with financial advisory, marketing and soliciting services relating to this offer, including advice with respect to the structure, timing and terms of the offer. In this regard, our board of directors considered, among other things, using a fixed pricing versus variable pricing mechanism, the benefits and drawbacks of conducting a non-transferable versus a transferable rights offering, the effect on us if this offer is not fully subscribed and the experience of the dealer manager in conducting rights offerings.]

 

[Although we have no present intention to do so, we may, in the future and in our discretion, choose to make additional rights offerings from time to time for a number of shares and on terms which may or may not be similar to this offer, provided that our Board of Directors must determine that each subsequent rights offering is in the best interest of our stockholders. Any such future rights offering will be made in accordance with the 1940 Act.]

 

[Sale of Rights

 

The rights are evidenced by a subscription certificate and are transferable until            ,            (or if the offer is extended, until the extended expiration date). The rights will be listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “            ”. We and the dealer manager will use our best efforts to ensure that an adequate trading market for the rights will exist. However, no assurance can be given that a market for the rights will develop. Trading in the rights on The NASDAQ Global Select Market may be conducted until close of trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market on            ,             (or, if the offer is extended, until the extended expiration date). See “The Offer—Sale of Rights.”]

 

 

S-8


Use of Proceeds

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for the origination of new investments in accordance with our investment objective, working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

Amendments and Termination

 

We reserve the right to amend the terms and conditions of this offering, whether the amended terms are more or less favorable to you. We will comply with all applicable laws, including the federal securities laws, in connection with any such amendment. In addition, we may, in our sole discretion, terminate the rights offering at any time prior to delivery of the shares of our common stock offered hereby, if the subscription price is less than [        ]% of the net asset value attributable to a share of common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report we filed with the SEC. If this rights offering is terminated, all rights will expire without value and the subscription agent will return as soon as practicable all exercise payments, without interest. [No amounts paid to acquire rights on [insert name of any applicable exchange on which rights are listed] or otherwise will be returned.]

 

Dilutive Effects

 

Any stockholder who chooses not to participate in the offering should expect to own a smaller interest in us upon completion of the offering. The offering will dilute the ownership interest and voting power of stockholders who do not fully exercise their basic subscription rights. Further, because the net proceeds per share from the offering may be lower than our net asset value per share, the offering may reduce our net asset value per share. The amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience could be substantial.

How to Obtain Subscription Information

 

   

Contact your broker-dealer, trust company, bank or other nominee where your rights are held, or

 

   

Contact the information agent,            , at            . Broker-dealers and nominees may call         .

 

How to Subscribe

 

   

Deliver a completed subscription certificate and payment to the subscription agent by the expiration date of the rights offering, or

 

   

If your shares are held in an account with your broker-dealer, trust company, bank or other nominee, which qualifies as an Eligible Guarantor Institution under Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), have your Eligible Guarantor Institution deliver a notice of guaranteed delivery to the subscription agent by the expiration date of the rights offering.

 

Subscription Agent

 

             will act as the subscription agent in connection with this offer.

 

Information Agent

 

             will act as the information agent in connection with this offer. You may contact            toll-free with questions at             . Broker-dealers and nominees may call         .

 

 

S-9


[Distribution Arrangements

 

             will act as dealer manager for the offer. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the dealer manager agreement, the dealer manager will provide financial advisory services and marketing assistance in connection with the offer and will solicit the exercise of rights and participation in the over-subscription privilege by our stockholders. The offer is not contingent upon any number of rights being exercised. We have agreed to pay the dealer manager a fee for its financial advisory, marketing and soliciting services equal to         % of the subscription price per share for shares issued pursuant to the exercise of rights, including pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. The dealer manager may reallow a portion of its fees to other broker-dealers that have assisted in soliciting the exercise of rights.]

 

Important Dates to Remember

 

Record Date

  

Subscription Period

     (1 )

Measurement Period for Subscription Price(2)

     (1 )

Expiration Date

     (1 )

Deadline for Delivery of Subscription Certificates and Payment for Shares(3)

     (1 )

Deadline for Delivery of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery(3)

     (1 )

Deadline for Delivery of Subscription Certificates and Payment for Shares pursuant to Notice of Guaranteed Delivery

     (1 )

Confirmations Mailed to Participants

     (1 )

Final Payment for Shares

     (1 )

 

(1)   Unless the offer is extended.
(2)   The subscription price will be [describe means of computing subscription price].
(3)   Participating rights holders must, by the expiration date of the offer (unless the offer is extended), either (a) deliver a subscription certificate and payment for shares or (b) cause to be delivered on their behalf a notice of guaranteed delivery.

 

 

S-10


FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “us” or “TICC,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, you will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as an investor in TICC.

 

Stockholder transaction expenses:

  

Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (1)   

Offering expenses borne by us (as a percentage of offering price)

          % (2)   

Dividend reinvestment plan expenses

     None    (3)   
  

 

 

 

Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)

         %   
  

 

 

 

Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock):

  

Base management fee

     [     ]% (4)   

Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement

     [     ]% (5)   

Interest payments on borrowed funds

     [     ]% (6)   

Acquired fund fees and expenses

     [     ]% (7)   

Other expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (8)   
  

 

 

 

Total annual expenses (estimated)

     [     ]% (9)   
  

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE

 

The following example, required by the SEC, demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in us. In calculating the following expense amounts, we assumed we would maintain the current amount of leverage, that our operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above, that we pay the transaction expenses set forth in the table above, including a sales load of         % paid by you (the commission to be paid by us with respect to common stock sold by us in this offering).

 

     1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return

   $                $                $                $            

 

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have a de minimis effect, is not included in the example. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below net asset value. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” in the accompanying prospectus for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

(1)   Represents the commission with respect to this offering. There is no guaranty that there will be any sales pursuant to this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
(2)   The offering expenses of this offering are estimated to be approximately $            .
(3)   The expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan are included in “other expenses.”

 

S-11


(4)   Assumes gross assets of [$420.7] million and [$101.25] million of leverage, and assumes net assets of [$305.8] million. Our base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement is based on our gross assets, which is defined as all the assets of TICC, including those acquired using borrowings for investment purposes. Because we use borrowings for investment purposes, it has the effect of increasing our gross assets upon which our base management fee is calculated, while our net assets remain unchanged. See “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(5)   Assumes that annual incentive fees earned by TICC Management remain consistent with the incentive fees earned by TICC Management during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011]. In subsequent periods, incentive fees would increase if, and to the extent that, we earn greater interest income through our investments in portfolio companies and realize additional capital gains upon the sale of warrants or other equity investments in such companies. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part, which is payable quarterly in arrears, equals 20.0% of the excess, if any, of pre-incentive fee net investment income over an annual hurdle rate (equal to the interest rate payable on a five-year U.S. Treasury Note plus 5%, up to a maximum of 10%). The second part of the incentive fee equals 20.0% of our net realized capital gains for the calendar year less any unrealized capital losses for such year and will be payable at the end of each calendar year. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “Portfolio Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus.
(6)   Assumes that we maintain our current level of [$101.25] million of outstanding borrowings as of [September 30, 2011]. Interest payments on borrowed funds represents the Company’s annualized interest expense as of [September 30, 2011] and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the three months ended [September 30, 2011], the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of discount and debt issuance costs on the debt securitization financing transaction, was 3.0%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the debt securitization financing transaction. We may also issue preferred stock, which may be considered a form of leverage, pursuant to our current shelf registration statement. In the event we were to issue preferred stock, our borrowing costs, and correspondingly our total annual expenses, including our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets, would increase. For example, if we were to issue [$100,000,000] of preferred stock with a annual interest rate equal to [8.0]%, our base management fee as a percentage of our net assets and our interest payments on borrowed funds would be approximately [3.41]% and [3.61]%, respectively, and our total annual expenses would be approximately [9.93]%.
(7)   Reflects the estimated annual base collateral manager fees that will be indirectly incurred by us in connection with our investments in CLO equity tranches based upon the CLO equity investments held as of [September 30, 2011]. Base collateral manager fees are charged on the total assets of the CLO vehicle, including the assets acquired with borrowed funds, but are assumed to be paid from the residual cash flows after interest payments to the senior debt tranches. Therefore, these base collateral manager fees (which are generally 0.50% to 0.55% of total assets) are effectively much higher when allocated only to the equity tranches. The calculation does not include any other operating expense ratios of the CLO vehicles, as these amounts are not routinely reported to shareholders on a basis consistent with this methodology; however, it is estimated that additional operating expenses of approximately 0.5% to 1.0% could be incurred. As a result of our investments in such CLO equity investments, our stockholders will be required to pay two levels of fees and expenses in connection with their investment in our common stock, including fees payable under our Investment Advisory Agreement and fees and expenses charged to us on the CLO equity tranches in which we are invested.
(8)   Assumes that the amount of operating expenses payable by TICC remains consistent with the operating expenses incurred by TICC during the nine-month period ended [September 30, 2011].
(9)   The holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) indirectly bear the cost associated with our annual expenses.

 

S-12


RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our common stock involves a number of significant risks. Before you invest in our common stock, you should be aware of various risks, including those described below and those set forth in the accompanying prospectus. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before you decide whether to make an investment in our common stock. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us may also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value and the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risk factors described below, together with those set forth in the accompanying prospectus, are the principal risk factors associated with an investment in us as well as those factors generally associated with an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to ours.

 

The market price of our common stock may decline following this offering and our shares of common stock may trade at discounts from net asset value.

 

Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a market price that is less than the net asset value that is attributable to those shares. This characteristic of closed-end investment companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share may decline. It is not possible to predict whether any shares of common stock or rights will trade at, above, or below net asset value. The risk of loss associated with this characteristic of closed-end investment companies may be greater for investors expecting to sell shares of common stock purchased in the offering soon after this offering.

 

[There is no established trading market for the rights, which could make it more difficult for you to sell rights and could adversely affect their price.

 

There can be no assurances that an active public market for the rights will develop as a result of the offering of the rights by any selling holder or that, if such a market develops, it will be maintained. [The rights will be listed on              under the symbol “            .”] Future trading prices of the rights will depend on many factors, including our operating results, the market for similar securities, the performance of our common stock (including the requirement that we suspend the offering under certain circumstances) and our ability to terminate the offering of the rights if the subscription price is less than [        ]% of the net asset value attributable to a share of common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report we filed with the SEC.]

 

We may terminate the rights offering at any time prior to delivery of the shares of our common stock offered hereby, and neither we nor the subscription agent will have any obligation to you except to return your subscription payments, without interest.

 

We may, in our sole discretion, terminate the rights offering at any time prior to delivery of the shares of our common stock offered hereby, if the subscription price is less than [ ]% of the net asset value attributable to a share of common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report we filed with the SEC. If the rights offering is terminated, all rights will expire without value and the subscription agent will return as soon as practicable all exercise payments, without interest. [No amounts paid to acquire rights on [insert name of any applicable exchange on which rights are listed] or otherwise will be returned.]

 

Your economic and voting interest in us, as well as your proportionate interest in our net asset value, may be diluted as a result of this rights offering.

 

Stockholders who do not fully exercise their rights should expect that they will, at the completion of the offer, own a smaller proportional interest in us, including with respect to voting rights, than would otherwise be

 

S-13


the case if they fully exercised their rights. We cannot state precisely the amount of any such dilution in share ownership because we do not know at this time what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of the offer.

 

In addition, if the subscription price is less than our net asset value per share, then our stockholders would experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate net asset value of their shares as a result of the offer. The amount of any decrease in net asset value is not predictable because it is not known at this time what the subscription price and net asset value per share will be on the expiration date of the rights offering or what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of the offer. Such dilution could be substantial.

 

This offering will also cause dilution in the dividends per share we are able to distribute subsequent to completion of the offering. In addition, our reported earnings per share will be retroactively adjusted to reflect the dilutive effects of this offering. See “Dilution.”

 

[Insert any additional relevant risk factors not included in the base prospectus.]

 

S-14


CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our company, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

   

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

interest rate volatility could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy;

 

   

currency fluctuations could adversely affect the results of our investments in foreign companies, particularly to the extent that we receive payments denominated in foreign currency rather than U.S. dollars; and

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and in our filings with the SEC.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the respective dates of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. However, we will update this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to reflect any material changes to the information contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”).

 

S-15


CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth:

 

   

the actual capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. at             , 20            ; and

 

   

the pro forma capitalization of TICC Capital Corp. to give effect to the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering, assuming all rights are exercised at the estimated subscription price of $            and our receipt of the estimated net proceeds from that sale.

 

This table should be read in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds” included in this prospectus supplement and our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and financial statements and notes thereto included in the accompanying prospectus.

 

     As of             , 20          
     TICC Capital
Corp.
     TICC Capital
Corp.
 
     Actual      Pro Forma(1)  
     (in thousands)      (in thousands)  

Assets:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $                    $                

Investments at fair value

   $         $     

Other assets

   $         $     

Total assets

   $         $     

Liabilities:

     

Notes payable net of discount

   $         $     

Other Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $         $     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

     

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share;             shares authorized, shares issued and outstanding,             shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted, respectively

      $     

Capital in excess of par value

      $     
     

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

      $     
     

 

 

 

 

(1)   We may change the size of this offering based on demand and market conditions. A $0.50 increase (decrease) in the assumed offering price per right would increase (decrease) net proceeds to us from this offering by $[            ] million, assuming the number of rights offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement remains the same, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses payable by us. Any additional proceeds to us resulting from an increase in the public offering price or the number of rights offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement will increase our cash and cash equivalents on an as adjusted basis and will be used as described in “Use of Proceeds.”

 

S-16


USE OF PROCEEDS

 

If shares of our common stock are sold at the estimated subscription price of $[            ], the net proceeds of the offer will be approximately $[            ], after deducting dealer manager fees of approximately $[            ] and other expenses related to this offer payable by us estimated at approximately $[            ]. There can be no assurance that all the rights will be exercised in full.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus supplement for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities in primarily privately negotiated transactions, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes.

 

We estimate that it will take [            ] to [            ] months for us to substantially invest the net proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus supplement, depending on the availability of attractive opportunities and market conditions. However, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to achieve this goal.

 

Pending these uses, we will invest such net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which are consistent with maintaining our election as a RIC. These temporary investments are expected to provide a lower net return than we hope to achieve from our target investments. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in such securities

 

S-17


DILUTION

 

As of         ,            , our net assets were $        million, or approximately $        per share. After giving effect to the sale of         shares of our common stock in this offering, assuming all rights are exercised at the estimated subscription price of $        per share, and our receipt of the estimated net proceeds from that sale, our pro forma net asset value would have been approximately $        million, or approximately $        per share, representing an immediate dilution of approximately $        per share to our existing stockholders.

 

The following table illustrates the dilutive effects of this offering on a per share basis, assuming all rights are exercised at the estimated subscription price of $        per share:

 

     As of                         ,  
     Actual     As Adjusted  

Net asset value per common share

   $               $            
     Months Ended                          ,  
     Actual     As Adjusted  

Net increase in net assets resulting from net investment income per common share

   $          (1)   $          (2)

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations per common share

   $          (1)   $          (2)

Distributions per common share

   $        $          (3)

 

(1)   Basic and diluted, weighted average number of shares outstanding is                     .
(2)   Assumes that on        ,        , the beginning of the indicated period, (a) all rights were exercised at the estimated subscription price of $     per share and (b)        shares of our common stock were issued upon exercise of such rights.
(3)   Assumes actual cash distributions divided by adjusted shares, including shares issued upon exercise of rights.

 

S-18


PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” The following table sets forth, for each fiscal quarter during the last two fiscal years and the current fiscal year, the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of our common stock, the high and low sales prices for our common stock, such sales prices as a percentage of NAV per share and quarterly distributions per share.

 

     NAV(1)      Price Range     High Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Low Sales
Price as a
Percentage
of NAV(2)
    Cash
Distributions
Per Share(3)
 
            High     Low                    

Fiscal 2012

             

First Quarter (through         , 20    )

     *         $[                 $[                 *        *        *   

Fiscal 2011

             

Fourth Quarter

     *         9.24        7.29        *        *      $ 0.25   

Third Quarter

   $ 9.34         10.04        7.71        107 %     83 %     0.25   

Second Quarter

     9.85         11.75        9.17        119 %     93 %     0.25   

First Quarter

     9.97         13.11        9.43        131 %     95 %     0.24   

Fiscal 2010

             

Fourth Quarter

     9.85         11.62        9.90        118 %     101 %     0.24   

Third Quarter

     9.27         10.70        7.88        115 %     85 %     0.22   

Second Quarter

     9.03         8.70        6.50        96 %     72 %     0.20   

First Quarter

     8.87         7.05        5.62        79 %     63 %     0.15   

 

(1)   Net asset value per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The net asset values shown are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.
(2)   Calculated as the respective high or low sales price divided by NAV.
(3)   Represents the cash distribution declared in the specified quarter.
*   Not determinable at the time of filing.

 

On [            ], 20    , the last reported sales price of our common stock was $[ ] per share. As of [            ], 20    , we had [            ] stockholders of record.

 

Shares of business development companies may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from net asset value or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term are separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. Since 2008 through the [        ] quarter of 20    , our shares of common stock have traded both at a premium and a discount to the net assets attributable to those shares. As of [            ], 20    , our shares of common stock traded at a discount equal to approximately [            ]% of the net assets attributable to those shares based upon our net asset value as of [                    ]. It is not possible to predict whether the shares offered hereby will trade at, above, or below net asset value.

 

We currently intend to distribute a minimum of 90% of our ordinary income and net realized short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, on a quarterly basis to our stockholders. The amount of our quarterly dividends is determined by our Board of Directors. To the extent our taxable earnings for any fiscal year fall below the total amount of our distributions for that fiscal year, a portion of those distributions may be deemed a tax return of capital to our stockholders. There can be no assurance that we will achieve investment results or maintain a tax status that will permit any particular level of dividend payment. Our ability to make distributions is limited by the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act. For a more detailed discussion, see “Regulation as a Business Development Company” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

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We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan. If your shares of common stock are registered in your own name, your distributions will automatically be reinvested under our dividend reinvestment plan in additional whole and fractional shares of common stock, unless you opt out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent. If your shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee, you should contact the broker or nominee for details regarding opting out of our dividend reinvestment plan.

 

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THE OFFER

 

Purpose of the Offer

 

Our Board of Directors has determined that it would be in the best interests of TICC Capital Corp. and its stockholders to increase the capital available for making additional investments, as well as to pay operating expenses and generally enhance our liquidity. We believe that we must have sufficient liquidity available to remain a credible source of capital. The offering will increase the capital available for us to make additional investments. The current offering gives existing stockholders the right to purchase additional shares at a price that is expected to be below market without incurring any commission or charge, while providing us access to such additional capital resources. In connection with the approval of this rights offering, our Board of Directors considered, among other things, the following factors:

 

   

the subscription price relative to the market price and to our net asset value per share, including the likelihood that the subscription price will be below our net asset value per share;

 

   

the increased capital to be available upon completion of the rights offering for us to make additional investments consistent with our investment objective;

 

   

the dilution to be experienced by non-exercising stockholders;

 

   

the dilutive effect the offering will have on the dividends per share we distribute subsequent to completion of the offering;

 

   

[the terms and expenses in connection with the offering relative to other alternatives for raising capital, including fees payable to the dealer manager;]

 

   

the size of the offering in relation to the number of shares outstanding;

 

   

[the fact that the rights will be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market during the subscription period;]

 

   

the market price of our common stock, both before and after the announcement of the rights offering;

 

   

the general condition of the securities markets; and

 

   

any impact on operating expenses associated with an increase in capital, including an increase in fees payable to TICC Management.

 

There can be no assurance of the amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience or that the rights offering will be successful.

 

The purpose of setting the determination of the subscription price upon the expiration of the offer is to attract the maximum participation of stockholders in the offer, with minimum dilution to non-participating stockholders.

 

[The transferable rights will allow non-participating stockholders the potential of receiving cash payment upon the sale of the rights, receipt of which may be viewed as partial compensation for the dilution of their interests.]

 

We cannot assure you that the current offering will be successful, or that by increasing the size of our available equity capital, our aggregate expenses and, correspondingly, our expense ratio will be lowered. In addition, the management fee we pay to TICC Management is based upon our gross assets, which include any cash or cash equivalents that we have not yet invested in the securities of portfolio companies.

 

[In determining that this offer was in our best interest and in the best interests of our stockholders, we have retained             , the dealer manager for this offering, to provide us with financial advisory, marketing and

 

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soliciting services relating to this offer, including advice with respect to the structure, timing and terms of the offer. In this regard, our Board of Directors considered, among other things, using a fixed pricing versus variable pricing mechanism, the benefits and drawbacks of conducting a non-transferable versus a transferable rights offering, the effect on us if this offer is not fully subscribed and the experience of the dealer manager in conducting rights offerings.]

 

[Although we have no present intention to do so, we may, in the future and in our discretion, choose to make additional rights offerings from time to time for a number of shares and on terms which may or may not be similar to this offer, provided that our board of directors must determine that each subsequent rights offering is in the best interest of our stockholders. Any such future rights offering will be made in accordance with the 1940 Act.]

 

Terms of the Offer

 

We are issuing to record date stockholders [transferable/non-transferable] rights to subscribe for up to approximately             shares. Each record date stockholder is being issued one [transferable/non-transferable] right for each whole share owned on the record date. The rights entitle each holder, or rights holder, to acquire at the subscription price one share for every            rights held [, which we refer to as the primary subscription right]. Rights may be exercised at any time during the subscription period, which commences on            ,             , the record date, and ends at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on            ,                 , the expiration date, unless extended by us.

 

The rights are [transferable and will be listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “            ” during the course of the offer/non-transferable]. The shares of our common stock issued pursuant to an exercise of rights will be listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TICC.” The rights will be evidenced by subscription certificates which will be mailed to stockholders, except as discussed below under “—Foreign Stockholders.”

 

We will not issue fractional shares upon the exercise of rights; accordingly, rights may be exercised only in multiples of .

 

The rights are [transferable/non-transferable]. [Rights holders who are not record date stockholders may purchase shares as described above, which we refer to as the primary subscription, and may be entitled to subscribe for shares pursuant to the over-subscription privilege (as described below).]

 

[Shares for which there is no subscription during the primary subscription will be offered, by means of the over-subscription privilege, first to record date stockholders who fully exercise the rights issued to them pursuant to this offering (other than those rights that cannot be exercised because they represent in the aggregate the right to acquire less than one share) and who wish to acquire more than the number of shares they are entitled to purchase pursuant to the exercise of their rights. In addition, any non-record date rights holder who exercises rights is entitled to subscribe for remaining shares that are not otherwise subscribed for by record date stockholders. Shares acquired pursuant to the over-subscription privilege are subject to certain limitations and pro-rata allocations. See “—Over-Subscription Privilege” below.]

 

For purposes of determining the number of shares a record date stockholder may acquire pursuant to the offer, broker-dealers, trust companies, banks or others whose shares are held of record by Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or by any other depository or nominee will be deemed to be the holders of the rights that are issued to Cede or the other depository or nominee on their behalf.

 

There is no minimum number of rights which must be exercised in order for the offer to close.

 

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[Over-Subscription Privilege

 

Shares not subscribed for by rights holders, which we refer to as remaining shares, will be offered, by means of the over-subscription privilege, first to record date stockholders who have fully exercised the rights issued to them and who wish to acquire more than the number of shares they are entitled to purchase pursuant to the basic subscription. Rights holders should indicate on the subscription certificate that they submit with respect to the exercise of the rights issued to them how many additional shares they are willing to acquire pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. If there are sufficient remaining shares, all record date stockholders’ over-subscription requests will be honored in full. If record date stockholder requests for shares pursuant to the over-subscription privilege exceed the remaining shares available, the available remaining shares will be allocated pro-rata among record date stockholders who over-subscribe based on the number of shares held on the record date. The percentage of remaining shares each over-subscribing stockholder may acquire will be rounded down to result in delivery of whole shares. The allocation process may involve a series of allocations to assure that the total number of remaining shares available for over-subscriptions is distributed on a pro-rata basis. The formula to be used in allocating the remaining shares is as follows:

 

Stockholder’s Record Date  Position

     ×         Remaining Shares   

Total Record Date Position of All Over-Subscribers

     

 

Any rights holder, other than a record date stockholder, who exercises rights is entitled to subscribe for remaining shares that are not otherwise over-subscribed for by record date stockholders. These non-record date rights holders should indicate in the subscription certificate submitted with respect to the exercise of any rights how many shares they are willing to acquire pursuant to the over-subscription privilege. We cannot assure non-record date rights holders that they will receive shares pursuant to the over-subscription privilege.

 

If sufficient remaining shares are available after the over-subscription privileges for the record date stockholders have been allotted, then all over-subscriptions by non-record date rights holders will be honored in full. If the remaining shares are insufficient to permit such allocation, the remaining shares will be allocated pro-rata among the non-record date rights holders who wish to exercise their over-subscription privilege, based on the number of rights held by such rights holders on the expiration date. However, if this pro-rata allocation results in any holder being allocated a greater number of shares than the holder subscribed for pursuant to the exercise of the over-subscription privilege, then such holder will be allocated only such number of shares pursuant to the over-subscription privilege as such holder subscribed for. The formula to be used in allocating the shares available to non-record date rights holders exercising their over-subscription privilege is as follows:

 

Non-Record Date Rights Holder’s Rights

Ownership as of the Expiration Date

    ×      Shares Available for Non-Record Date Rights Holders Exercising Their Over-Subscription Privilege

Total Rights Ownership as of the Expiration Date of Non-Record

Date Rights Holders Exercising Their Over-Subscription Privilege

   

 

Banks, brokers, trustees and other nominee holders of rights will be required to certify to the subscription agent, before any over-subscription privilege may be exercised with respect to any particular beneficial owner, as to the aggregate number of rights exercised pursuant to the primary subscription and the number of shares subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege by such beneficial owner and that such beneficial owner’s primary subscription was exercised in full. We will not offer or sell in connection with this offer any shares that are not subscribed for pursuant to the primary subscription or the over-subscription privilege.]

 

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Subscription Price

 

The subscription price for the shares to be issued pursuant to the offer will be [describe means of computing subscription price]. [Since the expiration date will be            ,            (unless we extend the subscription period), rights holders will not know the subscription price at the time of exercise and will be required initially to pay for both the shares subscribed for pursuant to the primary subscription right and, if eligible, any additional shares subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege at the estimated subscription price of $            per share.] See “—Payment for Shares” below. Rights holders who exercise their rights will have no right to rescind a purchase after receipt of their completed subscription certificates together with payment for shares by the subscription agent. We do not have the right to withdraw the rights or cancel this offer after the rights have been distributed.

 

Expiration of the Offer

 

The offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on              , 20    , the expiration date, unless extended by us. The rights will expire on the expiration date of the rights offering and may not be exercised thereafter.

 

Our Board of Directors may determine to extend the subscription period, and thereby postpone the expiration date, to the extent our board of directors determines that doing so is in the best interest of our stockholders. For example, our Board of Directors may elect to extend the subscription period in the event there is substantial instability or volatility in the trading price of our common stock or the rights on The NASDAQ Global Select Market at or near the expiration date, or if any event occurs which causes trading to cease or be suspended on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or the financial markets generally. The foregoing are not the only circumstances under which this offer may be extended, and our Board of Directors is free to extend the subscription period at its discretion, provided it determines that doing so is in the best interests of our stockholders.

 

Any extension of the offer will be followed as promptly as practicable by announcement thereof, and in no event later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day following the previously scheduled expiration date. Without limiting the manner in which we may choose to make such announcement, we will not, unless otherwise required by law, have any obligation to publish, advertise or otherwise communicate any such announcement other than by issuing a press release or such other means of announcement as we deem appropriate.

 

Amendments and Waivers; Termination

 

We reserve the right to amend the terms and conditions of the offering, whether the amended terms are more or less favorable to you. We will comply with all applicable laws, including the federal securities laws, in connection with any such amendment.

 

We will decide all questions as to the validity, form and eligibility (including times of receipt, beneficial ownership and compliance with other procedural matters) in our sole discretion, and our determination shall be final and binding. The acceptance of subscription certificates and the subscription price also will be determined by us. Alternative, conditional or contingent subscriptions will not be accepted. We reserve the right to reject any exercise if such exercise is not in accordance with the terms of the offering or not in proper form or if the acceptance thereof or the issuance of shares of our common stock thereto could be deemed unlawful. We, in our sole discretion, may waive any defect or irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected within such time as we may determine, or reject the purported exercise of any right. Subscriptions will not be deemed to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have been waived or cured within such time as we determine in our sole discretion. We will not be under any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity in connection with the submission of subscription certificates or incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

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We may, in our sole discretion, terminate the rights offering at any time prior to delivery of the shares of our common stock offered hereby if the subscription price is less than [        ]% of the net asset value attributable to a share of common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report we filed with the SEC by giving oral or written notice thereof to the subscription agent and making a public announcement thereof. If the offering is terminated, all rights will expire without value and we will promptly arrange for the refund, without interest, of all funds received from holders of rights. All monies received by the subscription agent in connection with the offering will be held by the subscription agent, on our behalf, in a segregated interest-bearing account at a negotiated rate. All such interest shall be payable to us even if we determine to terminate the offering and return your subscription payment. [In addition, no amounts paid to acquire rights on [insert name of any applicable exchange on which rights are listed] or otherwise will be returned.]

 

Dilutive Effects

 

Any stockholder who chooses not to participate in the offering should expect to own a smaller interest in us upon completion of the offering. The offering will dilute the ownership interest and voting power of stockholders who do not fully exercise their basic subscription rights. Further, because the net proceeds per share from the offering may be lower than our net asset value per share, the offering may reduce our net asset value per share. The amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience could be substantial.

 

Shares of closed-end investment companies have in the past frequently traded at discounts to their net asset values. This characteristic of closed-end investment companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share may decline. We cannot predict whether our shares will trade above, at or below our net asset value.

 

[The transferable feature of the rights will afford non-participating stockholders the potential of receiving cash payment upon the sale of rights, receipt of which may be viewed as partial compensation for the dilution of their interests.]

 

Information Agent

 

             will act as the information agent in connection with the offering. The information agent will receive for its services a fee estimated to be approximately $            plus reimbursement of all out-of-pocket expenses related to the offering.              can be contacted at the below address:

 

Subscription Agent

 

             will act as the subscription agent in connection with this offer. The subscription agent will receive for its administrative, processing, invoicing and other services a fee estimated to be approximately $            , plus reimbursement for all out-of-pocket expenses related to the offer.

 

Completed subscription certificates must be sent together with full payment of the subscription price for all shares subscribed for in the primary subscription and pursuant to over-subscription privilege to the subscription agent by one of the methods described below. Alternatively, an Eligible Guarantor Institution may send notices of guaranteed delivery by facsimile to            which must be received by the subscription agent at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the rights offering. Facsimiles should be confirmed by telephone at            . We will accept only properly completed and duly executed subscription certificates actually received at any of the addresses listed below, at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the rights offering or by the close of business on the third business day after the expiration date of the rights offering following timely receipt of a notice of guaranteed delivery. See “—Payment for Shares” below. In this prospectus, close of business means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the relevant date.

 

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Subscription Certificate

Delivery Method

  

Address/Number

By Notice of Guaranteed Delivery:

   Contact an Eligible Guarantor Institution, which may include a commercial bank or trust company, a member firm of a domestic stock exchange or a savings bank or credit union, to notify us of your intent to exercise the rights.
By First Class Mail Only (Not Overnight /Express Mail):   

By Overnight Delivery:

  

 

Delivery to an address other than one of the addresses listed above will not constitute valid delivery.

 

Any questions or requests for assistance concerning the method of subscribing for shares or for additional copies of this prospectus or subscription certificates or notices of guaranteed delivery may be directed to the information agent at its telephone number and address listed below:

 

Stockholders may also contact their broker-dealers or nominees for information with respect to the offer.

 

[Sale of Rights

 

The Rights are Transferable

 

The rights will be listed for trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “            ” subject to notice of issuance. We and the dealer manager will use our best efforts to ensure that an adequate trading market for the rights will exist, although no assurance can be given that a market for the rights will develop. Trading in the rights on The NASDAQ Global Select Market is expected to be conducted beginning on or about             ,             , and continuing until             ,              (or if the offer is extended, until the extended expiration date). Rights holders are encouraged to contact their broker-dealer, bank, trustee or other nominees for more information about trading of the rights.

 

Sales Through Subscription Agent and Dealer Manager

 

Stockholders who do not wish to exercise any or all of their rights may instruct the subscription agent to sell any rights they do not intend to exercise themselves through or to the dealer manager. Subscription certificates representing the rights to be sold through or to the dealer manager must be received by the subscription agent on or before            ,            (or if the offer is extended, on or before two business days prior to the extended expiration date). Upon the timely receipt by the subscription agent of appropriate instructions to sell rights, the subscription agent will ask the dealer manager either to purchase or to use its best efforts to complete the sale and the subscription agent will remit the proceeds of the sale to the selling stockholders. If the rights can be sold, sales of such rights will be deemed to have been effected at the weighted-average price received by the dealer manager on the day such rights are sold. The sale price of any rights sold to the dealer manager will be based upon the then current market price for the rights. The dealer manager will also attempt to sell all rights which remain unclaimed as a result of subscription certificates being returned by the postal authorities to the subscription agent as undeliverable as of the fourth business day prior to the expiration date of the rights offering. The subscription agent will hold the proceeds from those sales for the benefit of such non-claiming stockholders until such proceeds are either claimed or revert to the state pursuant to applicable state law. There can be no assurance that the dealer manager will purchase or be able to complete the sale of any such rights, and neither we nor the dealer manager has guaranteed any minimum sales price for the rights. If a stockholder does not utilize the services of the subscription agent and chooses to use another broker-dealer or other financial institution to sell rights, then the other broker-dealer or financial institution may charge a fee to sell the rights.

 

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Other Transfers

 

The rights evidenced by a subscription certificate may be transferred in whole by endorsing the subscription certificate for transfer in accordance with the accompanying instructions. A portion of the rights evidenced by a single subscription certificate (but not fractional rights) may be transferred by delivering to the subscription agent a subscription certificate properly endorsed for transfer, with instructions to register such portion of the rights evidenced thereby in the name of the transferee and to issue a new subscription certificate to the transferee evidencing such transferred rights. In such event, a new subscription certificate evidencing the balance of the rights, if any, will be issued to the stockholder or, if the stockholder so instructs, to an additional transferee. The signature on the subscription certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of the subscription certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement, or any change. A signature guarantee must be provided by an Eligible Guarantor Institution as that term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act, subject to the standards and procedures adopted by us.

 

Stockholders wishing to transfer all or a portion of their rights should allow at least five business days prior to the expiration date of the rights offering for (1) the transfer instructions to be received and processed by the subscription agent, (2) a new subscription certificate to be issued and transmitted to the transferee or transferees with respect to transferred rights, and to the transferor with respect to retained rights, if any, and (3) the rights evidenced by such new subscription certificate to be exercised or sold by the recipients thereof. Neither we nor the subscription agent nor the dealer manager shall have any liability to a transferee or transferor of rights if subscription certificates are not received in time for exercise or sale prior to the expiration date (or if the offer is extended, on or before two business days prior to the extended expiration date) of the rights offering.

 

Except for the fees charged by the subscription agent [and dealer manager], which will be paid by us, all commissions, fees and other expenses (including brokerage commissions and transfer taxes) incurred or charged in connection with the purchase, sale or exercise of rights will be for the account of the transferor of the rights, and none of those commissions, fees or expenses will be paid by us, the subscription agent or the dealer manager.

 

We anticipate that the rights will be eligible for transfer through, and that the exercise of the primary subscription and the over-subscription privilege may be effected through, the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). Holders of DTC exercised rights may exercise the over-subscription privilege in respect of such DTC exercised rights by properly completing and duly executing and delivering to the subscription agent, at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the day prior to the expiration date of the rights offering, a nominee holder over-subscription certificate or a substantially similar form satisfactory to the subscription agent, together with payment of the subscription price for the number of shares for which the over-subscription privilege is to be exercised.]

 

Methods for Exercising Rights

 

Rights are evidenced by subscription certificates that, except as described below under “—Foreign Stockholders,” will be mailed to record date stockholders or, if a record date stockholder’s shares are held by Cede or any other depository or nominee on their behalf, to Cede or such depository or nominee. Rights may be exercised by completing and signing the subscription certificate that accompanies this prospectus and mailing it in the envelope provided, or otherwise delivering the completed and duly executed subscription certificate to the subscription agent, together with payment in full for the shares at the estimated subscription price by the expiration date of the rights offering. Rights may also be exercised by contacting your broker, trustee or other nominee, who can arrange, on your behalf, to guarantee delivery of payment and delivery of a properly completed and duly executed subscription certificate pursuant to a notice of guaranteed delivery by the close of business on the third business day after the expiration date. A fee may be charged for this service. Completed subscription certificates and related payments must be received by the subscription agent prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on or before the expiration date (unless payment is effected by means of a notice of guaranteed delivery as described below under “—Payment for Shares”) at the offices of the subscription agent at the address set forth above. Fractional shares will not be issued upon the exercise of rights.

 

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[Exercise of the Over-Subscription Privilege

 

Record date stockholders who fully exercise all rights issued to them and rights holders other than record date stockholders, may both participate in the over-subscription privilege by indicating on their subscription certificate the number of shares they are willing to acquire. If sufficient remaining shares are available after the primary subscription, all over-subscriptions will be honored in full; otherwise remaining shares will be allocated first to record date stockholders and then (if any remaining shares are still available) to non-record date rights holders, and the number of remaining shares issued to some or all rights holders participating in the over-subscription privilege may be reduced as described under “—Over-Subscription Privilege” above. ]

 

Record Date Stockholders Whose Shares Are Held By a Nominee

 

Record date stockholders whose shares are held by a nominee, such as a bank, broker-dealer or trustee, must contact that nominee to exercise their rights. In that case, the nominee will complete the subscription certificate on behalf of the record date stockholder and arrange for proper payment by one of the methods set forth under “—Payment for Shares” below.

 

Nominees

 

Nominees, such as brokers, trustees or depositories for securities, who hold shares for the account of others, should notify the respective beneficial owners of the shares as soon as possible to ascertain the beneficial owners’ intentions and to obtain instructions with respect to the rights. If the beneficial owner so instructs, the nominee should complete the subscription certificate and submit it to the subscription agent with the proper payment as described under “—Payment for Shares” below.

 

All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility (including times of receipt and matters pertaining to beneficial ownership) and the acceptance of subscription forms and the subscription price will be determined by us, which determinations will be final and binding. No alternative, conditional or contingent subscriptions will be accepted. We reserve the right to reject any or all subscriptions not properly submitted or the acceptance of which would, in the opinion of our counsel, be unlawful.

 

We reserve the right to reject any exercise if such exercise is not in accordance with the terms of this rights offering or not in proper form or if the acceptance thereof or the issuance of shares of our common stock thereto could be deemed unlawful. We reserve the right to waive any deficiency or irregularity with respect to any subscription certificate. Subscriptions will not be deemed to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have been waived or cured within such time as we determine in our sole discretion. We will not be under any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity in connection with the submission of subscription certificates or incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Foreign Stockholders

 

Subscription certificates will not be mailed to foreign stockholders. Foreign stockholders will receive written notice of this offer. The subscription agent will hold the rights to which those subscription certificates relate for these stockholders’ accounts until instructions are received to exercise the rights, subject to applicable law. If no instructions have been received by the expiration date, such rights will expire.

 

Payment for Shares

 

Participating rights holders may choose between the following methods of payment:

 

  (1)  

A participating rights holder may send the subscription certificate together with payment for the shares acquired in the primary subscription and any additional shares subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege to the subscription agent based on the estimated subscription price of

 

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$            per share [(             % of $            , the last reported sale price of a share on The NASDAQ Global Select Market on            ,            )]. To be accepted, the payment, together with a properly completed and executed subscription certificate, must be received by the subscription agent at one of the subscription agent’s offices set forth above, at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.

 

  (2)   A participating rights holder may request an Eligible Guarantor Institution as that term is defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act to send a notice of guaranteed delivery by facsimile or otherwise guaranteeing delivery of (a) payment of the full subscription price for the shares subscribed for in the primary subscription and any additional shares subscribed for pursuant to the over-subscription privilege and (b) a properly completed and duly executed subscription certificate. The subscription agent will not honor a notice of guaranteed delivery unless a properly completed and duly executed subscription certificate and full payment for the shares is received by the subscription agent at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             , (or, if the offer is extended, by the close of business on the third business day after the extended expiration date).

 

All payments by a participating rights holder must be in U.S. dollars by money order or check or bank draft drawn on a bank or branch located in the U.S. and payable to TICC Capital Corp. The subscription agent will deposit all funds received by it prior to the final payment date into a segregated account pending pro-ration and distribution of the shares.

 

The method of delivery of subscription certificates and payment of the subscription price to us will be at the election and risk of the participating rights holders, but if sent by mail it is recommended that such certificates and payments be sent by registered mail, properly insured, with return receipt requested, and that a sufficient number of days be allowed to ensure delivery to the subscription agent and clearance of payment prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date or the date guaranteed payments are due under a notice of guaranteed delivery (as applicable). Because uncertified personal checks may take at least five business days to clear, you are strongly urged to pay, or arrange for payment, by means of certified or cashier’s check or money order.

 

On a date within            business days following the expiration date, the subscription agent will send to each participating rights holder (or, if rights are held by Cede or any other depository or nominee, to Cede or such other depository or nominee) a confirmation showing (1) the number of shares purchased pursuant to the primary subscription, (2) the number of shares, if any, acquired pursuant to the over-subscription privilege, (3) the per share and total purchase price for the shares, and (4) any additional amount payable to us by the participating rights holder or any excess to be refunded by us to the participating rights holder, in each case based on the subscription price as determined on the expiration date. Any additional payment required from a participating rights holder must be received by the subscription agent within ten business days after the confirmation date. Any excess payment to be refunded by us to a participating rights holder will be mailed by the subscription agent to the rights holder as promptly as practicable. No interest will be paid on any amounts refunded.

 

Whichever of the two methods described above is used, issuance of the shares purchased is subject to collection of checks and actual payment.  If a participating rights holder who subscribes for shares pursuant to the primary subscription or over-subscription privilege does not make payment of any amounts due by the expiration date, the date guaranteed payments are due under a notice of guaranteed delivery or within ten business days of the confirmation date, as applicable, the subscription agent reserves the right to take any or all of the following actions: (1) reallocate the shares to other participating rights holders in accordance with the over-subscription privilege; (2) apply any payment actually received by it from the participating rights holder toward the purchase of the greatest whole number of shares which could be acquired by such participating rights holder upon exercise of the primary subscription and/or the over-subscription privilege; and/or (3) exercise any and all other rights or remedies to which it may be entitled, including the right to set off against payments actually received by it with respect to such subscribed for shares.

 

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All questions concerning the timeliness, validity, form and eligibility of any exercise of rights will be determined by us, whose determinations will be final and binding. We in our sole discretion may waive any defect or irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected within such time as we may determine, or reject the purported exercise of any right. Subscriptions will not be deemed to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have been waived or cured within such time as we determine in our sole discretion. The subscription agent will not be under any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity in connection with the submission of subscription certificates or incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Participating rights holders will have no right to rescind their subscription after receipt of their payment for shares by the subscription agent, except as provided below under “—Notice of Net Asset Value Decline.”

 

Notice of Net Asset Value Decline

 

We will suspend the offer until we amend this prospectus if, subsequent to the effective date of this prospectus, our net asset value declines more than 10% from our net asset value as of that date. Accordingly, the expiration date would be extended and we would notify record date stockholders of the decline and permit participating rights holders to cancel their exercise of rights.

 

Delivery of Stock Certificates

 

Participants in our dividend reinvestment plan will have any shares that they acquire pursuant to the offer credited to their stockholder dividend reinvestment accounts in the plan. Stockholders whose shares are held of record by Cede or by any other depository or nominee on their behalf or their broker-dealers’ behalf will have any shares that they acquire credited to the account of Cede or the other depository or nominee. With respect to all other stockholders, stock certificates for all shares acquired will be mailed after payment for all the shares subscribed for has cleared, which may take up to 15 days from the date of receipt of the payment.

 

Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Offer

 

For federal income tax purposes, neither the receipt nor the exercise of the rights by record date stockholders will result in taxable income to such stockholders, and no loss will be realized if the rights expire without exercise.

 

A record date stockholder’s basis in a right will be zero unless either (1) the fair market value of the right on the date of distribution is 15% or more of the fair market value of the shares with respect to which the right was distributed or (2) the record date stockholder elects, in his or her federal income tax return for the taxable year in which the right is received, to allocate part of the basis of the shares to the right. If either of clauses (1) or (2) is applicable, then if the right is exercised, the record date stockholder will allocate his or her basis in the shares with respect to which the right was distributed between the shares and the right in proportion to the fair market values of each on the date of distribution.

 

The holding period of a right received by a record date stockholder includes the holding period of the shares with regard to which the right is issued. If the right is exercised, the holding period of the shares acquired begins on the date the right is exercised.

 

[If a right is sold, a gain or loss will be realized by the rights holder in an amount equal to the difference between the basis of the right sold and the amount realized on its disposition.]

 

A record date stockholder’s basis for determining gain or loss upon the sale of a share acquired upon the exercise of a right will be equal to the sum of the record date stockholder’s basis in the right, if any, and the subscription price per share. A record date stockholder’s gain or loss recognized upon a sale of a share acquired

 

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upon the exercise of a right will be capital gain or loss (assuming the share was held as a capital asset at the time of sale) and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the share is held for more than one year.

 

The foregoing is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the offer under the provisions of the Code and Treasury regulations in effect as of the date of the prospectus that are generally applicable to record date stockholders who are U.S. persons within the meaning of the Code, and does not address any foreign, state or local tax consequences. The Code and Treasury regulations are subject to change or differing interpretations by legislative or administrative action, which may be retroactive. Participating rights holders should consult their tax advisors regarding specific questions as to foreign, federal, state or local taxes.

 

ERISA Considerations

 

Stockholders who are employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA (including corporate savings and 401(k) plans), Keogh or H.R. 10 plans of self-employed individuals and individual retirement accounts should be aware that additional contributions of cash to a retirement plan (other than rollover contributions or trustee-to-trustee transfers from other retirement plans) in order to exercise rights would be treated as contributions to the retirement plan and, when taken together with contributions previously made, may result in, among other things, excise taxes for excess or nondeductible contributions. In the case of retirement plans qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and certain other retirement plans, additional cash contributions could cause the maximum contribution limitations of Section 415 of the Code or other qualification rules to be violated. It may also be a reportable distribution and there may be other adverse tax and ERISA consequences if rights are sold or transferred by a retirement plan.

 

Retirement plans and other tax exempt entities, including governmental plans, should also be aware that if they borrow in order to finance their exercise of rights, they may become subject to the tax on unrelated business taxable income under Section 511 of the Code. If any portion of an individual retirement account is used as security for a loan, the portion so used is also treated as distributed to the IRA depositor. ERISA contains fiduciary responsibility requirements, and ERISA and the Code contain prohibited transaction rules that may impact the exercise of rights. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties for noncompliance, retirement plans should consult with their counsel and other advisers regarding the consequences of their exercise of rights under ERISA and the Code.

 

[Distribution Arrangements

 

                , which is a broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, will act as dealer manager for this offer. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the dealer management agreement, the dealer manager will provide financial advisory and marketing services in connection with this offer and will solicit the exercise of rights and participation in the over-subscription privilege. This offer is not contingent upon any number of rights being exercised. We have agreed to pay the dealer manager a fee for its financial advisory, marketing and soliciting services equal to % of the aggregate subscription price for shares issued pursuant to this offer. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse the dealer manager an aggregate amount up to $            for its expenses incurred in connection with this offer.

 

The dealer manager will reallow to other broker-dealers that have executed and delivered a soliciting dealer agreement and have solicited the exercise of rights, solicitation fees equal to % of the subscription price per share for each share issued pursuant to the exercise of rights as a result of their soliciting efforts, subject to a maximum fee based on the number of shares held by each broker-dealer through DTC on the record date. Fees will be paid by us to the broker-dealer designated on the applicable portion of the subscription certificates or, in the absence of such designation, to the dealer manager.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the dealer manager for, or contribute to losses arising out of, certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The dealer manager agreement also provides that the dealer

 

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manager will not be subject to any liability to us in rendering the services contemplated by the dealer manager agreement except for any act of bad faith, willful misfeasance, or gross negligence of the dealer manager or reckless disregard by the dealer manager of its obligations and duties under the dealer manager agreement. We have also agreed not to directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, enter into any agreement to sell, or otherwise dispose of, any of our equity or equity related securities or securities convertible into such securities, other than the rights, the shares and the common stock issued in connection with the reinvestment of dividends or distributions, for a period of days from the date hereof without the prior consent of the dealer manager.

 

The principal business address of the dealer manager is                     .

 

Prior to the expiration of this offer, the dealer manager may independently offer for sale shares, including shares acquired through purchasing and exercising the rights, at prices it sets. The dealer manager may realize profits or losses independent of any fees described in this prospectus.

 

This offering is being conducted in compliance with Rule 5110 of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. ]

 

Additional Dealer Manager Compensation

 

The dealer manager and/or its affiliates have from time to time performed and may in the future perform various commercial banking, financial advisory and investment banking services for us and our affiliates for which they have received or will receive customary compensation. [Describe any specific transactions and compensation related thereto required to be disclosed by applicable law or regulation.]

 

Certain Effects of this Offer

 

TICC Management will benefit from this offer because a portion of the investment advisory fee we pay to TICC Management is based on our gross assets. See “Management—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus. It is not possible to state precisely the amount of additional compensation TICC Management will receive as a result of this offer because it is not known how many shares will be subscribed for and because a substantial portion of the proceeds of the offer are expected to be used to repay outstanding indebtedness. However, assuming (1) all rights are exercised, (2) the average value of our gross assets, excluding proceeds from this offer, remains at approximately $            million, (3) the estimated subscription price is $            per share, and (4) all of the proceeds from the offer are invested in additional portfolio companies, and after giving effect to dealer manager fees and other expenses related to this offer, TICC Management would receive additional annualized advisory fees of approximately $            , and the amount of the administrative fee received by TICC Management would not change.                 of our directors who voted to authorize this offer are interested persons of TICC Management. The other                directors who approved this offer are not affiliated with TICC Management.

 

As a result of the terms of this offer, stockholders who do not fully exercise their rights will own, upon completion of this offer, a smaller proportional interest in us than they owned prior to the offer, including with respect to voting rights. [In addition, because the subscription price per share will likely be less than the net asset value per share, based on our current market price, the offer will likely result in an immediate dilution of net asset value per share for all of our stockholders. If the subscription price per share is substantially less than the current net asset value per share, such dilution could be substantial. Any such dilution will disproportionately affect non-exercising stockholders. If the subscription price is less than our net asset value per share, then all stockholders will experience a decrease in the net asset value per share held by them, irrespective of whether they exercise all or any portion of their rights. This offering will also cause dilution in the dividends per share we are able to distribute subsequent to completion of the offering. See “Dilution.”]

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the dealer manager by                     .

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of [                    ] and [        ] and for each of the three years in the period ended [                    ] included in this prospectus supplement have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2 together with all amendments and related exhibits under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can inspect any materials we file with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275 or on our website at http://www.ticc.com . The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s web site is http://www.sec.gov . Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

 

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