Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2019

1933 Act File No. 333-228720

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

Form N-2

   REGISTRATION STATEMENT  
     UNDER    
     THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    
     PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.  
     POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2  

 

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100

McLean, Virginia 22102

Address of Principal Executive Offices (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (703) 287-5800

David Gladstone

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Gladstone Capital Corporation

1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100

McLean, Virginia 22102

Name and Address (Number, Street, City, State, Zip Code) of Agent For Service

 

 

COPIES TO:

William J. Tuttle

Nicole M. Runyan

Erin M. Lett

Proskauer Rose LLP

1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 600 South

Washington, D.C. 20004

Tel: (202) 416-6800

 

 

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.  ☒

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

 

 

When declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c).

 

 

 


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PART C

   C-1

Other Information

   C-1

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits

   C-1

Item 26. Marketing Arrangements

   C-6

Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

   C-6

Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control

   C-7

Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities

   C-7

Item 30. Indemnification

   C-8

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

   C-9

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records

   C-9

Item 33. Management Services

   C-10

Item 34. Undertakings

   C-10

SIGNATURES

  


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720) (the “Registration Statement”) of Gladstone Capital Corporation (the “Company” or the “Registrant”) is being filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), solely for the purpose of filing additional exhibits to such Registration Statement and updating the undertakings to reflect the proposed form amendments under the Small Business Credit Availability Act. Accordingly, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 consists only of a facing page, this explanatory note and Part C of the Registration Statement on Form N-2 setting forth the exhibits to the Registration Statement. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 does not modify any other part of the Registration Statement. Pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The contents of the Registration Statement are hereby incorporated by reference.


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Part C—OTHER INFORMATION

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits

1. Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2019 have been incorporated by reference in this registration statement in “Part A — Information Required in a Prospectus.”

The consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017, for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2018, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2018 have been incorporated by reference in this registration statement in “Part A — Information Required in a Prospectus.”

2. Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

2.a.1    Articles of Amendment and Restatement to the Articles of Incorporation, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.a.2 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-63700), filed July 27, 2001.
2.a.2    Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of Term Preferred Shares, including Appendix A thereto relating to the Term Preferred Shares, 7.125% Series 2016, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.a.2 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-162592), filed October 31, 2011.
2.a.3    Certificate of Correction to Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of Term Preferred Shares, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed October 29, 2015.
2.a.4    Articles Supplementary, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed September 21, 2017.
2.a.5    Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of Term Preferred Shares, 6.00% Series 2024, including Exhibit A thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed September 21, 2017.
2.b.1    By-laws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.b to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-63700), filed July 27, 2001.
2.b.2    Amendment to By-laws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 814-00237), filed February 17, 2004.
2.b.3    Second Amendment to By-laws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed July 10, 2007.
2.b.4    Third Amendment to By-laws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed June 10, 2011.

 

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2.b.5    Fourth Amendment to By-laws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed November 29, 2016.
2.c    Not applicable.
2.d.1    Form of Certificate for Common Stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.d.2 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-63700), filed August 23, 2001.
2.d.2    Form of Subordinated Indenture incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-162592), filed October 20, 2009.
2.d.3    Form of Common Stock Subscription Form and Subscription Certificate, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.6 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed January 17, 2013.
2.d.4    Form of Preferred Stock Subscription Form and Subscription Certificate, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.7 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed January 17, 2013.
2.d.5    Form of Common Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.8 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed January 17, 2013.
2.d.6    Form of Preferred Stock Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.9 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed January 17, 2013.
2.d.7    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, with respect to the Form of Senior and Subordinated Indentures, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.8 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.d.8    Base Indenture between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of November 6, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.10 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-208637), filed November 6, 2018.
2.d.9    First Supplemental Indenture between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of November 6, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.11 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-208637), filed November 6, 2018.
2.d.10    Form of Global Note with respect to the 6.125% Notes due 2023, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.12 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-208637), filed November 6, 2018.
2.d.11*    Second Supplemental Indenture between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of October 10, 2019.
2.d.12*    Form of Global Note with respect to the 5.375% Notes due 2024, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.d.11.
2.f    Not applicable.

 

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2.g.1    Amended and Restated Investment Advisory and Management Agreement between the Registrant and Gladstone Management Corporation, dated as of October 1, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed October 5, 2006.
2.g.2    Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Investment Advisory and Management Agreement between the Registrant and Gladstone Management Corporation, dated as of October 13, 2015, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed October 14, 2015.
2.h.1    Equity Distribution Agreement among the Registrant, Gladstone Management Corporation, Gladstone Administration, LLC and Jefferies LLC, as sales agent, dated as of February 13, 2019, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.l.3 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on February 13, 2019.
2.h.2*    Underwriting Agreement between the Registrant, Gladstone Management Corporation, Gladstone Administration, LLC and Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, as representative of the other underwriters named in Exhibit A thereto, dated October 7, 2019.
2.i    Not applicable.
2.j.1    Custody Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York, dated as of May 5, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 814-00237), filed August 1, 2006.
2.j.2    Custodial Agreement (with respect to Credit Facility), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.j.2 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed December 23, 2013.
2.j.3    Amendment No. 1 to Custodial Agreement (with respect to Credit Facility), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.j.3 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed December 23, 2013.
2.j.4    Amendment No. 2 to Custodial Agreement (with respect to Credit Facility), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.j.4 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-185191), filed December 23, 2013.
2.k.1    Stock Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.k.1 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-63700), filed July 27, 2001.
2.k.2    Administration Agreement between the Registrant and Gladstone Administration, LLC, dated as of October 1, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed October 5, 2006.
2.k.3    Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2015, by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, as Borrower, Gladstone Management Corporation, as Servicer, the Lenders and Managing Agents named therein, and Keybank National Association, as Administrative Agent, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed May 5, 2015.

 

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2.k.4    Joinder Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2015, by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, Gladstone Management Corporation, Keybank National Association and Santander Bank, N.A., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed June 23, 2015.
2.k.5    Assignment, Acceptance and Joinder, dated as of June 19, 2015, by and between Keybank National Association and Alostar Bank of Commerce, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed June 23, 2015.
2.k.6    Assignment and Acceptance, dated as of June 19, 2015, by and between Keybank National Association and Newbridge Bank, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed June 23, 2015.
2.k.7    Amendment No. 1 to Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 9, 2015, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Quarterly Report on form 10-Q (file No. 814-00237), filed February 8, 2016.
2.k.8    Amendment No. 2 to Fifth Amended and Restated Credit agreement, dated August 18, 2016, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.k.8 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-208637), filed October 28, 2016.
2.k.9    Amendment No. 3 to Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated August 24, 2017, by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, as Borrower, Gladstone Management Corporation, as Servicer, Keybank National Association, as administrative agent, swingline lender, managing agent and lead arranger and certain other lenders party thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed August 29, 2017.
2.k.10    Amendment No. 4 to Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2018 by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, as Borrower, Gladstone Management Corporation, as Servicer, KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, swingline lender, managing agent and lead arranger and certain other lenders party thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed March 12, 2018.
2.k.11    Amendment No. 5 to Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 10, 2019 by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, as Borrower, Gladstone Management Corporation, as Servicer, KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, swingline lender, managing agent and lead arranger and certain other lenders party thereto, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 814-00237), filed July 10, 2019.
2.l.1    Opinion of Counsel (Proskauer Rose LLP), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.l.1 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on January 16, 2019.
2.l.2    Opinion of Counsel (Venable LLP), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1.2 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.l.3    Opinion of Counsel (Venable LLP), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.l.3 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on February 13, 2019.
2.l.4*    Opinion of Counsel (Proskauer Rose LLP).
2.l.5*    Opinion of Counsel (Venable LLP).
2.m.    Not applicable.

 

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2.n.1    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.n.1 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on January 16, 2019.
2.n.2    Consent of Counsel (Proskauer Rose LLP) (included in Exhibit 2.l.1).
2.n.3    Consent of Counsel (Venable LLP) (included in Exhibit 2.l.2).
2.n.4    Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.n.4 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.n.5    Consent of Crowe LLP, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.n.5 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on January 16, 2019.
2.n.6    Consent of Henderson Hutcherson & McCullough, PLLC, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.n.6 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on January 16, 2019.
2.n.7    Consent of Counsel (Venable LLP) (included in Exhibit 2.l.3).
2.n.8*    Consent of Counsel (Proskauer Rose LLP) (inlcuded in Exhibit 2.l.4).
2.n.9*    Consent of Counsel (Venable LLP) (included in Exhibit 2.l.5).
2.o    Not applicable.
2.p    Subscription Agreement dated May 30, 2001, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.p to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-63700), filed June 22, 2001.
2.q    Not applicable.
2.r    Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.r to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.1    Power of Attorney (incorporated by reference to the signature page to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018).
2.s.2    Reserved.
2.s.3    Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Distributions, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.3 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.4    Financial Statements of Defiance Integrated Technologies, Inc. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 (audited), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.4 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.5    Financial Statements of Sunshine Media Group, Inc. as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 (unaudited), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.5 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.

 

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2.s.6    Financial Statements of Sunshine Media Group, Inc. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 (audited), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.6 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.7    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Common Stock Offering, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.7 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.8    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Preferred Stock Offering, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.8 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.9    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Rights Offering of Common Stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.9 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.10    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Rights Offering of Preferred Stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.10 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.11    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Notes, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.11 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.12    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Senior Notes, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.12 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.13    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Warrants for Common Stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.13 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.
2.s.14    Form of Prospectus Supplement for Warrants for Preferred Stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.s.14 to Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), filed on December 7, 2018.

 

*

Filed herewith.

Item 26. Marketing Arrangements

The information contained under the heading “Plan of Distribution “ on page 147 of the prospectus is incorporated herein by reference, and any information concerning any underwriters will be contained in the accompanying prospectus supplement, if any.

Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

Commission registration fee

   $ 36,360  

FINRA fee

     15,109  

Accounting fees and expenses

     55,000

Printing and engraving

     50,000

Legal fees and expenses

     150,000

Miscellaneous fees and expenses

     15,000
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 321,469

 

*

These amounts are estimates.

 

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All of the expenses set forth above shall be borne by the Registrant.

Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control

The following list sets forth each of the companies considered to be “controlled” by the Registrant as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as of June 30, 2019:

 

   

Gladstone Capital Advisers, Inc., a Delaware corporation, controlled by the Registrant, through 100% of the voting securities. (1)

 

   

Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, controlled by the Registrant, through 100% of the voting securities. (1)

 

   

Defiance Integrated Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation controlled by the Registrant through 90% of the voting securities. (2)

 

   

PIC Foundry Holdings, Corp., a Delaware corporation, controlled by the Registrant through 100% of the voting securities. (3)

 

   

PIC 360, LLC a Delaware limited liability company, controlled by the Registrant through 50% of the voting securities. (3)

 

   

Publication Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, controlled by the Registrant through 100% of the voting securities. (1)

 

   

Sunshine Media Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, controlled by Publication Holdings, Inc. through 100% of the voting securities. (2)

 

   

TNCP Intermediate HoldCo, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, controlled by Sunshine Media Group, Inc. through 100% of the voting securities. (1)

 

(1)

Subsidiary is included in the Registrant’s consolidated financial statements.

(2)

The Registrant filed separate audited or unaudited financial statements for these entities for the applicable periods as exhibits to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2018, filed on November 14, 2018.

(3)

Subsidiary is not significant subsidiary as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X.

We may also be deemed to be under “common control” with the following entities: Gladstone Commercial Corporation; Gladstone Land Corporation; and Gladstone Investment Corporation by virtue of the fact that they are advised by the Adviser, Gladstone Management Corporation. We may also be deemed to be under “common control” with Gladstone Lending Corporation, a Maryland corporation, and Gladstone Participation Fund, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, because 100% of the voting securities of each are owned by the Adviser.

Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities

The following table sets forth the approximate number of record holders of each class of our securities at June 30, 2019. This number does not include stockholders for whom shares are held in “street name.”

 

Title of Class

   Number of
Record
Holders
 

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

     38  

6.00% Series 2024 Term Preferred Stock

     1  

6.125% Notes due 2023

     1  

 

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Item 30. Indemnification

Indemnification and Limitation of Liability of Directors and Officers

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 that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates the liability of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) requires us (unless our charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, 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. The MGCL permits us to indemnify our 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 or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

 

   

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;

 

   

the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

 

   

in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

Under the MGCL, we may not indemnify a director or officer in a suit by us or on our behalf in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to us or in a suit in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or on our behalf, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits us to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon our receipt of:

 

   

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 us; and

 

   

a written undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by us if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.

Subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), or any valid rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) thereunder, our charter obligates us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to any director or officer, whether serving our company or at our request any other entity. Our charter also permits us to indemnify and advance expenses to any employee or agent of our company to the extent authorized by our board of directors or the bylaws and permitted by law.

Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent required by Maryland law or the charter, to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was our director, officer, employee or agent, or is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, manager, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise if our board of directors determines that such person acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not

 

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opposed to the best interests of our company, and, in the case of any criminal action or proceeding, that such person had no reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful. However, our bylaws permit us to advance expenses only so long as, in addition to the requirements above, we obtain security for the advance from the director or officer, we obtain insurance against losses arising by reason of lawful advances or we determine that there is reason to believe that the director or officer will be found entitled to indemnification.

These provisions on indemnification and limitation of liability are subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act that prohibit us from protecting any director or officer against any liability to us 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.

In addition, the investment advisory and management agreement between us and our investment adviser, Gladstone Management Corporation (the “Adviser”), as well as the administration agreement between us and our administrator Gladstone Administration, LLC (the “Administrator”), each provide 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, the Adviser or the Administrator, as applicable, and their respective officers, managers, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members, and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from us 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 and management agreement or otherwise as our investment adviser, or the rendering of the Administrator’s services under the administration agreement, as applicable.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

A description of any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which the Adviser, and each 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 section entitled “Management.” Additional information regarding the Adviser and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the SEC, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records

All accounts, books or 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, Gladstone Capital Corporation, 1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22102;

 

(2)

the Transfer Agent, Computershare Inc., 250 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021;

 

(3)

the Adviser, Gladstone Management Corporation, 1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22102;

 

(4)

the Custodian, The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., 500 Ross Street, Suite 625, Pittsburgh, PA 15262; and

 

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(5)

the Collateral Custodian, The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., 500 Ross Street, Suite 625, Pittsburgh, PA 15262.

Item 33. Management Services

Not applicable.

Item 34. Undertakings

 

  1.

We hereby undertake to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is amended if,

 

  (a)

subsequent to the effective date of this registration statement, our net asset value declines more than ten percent from our net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement; or

 

  (b)

Our net asset value increases to an amount greater than our net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

 

  2.

Not applicable.

 

  3.

In the event that the securities being registered are to be offered to existing shareholders pursuant to warrants or rights, and any securities not taken by shareholders are to be reoffered to the public, we undertake to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof. 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, we shall undertake to file a post-effective amendment to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

  4.

We hereby undertake:

 

  (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;

 

  (ii)

to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or other applicable rule under the Securities Act, if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

  (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;

provided, however, that paragraphs (4)(a)(i), (4)(a)(ii), and (4)(a)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports the Registrant files with or furnishes to the Commission pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), or other applicable rule under the Securities Act, that is part of the registration statement;

 

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  (b)

that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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 that 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 to any purchaser:

 

  (i)

that if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

 

  (A)

each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

  (B)

each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; 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 effective date, 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 effective date; or

(i) that if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act, as applicable, as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act, 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 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, we 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 supplement of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 and 497 under the Securities Act;

 

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  (ii)

any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

 

  (iii)

the portion of any other free writing prospectuses or advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

  (iv)

any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

  5.

Not applicable.

 

  6.

We hereby undertake that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of our annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference into the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  7.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to the Registrant’s directors, officers and controlling persons, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant 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 undertakes, unless in the opinion of the Registrant’s counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, to submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by the Registrant is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and the Registrant will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

  8.

Not applicable.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of McLean and Commonwealth of Virginia, on the 10th day of October, 2019.

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

 

David Gladstone

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on October 10, 2019:

 

By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

 

David Gladstone

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors (principal executive officer)

By:  

/s/ Nicole Schaltenbrand

 

Nicole Schaltenbrand

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

(principal financial and accounting officer)

By:  

*

 

Terry L. Brubaker

Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer, Director

By:  

*

 

Paul W. Adelgren

Director

By:  

*

 

Michela A. English

Director

By:  

*

 

Caren D. Merrick

Director

By:  

*

 

John H. Outland

Director


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By:  

*

 

Anthony W. Parker

Director

By:  

*

 

Walter H. Wilkinson, Jr.

Director

 

* By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

  Name: David Gladstone
  Title: Attorney-in-Fact

Exhibit 2.d.11

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

between

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

Dated as of October 10, 2019

THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Second Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of October 10, 2019, is between Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). All capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (the “Base Indenture” and, as supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of the Securities, to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to initially issue and sell up to $33,750,000 aggregate principal amount (or up to $38,812,500 aggregate principal amount if the underwriters’ overallotment option to purchase additional Notes is exercised in full) of the Company’s 5.375% Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, Sections 2.01, 9.01(e) and 9.01(g) of the Base Indenture provide that, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture to (i) add to, delete from, or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication, and delivery of Securities, as set forth in the Base Indenture and (ii) provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the Securities of any series as provided in Section 2.01 of the Base Indenture, to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture or any series of Securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of Securities;

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

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

 


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

ARTICLE I

TERMS OF THE NOTES

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

(a) The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “5.375% Notes due 2024”. The Notes shall bear a CUSIP number of 376535 704 and an ISIN number of US3765357047, as may be supplemented or replaced from time to time.

(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 3.02(a) and 9.04, of the Base Indenture) shall be $33,750,000 (or, pursuant to a Company Order, up to $38,812,500 aggregate principal amount if the underwriters’ overallotment option to purchase additional Notes is exercised in full). Under a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or a Future Supplemental Indenture, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case, “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes; provided that, if such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes (or any other tranche of Additional Notes) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Notes shall have different CUSIP numbers from the Notes (and any such other tranche of Additional Notes). Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes shall constitute a single series under the Indenture, and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.

(c) The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on November 1, 2024 unless earlier redeemed or repurchased in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

(d) The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 5.375% per annum. The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be October 10, 2019, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing November 1, 2019 (provided that, if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period shall be the period from and including October 10, 2019, to, but excluding, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods shall be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on the Notes shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation (5.375% Notes Due 2024) or at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America

 

2


as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in St. Paul, MN, on the date when such amount is due and payable and as further set forth in Section 4.01 of the Indenture; provided, further, however, that, so long as the Notes are registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

(e) The Notes shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “Global Note”). The Global Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Second Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any new Global Note reflecting the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee in accordance with Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture.

(f) The depositary for such Global Notes (the “Depository”) shall be DTC. The Security Registrar with respect to the Global Notes shall be the Trustee.

(g) The Notes shall be redeemable pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture and as follows:

(i) The Notes shall be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after November 1, 2021, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

(ii) Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 3.02(a) of the Base Indenture.

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

(iv) If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the Trustee or, with respect to the Global Notes, the Depository shall determine the method for selecting the particular Notes to be redeemed, in accordance with Section 3.02(b) of the Base Indenture, the Investment Company Act and the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Notes are listed, in each case to the extent applicable.

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

 

3


(h) The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund pursuant to Section 3.04 of the Base Indenture.

(i) The Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof.

(j) Holders of the Notes shall not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to the Stated Maturity.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

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

“‘Act’, when used with respect to any Holder of a Note, has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 of the Indenture.”

“‘Company Order’ means, a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President of the Company, and by the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.”

“‘Default’ means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.”

“‘DTC’ means The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York.”

“‘Exchange Act’ means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules, regulations and interpretations promulgated thereunder, to the extent applicable, and any statute successor thereto.”

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

“‘Holder” means the Person or Persons in whose name or names a particular Note is registered on the Security Register kept for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

“‘Investment Company Act’ means the United States Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and interpretations promulgated thereunder, to the extent applicable, and any statute successor thereto.”

 

4


“‘Maturity’, when used with respect to any Note, means the date on which the principal of such Note or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, notice of option to elect repayment, notice of exchange or conversion or otherwise.”

“‘Redemption Date’, when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.”

“‘Redemption Price’, when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.”

“‘Regular Record Date’ for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Notes means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 1.01(d) of this Second Supplemental Indenture.”

“‘Special Record Date’ for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Notes means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Base Indenture.”

“‘Stated Maturity’ means, when used with respect to any Note or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, the date specified in such Note as the fixed date on which the principal of such Note or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.”

“‘Trustee’ means U.S. Bank National Association, and, subject to the provisions of Article Seven of the Base Indenture, its successors and assigns under the Indenture.”

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

“‘Business Day’, when used with respect to any particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Notes, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York, Nashville, Tennessee, the city in which the Corporate Trust Office is located or that particular location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.”

“‘Corporate Trust Office’ means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date hereof for purposes of presentment of Notes for transfer, exchange or surrender only is located at 111 Fillmore Avenue East, Mailcode: EP-MN-WS2N, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation, and for all other purposes is located at 333 Commerce Street, Suite 800, Nashville, TN 37201, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).”

“‘Officer’s Certificate’ means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (or, in each case, any permitted designee of such Person as may be identified as such in a writing delivered to the Trustee from time to time), and by any President, the Treasurer, or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.”

 

5


ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION OF NOTES

Section 3.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 3.02(b) of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“If less than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee, or by the Depository in the case of Global Notes, in compliance with the requirements of DTC, from the Outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are listed (if the Notes are listed on any national securities exchange), or if the Notes are not held through DTC or listed on any national securities exchange, or DTC prescribed no method of selection, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and subject to and otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the applicable Depository; provided that such method complies with the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Notes are listed, and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of the Notes of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes.”

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 4.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

“The Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes at the time and place and in the manner provided herein and established with respect to such Notes. Payments of principal on the Notes may be made at the time provided herein and established with respect to such Notes by U.S. dollar check drawn on and mailed to the address of the Holder entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register. Alternatively, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in New York City, on the date when such amount is due and payable. To request payment by wire transfer, the registered Holder must give the Security Registrar and the Trustee appropriate wire transfer instructions at least 15 Business Days before the requested payment is due. In the case of any interest payment due on an Interest Payment Date, the instructions must be given by the person who is the registered Holder on the Regular Record Date. Any wire instructions, once properly given, will remain in effect unless and until new instructions are given in accordance with this Section.”

 

6


Section 4.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Four of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Sections 4.06, 4.07 and 4.08 thereto, each as set forth below:

“Section 4.06. Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act.

The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, the Company will not violate Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions, whether or not the Company continues to be subject to such provisions of the Investment Company Act.”

“Section 4.07. Section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Investment Company Act.

The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, the Company shall not declare any dividend (except a dividend payable in stock of the Company), or declare any other distribution, upon a class of the Company’s capital stock, or purchase any such capital stock, unless, in every such case, at the time of the declaration of any such dividend or distribution, or at the time of any such purchase, the Company has an asset coverage (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of at least the threshold specified in Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions thereto of the Investment Company Act, after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and giving effect, in each case, to any no-action relief granted by the Commission to another business development company and upon which the Company may reasonably rely (or to the Company if it determines to seek such similar no-action or other relief) permitting the business development company to declare any cash dividend or distribution notwithstanding the prohibition contained in Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act, in order to maintain such business development company’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.”

“Section 4.08. Commission Reports and Reports to Holders.

If, at any time, the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act to file any periodic reports with the Commission, the Company agrees to furnish to Holders of the Notes and the Trustee for the period of time during which the Notes are Outstanding: (i) within 90 days after the end of the each fiscal year of the Company, audited annual consolidated financial statements of the Company and (ii) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company (other than the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter), unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company. All such financial statements shall be prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP.”

ARTICLE V

REMEDIES

Section 5.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 6.01(a) of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

“(a) Whenever used herein with respect to the Notes, “Event of Default” means any one or more of the following events that has occurred and is continuing:

 

  (1)

default in the payment of any interest upon any Note when such interest becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

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  (2)

default in the payment of the principal of any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or

 

  (3)

default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Note (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Notes), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

  (4)

the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

  a.

commences a voluntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law,

 

  b.

consents to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or files a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief against it,

 

  c.

consents to the entry of a decree or order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding,

 

  d.

consents to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

  e.

makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or admits in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due or takes any corporate action in furtherance of any such action; or

 

  (5)

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

 

  a.

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

 

  b.

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

 

  c.

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

 

  d.

orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company,

and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

  (6)

if, pursuant to Sections 18(a)(1)(c)(ii) and 61 of the Investment Company Act, on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months the Notes shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of less than 100%.”

Section 5.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 6.01(b) of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

“(b) In each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Notes shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by such Holders), may declare the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable.”

 

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Section 5.03. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 6.02(a) of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

“(a) The Company covenants that (i) in case it shall default in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Notes, or in any payment required by any sinking or analogous fund established with respect to that series, as and when the same shall have become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 30 days, or (ii) in case it shall default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any of the Notes when the same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Notes or upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, the whole amount that then shall have been become due and payable on all such Notes for principal (and premium, if any) or interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the Notes; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 7.06.”

Section 5.04. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, the first paragraph of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

“No holder of any Note shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (i) such holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the Notes specifying such Event of Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder; (iii) such holder or holders shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby; (iv) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and (v) during such 60 day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.”

 

9


ARTICLE VI

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

Section 6.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, the second paragraph of Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of the Notes any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other act (each, an “Act”), the Company may, at its option, in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of the Notes entitled to give such Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which date shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of Holders of the Notes generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, such Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of the Notes of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the Notes of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Notes have authorized or agreed or consented to such Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Notes shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of the Notes on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after the record date.”

ARTICLE VII

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 7.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 9.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“Without the consent of any Holders of the Notes, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities contained; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

(c) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); provided, however, that in respect of any such additional Events of Default such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that or those series of Securities to which such additional Events of Default apply to waive such default; or

(d) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture; provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or

 

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(e) to secure the Securities; or

(f) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01, including the provisions and procedures relating to Securities convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company); or

(g) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or

(h) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture; provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect; or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Sections 11.01, 14.02 and 14.03; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or any other series of Securities in any material respect.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the holders of any of the Securities at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 9.02.”

Section 7.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 9.02 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Outstanding Notes affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture that affects the Notes or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Note:

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium, if any) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Note; or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest (or change the manner of calculating the rate of interest thereon), or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the portion of the principal of a Note that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01(b), or upon the redemption thereof or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 6.02(c), or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option

 

11


of the Holder, or change any place of payment where, or the currency in which, any Note or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver with respect to such series (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce any requirements of Section 8.01 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 6.01(c) except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Note affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder of a Note with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 7.11 and 9.01(h).

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or that modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons entitled to consent to any indenture supplemental hereto. If a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such supplemental indenture, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that unless such consent shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having been obtained prior to the date that is 90 days after such record date, any such consent previously given shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect.”

ARTICLE VIII

SUCCESSOR ENTITY

Section 8.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 10.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into any other entity or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, unless:

(1) either the Company shall be the continuing entity, or the entity (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety

 

12


shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on all the Notes and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have happened and be continuing; and

(3) the Company and the successor Person have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.”

ARTICLE IX

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 9.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 11.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

Except as set forth below, this Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to any Notes specified in such Company Request (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Notes expressly provided for herein or pursuant hereto, any surviving rights of tender for repayment at the option of the Holders), and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when

(1) either

(A) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Notes which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.07 and (ii) Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust with the Trustee or any Paying Agent or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Sections 4.03, 11.03 and 11.05) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(B) all Notes

(i) have become due and payable, or

(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

 

13


(iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, solely for the benefit of the Holders, an amount in the Currency in which the Notes are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Notes which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

(2) the Company has irrevocably paid or caused to be irrevocably paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 7.06, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 2.10 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Sections 11.03 and 11.04 shall survive any termination of this Indenture.”

Section 9.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 11.02 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the text thereof with the following:

“[Intentionally omitted.]”

ARTICLE X

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 10.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding a new Article 14 as follows:

“ARTICLE 14

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 14.01. Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to the Notes, elect to have either Section 14.02 (if applicable) or Section 14.03 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article.

 

14


Section 14.02. Defeasance and Discharge.

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to the Notes, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 14.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “defeasance”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Notes, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 14.05 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (A) and (B) of this Section, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under the Notes and this Indenture insofar as such Notes are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Notes receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 14.04 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Notes when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Sections 2.05, 2.07, 4.02 and 4.03, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (D) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article Fourteen, the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 14.03 with respect to such Notes. Following a defeasance, payment of such Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.

Section 14.03. Covenant Defeasance.

Upon the Company’ s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Notes, the Company shall be released from its obligations under Sections 4.06, 4.07 and 4.08 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 14.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Notes shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Notes, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a)(3) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby. Following a covenant defeasance, payment of such Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default solely by reference to such Sections specified above in this Section 14.03.

Section 14.04. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 to any Outstanding Notes:

 

  (i)

The Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.09 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for the benefit of, and dedicated solely to, the Holders of such Notes, (A) an amount (in such Currency in which such Notes are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity), or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Notes (determined on the basis of the

 

15


  Currency in which such Notes are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, without reinvestment thereof, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Notes, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (1) the principal of and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Notes on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Notes on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Notes.

 

  (ii)

Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

  (iii)

No Default or Event of Default with respect to such Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Sections 6.01(a)(4) and 6.01(a)(5) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

  (iv)

In the case of an election under Section 14.02, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

 

  (v)

In the case of an election under Section 14.03, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

 

  (vi)

The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to either the defeasance under Section 14.02 or the covenant defeasance under Section 14.03 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

 

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ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01. This Second Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. This Second Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

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

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

Section 11.04. The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Second Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Second Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this Second Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture.

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

Section 11.06. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this Second Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Indenture, and this Second Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.

Section 11.07. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Second Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Second Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.

 

 

17


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

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

Name:   David Gladstone
Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Wally Jones

Name:   Wally Jones
Title:   Vice President

[Signature page to Second Supplemental Indenture]


Exhibit A — Form of Global Note

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

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

Gladstone Capital Corporation

 

No.

   $
     CUSIP No. 376535 704
     ISIN No. US3765357047

5.375% Notes due 2024

Gladstone Capital Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Maryland (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________________ (U.S. $ ____________________) on November 1, 2024, and to pay interest thereon from October 10, 2019 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 in each year, commencing November 1, 2019, at the rate of 5.375% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holders of the Notes on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.

 


Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation (5.375% Notes Due 2024) or at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Securities by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in New York City, on the date when such amount is due and payable and as further set forth in Section 4.01 of the Indenture; provided further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment shall be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.

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

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

 

A-2


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

Dated:

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Attest  
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

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

Dated:

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

A-3


Gladstone Capital Corporation

5.375% Notes due 2024

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 10, 2019, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Second Supplemental Indenture,” the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture collectively are herein called the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, which series is initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $33,750,000 (or up to $38,812,500 aggregate principal amount if the underwriters’ overallotment option to purchase additional Securities is exercised in full). Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities; provided that, if such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Securities (or any other tranche of Additional Securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Securities will have a different CUSIP numbers from the Securities (and any such other tranche of Additional Securities). Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.

The Securities of this series are subject to redemption in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after November 1, 2021, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Securities to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 3.02(a) of the Base Indenture.

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

If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Securities, the Trustee or, with respect to global Securities, the Depository will determine the method for selecting the particular Securities to be redeemed, in accordance with Section 1.01 of the Second Supplemental Indenture and Section 3.02(b) of the Base Indenture. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

 

A-4


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

Holders of Securities do not have the option to have the Securities repaid prior to November 1, 2024.

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

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

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

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

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

 

A-5


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

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $25 and any integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

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

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, or the Security Registrar and any agent of the Company, the Trustee, or the Security Registrar shall treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Security Registrar, or any agent thereof shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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

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

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

 

A-6

Exhibit 2.h.2

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

$33,750,000 5.375% Notes due 2024

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

October 7, 2019

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC,

As representative of the several underwriters named in Exhibit A

c/o Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

1717 Arch Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), Gladstone Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Adviser”), and Gladstone Administration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Administrator”), each confirms with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and each of the other underwriters named in Exhibit A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as provided in Section 8 hereof), for whom Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is acting as the representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”) with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company of $33,750,000 aggregate principal amount (the “Initial Securities”) of the Company’s 5.375% notes due 2024 (the “Notes”), and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Exhibit A hereto, and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Underwriters of the option described in Section 3(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of $5,062,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes (the “Option Securities”) to cover over-allotments, if any. The Initial Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the Option Securities are hereinafter called, collectively, the “Securities.”

The Company has entered into an amended and restated investment advisory and management agreement, dated October 1, 2006 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 on October 13, 2015 and reapproved through August 31, 2020 by the board of directors of the Company on July 9, 2019, the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), with the Adviser. The Company has entered into an administration agreement, dated as of October 1, 2006 (the “Administration Agreement”), with the Administrator.

The Company has filed, pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (collectively with the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, the “1933 Act”), with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a universal shelf registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720), which registers the offer and sale of certain securities to be issued from time to time by the Company, including the Securities.


The registration statement as amended, including the exhibits and schedules thereto, at the time it became effective on February 5, 2019 and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all documents filed as a part thereof, and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the Small Business Credit Availability Act (the “SBCAA”), and including any information contained in a prospectus subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 497”) with respect to the offer, issuance and/or sale of the Securities and deemed to be a part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) and Rule 430C (“Rule 430C”) under the 1933 Act, and also including any registration statement relating to the Securities filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement.” The prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective on February 5, 2019 (including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the SBCAA) is hereinafter referred to as the “Base Prospectus.” The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 497 a “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement,” which means the preliminary prospectus supplement used in connection with the offer of the Securities and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 prior to execution and delivery of this Agreement. “Final Prospectus Supplement” means the prospectus supplement containing all information omitted from the Base Prospectus and Preliminary Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C which will be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497. “Prospectus” means, collectively, the Base Prospectus and Final Prospectus Supplement. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the Final Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any supplements or amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rule 497 and prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities by the Underwriters. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the SBCAA to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, or the Prospectus, including those made pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act or such other rule under the 1933 Act as may be applicable to the Company, shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act (as defined below) which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the SBCAA or the rules of the Commission promulgated thereunder or otherwise to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date.

The Notes will be issued under an indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), as supplemented by a second supplemental indenture (the “Second Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), to be dated on or about October 10, 2019, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Notes will be issued as fully registered securities to Cede & Co. (or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)), as nominee of DTC.

 

2


All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR).

In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator. The Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to and agree with the Underwriters as of the date of this Agreement, as of the Applicable Time, as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date (as such terms are defined in Sections 1(a), 3(c) and 3(b), respectively, hereof), as follows:

(a) A registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720) with respect to the Securities has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the 1933 Act, has been filed with the Commission and became effective on February 5, 2019 in accordance with Section 8(a) of the 1933 Act. The Company meets the requirements of and complies with the conditions for the use of Form N-2 under the 1933 Act. Copies of the Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the 1933 Act) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the Company to the Representative. As of the Applicable Time, the Base Prospectus and the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the information included in Exhibit B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the General Disclosure Package or the Registration Statement in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the Representative, specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 7 herein. As of the date set forth on its cover page (solely in the case of the Prospectus), the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriters through the Representative, specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 7 herein. As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement, the term “Applicable Time” means 4:45 p.m. (New York time) on the date of this Agreement or such other time as agreed to by the Company and the Representative.

 

3


The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Securities, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act has been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto contain and will contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and conform and will conform to the requirements of, the 1933 Act. At the respective times the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became effective and as of the Applicable Time, the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date (if any), the Registration Statement did not, and will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriters through the Representative, specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 7 herein.

(b) The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representative, it will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities and which the parties agree, for purposes of this Agreement, includes (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the 1933 Act or Rule 134 under the 1933 Act, (ii) any “advertisement” as defined in Rule 482 under the 1933 Act or (iii) any Sales Material (as defined below).

(c) The documents (other than exhibits) incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, and the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively with the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”), and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents (other than exhibits) so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, and the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(d) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as currently carried on and described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities,

 

4


except where the failure of the Company to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not result in a Company Material Adverse Effect (defined below). Each of the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries other than those entities which would not constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company or corporation, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with all requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as currently carried on and described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the Subsidiaries’ failure to be so qualified would not (i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and under the Indenture and the Notes (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as a “Company Material Adverse Effect”). Each of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except for such jurisdictions where failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Company Material Adverse Effect. The outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are wholly owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding. As of June 30, 2019, the Company did not own, directly or indirectly, any shares of stock or any other equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation or other entity other than those corporations or other entities described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Portfolio Companies” (each, a “Portfolio Company,” and collectively, the “Portfolio Companies”), and the subsidiaries listed in Item 28 of the Registration Statement. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as of the respective dates set forth therein, the Company does not control (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (collectively with the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, the “1940 Act”)) any of the Portfolio Companies.

(e) The outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the Securities or the issue and sale thereof. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any class of securities of the Company.

(f) The information set forth under the captions “Description of Our Securities” and “Description of the Notes” in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the 1940 Act, Maryland law, the Indenture and the Securities, fairly and accurately summarize

 

5


such provisions in all material respects. The Indenture and the Securities materially conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The form of certificate for the Securities conform to the requirements of the Indenture, any requirements of the Company’s charter or bylaws and the listing requirements for the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”). Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein or in this Agreement or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

(g) The Company has duly authorized, executed and delivered and currently is a party to or payee with respect to the promissory notes and other agreements evidencing the investments described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Portfolio Companies” (each, a “Portfolio Company Agreement”). Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, each Portfolio Company is current with all its obligations under the applicable Portfolio Company Agreements, no event of default (or a default which with the giving of notice or the passage of time would become an event of default) has occurred under such agreements, except to the extent that any such failure to be current in its obligations and any such default would not reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(h) The Indenture has been duly authorized, and at the Closing Date, will be duly executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee, will constitute a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general equitable principles.

(i) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company for sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when executed and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture relating thereto, against payment of the consideration set forth in this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding agreements of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general equitable principles.

(j) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

(k) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or other materials, if any, permitted by the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act.

 

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(l) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries, as of the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary and selected consolidated financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, and such data have been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the 1933 Act) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act, and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 810), which are not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included as required.

(m) Any audited consolidated financial statements of a Portfolio Company, together with related notes and schedules, included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of such Portfolio Company, as of the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such audited consolidated financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein.

(n) PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, who has certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(o) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is aware of (i) any material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting or (ii) any change in internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(p) Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission and Nasdaq thereunder (collectively, the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) have been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(q) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or otherwise, which if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries would have a Company Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(r) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the properties and assets reflected in the consolidated financial statements hereinabove described or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind, except those reflected in such financial statements or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or which are not material in amount. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries are not party to any leases, except for such leases entered into after the effective date of the Prospectus and such leases that would not be reasonably likely to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(s) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve for accrual has been established in accordance with GAAP, other than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except where the failure to so file or pay would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed additional material tax assessments.

(t) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse change or any development that is reasonably likely to involve a prospective material adverse change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into, or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into, by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the Company’s financial statements which are included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(u) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be as of the Applicable Time, the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date: (i) in violation of its charter or certificate or articles of incorporation (as amended, restated and supplemented), bylaws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound or (iii) in violation of any law, order, rule or regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, and, solely with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), which violation or default would have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof will not conflict with or result in a breach of (i) any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties is bound, (ii) the charter or bylaws of the Company or (iii) any law, order, rule or regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except with respect to clauses (i) and (iii) for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(v) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator of their obligations under, this Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action or limited liability company action, as applicable, on the part of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator.

(w) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (except (i) the post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement adding certain documents related to the offering of the Securities as exhibits thereto and (ii) such additional steps as may be (w) required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”); (x) required by Nasdaq in connection with the listing of the Securities; or (y) necessary to qualify the Securities for public offering by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.

(x) The Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and each of the Subsidiaries hold all licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of their businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to hold such licenses, certificates or permits would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect; the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and the Subsidiaries each own or possess rights to use all patents, patent rights, trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, license rights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and unpatentable proprietary or confidential

 

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information, systems or procedures) and other intellectual property rights (“Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on their businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in all material respects; none of the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator or any of the Subsidiaries has infringed, and none of the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator or the Subsidiaries has received notice of conflict with, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. None of the technology employed by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator has been obtained or is being used by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator or any of their respective officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons; none of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator has received any written or oral communications alleging that the Company has violated, infringed or conflicted with, or, by conducting its business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, would violate, infringe or conflict with, any of the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity, except for such violations, infringements or conflicts that would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, none of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator knows of any infringement by others of Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator.

(y) Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Notes to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market-making transactions in the Securities on Nasdaq in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(z) The terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement, including compensation terms, comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Advisers Act”), and the approvals by the board of directors and the Company’s stockholders, as applicable, of the Investment Advisory Agreement have been obtained in accordance with the requirements of Section 15 of the 1940 Act applicable to companies that have elected to be regulated as business development companies under the 1940 Act.

(aa) Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

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

(cc) The statistical, industry-related and market-related data, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

(dd) The operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries conduct business, and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any or its consolidated subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.

(ee) Neither the Company nor any of its consolidated subsidiaries, nor, any director or officer of the Company or its consolidated subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee or representative of the Company or its consolidated subsidiaries, or other person acting on behalf of the Company or its consolidated subsidiaries is currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department or the U.S. Department of State and including the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the target of Sanctions, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region, Sudan and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any unlawful activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any unlawful activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

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(ff) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company deems adequate for the conduct of their respective business and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses.

(gg) Each of the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company and each Subsidiary would have any liability; the Company and each Subsidiary has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification.

(hh) To the Company’s knowledge, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater securityholders except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(ii) There are no relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

(jj) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law, which violation is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

(kk) As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding personal loans made, directly or indirectly, by the Company to any director or executive officer of the Company.

(ll) Any advertising, sales literature, press releases or other promotional material (including “prospectus wrappers,” “broker kits,” “road show slides,” “road show scripts” and “electronic road show presentations”) authorized in writing by or prepared by the Company to be used in connection with the public offering of the Securities and approved for use by the Representative in accordance with Section 1(b) herein (collectively, “Sales Material”) do not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact

 

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required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading. Moreover, all Sales Material complies and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act (except that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Sales Material made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company by the Underwriters expressly for use therein).

(mm) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and as required to comply with the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2015, by and among Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, as borrower, the Adviser, as servicer, the lenders and managing agents named therein, and Keybank National Association, as administrative agent, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, and for such prohibitions that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, no Subsidiary, other than Gladstone Business Loan, LLC, is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary.

(nn) None of the Adviser, the Administrator, the Company, nor any of its consolidated subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company nor any director, officer, agent or affiliate of any consolidated subsidiary of the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of any consolidated subsidiary of the Company is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offense under any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, including making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of any applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, and the Adviser, the Administrator, the Company, the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries and their respective affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with any applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws and have instituted, maintained and enforced and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(oo) The Company and its Subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, access for disabled persons, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Laws, except

 

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where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

(pp) The Company has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act and has filed with the Commission, pursuant to Section 54(a) of the 1940 Act, a duly completed and executed Form N-54A (the “Company BDC Election”); the Company has not filed with the Commission any notice of withdrawal of the Company BDC Election pursuant to Section 54(c) of the 1940 Act; the Company BDC Election remains in full force and effect and, to the Company’s actual knowledge, no order of suspension or revocation of such election under the 1940 Act has been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission. The operations of the Company are in compliance with the provisions of the 1940 Act applicable to business development companies, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(qq) The Company is currently organized and operates in compliance in all material respects with the requirements to be taxed as, and has duly elected to be taxed as (which election has not been revoked), a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. The Company intends to direct the investment of the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Use of Proceeds” and in such a manner as to continue to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

(rr) There are no contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so described and filed as required. All descriptions of contracts or documents described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date hereof, the Company has not filed this Agreement, the Indenture or the opinion of Maryland Counsel (as defined below) with respect to the legality of the Securities as exhibits to the Registration Statement, although all such exhibits will be filed by post-effective amendment pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the 1933 Act by the Closing Date.

(ss) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus: (i) no person is serving or acting as an officer, director or investment adviser of the Company, except in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act; and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, no director of the Company is an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company or an “affiliated person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Underwriters.

 

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(tt) The Notes, by the Closing Date, will be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Notes under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or FINRA is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The application for listing of the Notes for trading on Nasdaq has been submitted by the Company.

(uu) The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all of the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and such statements conform to the rights set forth in the respective instruments and agreements defining the same.

(vv) The Securities conform to the provisions of the Indenture and the relative rights, preferences, interests and powers of such Securities are set forth in the Indenture.

(ww) As of the date of this Agreement and on a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of proceeds therefrom, the Company will be in compliance with the applicable asset coverage requirements set forth in Sections 18 and 61 of the 1940 Act.

(xx) This Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act.

(yy) The Company is not and was not an ineligible issuer as defined under the 1933 Act, at the times specified in the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

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

 

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Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator (as applicable) to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Adviser and the Administrator. The Adviser and the Administrator, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the Underwriters as of the date of this Agreement, as of the Applicable Time, as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date, and agree with the Underwriters as follows:

(a) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition, or in the earnings, business affairs, operations or regulatory status of the Adviser, the Administrator or any of their respective subsidiaries, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, that would reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect, would otherwise reasonably be expected to prevent the Adviser from carrying out its obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement (an “Adviser Material Adverse Effect”) or would otherwise reasonably be expected to prevent the Administrator from carrying out its obligations under the Administration Agreement (an “Administrator Material Adverse Effect”).

(b) Each of the Adviser and the Administrator has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; the Adviser has the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement; the Administrator has the power and authority to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under the Administration Agreement; and each of the Adviser, the Administrator and their respective subsidiaries is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of ownership or leasing of its property or the conduct of business, except, in each case, where the failure to qualify or be in good standing would not otherwise reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable.

(c) The Adviser is duly registered with the Commission as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the 1940 Act from acting under the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There does not exist any proceeding or, to the Adviser’s knowledge, any facts or circumstances the existence of which could reasonably be expected to lead to any proceeding, which might adversely affect the registration of the Adviser with the Commission.

(d) There is no action, suit or proceeding or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, the Administrator or any of their respective subsidiaries, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Adviser or the Administrator, threatened, against or affecting the Adviser or the Administrator which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General

 

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Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein), or which would reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement or the Administration Agreement; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Adviser or the Administrator is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to their business, would not reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable.

(e) None of the Adviser, the Administrator or any of their respective subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its organizational or governing documents, (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Adviser or Administrator is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Adviser or the Administrator is subject (collectively, the “Agreements and Instruments”), or (iii) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Adviser and the Administrator with their respective obligations hereunder and under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Adviser or the Administrator pursuant to the Agreements and Instruments except for such violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or the limited liability company operating agreement of the Adviser or Administrator, respectively; nor will such action result in any violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Adviser or the Administrator or any of their respective assets, properties or operations.

(f) This Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser or the Administrator, as applicable. The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement are valid and binding obligations of the Adviser or the Administrator, respectively, enforceable against them in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

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(g) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Adviser or the Administrator of their respective obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”), except such as have been already obtained under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act or will be obtained by the Closing Date.

(h) The descriptions of the Adviser and the Administrator contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.

(i) The Adviser and the Administrator possess such licenses issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them (“Governmental Licenses”), except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable; the Adviser and the Administrator are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable; and neither the Adviser nor the Administrator has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable.

(j) Each of the Adviser and the Administrator maintains data processing, communications and other technology systems sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iii) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Each of the Adviser and the Administrator has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent data breaches and other breaches of applicable privacy laws.

 

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(k) Neither the Adviser nor the Administrator is aware that (i) any executive, key employee or significant group of employees of the Company (if any), the Adviser (to the extent any such person devotes substantive attention to matters involving the Company) or the Administrator (to the extent any such person devotes substantive attention to matters involving the Company) plans to terminate employment with the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator, as applicable, or (ii) any such executive or key employee is subject to any non-compete, nondisclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the present or proposed business activities of the Company or the Adviser except where such termination or violation would not reasonably be expected to have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, as applicable.

3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.

(a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby agrees to sell to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, the respective aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities set forth opposite the name of the Underwriter in Exhibit A hereto, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Exhibit A hereto, plus any additional aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 hereof, subject to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional Securities, in each case at a purchase price of 97.0% of the aggregate principal amount (the “Purchase Price”).

(b) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities at a price equal to the Purchase Price (without giving effect to any accrued interest from the Closing Date to the applicable Option Closing Date). The option hereby granted will expire at 11:59 P.M. (New York City time) on the 30th day after the date hereof and may be exercised on up to three occasions in whole or in part only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the aggregate principal amount of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (an “Option Closing Date”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be earlier than three or later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, the Company will sell to the Underwriters that proportion of the aggregate principal amount of Option Securities then being purchased, and each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the aggregate principal amount of Option Securities then being purchased, which the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities set forth in Exhibit A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 hereof, bears to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Representative in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional Securities.

 

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(c) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of any certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Dechert LLP at 1001 1900 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on October 10, 2019 (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 8), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Date”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the Purchase Price for, and delivery of any certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Option Closing Date.

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a single bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. The Representative, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(d) Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least two full business days before the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

4. Expenses. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto) and the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to either of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the costs and expenses incurred by the Company arising out of the marketing of the sale of the Securities to investors; (iv) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of the Securities; (v) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all closing documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (vi) the listing of the Securities on Nasdaq; (vii) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (viii) any filings required to

 

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be made with FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters, in an amount not to exceed $7,500, relating to such filings); (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including Maryland Counsel) for the Company; (x) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and (xi) all other reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

5. Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished the Representative a copy for its review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment, supplement or Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to which the Representative reasonably objects. Subject to the foregoing sentence, if the Registration Statement has become or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A under the 1933 Act, or filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 497, the Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representative with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representative (1) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, will have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement will have been filed with the Commission, (2) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement will have been filed or become effective, (3) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (4) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (5) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(b) The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and 430C under the 1933 Act and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a

 

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proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will promptly effect the filings required under Rule 497, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 497, notify the Representative of the filing thereof, and take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 497 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file the Prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(c) If at any time when the Prospectus is required by the 1933 Act or the Exchange Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event will occur or condition will exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of outside counsel to the Underwriters or the Company, to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it will be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of such outside counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement, to file a new registration statement, or to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the Company will (i) promptly prepare and file with the Commission, such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements, provided that the Company shall not make any filing to which the Representative reasonably objects, (ii) use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable, and (iii) furnish to the Representative, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as the Representative may reasonably request.

(d) The Company will cooperate with the Representative in endeavoring to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be reasonably required for that purpose; provided the Company will not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representative may reasonably request for distribution of the Securities.

(e) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representative, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representative during the period when delivery of a Prospectus is required under the 1933 Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representative at or before the Closing Date, a copy of the signed Registration Statement and all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to the Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may reasonably be requested) and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

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(f) The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus.

(g) If the General Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy the Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event will occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or to make the statements therein not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to comply with any law, the Company promptly will prepare, file with the Commission (if required) and furnish to the Underwriters and any dealers an appropriate amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package.

(h) The Company will make generally available to its security holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, an earnings statement or statements (which need not be audited), which will satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 under the 1933 Act and will advise the Representative in writing when such statement has been so made available.

(i) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or derivative of debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than hereunder or with the prior written consent of the Representative.

(j) The Company will apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Securities as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(k) The Company will maintain a trustee, paying agent and registrar for the Notes.

(l) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities, except as may be allowed by law.

(m) The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1933 Act, the Exchange Act and the 1940 Act within the time periods required by such act, rule or regulation. To the extent the distribution of Securities has been completed, the Company will not be required to provide the Underwriters with reports it is required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act.

 

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(n) The Company has obtained an initial no objections letter and the Underwriters will obtain a final no objection letter from FINRA regarding the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(o) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect within thirty (30) days of the Closing Date and to maintain the listing of the Notes on Nasdaq.

6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities on the Closing Date and the Option Securities, if any, on the Option Closing Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Applicable Time, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants and obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments thereto shall have become effective and the Prospectus shall have been filed as required by Rules 430A, 430B, 430C or 497 under the 1933 Act, as applicable, within the time period prescribed by, and in compliance with the 1933 Act, and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representative and complied with to its reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the 1933 Act shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated or threatened by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order or order of any nature by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Securities.

(b) The Representative shall have received from Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Company (the “Company Counsel”), an opinion and a negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representative in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(c) The Representative shall have received from Venable LLP, special Maryland counsel for the Company (“Maryland Counsel”), an opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters, regarding matters relating to Maryland law, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(d) The Representative shall have received from Dechert LLP, counsel to Underwriters (“Underwriters’ Counsel”), an opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

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(e) The Representative shall have received, on each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, the letter dated the date hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered in accordance with Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f) Each of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator shall have furnished to the Representative, on the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 6(f).

(g) The Company and the Trustee shall have executed and delivered each of the Base Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Securities.

(h) Each of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling the Underwriters to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated.

(i) The application for listing of the Securities shall have been submitted to Nasdaq.

(j) There shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any debt of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, and no such organization shall have publicly announced it has under surveillance or review any such rating.

The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all material respects satisfactory to the Representative and to Underwriters’ Counsel.

If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representative by notifying the Company of such termination in writing at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 4 and 7 hereof).

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Underwriters and each person who controls the Underwriters within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, arising out of any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof (and including any post-effective amendment), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any sales material (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arising out of or based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

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

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the General Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: (i) their names and (ii) the eleventh through thirteenth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting.”

(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, each of their respective directors, each of their respective officers who sign the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the indemnity from the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator to the Underwriters set forth in Section 7(a)(i) and the proviso thereto, but only with reference to written information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. The Underwriters agree to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action to which they are entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7(b). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Underwriters may otherwise have.

 

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(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7, such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section 7 shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 7(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 7. In case any such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding and does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the

 

27


allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 7(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e) Any contribution by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator shall be subject to the requirements and limitations of Section 17(i) of the 1940 Act and Investment Company Act Release 11330, as amended or updated.

8. Default by One or More Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall use reasonable efforts, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then:

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

 

28


(b) if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Option Closing Date which occurs after the Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities that were to have been purchased and sold on such Option Closing Date, shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section 8 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of an Option Closing Date which is after the Closing Date, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, the Representative shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 8.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company (a) at any time prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date (if different from the Closing Date and then only as to Option Securities) if any of the following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, which the Representative deems to materially impair the investment quality of the Securities, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis (including, without limitation, an act of terrorism) or change in economic or political conditions, if the effect of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial markets of the United States would, in the judgment of the Representative, materially impair the investment quality of the Securities, (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading), (iv) the declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State authorities, (v) the suspension of trading of any security of the Company by Nasdaq, the Commission or any other governmental authority or (vi) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in the opinion of the Representative has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or (b) as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement.

 

29


10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Section 4, Section 7, Section 10, Section 13, Section 15 and Section 16 shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and will be mailed (postage prepaid, certified or registered mail, return receipt requested), delivered or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication:

 

  (a)

if to the Underwriters:

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

1717 Arch Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(410) 665-6197 (fax)

Attention: John Nelson

with an additional copy to:

Dechert LLP

1900 K Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20006

(202) 261-3333 (fax)

Attention: Harry Pangas (which copy shall not constitute notice)

 

  (b)

if to the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator:

Gladstone Capital Corporation

1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100

McLean, VA 22102

(703) 287-5801(fax)

Attention: David Gladstone

with an additional copy to:

Proskauer Rose LLP

1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Suite 600 South

Washington, D.C. 20004

(202) 416-6899 (fax)

Attention: William J. Tuttle (which copy shall not constitute notice)

 

30


12. Successors. This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and their respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.

13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the offering and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which an Underwriter may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters have not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters), and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that any Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

14. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the subject matter hereof.

15. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

16. Waiver of Jury Trial. The parties hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

18. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

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

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

31


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and the Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
Gladstone Capital Corporation
By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

Name:   David Gladstone
Title:   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gladstone Management Corporation
By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

Name:   David Gladstone
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
Gladstone Administration, LLC
By:  

/s/ Michael B. LiCalsi

Name:   Michael B. LiCalsi
Title:   President

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first-written above.

 

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
By:  

/s/ John D. Nelson

Name:   John D. Nelson
Title:   Managing Director

For itself and as Representative of the Underwriters named in Exhibit A hereto

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


EXHIBIT A

UNDERWRITERS

 

Name of Underwriter

   Aggregate Principal
Amount of Initial

Securities
 

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

   $ 13,500,000  

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

   $ 9,618,750  

B. Riley FBR, Inc.

   $ 5,906,250  

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

   $ 2,868,750  

Wedbush Securities Inc.

   $ 1,856,250  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 33,750,000  
  

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A


EXHIBIT B

PRICE-RELATED INFORMATION

[See attached]


Pricing Terms

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

$33,750,000

5.375% Notes Due 2024

Pricing Term Sheet

October 7, 2019

The following sets forth the final terms of the 5.375% Notes due 2024 (the “Notes”) and should only be read together with the preliminary prospectus supplement dated October 7, 2019, together with the accompanying prospectus dated February 5, 2019, relating to these securities (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus. In all other respects, this pricing term sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus. Terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus. All references to dollar amounts are references to U.S. dollars.

 

Issuer:    Gladstone Capital Corporation (the “Company”)
Title of the Securities:    5.375% Notes due 2024
Initial Aggregate Principal Amount Being Offered:    $33,750,000
Over-Allotment Option:    $5,062,500 aggregate principal amount of Notes within 30 days of the date hereof solely to cover over-allotments, if any.
Issue Price:    $25.00
Principal Payable at Maturity:    100% of the aggregate principal amount; the principal amount of each Note will be payable on its stated maturity date at the office of the trustee, paying agent, and security registrar for the Notes or at such other office as the Company may designate.
Type of Note:    Fixed rate note
Listing:    The Company intends to list the Notes on The Nasdaq Global Select Market within 30 days of the original issue date under the trading symbol “GLADL”.
Stated Maturity Date:    November 1, 2024
Interest Rate:    5.375% per year
Underwriting Discount:    3.00% (or $1,012,500 total assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)
Net Proceeds to the Issuer, before Expenses:    97.00% (or $32,737,500 total assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)
Day Count Basis:    360-day year of twelve 30-day months
Trade Date:    October 7, 2019
Settlement Date:    October 10, 2019 (T+3)*
Date Interest Starts Accruing:    October 10, 2019
Interest Payment Dates:    Every February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1, commencing November 1, 2019. If an interest payment date falls on a non-business day, the applicable interest payment will be made on the next business day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment.


Interest Periods:    The initial interest period will be the period from and including October 10, 2019, to, but excluding, the initial interest payment date, and the subsequent interest periods will be the periods from and including an interest payment date to, but excluding, the next interest payment date or the stated maturity date, as the case may be.
Specified Currency:    U.S. Dollars
Denominations:    The Company will issue the Notes in denominations of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof.
Business Day:    Each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York, Nashville, Tennessee or another place of payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
Optional Redemption:    The Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at the Company’s option on or after November 1, 2021, upon not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days written notice by mail prior to the date fixed for redemption thereof, at a redemption price of 100% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to but not including the date fixed for redemption.
CUSIP / ISIN:    376535 704 / US3765357047
Use of Proceeds:    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to reduce outstanding obligations under its credit facility, to fund new investment opportunities, and for other general corporate purposes
Joint Book-Running Managers:    Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and B. Riley FBR, Inc.
Co-Managers:    William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Wedbush Securities Inc.
Trustee, Paying Agent, and Security Registrar:    U.S. Bank National Association

 

*

Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes on the date of pricing will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially will settle T+3, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Notes who wish to trade the Notes on the date of pricing should consult their own advisor.

This pricing term sheet, the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not offers to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy, nor will there be any sale of the Notes referred to in this pricing term sheet, in any jurisdiction where such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is on file with and has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and a related preliminary prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, 1717 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103; Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., 277 Park Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10172; and B. Riley FBR, Inc., 299 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10171. Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses of the Company before investing. The preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus contain this and other information about the Company and should be read carefully before investing.

Exhibit 2.1.4

 

LOGO   Proskauer Rose LLP 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 600 South Washington, DC 20004-2533

 

October 10, 2019      

d 202.416.6800

f 202.416.6899

Gladstone Capital Corporation       www.proskauer.com
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100      
McLean, VA 22101      

Re: Gladstone Capital Corporation 5.375% Notes due 2024

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel for Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance of up to $38,812,500 aggregate principal amount of 5.375% notes due 2024 (the “Notes”), including up to $5,062,500 aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be sold pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option, pursuant to the registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on December 7, 2018 and the final prospectus supplement, dated October 7, 2019 (including the base prospectus filed therewith, the “Prospectus Supplement”), filed with the Commission under the Securities Act on October 8, 2019.

The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the indenture, dated November 6, 2018, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) (the “Base Indenture”), as supplemented by the second supplemental indenture, dated October 10, 2019, between the Company and the Trustee (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).

In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:

 

  (i)

the Registration Statement,

 

  (ii)

the Prospectus Supplement,

 

  (iii)

the Indenture,

 

  (iv)

a specimen of the form of the Notes and

 

  (v)

such corporate records of the Company, certificates of public officials, officers of the Company and other persons, and such other documents, agreements and instruments as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed.

Boca Raton | Boston | Chicago | Hong Kong | London | Los Angeles | New Orleans | New York | Newark | Paris | São Paulo | Washington, D.C.


LOGO

Gladstone Capital Corporation

October 10, 2019

Page 2

 

In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. In making our examination of executed documents, we have assumed (i) that the parties thereto (a) are duly organized and validly existing in good standing in their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or formation, (b) have complied with all aspects of the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or formation in connection with the issuance of the Notes and the related transactions and (c) had the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder, and (ii) the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by the parties thereto of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties. To the extent our opinions set forth below relate to the enforceability of the choice of New York law and choice of New York forum provisions of the Indenture and the Notes, our opinion is rendered in reliance upon N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §§5-1401, 5-1402 (McKinney 2001) and N.Y. C.P.L.R. 327(b) (McKinney 2001) and is subject to the qualification that such enforceability may be limited by public policy considerations of any jurisdiction, other than the courts of the State of New York, in which enforcement of such provisions, or of a judgment upon an agreement containing such provisions, is sought. We have also assumed that the Company has complied with all aspects of applicable laws of jurisdictions other than the State of New York in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Indenture. As to facts material to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company, public officials and others.

Our opinions set forth herein are limited to the laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are applicable to the Notes and, to the extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals, licenses, authorizations, validations, filings, recordings or registrations with governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Covered Law”). We do not express any opinion with respect to the law of any jurisdiction other than the Covered Law or as to the effect of any such non-covered law on the opinions herein stated.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein and assuming that (i) the Indenture and the Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Trustee and (ii) the Notes have been authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof, we are of the opinion that the Notes will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms thereof.

The opinion set forth above is subject, as to enforcement, to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought, and (iii) provisions of law that require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States dollars.


LOGO

Gladstone Capital Corporation

October 10, 2019

Page 3

 

In rendering the opinion set forth above, we have assumed that the execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture and the Notes and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder do not and will not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under any agreement or instrument to which the Company or its properties is subject.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable law.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Proskauer Rose LLP

Washington, D.C.

Exhibit 2.1.5

[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]

October 10, 2019

Gladstone Capital Corporation

1521 Westbranch Drive

Suite 100

McLean, Virginia 22102

Re: Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-228720)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) and a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the issuance by the Company of up to $38,812,500 in aggregate principal amount of its 5.375% Notes due 2023 (the “Notes”), including up to $5,062,500 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes pursuant to an option to purchase, covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). The Notes are to be issued in an underwritten public offering pursuant to a Prospectus Supplement, dated October 7, 2019 (the “Prospectus Supplement”).

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement, and the related form of prospectus included therein, in the form filed by the Company with the Commission under the 1933 Act;

2. The Prospectus Supplement, in the form filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act;

3. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

4. The Bylaws of the Company, as amended, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;


Gladstone Capital Corporation

October 10, 2019

Page 2

 

5. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;

6. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and a duly authorized committee thereof relating to the authorization of the issuance of the Notes and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Note Documents (as defined herein), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

7. The Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”);

8. The Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 10, 2019 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and between the Company and the Trustee;

9. The Global Note, dated as of October 10, 2019 (the “Note” and, together with the Indenture, the “Note Documents”), made by the Company, representing the Notes;

10. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

11. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.


Gladstone Capital Corporation

October 10, 2019

Page 3

 

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

2. The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Note Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The Notes have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company.

3. The Note Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the Company.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning federal law or the laws of any other state. We express no opinion as to compliance with any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of any judicial decision which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.


Gladstone Capital Corporation

October 10, 2019

Page 4

 

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and the said incorporation by reference and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Venable LLP