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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 2020

Securities Act Registration No. 333-237267

Investment Company Registration No. 811-22488

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-2

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

   THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  

 

 

 

   Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1  
   Post-Effective Amendment No.  

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

   THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940       

 

   Amendment No. 7       

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

345 Park Avenue

31st Floor

New York, NY 10154

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(877) 876-1121

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 

 

Marisa J. Beeney, Esq.

GSO Capital Partners LP

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10154

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

Rajib Chanda, Esq.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

900 G Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001

 

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the 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)

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

 

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment registration statement.

 

 

This Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is            .

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Title of Securities Being Registered  

Amount

Being

Registered(1)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Offering Price

Per Unit

 

Proposed

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering Price(2)

 

Amount of

Registration Fee(3)

Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.001 par value per share

          $100,000,000   $12,980.00

 

 

(1)

There are being registered hereunder a presently indeterminate number of common shares to be offered on an immediate, continuous or delayed basis.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.

(3)

Previously paid.

 

 

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

 

 

 


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

 

Subject to Completion Dated May 8, 2020

PRELIMINARY BASE PROSPECTUS

$100,000,000

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

Common Shares

 

 

The Fund. Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company.

Investment Objectives. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

Investment Strategies. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic long-short strategy in a diversified portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of predominantly U.S. corporate issuers, including first- and second-lien secured loans (“Secured Loans”) and high yield corporate bonds of varying maturities. The loans and fixed-income instruments that the Fund invests in long positions in are typically rated below investment grade at the time of purchase. Below investment grade quality instruments are those that, at the time of investment, are rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Corporation Ratings Group or Fitch Ratings, Inc., or if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Instruments of below investment grade quality, commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities, are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.

 

 

Investing in the Fund’s securities involves certain risks. See “Risks” beginning on page 62 of this prospectus (“Prospectus”).

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

 

 

Prospectus dated [                ], 2020

Electronic Delivery of Shareholder Reports. Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on the Fund’s website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. Shareholders who invest directly with the Fund may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically by calling toll-free (800) 522-6645 to make such arrangements. For shareholders who invest through a financial intermediary, please contact that financial intermediary directly for information on how to receive shareholder reports and other communications electronically.

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports by calling toll-free (800) 522-6645 to make such arrangements. For shareholders who invest through a financial intermediary, please contact that financial intermediary directly to inform them that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. If your common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”) are held through a financial intermediary, your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with that financial intermediary.

The Fund’s Common Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”. The net asset value (“NAV”) of the Common Shares at the close of business on April 30, 2020 was $12.51 per share, and the last sale price per share of the Common Shares on the Exchange on that date was $11.22. Shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from NAV.

Offering. The Fund may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, the Common Shares, which we also refer to as the “securities,” at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”) to this Prospectus.

 

(continued on next page)

 


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We may offer and sell our securities to or through underwriters, through dealers or agents that we designate from time to time, directly to purchasers, through at-the-market offerings or through a combination of these methods. If an offering of securities involves any underwriters, dealers or agents, then the applicable Prospectus Supplement will name the underwriters, dealers or agents and will provide information regarding any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements made with those underwriters, dealers or agents or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See “Plan of Distribution.” We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of a Prospectus Supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of our securities.

Leverage. In pursuing the Fund’s investment objectives, GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”) seeks to enhance the Fund’s return by the use of leverage. The Fund incurs leverage through securities lending arrangements and/or swap contract arrangements. In addition, the Fund may incur leverage by reinvesting the proceeds from the sale of borrowed securities (“short sales”) in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives; however, the Fund may also enter into shorting programs without incurring leverage. Although certain forms of effective leverage used by the Fund, such as leverage incurred in securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling, may not be considered senior securities under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), such effective leverage will be considered leverage for the Fund’s leverage limits. The Fund’s use of these forms of effective leverage will not exceed 30% of its net assets (as defined below). The Fund uses borrowings, including loans from certain financial institutions and the issuance of debt securities (collectively, “Borrowings”), in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, immediately after such Borrowings. Furthermore, the Fund adds leverage to its portfolio through the issuance of preferred shares (“Preferred Shares,” collectively with the Common Shares, “Shares”) and may in the future continue to use leverage through such issuances in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets immediately after such issuance. The Fund’s total leverage and short sales exposure, either through traditional leverage programs or through securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling (including the market value of securities the Fund is obligated to repay through short sales even in transactions that do not result in leverage), will not exceed 40% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (67% of the Fund’s net assets (as defined below)). The use of leverage is a speculative technique that involves special risks and costs associated with the leveraging of the Shares. There can be no assurance that any leveraging strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. As used in this Prospectus, the term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends). “Managed Assets” means net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes. See “Leverage,” “Risks—Short Selling Risk,” “Risks—Leverage Risk” and “Description of Shares—Preferred Shares.”

Investment Adviser. The Adviser acts as the Fund’s investment adviser and also provides administrative and compliance oversight services to the Fund. The Adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSO Capital Partners LP (collectively with its affiliates in the credit-focused business of The Blackstone Group Inc., “GSO”), is a registered investment adviser. As of March 31, 2020, GSO’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of $121 billion across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including loans, high yield bonds, distressed and mezzanine debt and private equity, including hedge funds. In addition, as of December 31, 2019, the Adviser had total assets under management of approximately $40.5 billion.

Investors should consider their investment goals, time horizons and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors, and the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. You should read this Prospectus, which concisely sets forth information about the Fund, before deciding whether to invest in the Common Shares, and retain it for future reference. This Prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC, using the “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer, from time to time, separately or together in one or more offerings, the securities described in this Prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this Prospectus. This Prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this Prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a Prospectus Supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The Prospectus Supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this Prospectus. This Prospectus, together with any Prospectus Supplement, sets forth concisely the information about us that a prospective investor ought to know before investing. You should read this Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement before deciding whether to invest and retain them for future reference. A Statement of Additional Information, dated [ ], 2020, containing additional information about the Fund, has been filed with the SEC and, as amended from time to time, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus. You can review the table of contents for the Statement of Additional Information on page 115 of this Prospectus. You may request a free copy of the Statement of Additional Information, annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders (when available), and additional information about the Fund and make shareholder inquiries by calling toll-free (800) 522-6645, by writing to the Fund or visiting the Fund’s website (http://www.blackstone-gso.com/bgx/). You can access the same documents, including any materials incorporated by reference, free from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov.

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


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

Summary of Fund Expenses

     37  

Financial Highlights

     39  

Senior Securities

     42  

The Fund

     43  

Use of Proceeds

     43  

Market and Net Asset Value Information

     43  

The Fund’s Investments

     44  

Leverage

     59  

Risks

     62  

Management of the Fund

     84  

Net Asset Value

     87  

Distributions

     88  

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     90  

Description of Shares

     92  

Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust

     94  

Closed-End Fund Structure

     95  

Repurchase of Common Shares

     95  

Tax Matters

     96  

Plan of Distribution

     100  

Custodian and Transfer Agent

     103  

Legal Matters

     103  

Privacy Policy

     104  

Table of Contents for the Statement of Additional Information

     115  

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. You should assume that the information appearing in this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement is accurate only as of the respective dates on their front covers, regardless of the time of delivery of this Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement, or any sale of our securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This is only a summary of certain information contained in this prospectus (“Prospectus”) relating to Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Shares”). You should review the more detailed information contained in this Prospectus, any related prospectus supplements (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”) and in the Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”).

 

The Fund

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. Throughout the Prospectus, we refer to Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund simply as the “Fund” or as “we,” “us” or “our.” See “The Fund.”

 

The Offering

The Fund may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $100,000,000 of the Common Shares, which we also refer to as our securities, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more Prospectus Supplements to this Prospectus.

 

  We may offer and sell our securities to or through underwriters, through dealers or agents that we designate from time to time, directly to purchasers, through at-the-market offerings or through a combination of these methods. If an offering of securities involves any underwriters, dealers or agents, then the applicable Prospectus Supplement will name the underwriters, dealers or agents and will provide information regarding any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements made with those underwriters, dealers or agents or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See “Plan of Distribution.” We may not sell any of our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of a Prospectus Supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of our securities.

 

Who May Want to Invest

Investors should consider their investment goals, time horizons and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors, and the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund may be an appropriate investment for investors who are seeking:

 

   

a closed-end fund that invests primarily in loans and fixed-income instruments, including first- and second-lien secured loans (“Secured Loans”) and high yield corporate debt securities of varying maturities;

 

   

a potentially consistent level of current income and a more stable net asset value (“NAV”);

 

   

exposure to loans and fixed-income instruments, which may provide some diversification for an overall portfolio that lacks such exposure;

 

   

a short strategy that provides the potential to mitigate risks and enhance returns; and



 

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active management by GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”).

 

  The Adviser believes that investing in Secured Loans and fixed-income instruments may provide attractive risk adjusted returns. The closed-end structure allows the Fund to maintain a stable pool of assets, without the need to keep assets in low-yielding instruments like cash or cash equivalents or to liquidate assets, sometimes at inopportune times, to meet redemption requests. The Fund’s sale of borrowed securities, “short-sales,” and use of derivatives offer the opportunity for additional returns and potential downside protection for the Fund’s investments in loans and other fixed-income instruments.

 

Investment Objectives and Strategies

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund’s investment objectives are not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares.

 

  The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic long-short strategy in a diversified portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of predominantly U.S. corporate issuers, including Secured Loans and high yield corporate bonds of varying maturities. The loans and fixed-income instruments that the Fund invests in long positions in are typically rated below investment grade at the time of purchase. Substantially all of the Fund’s assets are invested in loans and fixed-income instruments that are below investment grade quality. Below investment grade quality instruments are those that, at the time of investment, are rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Corporation Ratings Group (“S&P”) or Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”), or if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Instruments of below investment grade quality, commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities, are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.

 

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund may maintain both long and short positions based predominantly on the Adviser’s fundamental view on a particular investment. The Fund takes long positions in investments that the Adviser believes offer the potential for attractive returns under various economic and interest rate environments. The Fund may take short positions in investments that the Adviser believes will under-perform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk or interest rates. The Fund’s short positions, either directly or through the use of derivatives, may total up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means



 

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total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends).

 

  The Adviser believes that changing investment environments over time offer attractive investment opportunities with varying degrees of investment risk in the loan and fixed-income instruments markets. In order to capitalize on attractive investments and effectively manage potential risk, the Adviser believes that the combination of thorough and continuous credit analysis, diversification, and the ability to reallocate investments among senior and subordinated debt with both a long and short strategy is critical to achieving higher risk-adjusted returns relative to other high yield securities.

 

  The Fund invests at least 70% of its Managed Assets (as defined below) in Secured Loans. Secured Loans are made to U.S. and, to a limited extent, non-U.S. corporations, partnerships and other business entities (“Borrowers”) that operate in various industries and geographical regions. Secured Loans pay interest at rates that are determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, primarily the London-Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) (subject to the LIBOR transition as described in “Risks—LIBOR Risk”), plus a premium. “Managed Assets” means net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes. For the purpose of the Managed Assets definition, the term “Borrowings” includes the Fund’s Preferred Shares, the principal amount of any borrowings of money and any effective leverage obtained through securities lending, swap contract arrangements, short selling or other derivative transactions (whether or not such amounts are covered with segregated assets).

 

  The Fund may also invest in (i) unsecured loans, (ii) fixed-income instruments (including, without limitation, U.S. government debt securities and investment grade and below investment grade, subordinated and unsubordinated corporate debt securities), (iii) warrants and equity securities issued by a Borrower or issuer or its affiliates as part of a package investment in a Borrower or issuer or its affiliates, (iv) structured products such as collateralized loan obligations and credit-linked notes and (v) derivatives, including credit derivatives. The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in credit investments, including, but not limited to, loans and fixed-income instruments.

 

 

Under normal market conditions, the use of derivatives by the Fund does not exceed 30% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in any one counterparty (at any one time). The Fund’s principal investments in derivative instruments will include investments in credit default swaps, total return swaps, futures transactions, options and options on futures as well as certain currency and interest rate instruments such as foreign currency forward contracts, currency exchange transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis, put and call options on foreign currencies and interest



 

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rate swaps. In a total return swap, the Fund pays the counterparty a floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities. The Fund bears the risk of default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover this potential obligation. An investment by the Fund in credit default swaps will allow the Fund to obtain economic exposure to certain credits without having a direct exposure to such credits. As a buyer of credit default swaps, Fund is able to express a negative view on a particular instrument, but they are not short sales and are not subject to the Fund’s investment limitations with regard to short sales. The Fund may also enter into futures contracts on securities or currencies. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a security or currency (or to deliver a final cash settlement price in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract) for a set price at a future date. As an example, the Fund may purchase or sell exchange traded U.S. Treasury futures to alter the Fund’s overall duration as well as its exposure to various portions of the yield curve. In addition, the Fund may purchase “call” and “put” options and options on futures contracts for hedging or investment purposes and may engage in interest rate swaps to minimize the Fund’s exposure to interest rate movements. See “Risks—Derivatives Risk.”

 

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

 

  The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, under which the Fund will effectively pledge its assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount equal to a percentage of the market value of the pledge collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back its collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest, which are for the benefit of the Fund. See “Risks—Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk.”

 

  The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Managed Assets in structured products, consisting of collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and credit-linked notes. See “Risks—Structured Products Risk.”


 

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  The Fund may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in instruments that are denominated in non-U.S. currencies. In order to minimize the impact of currency fluctuations, the Adviser may at times hedge certain or all of the Fund’s investments denominated in foreign currencies into U.S. dollars. Foreign currency transactions in which the Fund is likely to invest include, foreign currency forward contracts, currency exchange transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis, and put and call options on foreign currencies. These transactions may be used to hedge against the risk of loss due to changing currency exchange rates. See “Risks—Derivatives Risk.”

 

  The Fund’s short positions, either directly or through the use of derivatives, may total up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets. A “short sale” is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security that it does not own (and borrows the security to deliver it to the buyer) in anticipation that the market price of the security will decline. The long and short positions held by the Fund may vary over time as market opportunities develop.

 

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

 

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

 

 

During an expanding or normal economic cycle, the strategy of buying U.S. and, to a limited extent, foreign loans and fixed-income instruments that are rated below investment grade is designed to generate a consistent level of monthly income and capital



 

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appreciation. However, during general economy or market downturns, the “short” strategy of having sold borrowed securities that the Adviser believes could decline in price, may help lessen the impact of a significant decline in the value of the Fund’s long holdings.

 

  In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer. Regulatory limitations or bans on short selling activities may prevent the Fund from fully implementing its strategy. To secure the Fund’s obligation to cover its short positions, the Fund may pledge collateral as security to the broker, which may include securities that it owns. This pledged collateral is segregated and maintained with the Fund’s custodian.

 

  The Fund may invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (determined using the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) standard applicable to registered investment companies, i.e., securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities). The Fund may also invest, without limit, in securities that are unregistered (but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers) or are held by control persons of the issuer and securities that are subject to contractual restrictions on their resale (“restricted securities”). However, restricted securities determined by the Adviser to be illiquid are subject to the limitations set forth above.

 

  For a more complete discussion of the Fund’s portfolio composition, see “The Fund’s Investments.”

 

Leverage

The Fund incurs leverage as part of its investment strategy. All costs and expenses related to any form of leverage used by the Fund are borne entirely by holders of Common Shares of the Fund (“common shareholders”). The Fund incurs leverage through securities lending arrangements and/or swap contract arrangements. In addition, the Fund may incur leverage by reinvesting the proceeds from the sale of borrowed securities (“short sales”) in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives; however, the Fund may also enter into shorting programs without incurring leverage. Although certain forms of effective leverage used by the Fund, such as leverage incurred in securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling, may not be considered senior securities under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), such effective leverage will be considered leverage for the Fund’s leverage limits. The Fund’s use of these forms of effective leverage will not exceed 30% of its net assets. The Fund uses



 

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Borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, immediately after such Borrowings. As of March 31, 2020, the Fund had a credit facility with a financial institution in place under which it had Borrowings representing approximately 30.27% of its total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities. Furthermore, the Fund adds leverage to its portfolio through the issuance of preferred shares (“Preferred Shares”) of the Fund and may in the future continue to use leverage through such issuances in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets immediately after such issuance. As of March 31, 2020, the Fund had issued $20,000,000 total liquidation value of Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares (“MRPS”). As of March 31, 2020, our total leverage (including Borrowings and Preferred Shares) represented 38.56% of our total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities. The Fund’s total use of leverage and short sales exposure, either through traditional leverage programs or through securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling (including the market value of securities the Fund is obligated to repay through short sales even in transactions that do not result in leverage), will not exceed 40% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (67% of the Fund’s net assets). See “Leverage,” “Risks—Short Selling Risk,” “Risks—Leverage Risk” and “Description of Shares—Preferred Shares.”

 

  In a securities lending program, the Fund would lend high yield debt securities or other marginable securities to a bank or other financial institution (a “counterparty”), in exchange for cash collateral and fees. The Fund would then reinvest the cash collateral received from the counterparty in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, resulting in a form of leverage.

 

  In a total return swap arrangement, the Fund would receive the interest rate and capital gains returns on specified assets, typically loans, and in exchange would make payments to the counterparty of LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread and would also bear the risk of default for any of the assets. The Fund would also post margin collateral with the counterparty. The underlying assets of the swap, less the amount of collateral posted, will be counted toward the Fund’s Managed Assets. Because the Fund receives the return on the assets without having to purchase the assets, this serves as a form of leverage.

 

 

Leverage creates risk for common shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of the Common Shares, and the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on Borrowings and debt or in the dividend rates on any Preferred Shares may affect the return to the common shareholders or may result in fluctuations in the dividends paid on the Common Shares. There can be no assurance that any leveraging



 

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strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”

 

Investment Adviser

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC acts as the Fund’s investment adviser and also provides administrative and compliance oversight services to the Fund. The Adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSO Capital Partners LP (collectively with its affiliates in the credit-focused business of The Blackstone Group Inc., “GSO”), is a registered investment adviser. GSO is part of the credit platform of The Blackstone Group Inc. (collectively with its affiliates as the context requires, “Blackstone” and together with GSO, the “Firm”), which is one of the world’s leading investment firms with total assets under management of $538 billion. Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on real estate, private equity, public debt and equity, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. As of March 31, 2020, GSO’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of $121 billion across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including loans, high yield bonds, distressed and mezzanine debt and private equity, including hedge funds. In addition, as of December 31, 2019, the Adviser had total assets under management of approximately $40.5 billion.

 

  The Adviser receives a monthly fee at the annual rate of 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. See “Management of the Fund—Investment Advisory Agreement.”

 

Administrator

ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS”), located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), ALPS is responsible for calculating the NAV of the Common Shares and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.

 

  ALPS is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of 0.12% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $215,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. See “Management of the Fund—Administrator.”

 

Distributions

The Fund makes regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to common shareholders. As of the date of this Prospectus, we have paid distributions to common shareholders every fiscal quarter since inception. Cumulative distributions paid since inception total $6.2486 per share. We intend to continue to pay monthly distributions to our common shareholders. Payment of future distributions is subject to approval by the Board, as well as meeting the covenants under our outstanding notes and credit facility and the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act. The Fund distributes to common shareholders at least annually all or



 

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substantially all of its net investment income after the payment of interest, fees and dividends, if any, owed with respect to any outstanding forms of leverage utilized by the Fund. The Fund pays any capital gains distributions at least annually. If the Fund realizes a long-term capital gain, it will be required to allocate such gain between the Common Shares and any Preferred Shares issued by the Fund in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class for the year in which the income is realized. The Fund utilizes a “dynamic” distribution strategy that is based on the net income earned by the Fund. The Fund declares a set of monthly distributions each quarter in amounts closely tied to the Fund’s recent average monthly net income. As a result, the monthly distribution amounts for the Fund typically vary quarter-to-quarter. See “Distributions” and “Leverage.”

 

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

 

  Cash distributions to common shareholders may be reinvested under our Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRIP”) in additional whole and fractional shares if you or your representative elect (“opt-in”) to enroll in the DRIP. See “Distributions” and “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

 

Listing

The Fund’s Common Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”. See “Description of Shares—Common Shares.”

 

Custodian and Transfer Agent

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the Fund’s custodian. Computershare Inc. (“Computershare”), serves as the Fund’s transfer agent. See “Custodian and Transfer Agent.”

 

Market Price of Shares

Shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their NAV. Common shares of the Fund and of closed-end management investment companies like the Fund have traded at prices higher than their NAV during some periods, and have traded at prices lower than their NAV during other periods. The Fund cannot assure you that its Common Shares will trade at a price higher than or equal to NAV. In addition to NAV, the market price of the Fund’s Common Shares may be affected by such factors as distribution



 

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levels, which are in turn affected by expenses, distribution stability, liquidity, and market supply and demand. See “Risks,” “Description of Shares—Common Shares” and “Repurchase of Common Shares.” The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors; you should not purchase Common Shares of the Fund if you intend to sell them shortly after purchase.

 

Risks

Market Discount Risk. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to their NAV. Because the market price of the Fund’s Common Shares is affected by factors such as NAV, dividend or distribution levels (which are dependent, in part, on expenses), supply of and demand for the Fund’s Common Shares, stability of distributions, trading volume of the Fund’s Common Shares, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond our control, the Fund cannot predict whether the Common Shares will trade at, below or above NAV or at, below or above the offering price. The Fund’s Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes. See “Risks—Market Discount Risk.”

 

  Investment and Market Risk. An investment in the Fund’s Common Shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s Common Shares represents an indirect investment in the portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments, short positions and other securities and derivative instruments owned by the Fund, and the value of these securities and instruments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. An investment in our Common Shares is not intended to constitute a complete investment program and should not be viewed as such. The value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. In addition, if the current global economic downturn continues or deteriorates further, the ability of borrowers to service their obligations could be materially and adversely affected. At any point in time an investment in the Fund’s Common Shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Fund and the ability of shareholders to reinvest dividends. The Fund may also use leverage, which would magnify the Fund’s investment, market and certain other risks. See “Risks—Leverage Risks.”

 

 

Secured Loans Risk. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 70% of its Managed Assets in Secured Loans. Secured Loans hold senior positions in the capital structure of a business entity, are secured with specific collateral, and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Borrower that is senior to that held by unsecured creditors, subordinated debt holders, and stockholders of the Borrower. The Secured Loans the Fund invests in are usually rated below investment grade or may also be unrated. As a result, the risks associated with Secured Loans are similar to the risks of below investment grade instruments, although Secured Loans are senior and



 

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secured in contrast to other below investment grade instruments, which are often subordinated or unsecured. Nevertheless, if a Borrower under a Secured Loan defaults, becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy, the Fund may recover only a fraction of what is owed on the Secured Loan or nothing at all. Secured Loans are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in this Prospectus, including credit risk, “covenant-lite” obligations risk, liquidity risk, below investment grade, or high yield, instruments risk and management risk. See “Risks—Below Investment Grade, or High Yield, Instruments Risk,” “—Credit Risk,” “—“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk” and “—Liquidity Risk.”

 

  Although the Secured Loans in which the Fund invests in are secured by collateral, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have first-lien priority in such collateral or that such collateral could be readily liquidated or that the liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the Borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a Borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a Secured Loan. In the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, if the terms of a Secured Loan do not require the Borrower to pledge additional collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the Borrower’s obligations under the Secured Loans. To the extent that a Secured Loan is collateralized by stock in the Borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose some or all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Borrower. Those Secured Loans that are under-collateralized involve a greater risk of loss.

 

  In general, the secondary trading market for Secured Loans is not fully-developed. No active trading market may exist for certain Secured Loans, which may make it difficult to value them. Illiquidity and adverse market conditions may mean that the Fund may not be able to sell certain Secured Loans quickly or at a fair price. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain Secured Loans, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

 

  Some Secured Loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the Secured Loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the Borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of Secured Loans.

 

 

If legislation or state or federal regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the availability of Secured Loans for investment by the Fund may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or



 

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restrictions could reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain Borrowers. This would increase the risk of default.

 

  If legislation or federal or state regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Secured Loans that are considered highly levered transactions. Such sales could result in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Fund attempts to sell a Secured Loan at a time when a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Fund could get for the Secured Loan may be adversely affected.

 

 

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



 

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investing directly in the Secured Loan, which may result in the Fund being exposed to greater credit or fraud risk with respect to the Borrower or the Secured Loan than the Fund expected when initially purchasing the participation.

 

  Fixed-Income Instruments Risk. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its Managed Assets in fixed-income instruments, such as U.S. government debt securities and investment grade and below investment grade, subordinated and unsubordinated corporate debt securities. Fixed-income instruments are subject to many of the same risks that affect Secured Loans and unsecured loans; however they are often unsecured and typically lower in the issuer’s capital structure than loans, and thus may be exposed to greater risk of default and lower recoveries in the event of a default. This risk can be further heightened in the case of below investment grade instruments. Additionally, most fixed-income instruments are fixed-rate and thus are generally more susceptible than floating rate loans to price volatility related to changes in prevailing interest rates. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Fixed-Income Instruments.”

 

  Unsecured Loans Risk. The Fund may invest in unsecured loans. Unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in Secured Loans except that such loans are not secured by collateral. In the event of default on an unsecured loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. Unsecured loans are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the Borrower may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the Borrower. Unsecured loans generally have greater price volatility than Secured Loans and may be less liquid. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Unsecured Loans.”

 

  Below Investment Grade, or High Yield, Instruments Risk. The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in loans and fixed-income instruments that are rated below investment grade. Below investment grade instruments are commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” instruments and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Lower grade instruments may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns, which could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such instruments to repay principal and pay interest thereon, increase the incidence of default for such instruments and severely disrupt the market value of such instruments.

 

 

Lower grade instruments, though higher yielding, are characterized by higher risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated instruments. The retail secondary market for lower grade instruments may be less liquid than that for higher rated instruments. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for



 

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the Fund to sell certain instruments or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade instruments, investors could lose money on their investment in Common Shares of the Fund, both in the short-term and the long-term. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Below Investment Grade Instruments.”

 

  “Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in, or obtain exposure to, obligations that may be “covenant-lite,” which means such obligations lack certain financial maintenance covenants. While these loans may still contain other collateral protections, a covenant-lite loan may carry more risk than a covenant-heavy loan made by the same borrower as it does not require the borrower to provide affirmation that certain specific financial tests have been satisfied on a routine basis as is required under a covenant-heavy loan agreement. Should a loan held by the Fund begin to deteriorate in quality, the Fund’s ability to negotiate with the borrower may be delayed under a covenant-lite loan compared to a loan with full maintenance covenants. This may in turn delay the Fund’s ability to seek to recover its investment.

 

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

 

  Short Selling Risk. The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes, including when the Adviser believes an investment will under-perform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk or interest rates. The Fund may also engage in short sales for financing purposes. In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.

 

 

Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own but can borrow in the market. Short



 

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selling allows the Fund to profit from a decline in market price to the extent such decline exceeds the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the securities and to obtain a low cost means of financing long investments that the Adviser believes are attractive. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund is permitted to have substantial short positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer under the short sale transaction. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions earlier than it had expected. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.

 

  Generally, the Fund will have to pay a fee or premium if it borrows securities and will be obligated to repay the lender of the security any dividends or interest that accrues on the security during the term of the loan. The amount of any gain from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of such fee, premium, dividends, interest or expense the Fund pays in connection with the short sale.

 

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

 

 

Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security’s value cannot decrease below zero. The Adviser’s use of short sales in combination with long positions in the Fund’s portfolio in an attempt to improve performance or reduce overall portfolio risk may not be successful and may result in greater losses or lower positive returns than if the Fund held only long positions. It is possible that the Fund’s long securities positions will decline in value



 

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at the same time that the value of its short securities positions increase, thereby increasing potential losses to the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s short selling strategies will limit its ability to fully benefit from increases in the fixed-income markets.

 

  By investing the proceeds received from selling securities short, the Fund could be deemed to be employing a form of leverage, which creates special risks. The use of leverage may increase the Fund’s exposure to long securities positions and make any change in the Fund’s NAV greater than it would be without the use of leverage. This could result in increased volatility of returns. There is no guarantee that any leveraging strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Finally, regulations imposed by the SEC or other regulatory bodies relating to short selling may restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in short selling.

 

  Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (determined using the SEC’s standard applicable to registered investment companies, i.e., securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities). The Fund may also invest in restricted securities. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase these securities.

 

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

 

 

Some loans and fixed-income instruments are not readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. Loans and fixed-income instruments may not be listed on any national securities exchange and no active trading market may exist for certain of the loans and fixed-



 

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income instruments in which the Fund will invest. Where a secondary market exists, the market for some loans and fixed-income instruments may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

 

  Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that one or more loans or other debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in price or fail to pay interest or principal when due because the issuer of the instrument experiences a decline in its financial status. While a senior position in the capital structure of a Borrower or issuer may provide some protection with respect to the Fund’s investments in Secured Loans, losses may still occur because the market value of Secured Loans is affected by the creditworthiness of Borrowers or issuers and by general economic and specific industry conditions and the Fund’s other investments will often be subordinate to other debt in the issuer’s capital structure. To the extent the Fund invests in below investment grade instruments, it will be exposed to a greater amount of credit risk than a fund which invests in investment grade securities. The prices of lower grade instruments are more sensitive to negative developments, such as a decline in the issuer’s revenues or a general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher grade instruments. Instruments of below investment grade quality are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default. In addition, the Fund may enter into credit derivatives which may expose it to additional risk in the event that the instruments underlying the derivatives default.

 

  Interest Rate Risk. Loans, corporate debt securities or other fixed-income instruments that the Fund may invest in are subject to the risk that market values of such securities will decline as interest rates increase. These changes in interest rates have a more pronounced effect on securities with longer durations. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV.

 

 

Leverage Risk. The Fund incurs leverage as part of its investment strategy. All costs and expenses related to any form of leverage used by the Fund are borne entirely by common shareholders. Certain forms of effective leverage used by the Fund, such as leverage incurred in securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling, may not be considered senior securities under the 1940 Act, but will be considered leverage for the Fund’s leverage limits. The Fund’s use of these forms of effective leverage will not exceed 30% of its net assets. The Fund uses Borrowings. Furthermore, the Fund adds leverage to its portfolio through the issuance of Preferred Shares. The Fund’s total use of leverage and short sales exposure, either through traditional leverage programs or through securities lending, total swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling (including the market value of securities the Fund is obligated to repay through



 

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short sales even in transactions that do not result in leverage), will not exceed 40% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (67% of the Fund’s net assets). With respect to its short positions in securities and certain of its derivative positions, the Fund may maintain an amount of cash or liquid securities in a segregated account equal to the face value of those positions.

 

  The Fund may also offset derivative positions against one another or against other assets to manage the effective market exposure resulting from derivatives in its portfolio. To the extent that the Fund does not segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover its obligations under such transactions, such transactions will be treated as Borrowings for purposes of the requirement under the 1940 Act that the Fund may not enter into any such transactions if the Fund’s Borrowings would thereby exceed 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets. See “Leverage.” In addition, to the extent that any offsetting positions do not behave in relation to one another as expected, the Fund may perform as if it were leveraged. The Fund’s use of leverage could create the opportunity for a higher return for common shareholders but would also result in special risks for common shareholders and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on the securities and investments purchased with leverage proceeds are greater than the cost of the leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income and gains from the securities and investments purchased with such proceeds do not cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be less than if leverage had not been used. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. Leverage involves risks and special considerations for common shareholders including:

 

   

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

 

   

the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on Borrowings and short-term debt or in the dividend rates on the MPRS that the Fund may pay will reduce the return to the common shareholders or will result in fluctuations in the dividends paid on the Common Shares;

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

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


 

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  Derivatives Risk. Under normal market conditions, the use of derivatives by the Fund does not exceed 30% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including: the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying assets in the Fund’s portfolio; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative contract would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative contract and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. Certain of the derivative investments in which the Fund may invest may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning such instruments. Furthermore, the ability to successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Adviser to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. Thus, the use of derivative investments to generate income, for hedging, for currency or interest rate management or other purposes may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices below or above the current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise want to sell. In addition, there may be situations in which the Adviser elects not to use derivative investments that result in losses greater than if they had been used. Amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund’s derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain. Changes to the derivatives markets as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and other government regulation may also have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to make use of derivative transactions. On November 25, 2019, the SEC re-proposed a rule that would regulate the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. The new derivatives rule, if adopted, may impact the manner in which the Fund uses derivatives.

 

 

Derivatives Legislation and Regulatory Risk. The enforceability of agreements governing hedging transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the identity of the counterparty,



 

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applicable international requirements. New or amended regulations may be imposed by the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”), the SEC, the Federal Reserve, the European Union (the “EU”) or other financial regulators, other governmental or intergovernmental regulatory authorities or self-regulatory organizations that supervise the financial markets, and could adversely affect the Fund. In particular, the CFTC and the SEC are empowered to promulgate a variety of new rules pursuant to recently enacted financial reform legislation in the United States. The Fund also may be adversely affected by changes in the enforcement or interpretation of statutes and rules by these regulatory authorities or self-regulatory organizations.

 

  In addition, the securities and futures markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. For instance, the Dodd-Frank Act could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments. The Dodd-Frank Act is designed to impose stringent regulation on the over-the-counter derivatives market in an attempt to increase transparency and accountability and provides for, among other things, new clearing, execution, margin, reporting, recordkeeping, business conduct, documentation, disclosure, position limit, minimum net capital and registration requirements. Although the CFTC has released final rules relating to clearing, execution, reporting, risk management, compliance, position limit, anti-fraud, consumer protection, portfolio reconciliation, documentation, recordkeeping, business conduct, margin requirements and registration requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act, many of the provisions are subject to further final rulemaking and clarifications, and thus the Dodd-Frank Act’s ultimate impact remains unclear.

 

  New regulations could, among other things, restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions (for example, by making certain types of derivatives transactions no longer available to the Fund), increase the costs of using certain instruments (for example, by increasing margin, capital or reporting requirements) and/or make them less effective. In particular, new margin requirements and capital charges, even when not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the pricing of derivatives transacted by the Fund. New exchange trading and trade reporting requirements and position limits may lead to changes in the liquidity of derivative transactions, or higher pricing or reduced liquidity in the derivatives markets, or the reduction of arbitrage opportunities for the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund’s engages in derivative transactions could also limit the ability of the Fund from using these instruments, affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments or may change the availability of certain investments. As a result, these changes could make it difficult for the Fund to execute its investment strategy. See “Risks—Derivatives Legislation and Regulatory Risk.”


 

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  Commodities Regulation. CFTC Rule 4.5 permits investment advisers to registered investment companies to claim an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” under the CEA with respect to a fund, provided certain requirements are met. In order to permit the Adviser to claim this exclusion with respect to the Fund, the Fund limits its transactions in certain futures, options on futures and swaps deemed “commodity interests” under CFTC rules (excluding transactions entered into for “bona fide hedging purposes,” as defined under CFTC regulations) such that either: (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish such futures, options on futures and swaps do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions; or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of such futures, options on futures and swaps does not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions. In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the Fund may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the futures, options or swaps markets. Accordingly, the Fund is not subject to regulation under the CEA or otherwise regulated by the CFTC. If the Adviser was unable to claim the exclusion with respect to the Fund, the Adviser would become subject to registration and regulation as a commodity pool operator, which would subject the Adviser and the Fund to additional registration and regulatory requirements and increased operating expenses.

 

 

Swap Risk. The Fund may also invest in credit default swaps, total return swaps and interest rate swaps. Such transactions are subject to market risk, liquidity risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction, known as “counterparty risk” and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other costs. When buying protection under a swap, the risk of loss with respect to swaps generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. However, when selling protection under a swap, the risk of loss is often the notional value of the underlying asset, which can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid; however, there is no guarantee that the swap market will continue to provide liquidity. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used. In a total return swap, the Fund pays the counterparty a floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities (or pays an equivalent amount, if the total return is negative). The Fund bears the risk of



 

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default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover potential obligations under the swap.

 

  Counterparty and Prime Brokerage Risk. Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Fund’s prime brokers or counterparties with respect to derivatives or other transactions supported by another party’s credit will affect the value of those instruments. Certain entities that have served as prime brokers or counterparties in the markets for these transactions have recently incurred significant financial hardships including bankruptcy and losses as a result of exposure to sub-prime mortgages and other lower quality credit investments that have experienced recent defaults or otherwise suffered extreme credit deterioration. As a result, such hardships have reduced such entities’ capital and called into question their continued ability to perform their obligations under such transactions. By using derivatives, swaps or other transactions, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience similar financial hardships. If a prime broker or counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding; if the Fund’s claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such prime broker or counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. In addition, regulations that were adopted by prudential regulators in 2019 require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that such counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings.

 

 

Credit Derivatives Risk. The use of credit derivatives is a highly specialized activity which involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of default risks, liquidity risk, counterparty risk, market spreads or other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the Adviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that a credit derivative position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being protected. The Fund’s risk of loss in a credit derivative transaction varies with the form of the transaction. For example, if the Fund sells protection under a credit default swap, it would collect periodic fees from the buyer and would profit if the



 

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credit of the underlying issuer or reference entity remains stable or improves while the swap is outstanding, but the Fund would be required to pay an amount to the buyer (which may be up to the entire notional amount of the swap) if the reference entity defaults on its debt obligations. Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund invested in the reference obligation directly.

 

  Structured Products Risk. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Managed Assets in structured products, consisting of CLOs and credit-linked notes. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Lender Liability Risk. A number of U.S. judicial decisions have upheld judgments obtained by Borrowers against lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed “lender liability.” Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise



 

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that a lender has violated a duty (whether implied or contractual) of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing, or a similar duty owed to the Borrower or has assumed an excessive degree of control over the Borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the Borrower or its other creditors or shareholders. Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability.

 

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

 

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

 

  LIBOR Risk. Instruments in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR. The Fund and issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests may also obtain financing at floating rates based on LIBOR. The underlying collateral of CLOs in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR. Derivative instruments utilized by the Fund and/or issuers of instruments in which the Fund may invest may also reference LIBOR. On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom’s (the “UK”) Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is expected that a number of private-sector banks currently reporting information used to set LIBOR will stop doing so after 2021 when their current reporting commitment ends, which could either cause LIBOR to stop publication immediately or cause LIBOR’s regulator to determine that its quality has degraded to the degree that it is no longer representative of its underlying market. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a new index calculated by short-term repurchase agreements, backed by U.S. Treasury securities.

 

 

Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could have adverse impacts and represent a significant risk on newly issued financial instruments and existing financial instruments which reference LIBOR.



 

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While some instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate setting methodology, not all instruments may have such provisions and there are significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies. Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could lead to significant short-term and long-term uncertainty and market instability and the extent to which that may impact the Fund may vary depending on various factors, which include, but are not limited to: (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and (ii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new successor reference rates and/or fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments. In addition, the transition to a successor rate could potentially cause (i) increased volatility or illiquidity in markets for instruments that currently rely on LIBOR, (ii) a reduction in the value of certain instruments held by the Fund, or (iii) reduced effectiveness of related Fund transactions, such as hedging. It remains uncertain how such changes would be implemented and the effects such changes would have on the Fund, issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests and financial markets generally.

 

  Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk. The Adviser is subject to certain conflicts of interest in its management of the Fund. These conflicts arise primarily from the involvement of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates in other activities that may conflict with those of the Fund. The Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of their business activities, the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates may engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates or the interests of their clients may conflict with the interests of the Fund or the shareholders of the Fund. Other present and future activities of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates may give rise to additional conflicts of interest, which may have a negative impact on the Fund.

 

 

In addressing these conflicts and regulatory, legal and contractual requirements across its various businesses, Blackstone has implemented certain policies and procedures (e.g., information walls) that may reduce the positive firm-wide synergies that the Adviser may have potentially utilized for purposes of finding attractive investments. Additionally, Blackstone may limit a client and/or its portfolio companies from engaging in agreements with or related to companies in which any fund of Blackstone has or has considered making an investment or which is otherwise an advisory client of Blackstone and/or from time to time restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with companies or other clients of Blackstone, either as result of contractual restrictions or otherwise. Finally, Blackstone has in the past entered, and is likely in the future to enter, into one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or



 

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with respect to certain types of investments that, although possibly intended to provide greater opportunities for the Fund, may require the Fund to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity the Fund can otherwise take.

 

 

As part of its regular business, Blackstone provides a broad range of services other than those provided by the Adviser, including investment banking, underwriting, capital markets syndication and advisory (including underwriting), placement, financial advisory, restructuring and advisory, consulting, asset/property management, mortgage servicing, insurance (including title insurance), monitoring, commitment, syndication, origination, servicing, management consulting and other similar operational and finance matters, healthcare consulting/brokerage, group purchasing, organizational, operational, loan servicing, financing, divestment and other services. In addition, Blackstone may provide services in the future beyond those currently provided. The Fund will not receive a benefit from the fees or profits derived from such services. In such a case, a client of Blackstone would typically require Blackstone to act exclusively on its behalf. This request may preclude all of Blackstone clients (including the Fund) from participating in related transactions that would otherwise be suitable. Blackstone will be under no obligation to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. In connection with its other businesses, Blackstone will likely come into possession of information that limits its ability to engage in potential transactions. The Fund’s activities are expected to be constrained as a result of the inability of the personnel of Blackstone to use such information. For example, employees of Blackstone from time to time are prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with members of the Adviser’s investment team that would be relevant to monitoring the Fund’s portfolio and other investment decisions. Additionally, there are expected to be circumstances in which one or more of certain individuals associated with Blackstone will be precluded from providing services related to the Fund’s activities because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of Blackstone (e.g., trading may be restricted). Blackstone has long term relationships with a significant number of corporations and their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser will consider those relationships, and may decline to participate in a transaction as a result of such relationships. To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Fund may also co-invest with clients of Blackstone in particular investment opportunities, and the relationship with such clients could influence the decisions made by the Adviser with respect to such investments. The Fund may be forced to sell or hold existing investments (possibly at disadvantageous times or under disadvantageous conditions) as a result of various relationships that Blackstone may have or transactions or investments Blackstone and its affiliates may make or have made. The inability to transact in any



 

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security, derivative or loan held by the Fund could result in significant losses or lost opportunity costs to the Fund. See “Management of the Fund—Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI for more information addressing potential conflicts of interest.

 

  Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates Risk. The 1940 Act limits our ability to enter into certain transactions with certain of our affiliates. As a result of these restrictions, we may be prohibited from buying or selling any security directly from or to any portfolio company of or private equity fund managed by Blackstone, GSO or any of their respective affiliates. However, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such portfolio company’s loans or securities in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for the Adviser between the interests of the Fund and the portfolio company, in that the ability of the Adviser to recommend actions in the best interest of the Fund might be impaired. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain of our affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us. Although the Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits it, among other things, to co-invest with certain affiliates of the Adviser and certain funds managed and controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, it may only do so in accordance with certain terms and conditions that limit the types of transactions the Fund may engage in.

 

  Dependence on Key Personnel Risk. The Adviser is dependent upon the experience and expertise of certain key personnel in providing services with respect to the Fund’s investments. If the Adviser were to lose the services of these individuals, its ability to service the Fund could be adversely affected. As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques for the Fund’s portfolio and the Fund’s performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser has informed the Fund that the investment professionals associated with the Adviser are actively involved in other investment activities not concerning the Fund and will not be able to devote all of their time to the Fund’s business and affairs. In addition, individuals not currently associated with the Adviser may become associated with the Fund and the performance of the Fund may also depend on the experience and expertise of such individuals.

 

 

Prepayment Risk. During periods of declining interest rates, Borrowers or issuers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled. For fixed rate securities, such payments often occur during periods of declining interest rates, forcing the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities, resulting in a possible decline in the Fund’s income and distributions to shareholders. This is known as prepayment or “call” risk. Below investment grade instruments



 

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frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain prescribed conditions are met (“call protection”). An issuer may redeem a below investment grade instrument if, for example, the issuer can refinance the debt at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer. Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans typically do not have call protection. For premium bonds (bonds acquired at prices that exceed their par or principal value) purchased by the Fund, prepayment risk may be enhanced.

 

  Inflation/Deflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Fund’s investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares, and distributions thereon, can decline.

 

  In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund’s use of leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to shareholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

 

 

Non-U.S. Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or other instruments, including Secured Loans and unsecured loans, of non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers (“Non-U.S. Securities”). Such investments involve certain risks not involved in domestic investments and may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies. Financial markets in foreign countries often are not as developed, efficient or liquid as financial markets in the United States, and therefore, the prices of Non-U.S. Securities can be more volatile. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of Non-U.S. Securities to make payments of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, whether from currency blockage or otherwise. In addition, in investing in Non-U.S. Securities, the Fund will be subject to risks associated with adverse political and economic developments in foreign countries, including seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, different legal systems and laws relating to creditors’ rights and the potential inability to enforce legal judgments, all of which could cause the Fund to lose money on its investments in Non-U.S. Securities. Generally, there is less readily available and reliable information about non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers due to less rigorous disclosure or accounting standards and regulatory practices. The cost of servicing external debt will also generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates, as many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are



 

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adjusted based upon international interest rates. Because Non-U.S. Securities may trade on days when the Fund’s Common Shares are not priced, NAV may change at times when Common Shares cannot be sold.

 

  Foreign Currency Risk. Because the Fund may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in securities or other instruments denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of instruments held by the Fund and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments. Currencies of certain countries may be volatile and therefore may affect the value of instruments denominated in such currencies, which means that the Fund’s NAV could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. The Adviser may, but is not required to, seek to protect the Fund from changes in currency exchange rates through hedging transactions depending on market conditions. See “Risks—Swap Risk.” The Fund may incur costs in connection with the conversions between various currencies. In addition, certain countries may impose foreign currency exchange controls or other restrictions on the repatriation, transferability or convertibility of currency.

 

  UK Exit from the EU. The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020 (commonly known as “Brexit”). The UK-EU trade relationship is currently subject to a transition period, which will expire on December 31, 2020. During this period, the UK will remain in the EU customs union and single market, and EU law will continue to apply to the UK, as the future UK-EU trade relationship is negotiated. If the two governments fail to approve a new trade agreement by the end of the transition period, the trading relationship between the UK and the EU will be based on World Trade Organization rules (a “hard Brexit”) effective January 1, 2021.

 

  Since the June 2016 referendum in the UK, global financial markets have experienced significant volatility due to the uncertainty around Brexit. There will likely continue to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK’s post-withdrawal and post-transition framework, in particular as to the arrangements which will apply to its relationships with the EU and with other countries. This process and/or the uncertainty associated with it may adversely affect the return on investments economically tied to the UK (and consequently the Fund). This may be due to, among other things: (i) increased uncertainty and volatility in UK, EU and other financial markets; (ii) fluctuations in asset values; (iii) fluctuations in exchange rates; (iv) increased illiquidity of investments located, listed or traded within the UK, the EU or elsewhere; (v) changes in the willingness or ability of financial and other counterparties to enter into transactions, or the price at which and terms on which they are prepared to transact; and/or (vi) changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which the Fund’s investments are or become subject.


 

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

 

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

 

 

Investments in Equity Securities or Warrants Incidental to Investments in Loans and Fixed-Income Instruments. From time to time the Fund also may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities or warrants incidental to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or issuer. Investments in equity



 

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securities incidental to investments in loans or fixed-income instruments entail certain risks in addition to those associated with investments in loans or fixed-income instruments. Because equity is merely the residual value of an issuer after all claims and other interests, it is inherently more risky than the bonds or loans of the same Borrower or issuer. The value of the equity securities may be affected more rapidly, and to a greater extent, by company-specific developments and general market conditions. These risks may increase fluctuations in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund frequently may possess material non-public information about a Borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument of a Borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities while in possession of material non-public information, the Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a security of the Borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

 

  U.S. Government Debt Securities Risk. U.S. government debt securities generally do not involve the credit risks associated with investments in other types of debt securities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from other securities. Like other debt securities, however, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV. Since the magnitude of these fluctuations will generally be greater at times when the Fund’s average maturity is longer, under certain market conditions the Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, accept lower current income from short-term investments rather than investing in higher yielding long-term securities. In addition, the recent economic crisis in the United States has negatively impacted government-sponsored entities, which include Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). As the real estate market has deteriorated through declining home prices and increasing foreclosure, government-sponsored entities, which back the majority of U.S mortgages, have experienced extreme volatility and in some cases a lack of liquidity. In September 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under a conservatorship of the U.S. federal government. Any Fund investments issued by Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae may ultimately lose value.

 

 

Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk. The Fund may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested. Likewise, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics or pandemics, and systemic market dislocations may be highly disruptive to economies and markets. See “Risks—



 

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Epidemic and Pandemic Risk.” Uncertainties and events around the world may (i) result in market volatility, (ii) have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and (iii) cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Fund cannot predict the effects of geopolitical events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets.

 

  General Economic Conditions Risk. The global growth cycle is in a mature phase and signs of slowdown are evident in certain regions around the world, although most economists continue to expect moderate economic growth in the near term, with limited signals of an imminent recession in the U.S. as consumer and government spending remain healthy. Although the broader outlook remains constructive and progress was made on trade, including a phase one deal with China and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, geopolitical instability continues to pose risk. In particular, the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus and related respiratory disease (“COVID-19”) in many countries, which is a rapidly evolving situation, has disrupted global travel and supply chains, and has adversely impacted global commercial activity and a number of industries, such as transportation, hospitality and entertainment. The rapid development and fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate adverse impact of COVID-19, or any future pandemics that may arise, which may have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions, and may lead to significant declines in corporate earnings or loan performance, and the ability of corporate borrowers to service their debt, any of which could trigger a period of global economic slowdown, and have an adverse impact on the performance and financial results of the Fund and the obligors of the Fund, and the value and the liquidity of the Common Shares.

 

  Force Majeure Risk. The Fund may be affected by force majeure events (e.g., acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease, pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, nationalization of industry and labor strikes). Force majeure events could adversely affect the ability of the Fund or a counterparty to perform its obligations. The liability and cost arising out of a failure to perform obligations as a result of a force majeure event could be considerable and could be borne by the Fund. Certain force majeure events, such as war or an outbreak of an infectious disease, could have a broader negative impact on the global or local economy, thereby affecting the Fund. Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including the nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control, could result in a loss to the Fund if an investment is affected, and any compensation provided by the relevant government may not be adequate.

 

 

Epidemic and Pandemic Risk. Certain countries have been susceptible to epidemics/pandemics, most recently COVID-19, which



 

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has been designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The outbreak of such epidemics/pandemics, together with any resulting restrictions on travel or quarantines imposed, has had, and will continue to have, a negative impact on the economy and business activity globally (including in the countries in which the Fund invests), and thereby is expected to adversely affect the performance of the Fund’s investments. Furthermore, the rapid development of epidemics/pandemics could preclude prediction as to their ultimate adverse impact on economic and market conditions, and, as a result, presents material uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund and the performance of its investments.

 

  COVID-19 Risk. During the first quarter of 2020, there was a global outbreak of COVID-19, which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, including the United States, and has spread to every state in the United States. The World Health Organization has designated COVID-19 as a pandemic, and numerous countries, including the United States, have declared national emergencies with respect to COVID-19. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been rapidly evolving, and as cases of COVID-19 have continued to be identified in additional countries, many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines and restrictions on travel, closing financial markets and/or restricting trading, and limiting operations of non-essential businesses. Such actions are creating disruption in global supply chains, increasing rates of unemployment and adversely impacting many industries. The outbreak could have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions and trigger a period of global economic slowdown.

 

  The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, a material adverse impact on the Fund’s NAV and portfolio liquidity among other factors. These impacts will likely continue to some extent as the outbreak persists and potentially even longer.

 

  The rapid development and fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate adverse impact of COVID-19 on economic and market conditions, and, as a result, present material uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund and the performance of its investments. The full extent of the impact and effects of COVID-19 will depend on future developments, including, among other factors, the duration and spread of the outbreak, along with related travel advisories, quarantines and restrictions, the recovery time of the disrupted supply chains and industries, the impact of labor market interruptions, the impact of government interventions, and uncertainty with respect to the duration of the global economic slowdown. COVID-19 and the current financial, economic and capital markets environment, and future developments in these and other areas present uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund’s performance, portfolio liquidity and ability to pay distributions. See “Risks—Epidemic and Pandemic Risk” and “—COVID-19 Risk.”

 

 

Cyber-Security Risk and Identity Theft Risks. The Fund’s operations are highly dependent on the Adviser’s information systems and



 

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technology and the Fund relies heavily on the Adviser’s financial, accounting, communications and other data processing systems. The Adviser’s systems may fail to operate properly or become disabled as a result of tampering or a breach of its network security systems or otherwise. In addition, the Adviser’s systems face ongoing cybersecurity threats and attacks. Attacks on the Adviser’s systems could involve, and in some instances have in the past involved, attempts intended to obtain unauthorized access to its proprietary information, destroy data or disable, degrade or sabotage its systems, or divert or otherwise steal funds, including through the introduction of computer viruses, “phishing” attempts and other forms of social engineering. Cyberattacks and other security threats could originate from a wide variety of external sources, including cyber criminals, nation state hackers, hacktivists and other outside parties. Cyberattacks and other security threats could also originate from the malicious or accidental acts of insiders, such as employees of the Adviser.

 

  There has been an increase in the frequency and sophistication of the cyber and security threats the Adviser faces, with attacks ranging from those common to businesses to those that are more advanced and persistent, which may target the Adviser because, as an alternative asset management firm, the Adviser holds a significant amount of confidential and sensitive information about its investors, its portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) and potential investments. As a result, the Adviser may face a heightened risk of a security breach or disruption with respect to this information. There can be no assurance that measures the Adviser takes to ensure the integrity of its systems will provide protection, especially because cyberattack techniques used change frequently or are not recognized until successful. If the Adviser’s systems are compromised, do not operate properly or are disabled, or it fails to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications in a timely manner, the Adviser could suffer financial loss, a disruption of its businesses, liability to its investment funds and fund investors, including the Fund and common shareholders, regulatory intervention or reputational damage. The costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means.

 

  In addition, the Fund could also suffer losses in connection with updates to, or the failure to timely update, the Adviser’s information systems and technology. In addition, the Adviser has become increasingly reliant on third party service providers for certain aspects of its business, including for the administration of certain funds, as well as for certain information systems and technology, including cloud-based services. These third party service providers could also face ongoing cyber security threats and compromises of their systems and as a result, unauthorized individuals could gain, and in some past instances have gained, access to certain confidential data.

 

 

Breaches in security, whether malicious in nature or through inadvertent transmittal or other loss of data, could potentially jeopardize the Adviser, its employees’ or the Fund’s investors’ or



 

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counterparties’ confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, the Adviser’s computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in its, its employees’, the Fund’s investors’, the Fund’s counterparties’ or third parties’ business and operations, which could result in significant financial losses, increased costs, liability to the Fund’s investors and other counterparties, regulatory intervention and reputational damage. Furthermore, if the Adviser fails to comply with the relevant laws and regulations or fail to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications of breach in a timely matter, it could result in regulatory investigations and penalties, which could lead to negative publicity and reputational harm, and may cause the Fund’s investors and clients to lose confidence in the effectiveness of its security measures.

 

  Finally, the Adviser’s and the Fund’s technology, data and intellectual property and the technology, data and intellectual property of their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) are also subject to a heightened risk of theft or compromise to the extent the Adviser and the Fund’s portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) engage in operations outside the United States, in particular in those jurisdictions that do not have comparable levels of protection of proprietary information and assets such as intellectual property, trademarks, trade secrets, know-how and customer information and records. In addition, the Adviser and the Fund and their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) may be required to compromise protections or forego rights to technology, data and intellectual property in order to operate in or access markets in a foreign jurisdiction. Any such direct or indirect compromise of these assets could have a material adverse impact on the Adviser and the Fund and their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable). See “Risks—Cyber-Security Risk and Identity Theft Risks.”
 

 

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


 

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

 

  Anti-Takeover Provisions. The Fund’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to open-end status. These provisions could deprive common shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust.”


 

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SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES

The purpose of the following table and example is to help you understand all fees and expenses common shareholders would bear directly or indirectly. The table below is based on the capital structure of the Fund as of December 31, 2019 (except as noted below).

 

     Percentage of
Offering Price
 

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES

  

Sales Load

     —   %(1) 

Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund

     —   %(1) 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees

     None (2) 
  

 

 

 

TOTAL TRANSACTION EXPENSES (as a percentage of offering price)(3)

  
  

 

 

 

 

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

ANNUAL EXPENSES

  

Advisory Fees(4)

     1.20

Dividends on Preferred Shares(5)

     0.36

Other Expenses(6)

     0.46

Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds(7)

     1.54

TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES

     3.56
  

 

 

 

 

(1)

In the event that the securities to which this Prospectus relates are sold to or through agents, underwriters or dealers, the related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the applicable sales load, the estimated amount of total offering expenses (which may include offering expenses borne by third parties on behalf of the Fund), the offering price and the offering expenses borne by the Fund as a percentage of the offering price.

(2)

You will be charged a brokerage commission if you direct the DRIP administrator to sell your Common Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

(3)

The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the offering price and the total shareholder transaction expenses as a percentage of the offering price.

(4)

The Adviser receives a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends).

(5)

Assumes the annual dividend rate for the MRPS is 3.61% as of December 31, 2019 and is not increased as a result of any downgrade in the ratings of the MRPS. If the ratings of the MRPS are downgraded, the Fund’s dividend expense may increase.

(6)

“Other Expenses” are estimated amounts for the current fiscal year based on the Fund’s fees and expenses for the year ended December 31, 2019. “Other Expenses” include professional fees and other expenses, including, without limitation, SEC filing fees, printing fees, administration fees, transfer agency fees, custody fees, trustee fees and insurance costs.

(7)

Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds is based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year and assumes the use of leverage in an amount equal to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (after the leverage is incurred), and the annual interest rate on Borrowings of 2.25% as of March 31, 2020. The actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund will vary over time in accordance with the level of the Fund’s borrowings and market interest rates. Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds are required to be treated as an expense of the Fund for accounting purposes.

 

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Table of Contents

Example

As required by the relevant SEC regulations, the following example illustrates the expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in the Fund’s Common Shares assuming (i) total annual expenses of 3.56% of net assets attributable to the Fund’s Common Shares, (ii) a 5% annual return and (iii) reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at NAV:

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

$36   $109   $185   $383

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

 

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Table of Contents

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Unless otherwise noted, the information in this table has been derived from and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s financial statements and the notes thereto. The financial information for the fiscal years or period ended December 31 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”), the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. Deloitte’s report on such financial statements, together with the financial statements of the Fund is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the SAI.

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

Financial Highlights

For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Periods Indicated

 

    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2019
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2018
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2017
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2016
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2015
 

PER COMMON SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE:

         

Net asset value—beginning of period

  $ 15.62     $ 17.09     $ 16.94     $ 15.37     $ 17.82  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

         

Net investment income(a)(b)

    1.46       1.46       1.34       1.40       1.48  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.12       (1.32     0.05       1.60       (2.66
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations

    1.58       0.14       1.39       3.00       (1.18
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS:

         

From net investment income

    (1.46     (1.61     (1.24     (1.43     (1.27
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (1.46     (1.61     (1.24     (1.43     (1.27
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value per common share—end of period

  $ 15.74     $ 15.62     $ 17.09     $ 16.94     $ 15.37  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Market price per common share—end of period

  $ 15.64     $ 13.74     $ 15.92     $ 15.92     $ 13.48  

Total Investment Return—Net Asset Value(c)

    10.73     1.25     8.85     21.21     (6.04 %) 

Total Investment Return—Market Price(c)

    25.08     (4.40 %)      7.90     29.89     (5.44 %) 

RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

         

Net assets attributable to common shares, end of period (000s)

  $ 199,982     $ 198,399     $ 217,067     $ 215,236     $ 195,204  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets attributable to common shares

    3.85     3.73     3.03     2.58     2.07

Ratio of expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense on short sales attributable to common shares

    3.85     3.73     3.03     2.58     2.07

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets attributable to common shares

    9.15     8.52     7.82     8.67     8.45

Ratio of expenses to average managed
assets(d)

    2.36     2.31     1.93     1.73     1.43

Portfolio turnover rate

    40     75     126     103     72

 

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    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2019
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2018
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2017
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2016
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2015
 

MANDATORY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES:

         

Liquidation value, end of period, including dividends payable on Mandatory Redeemable

         

Preferred Shares (000s)

  $ 20,128     $ 20,122     $ 20,121     $ 20,125     $ N/A  

Total shares outstanding (000s)

    20       20       20       20       —    

Asset coverage, end of period per $1,000

  $ 2,562 (e)    $ 2,556 (e)    $ 2,644 (e)    $ 2,905 (e)    $ N/A  

Liquidation preference per share

  $ 1,000     $ 1,000     $ 1,000     $ 1,000     $ N/A  

LEVERAGE FACILITY:

         

Aggregate principal amount, end of period (000s)

  $ 108,000     $ 107,500     $ 112,000     $ 93,000     $ 96,000  

Average borrowings outstanding during the period (000s)

  $ 109,385     $ 115,392     $ 105,633     $ 93,684     $ 100,261  

Asset coverage, end of period per $1,000(f)

  $ 3,037     $ 3,032     $ 3,117     $ 3,314     $ 3,033  

 

(a)

Calculated using average common shares outstanding.

(b)

Distributions on the Fund’s MRPS are treated as an operating expense under GAAP and are included in the calculation of net investment income. See “Leverage.”

(c)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at closing on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions, if any, and are not annualized.

(d)

Average managed assets represent net assets applicable to common shares plus principal value of leverage.

(e)

Calculated by subtracting the Fund’s total liabilities (excluding the liquidation value of the Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares and the principal amount of the Leverage Facility) from the Fund’s total assets and dividing by the liquidation value of the Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares and the principal amount of the Leverage Facility and then multiplying by $1,000.

(f)

Calculated by subtracting the Fund’s total liabilities (excluding Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares at liquidation value, including dividends payable on mandatory redeemable preferred shares, and the principal amount of the Leverage Facility) from the Fund’s total assets and dividing by the principal amount of the Leverage Facility and then multiplying by $1,000.

 

    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2014
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2013
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2012
    For the Period
January 27, 2011
(Commencement
of Operations) to

December 31,
2011
 

PER COMMON SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE:

       

Net asset value—beginning of period

  $ 19.11     $ 18.97     $ 18.10     $ 19.10  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS:

       

Net investment income(a)

    0.94       1.13       1.22       0.86  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (1.03     0.36       0.95       (0.74
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations

    (0.09     1.49       2.17       0.12  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2014
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2013
    For the Year
Ended
December 31,
2012
    For the Period
January 27, 2011
(Commencement
of Operations) to

December 31,
2011
 

DISTRIBUTIONS TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS:

       

From net investment income

    (0.96     (1.23     (1.30     (0.84

From net realized gains

    (0.06     (0.12     —         —    

From tax return of capital

    (0.18     —         —         (0.24
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Distributions to Common Shareholders

    (1.20     (1.35     (1.30     (1.08
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

       

Common share offering costs charged to paid-in capital

    —         —         —         (0.04
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Capital Share Transactions

    —         —         —         (0.04
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value per common share—end of period

  $ 17.82     $ 19.11     $ 18.97     $ 18.10  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Market price per common share—end of period

  $ 15.53     $ 17.87     $ 18.75     $ 17.06  

Total Investment Return—Net Asset Value(b)

    (0.06 %)      8.34     12.45     0.56

Total Investment Return—Market Price(b)

    (6.86 %)      2.50     17.92     (9.48 %) 

RATIOS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA:

       

Net assets attributable to common shares, end of period (000s)

  $ 226,316     $ 242,699     $ 240,978     $ 229,732  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets attributable to common shares

    1.86     1.85     1.82     1.78 %(c) 

Ratio of expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense on short sales attributable to common shares

    1.85     1.83     1.82     1.78 %(c) 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets attributable to common shares

    4.99     5.94     6.54     5.00 %(c) 

Ratio of expenses to average managed assets(d)

    1.66     N/A       N/A       N/A (c) 

Portfolio turnover rate

    66     80     77     104

LEVERAGE FACILITY:

       

Aggregate principal amount, end of period (000s)

  $ 73,000       N/A       N/A       N/A  

Average borrowings outstanding during the period (000s)

  $ 66,827 (e)      N/A       N/A       N/A  

Asset coverage, end of period per $1,000

  $ 4,100       N/A       N/A       N/A  

 

(a)

Calculated using average common shares outstanding.

(b)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of common share at the opening on the first day and a sale at closing on the last day of each period reported. Dividends and distributions are assumed for purposes of this calculation to be reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment returns do not reflect brokerage commissions, if any, and are not annualized.

(c)

Annualized.

(d)

Average managed assets represent net assets applicable to common shares plus principal value of leverage.

(e)

Since first borrowing was made on July 29, 2014.

 

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Table of Contents

SENIOR SECURITIES

As of the end of the Fund’s last fiscal year, the Fund had a revolving credit facility with a financial institution and a series of MRPS as described below. The table below sets forth the senior securities outstanding as of the end of the Fund’s fiscal years or period ended 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

 

YEAR

  

NAME OF LOAN

   TOTAL
AMOUNT
OUTSTANDING

(in thousands)
     ASSET
COVERAGE
PER $1,000 OF
INDEBTEDNESS
     INVOLUNTARY
LIQUIDATING
PREFERENCE
PER UNIT(1)
     AVERAGE
MARKET
VALUE
PER UNIT(2)
 

2011(3)

   Revolving Credit Facility      N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A  

2012(3)

   Revolving Credit Facility      N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A  

2013(3)

   Revolving Credit Facility      N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A  

2014

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 73,000      $ 4,100        N/A        N/A  

2015

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 96,000      $ 3,033        N/A        N/A  

2016

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 93,000      $ 3,314        N/A        N/A  
   MRPS (Series A)    $ 20,000      $ 2,905      $ 1,000        N/A  

2017

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 112,000      $ 3,117        N/A        N/A  
   MRPS (Series A)    $ 20,000      $ 2,644      $ 1,000        N/A  

2018

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 107,500      $ 3,032        N/A        N/A  
   MRPS (Series A)    $ 20,000      $ 2,556      $ 1,000        N/A  

2019

   Revolving Credit Facility    $ 108,000      $ 3,037        N/A        N/A  
   MRPS (Series A)    $ 20,000      $ 2,562      $ 1,000        N/A  

 

(1)

The amount to which a holder of each class of senior security would be entitled upon the involuntary liquidation of the Fund in preference to the holder of any class of security with a junior ranking.

(2)

Not applicable, as senior securities are not registered for public trading.

(3)

At December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013, the Fund did not have a revolving credit agreement or MRPS, but it had securities lending arrangements with cash collateral received valued as $32,754,074, $52,405,671 and $38,219,410, respectively.

 

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THE FUND

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund is a statutory trust organized under the laws of Delaware pursuant to the Declaration of Trust dated October 22, 2010, as amended and restated by the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated December 15, 2010. The Fund’s principal office is located at 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154, and its telephone number is (877) 876-1121.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement, the Fund intends to invest the net proceeds of any offering of its securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies as stated herein. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds in accordance with its investment objectives and policies within thirty days after the completion of any offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be primarily invested in high yield securities or high-grade, short-term securities.

MARKET AND NET ASSET VALUE INFORMATION

The Fund’s Common Shares are listed on the Exchange and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”. Our Common Shares commenced trading on the Exchange on January 27, 2011.

Our Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount in relation to the Fund’s NAV per share. We cannot predict whether our Common Shares will trade at a premium or discount to NAV in the future. Our issuance of additional Common Shares may have an adverse effect on prices in the secondary market for our Common Shares by increasing the number of Common Shares available, which may create downward pressure on the market price for our Common Shares. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to NAV. See “Risks—Market Discount Risk.”

The following table sets forth for each of the periods indicated the range of high and low closing sale price of our Common Shares and the quarter-end sale price, each as reported on the Exchange, the NAV per share of Common Shares and the premium or discount to NAV per share at which our Common Shares were trading. NAV is generally determined on each business day that the Exchange is open for business. See “Net Asset Value” for information as to the determination of our NAV.

 

     Quarterly Closing
Sale Price
     Quarter-End Closing  
     High      Low      Sale
Price
     Net Asset
Value Per
Share of
Common
Shares(1)
     Premium/
(Discount)of
Quarter-End
Sale Price
to NAV(2)
 

Fiscal Year 2018

              

March 29, 2018

   $ 16.28      $ 15.80      $ 16.18      $ 17.22        (6.0 )% 

June 29, 2018

     16.99        16.25        16.46        17.15        (4.0 )% 

September 28, 2018

December 31, 2018

    

16.88

16.23

 

 

    

16.00

13.63

 

 

    

16.00

13.74

 

 

    

17.27

15.62

 

 

    

(7.4

(12.0

)% 

)% 

Fiscal Year 2019

              

March 29, 2019

     15.67        13.99        15.27        16.08        (5.0 )% 

June 28, 2019

     15.79        14.94        15.69        15.98        (1.8 )% 

September 30, 2019

December 31, 2019

    

16.40

15.84

 

 

    

15.63

14.94

 

 

    

15.78

15.64

 

 

    

15.79

15.74

 

 

    

(0.1

(0.6

)% 

)% 

Fiscal Year 2020

              

March 31, 2020

     16.55        8.61        10.54        11.67        (9.7 )% 

 

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Source of market prices: Bloomberg.

(1)

NAV per share is determined as of close of business on the last day of the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the NAV per share on the date of the high and low closing sales prices, which may or may not fall on the last day of the quarter. NAV per share is calculated as described in “Net Asset Value.”

(2)

Calculated as of the quarter-end by dividing quarter-end closing sales price by the quarter-end NAV, minus 1.

In recognition of the possibility that Common Shares might trade at a discount to NAV, the Board may consider one or more actions that might be taken to seek to reduce or eliminate any material discount from NAV in respect of Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Board may decide not to take any of these actions in the future. In addition, there can be no assurance any of these actions, or others, if undertaken, will reduce market discount. See “Closed-End Fund Structure” and “Repurchase of Common Shares.”

On April 30, 2020, the last reported sale price of our Common Shares on the Exchange was $11.22, which represented a discount of approximately 10.3% to the NAV per share reported by us on that date.

As of April 30, 2020, we had approximately 12,707,797 Common Shares outstanding and we had net assets attributable to common shareholders of approximately $159,017,557.

THE FUND’S INVESTMENTS

Investment Objectives

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund’s investment objectives are not fundamental and may be changed by the Board without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares.

This section provides additional information about the Fund’s investments and certain portfolio management techniques the Fund may use. More information about the Fund’s investments and portfolio management techniques and the associated risks is included in the SAI.

Investment Philosophy

The Adviser believes that changing investment environments over time offer attractive investment opportunities with varying degrees of investment risk in the loan and fixed-income markets. In order to capitalize on attractive investments and effectively manage potential risk, the Adviser believes that the combination of thorough and continuous credit analysis, diversification, and the ability to reallocate investments among senior and subordinated debt in both a long and short strategy is critical to achieving higher risk-adjusted returns relative to other high yield investments.

The Adviser weights the Fund’s long position investment portfolio more heavily toward Secured Loans than other types of corporate debt securities. It is the view of the Adviser that especially in times of economic uncertainty, Secured Loans are attractive investment opportunities because they are both senior in the corporate capital structure and secured by collateral, and they have historically exhibited recovery rates that are significantly higher than other corporate debt securities. The Adviser may short investments that it expects to underperform the long investments and therefore provide additional returns under various economic and interest rate environments.

 

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Long Position Philosophy

When identifying prospective long investment opportunities in both Secured Loans and other below investment grade corporate debt, the Adviser relies on fundamental credit analysis in order to minimize the loss of the Fund’s capital. The Adviser invests in below-investment grade debt of companies possessing the following attributes, which it believes help generate higher risk adjusted total returns:

 

   

Leading, defensible market positions. The Adviser invests in companies that it believes have developed strong positions within their respective markets and exhibit the potential to maintain sufficient cash flows and profitability to service their obligations in a range of economic environments. The Adviser seeks companies that it believes possess advantages in scale, scope, customer loyalty, product pricing, or product quality versus their competitors, thereby minimizing business risk and protecting profitability.

 

   

Investing in stable companies with positive cash flow. The Adviser invests in established, stable companies that have demonstrated a record of profitability and cash flows over several economic cycles. The Adviser believes such companies are well-positioned to maintain consistent cash flow to service and repay their obligations and maintain growth in their businesses or market share. The Adviser does not invest in start-up companies, companies in turnaround situations or companies with speculative business plans.

 

   

Proven management teams. The Adviser focuses on investments in which the target company has an experienced management team with an established track record of success. The Adviser typically requires companies to have in place proper incentives to align management’s goals with the Fund’s goals.

 

   

Private equity sponsorship. Often the Adviser seeks to participate in transactions sponsored by what it believes to be high-quality private equity firms. The Adviser believes that a private equity sponsor’s willingness to invest significant sums of equity capital into a company is an implicit endorsement of the quality of the investment. Further, private equity sponsors of companies with significant investments at risk have the ability and a strong incentive to contribute additional capital in difficult economic times should operational issues arise.

 

   

Diversification relative to other investments. The Adviser seeks to invest broadly among companies and industries, thereby potentially reducing the risk of a downturn in any one company or industry having a disproportionate impact on the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

Short Position Philosophy

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

When identifying prospective short investment opportunities, the Adviser focuses initially on investment opportunities that it believes will under-perform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk and interest rates. These investment opportunities may include, but are not limited to, U.S. Treasuries, investment grade and high yield corporate bonds. The Adviser expects that most of its short investments will be in U.S. Treasuries and investment grade bonds. Because these securities have historically low upward volatility this may serve to reduce the Fund’s risk of loss from short sales. The Adviser may also make short investments designed to offer downside protection for the Fund’s long investments.

Core Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic long-short strategy in a diversified portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of predominantly U.S. corporate issuers, including

 

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Secured Loans and high yield corporate debt securities of varying maturities. The loans and fixed-income instruments that the Fund invests in long positions in are typically rated below investment grade at the time of purchase. Below investment grade quality instruments are those that, at the time of investment, are rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s and BB+ or lower by S&P or Fitch, or if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Instruments of below investment grade quality, commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities, are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund may maintain both long and short positions based primarily on the fundamental analysis and views of the Adviser on a particular investment. The Fund takes long positions in investments that the Adviser believes offer the potential for attractive returns under various economic and interest rate environments. The Fund may take short positions in securities that the Adviser believes in the aggregate have a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk and interest rates. The Fund’s short positions, either directly or through the use of derivatives, may total up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets.

The Fund’s principal investments include, but are not limited to, loans and fixed-income instruments, including Secured Loans and high yield corporate debt securities of varying maturities; structured products consisting of CLOs and credit-linked notes; derivatives (including credit default swaps); and sovereign debt. The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in credit investments, including, but not limited to, loans and fixed-income instruments.

Portfolio Composition

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

Secured Loans

The Fund invests at least 70% of its Managed Assets in Secured Loans. Secured Loans hold senior positions in the capital structure of the Borrower, are secured with specific collateral, and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Borrower that is senior to that held by unsecured creditors, subordinated debt holders, and stockholders of the Borrower. The proceeds of Secured Loans primarily are used to refinance existing debt and for acquisitions, dividends, leveraged buyouts, and general corporate purposes.

Secured Loans typically have rates of interest which are determined daily, monthly, quarterly or semi-annually by reference to a base lending rate, plus a premium or credit spread. As a result, as short-term interest rates increase, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Secured Loans should increase, and as short-term interest rates decrease, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Secured Loans should decrease. Longer interest rate reset periods generally increase fluctuations in the Fund’s NAV as a result of changes in market interest rates. These base lending rates are primarily LIBOR (subject to the LIBOR transition as described in “Risks—LIBOR Risk”) and secondarily the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks and the certificate of deposit rate or other base lending rates used by commercial lenders.

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

 

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that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate such Secured Loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the Borrower or take other action detrimental to the holders of Secured Loans including, in certain circumstances, invalidating such Secured Loans or causing interest previously paid to be refunded to the Borrower. If interest were required to be refunded, it could negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

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

The Fund invests in loans that do not have certain maintenance covenants related to financial ratios, which are often referred to as “covenant-lite.” Currently, approximately 80% of outstanding senior secured loans in the market are covenant-lite, and therefore such loans are widely held by loan market participants. Other important collateral protections will continue to exist in most loan credit agreements, including (i) limitations on restricted payments, (ii) limitations on investments, (iii) limitations on additional debt and liens, and (iv) limitations on asset sales. While the Adviser seeks loans that provide attractive credit protection, the Fund is not limited in the amount of loans it may hold that are covenant-lite. See “Risks—“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk.”

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Unsecured Loans

The Fund may invest in unsecured loans, which have the same characteristics as Secured Loans except that such loans are not secured by collateral. In the event of default on an unsecured loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. It is possible that no collateral value would remain for an unsecured holder and therefore result in a loss of investment to the Fund. Because unsecured loans are lower in priority of payment to Secured Loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the Borrower may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the Borrower. Unsecured loans generally have greater price volatility than Secured Loans and may be less liquid.

Fixed-Income Instruments

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

Below Investment Grade Instruments

Substantially all of Fund’s assets, including its investments in Secured Loans and other debt securities, are invested in instruments rated below investment grade, such as those rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s and BB+ or lower by S&P or Fitch or instruments comparably rated by other rating agencies, or in unrated instruments determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Instruments rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s are judged to

 

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have speculative elements, their future cannot be considered as well assured and often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate. Instruments rated BB+ or lower by S&P or Fitch are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics and, while such obligations have less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative grade debt, they face major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments.

Lower grade instruments, though higher yielding, are characterized by higher risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated instruments. The retail secondary market for lower grade instruments may be less liquid than that of higher rated instruments. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain instruments or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund’s NAV.

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

Distressed and Defaulted Instruments

The Fund does not intend to invest in distressed or default instruments but may end up holding such an instrument as a result of the distress of or default by a Borrower or issuer of an existing loan or fixed-income instrument. The repayment of defaulted obligations is subject to significant uncertainties. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments.

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

Non-U.S. Securities

The Fund may invest in Non-U.S. Securities. Some Non-U.S. Securities may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, there is less volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets than in the United States and, at times, greater price volatility than in the United States.

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

 

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Certain of the Fund’s investment in foreign fixed income securities may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent the Fund invests in such instruments, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will be affected by changes in exchange rates. Generally, the Fund’s currency exchange transactions will be conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The cost of the Fund’s currency exchange transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates, the Fund is authorized to enter into various currency exchange transactions. See “Risks—Foreign Currency Risk.”

Illiquid and Restricted Securities

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (determined using the SEC’s standard applicable to registered investment companies, i.e., securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities). Investments currently considered to be illiquid include, among others, repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to repayment of principal and payment of interest within seven days, non-government stripped fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities, and over-the-counter options and other derivatives. In the absence of readily available market quotations, the Board, a committee appointed by the Board or a designee of the Board will price illiquid investments at a fair value as determined in good faith. Valuing illiquid securities typically requires greater judgment than valuing securities for which there is an active trading market. The market price of illiquid securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of illiquid securities. Investment of the Fund’s assets in illiquid securities may restrict the Fund’s ability to take advantage of market opportunities.

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

Equity Securities

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

 

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Temporary Strategies; Invest-Up Period

During the period in which the net proceeds of this offering of Common Shares are being invested or during periods in which the Adviser determines that economic or market conditions are unfavorable to investors and a defensive strategy would benefit the Fund, the Fund may temporarily depart from its investment strategy. During these periods, the Fund may deviate from its investment strategy and invest all or any portion of its assets in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities; non-U.S. government securities which have received the highest investment grade credit rating, certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association; commercial paper; bankers’ acceptances; bank time deposits; shares of money market funds; credit linked notes; repurchase agreements with respect to any of the foregoing; or any other fixed income securities that the Adviser considers consistent with this strategy. It is impossible to predict when, or for how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. There can be no assurance that such strategies will be successful.

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

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

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

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

Other Investment Techniques

Short Sales

The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes, including when the Adviser believes an investment will under-perform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk or interest rates. The Fund may also engage in short sales for financing purposes. The Fund may take short positions in securities in an amount up to 30% of the Fund’s net assets. If there are no attractive short sale opportunities available, the Fund may determine to refrain from engaging in short sales and may not make use of such investment technique for significant periods of time. In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.

Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own but can borrow in the market. Short selling allows the Fund to profit from a decline in market price to the extent such

 

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decline exceeds the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the securities and to obtain a low cost means of financing long investments that the Adviser believes are attractive. When the Fund engages in a short sale on a security, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the counterparty. The Fund will ordinarily have to pay a fee or premium if it borrows particular securities and be obligated to repay the lender of the security any coupon or interest that accrue on the securities during the period of the loan. The amount of any gain from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium dividends, interest or expenses the Fund pays in connection with the short sale. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.

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

Short sales expose the Fund to the risk that it will be required to cover its short position at a time when the securities have appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Fund. The Fund will ordinarily engage in short sales where it does not own or have the immediate right to acquire the security sold short. The Adviser may make short investments in securities (such as U.S. Treasuries and investment grade bonds) that historically have low upward volatility, potentially reducing the Fund’s risks of loss from its short sales. However, the Fund’s loss on a short sale could theoretically be unlimited in a case where the Fund is unable, for whatever reason, to close out its short position. The Adviser’s use of short sales in combination with long positions in the Fund’s portfolio in an attempt to improve performance or reduce overall portfolio risk may not be successful and may result in greater losses or lower positive returns than if the Fund held only long positions. It is possible that the Fund’s long securities positions will decline in value at the same time that the value of its short securities positions increase, thereby increasing potential losses to the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s short selling strategies may limit its ability to fully benefit from increases in the fixed-income markets.

Securities Lending

The Fund may make secured loans of its marginable securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions amounting to no more than 30% of its net assets. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consist of possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, such loans will be made only to broker-dealers and other financial institutions that are believed by the Adviser to be of relatively high credit standing. Securities loans are made to broker-dealers pursuant to agreements requiring that loans be continuously secured by collateral consisting of U.S. government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal at all times to the market value of the securities lent. The borrower pays to the Fund, as the lender, an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on the securities lent.

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

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

 

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performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of the securities loaned and will also reflect the receipt of interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments.

Derivatives

The Fund may invest up to 30% of its Managed Assets in derivatives. In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in any one counterparty (at any one time).

Total Return Swaps. The Fund may enter into total return swaps. In a total return swap, the Fund pays another party a fixed or floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities. If the other party to a total return swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of total return payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. The Fund bears the risk of default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover this potential obligation. The Fund may use total return swaps for financing, hedging or investment purposes. For the purposes of Managed Assets, the Fund will treat the value of a total return swap as the notional amount of the swap.

Credit Derivatives. The Fund may engage in credit derivative transactions. There are two broad categories of credit derivatives: default price risk derivatives and market spread derivatives. Default price risk derivatives are linked to the price of reference securities or loans after a default by the issuer or Borrower, respectively. Market spread derivatives are based on the risk that changes in market factors, such as credit spreads, can cause a decline in the value of a security, loan or index. There are three basic transactional forms for credit derivatives: swaps, options and structured instruments. A credit default swap is an agreement between two counterparties that allows one counterparty (the “seller”) to sell protection under the swap and or be “long” on a third party’s credit risk and the other party (the “buyer”) to purchase protection under the swap and be “short” on the credit risk. Typically, the buyer agrees to make regular fixed payments to the seller with the same frequency as the underlying reference instrument. In exchange, the buyer typically has the right upon a credit event on the underlying instrument to deliver the instrument to the seller in exchange for the instrument’s par value plus interest. Credit default swaps can be used as a substitute for purchasing or selling a credit security and sometimes is preferable to actually purchasing the security. Should the Fund invest in credit default swaps, it may invest as both a buyer and a seller. As a buyer of credit default swaps, the Fund is able to express a negative credit view on a particular instrument, but they are not short sales and are not subject to the Fund’s investment limitations with regard to short sales. As a seller of credit default swaps, the Fund would generally receive an up-front payment or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap. If a credit event occurs, generally the Fund would have to pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. For the purposes of Managed Assets, when acting as the buyer of protection under a credit default swap, the Fund will treat the value of the swap position as the market value of the swap position determined in accordance with the Fund’s valuation policies, and when acting as the seller of protection, the Fund will treat the notional value of the swap position as the market value. For purposes of the Fund’s limit on the use of derivatives, however, the notional value of credit default swaps will be used. The Fund does not intend to leverage its investments through the use of credit default swaps, but may incur effective leverage to the extent it acts as a seller of a credit default swap. A purchaser of a credit default swap is subject to counterparty risk. The Fund will monitor any such swaps or derivatives with a view towards ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all applicable regulatory investment policy and tax requirements. In addition, the Fund segregates liquid assets with a value equal (on a daily mark-to-market basis) to its obligations as the buying protection, enters into offsetting transactions or otherwise covers such transactions. With respect to selling a credit default swap, the Fund will segregate assets or otherwise cover its obligations for the notional amount of such credit default swap.

Interest Rate Transactions. The Fund can normally be expected to have less significant interest rate-related fluctuations in its NAV per share than investment companies investing primarily in fixed income securities (other than money market funds and some short term bond funds). However, because floating or variable rates on

 

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Secured Loans only reset periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the Fund’s NAV. Similarly, a sudden and significant increase in market interest rates may cause a decline in the Fund’s NAV. In addition, Secured Loans may allow the Borrower to opt between LIBOR-based interest rates and interest rates based on bank prime rates, which may have an impact the Fund’s NAV.

The Fund may use interest rate swaps for risk management purposes only and not as a speculative investment and would typically use interest rate swaps to shorten the average interest rate reset time of the Fund’s holdings. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments). The Fund will only enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis. If the other party to an interest rate swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund’s custodian. The Fund will not enter into any interest rate swap unless the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by the Adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. These instruments are traded in the over-the-counter market.

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

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may engage in foreign currency exchange transactions in connection with its investments in foreign securities. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market or through forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities.

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

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

 

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

Structured Products

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Managed Assets in structured products.

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

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

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, under which the Fund will effectively pledge its assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount equal to a percentage of the market value of the pledge collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back its collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest, which are for the benefit of the Fund.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or broker-dealer and the bank or broker-dealer agrees to repurchase the security at the Fund’s cost plus interest within a specified time. If the party agreeing to repurchase should default, the Fund will seek to sell the securities which it holds. This could involve transaction costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value

 

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should fall below their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid securities.

Investment Policies

Credit Ratings and Unrated Securities

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

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

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

Percentage Limitations

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

Segregation and Cover Requirements

Certain portfolio management techniques, such as engaging in short sales, entering into credit default swaps or futures contracts, or purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may be considered senior securities unless appropriate steps are taken to segregate the Fund’s assets or otherwise cover its obligations. When employing these techniques, the Fund may segregate liquid assets, enter into offsetting transactions or own positions covering its obligations. To the extent the Fund covers its commitment under such

 

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a portfolio management technique, such instrument will not be considered a senior security for the purposes of the 1940 Act. The Fund may cover such transactions using other methods currently or in the future permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, or orders issued by the SEC thereunder. For these purposes, interpretations and guidance provided by the SEC staff may be taken into account when deemed appropriate by the Fund. These segregation and coverage requirements could result in the Fund maintaining securities positions that it would otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

Portfolio Turnover

Active and frequent trading may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, which would increase their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the Fund’s performance.

 

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LEVERAGE

The Fund incurs leverage as part of its investment strategy. All costs and expenses related to any form of leverage used by the Fund are borne entirely by common shareholders. The Fund incurs leverage through securities lending arrangements and/or swap contract arrangements. In addition, the Fund may incur leverage by reinvesting the proceeds from short sales in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives; however, the Fund may also enter into shorting programs without incurring leverage. Although certain forms of effective leverage used by the Fund, such as leverage incurred in securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling, may not be considered senior securities under the 1940 Act, such effective leverage will be considered leverage for the Fund’s leverage limits. The Fund’s use of these forms of effective leverage will not exceed 30% of its net assets. The Fund uses Borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, immediately after such Borrowings. As of March 31, 2020, the Fund had a credit facility with a financial institution in place under which it had Borrowings representing approximately 30.27% of its total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities. Furthermore, the Fund adds leverage to its portfolio through the issuance of Preferred Shares and may in the future continue to use leverage through such issuances in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets immediately after such issuance. As of March 31, 2020, the Fund had outstanding Preferred Shares with a total liquidation value of $20,000,000. As of March 31, 2020, our total leverage (including Borrowings and Preferred Shares) represented 38.56% of our total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities. The Fund’s total use of leverage and short sales exposure, either through traditional leverage programs or through securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling (including the market value of securities the Fund is obligated to repay through short sales even in transactions that do not result in leverage), will not exceed 40% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (67% of the Fund’s net assets). The leverage would generally have complete priority upon distribution of assets over the Fund’s Common Shares. Although the timing of any leverage and the terms of the leverage (other than any short positions and derivative transactions) would be determined by the Board, the Fund invests the proceeds derived from any leverage offering in securities consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. The Fund makes quarterly dividend payments on the MRPS at an annual dividend rate of 3.61%. If the ratings of the MRPS are downgraded, the Fund’s dividend expense may increase.

In a securities lending program, the Fund would lend high yield debt securities or other marginable securities to a counterparty, in exchange for cash collateral and fees. The Fund would then reinvest the cash collateral received from the counterparty in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives, resulting in a form of leverage.

In a total return swap arrangement, the Fund would receive the interest rate and capital gains returns on specified assets, typically loans, and in exchange would make payments to the counterparty of LIBOR plus an agreed upon spread and would also bear the risk of default for any of the assets. The Fund would also post margin collateral with the counterparty. The underlying assets of the swap will be counted toward the Fund’s Managed Assets. Because the Fund receives the return on the assets without having to purchase the assets, this serves as a form of leverage.

Leverage creates risk for the common shareholders, including the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of the Common Shares, and the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on Borrowings and debt or in the dividend rates on the MRPS may affect the return to the common shareholders or will result in fluctuations in the dividends paid on the Common Shares. To the extent total return exceeds the cost of leverage, the Fund’s return will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the total return derived from securities purchased with funds received from the use of leverage is less than the cost of leverage, the Fund’s return will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to common shareholders as dividends and other distributions will be reduced. In the latter case, the Adviser in its best judgment nevertheless may determine to maintain the Fund’s leveraged position if it expects that the benefits to

 

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common shareholders of maintaining the leveraged position will outweigh the current reduced return. Under normal market conditions, the Fund anticipates that it will be able to invest the proceeds from leverage at a higher rate of return than the costs of leverage, which would enhance returns to common shareholders. The use of leverage creates risks and involves special considerations. See “Risks—Leverage Risk.”

The Fund’s Declaration of Trust authorizes the Fund, without prior approval of the common shareholders, to borrow money. In this connection, the Fund may issue notes or other evidence of indebtedness (including bank borrowings or commercial paper) and may secure any such borrowings by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the Fund’s assets. In connection with such borrowing, the Fund may be required to maintain minimum average balances with the lender or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit. Any such requirements will increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. Under the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Fund, immediately after any such borrowings, must have an “asset coverage” of at least 300%. With respect to such borrowing, asset coverage means the ratio which the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liabilities and indebtedness other than senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act), bears to the aggregate amount of such borrowing represented by senior securities issued by the Fund. The Fund will manage its short positions in securities and certain of its derivative positions by maintaining an amount of cash or liquid securities in a segregated account equal to the face value of those positions. The Fund may also offset derivative positions against one another or against other assets to manage the effective market exposure resulting from derivatives in its portfolio. To the extent that the Fund does not segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover its obligations under such transactions, such transactions will be treated as senior securities representing indebtedness (“Borrowings”) for purposes of the requirement under the 1940 Act that the Fund may not enter into any such transactions if the Fund’s Borrowings would thereby exceed 33 1/3% of its total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior securities.

The rights of lenders to the Fund to receive interest on and repayment of principal of any such Borrowings will be senior to those of the common shareholders, and the terms of any such Borrowings may contain provisions which limit certain activities of the Fund, including the payment of dividends to common shareholders in certain circumstances. Further, the 1940 Act does (in certain circumstances) grant to the lenders to the Fund certain voting rights in the event of default in the payment of interest on or repayment of principal. In the event that such provisions would impair the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Fund intends to repay the Borrowings. Any borrowing will likely be ranked senior or equal to all other existing and future Borrowings of the Fund.

Certain types of borrowings may result in the Fund being subject to covenants in credit agreements relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. Generally, covenants to which the Fund may be subject include affirmative covenants, negative covenants, financial covenants, and investment covenants. An example of an affirmative covenant would be one that requires the Fund to send its annual audited financial report to the lender. An example of a negative covenant would be one that prohibits the Fund from making any amendments to its fundamental policies. An example of a financial covenant is one that would require the Fund to maintain a 3:1 asset coverage ratio. An example of an investment covenant is one that would require the Fund to limit its investment in a particular asset class. The Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for any short-term corporate debt securities or Preferred Shares issued by the Fund. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Adviser from managing the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies.

Section 18(a) of the 1940 Act requires certain actions by the Fund if its asset coverage falls below certain levels. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue Preferred Shares unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior securities, is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Shares (i.e., the liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior

 

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securities). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the Fund’s total assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of its outstanding Preferred Shares plus its outstanding liabilities and indebtedness. In order to reduce the likelihood of a situation arising where the Fund would be unable to make distributions on its Common Shares, the Fund may purchase or redeem Preferred Shares from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain asset coverage of any Preferred Shares of at least 200%. In addition, as a condition to obtaining ratings on the Preferred Shares, the terms of any Preferred Shares issued are expected to include more stringent asset coverage maintenance provisions which will require the redemption of the Preferred Shares in the event of non-compliance by the Fund and may also prohibit dividends and other distributions on the Common Shares in such circumstances. In order to meet redemption requirements, the Fund may have to liquidate portfolio securities. Such liquidations and redemptions would cause the Fund to incur related transaction costs and could result in capital losses to the Fund. Prohibitions on dividends and other distributions on the Common Shares could impair the Fund’s ability to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code. So long as the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, two of the Fund’s Trustees (the “Preferred Trustees”) are elected by the holders of Preferred Shares of the Fund (“preferred shareholders”) as a class. Currently, Thomas W. Jasper and Michael F. Holland are serving as the Preferred Trustees. The remaining Trustees of the Fund are elected by holders of Common Shares and Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. In the event the Fund failed to pay dividends on Preferred Shares for two years, preferred shareholders would be entitled to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund.

So long as the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, it may be subject to certain restrictions imposed by guidelines of one or more ratings agencies that may issue ratings for Preferred Shares issued by the Fund. These guidelines would be expected to impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that would be more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines would impede the Adviser from managing the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies.

The Fund may also borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require detrimental dispositions of Fund securities.

Effects of Leverage

The Fund currently utilizes the credit facility to borrow up to an aggregate limit of $122,000,000 under two loan tranches, Tranche A and Tranche B. The Tranche A commitment allows for borrowings up to $41,000,000 and the Tranche B commitment allows for borrowings up to $81,000,000. As of March 31, 2020, the Fund had $73,100,000 outstanding under its credit facility, representing approximately 30.27% of its total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities. As of March 31, 2020, the annual interest rate on such borrowings was 2.25%.

At May 8, 2020, the Fund had 20,000 shares of MRPS outstanding with a total liquidation value of $20,000,000. Each share of MRPS has a liquidation preference of $1,000. The final redemption date of the MRPS is July 27, 2023. The Fund makes quarterly dividend payments on MRPS at an annual dividend rate of 3.61%.

The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on Common Shares total return, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised of income and changes in the value of securities held in the Fund’s portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns experienced or expected to be experienced by the Fund. See “Risks.”

The table further reflects the Fund’s leverage as of March 31, 2020, and the Fund’s currently projected annual average interest and dividends on its leverage of 2.54%. The Fund must experience an annual rate of

 

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return of 1.60% in order to cover annual interest and dividend payments on borrowings under the Fund’s credit facility and Preferred Shares. These figures are estimates based on current market conditions, used for illustration purposes only. Actual expenses associated with borrowings used by the Fund may vary frequently and may be significantly higher or lower than the rate used for the example above.

Assumed Portfolio Total Return (Net of Expenses)

     (10)%        (5)%        0 %        5 %        10 %  

Common Shares Total Return

     (17.87)%        (9.73)%        (1.60)%        6.54%        14.68%  

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

RISKS

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company designed primarily as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program and, due to the uncertainty inherent in all investments, there can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. At any point in time an investment in the Fund’s Common Shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account the distributions paid by and the ability of shareholders to reinvest dividends.

Market Discount Risk

The Fund’s Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount to its NAV. The last reported sale price, as of April 30, 2020 was $11.22 per share. The Fund’s NAV per share and percentage discount to NAV per share of its Common Shares as of April 30, 2020 were $12.51 and 10.3%, respectively. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to their NAV. This characteristic is a risk separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV could decrease as a result of the Fund’s investment activities and may be greater for investors expecting to sell their shares in a relatively short period following completion of any offering under this Prospectus. Although the value of the Fund’s net assets is generally considered by market participants in determining whether to purchase or sell shares, whether investors will realize gains or losses upon the sale of the Fund’s Common Shares depends upon whether the market price of the Fund’s Common Shares at the time of sale is above or below the investor’s purchase price for the Fund’s Common Shares. Because the market price of the Fund’s Common Shares is affected by factors such as NAV, dividend or distribution levels (which are dependent, in part, on expenses), supply of and demand for the Fund’s Common Shares, stability of distributions, trading volume of the Fund’s Common Shares, general market and economic conditions, and other factors beyond our control, the Fund cannot predict whether the Common Shares will trade at, below or above NAV or at, below or above the offering price. The Fund’s Shares is designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not view the Fund as a vehicle for trading purposes.

Investment and Market Risk

An investment in the Fund’s Common Shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s Common Shares represents an indirect investment in the portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments, short positions and other securities and derivative instruments owned by the Fund, and the value of these securities and instruments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. An investment in our Common Shares is not intended to constitute a complete investment program and should not be viewed as such. The value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may move up

 

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or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. In addition, if the current global economic downturn continues or deteriorates further, the ability of borrowers to service their obligations could be materially and adversely affected. At any point in time an investment in the Fund’s Common Shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Fund and the ability of shareholders to reinvest dividends. The Fund may also use leverage, which would magnify the Fund’s investment, market and certain other risks. See “—Leverage Risks” below.

Secured Loans Risk

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 70% of its Managed Assets in Secured Loans. Secured Loans hold senior positions in the capital structure of a business entity, are secured with specific collateral, and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Borrower that is senior to that held by unsecured creditors, subordinated debt holders, and stockholders of the Borrower. The Secured Loans the Fund invests in are usually rated below investment grade or may also be unrated. As a result, the risks associated with Secured Loans are similar to the risks of below investment grade instruments, although Secured Loans are senior and secured in contrast to other below investment grade instruments, which are often subordinated or unsecured. Nevertheless, if a Borrower under a Secured Loan defaults, becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy, the Fund may recover only a fraction of what is owed on the Secured Loan or nothing at all. Secured Loans are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in this Prospectus, including credit risk, liquidity risk, below investment grade, or high yield, instruments risk and management risk. See “—Below Investment Grade, or High Yield, Instruments Risk,” “—Credit Risk,” “—“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk” and “—Liquidity Risk” below.

Although the Secured Loans in which the Fund invests in are secured by collateral, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have first-lien priority in such collateral or that such collateral could be readily liquidated or that the liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the Borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a Borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a Secured Loan. In the event of a decline in the value of the already pledged collateral, if the terms of a Secured Loan do not require the Borrower to pledge additional collateral, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the value of the collateral will not at all times equal or exceed the amount of the Borrower’s obligations under the Secured Loans. To the extent that a Secured Loan is collateralized by stock in the Borrower or its subsidiaries, such stock may lose some or all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Borrower. Those Secured Loans that are under-collateralized involve a greater risk of loss.

In general, the secondary trading market for Secured Loans is not fully-developed. No active trading market may exist for certain Secured Loans, which may make it difficult to value them. Illiquidity and adverse market conditions may mean that the Fund may not be able to sell certain Secured Loans quickly or at a fair price. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain Secured Loans, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

Some Secured Loans are subject to the risk that a court, pursuant to fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws, could subordinate the Secured Loans to presently existing or future indebtedness of the Borrower or take other action detrimental to lenders, including the Fund. Such court action could under certain circumstances include invalidation of Secured Loans.

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

If legislation or federal or state regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Secured Loans that are considered highly levered

 

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transactions. Such sales could result in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Fund attempts to sell a Secured Loan at a time when a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Fund could get for the Secured Loan may be adversely affected.

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

Fixed-Income Instruments Risk

The Fund may invest up to 30% of its Managed Assets in fixed-income instruments, such as U.S. government debt securities and investment grade and below investment grade, subordinated and unsubordinated corporate debt securities. Fixed-income instruments are subject to many of the same risks that affect Secured Loans and unsecured loans, however they are often unsecured and typically lower in the issuer’s capital structure than loans, and thus may be exposed to greater risk of default and lower recoveries in the event of a default. This risk can be further heightened in the case of below investment grade instruments. Additionally, most fixed-income instruments are fixed-rate and thus are generally more susceptible than floating rate loans to price volatility related to changes in prevailing interest rates. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Fixed-Income Instruments.”

Unsecured Loans Risk

The Fund may invest in unsecured loans. Unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in Secured Loans except that such loans are not secured by collateral. In the event of default on an unsecured loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. Unsecured loans are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the Borrower may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the Borrower. Unsecured loans generally have greater price volatility than Secured Loans and may be less liquid. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Unsecured Loans.”

 

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Below Investment Grade, or High Yield, Instruments Risk

The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in loans and fixed-income instruments that are rated below investment grade. Below investment grade instruments are commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” instruments and are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Lower grade instruments may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns, which could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such instruments to repay principal and pay interest thereon, increase the incidence of default for such instruments and severely disrupt the market value of such instruments.

Lower grade instruments, though higher yielding, are characterized by higher risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated instruments. The retail secondary market for lower grade instruments may be less liquid than that for higher rated instruments. Adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain instruments or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund’s NAV. Because of the substantial risks associated with investments in lower grade instruments, investors could lose money on their investment in Common Shares of the Fund, both in the short-term and the long-term. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition—Below Investment Grade Instruments.”

“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk

The Fund may invest in, or obtain exposure to, obligations that may be “covenant-lite,” which means such obligations lack certain financial maintenance covenants. While these loans may still contain other collateral protections, a covenant-lite loan may carry more risk than a covenant-heavy loan made by the same borrower as it does not require the borrower to provide affirmation that certain specific financial tests have been satisfied on a routine basis as is required under a covenant-heavy loan agreement. Should a loan held by the Fund begin to deteriorate in quality, the Fund’s ability to negotiate with the borrower may be delayed under a covenant-lite loan compared to a loan with full maintenance covenants. This may in turn delay the Fund’s ability to seek to recover its investment.

Valuation Risk

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

Short Selling Risk

The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes, including when the Adviser believes an investment will under-perform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk or interest rates. The Fund may also engage in short sales for financing purposes. In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.

Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own but can borrow in the market. Short selling allows the Fund to profit from a decline in market price to the extent such

 

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decline exceeds the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the securities and to obtain a low cost means of financing long investments that the Adviser believes are attractive. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund is permitted to have substantial short positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer under the short sale transaction. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions earlier than it had expected. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.

Generally, the Fund will have to pay a fee or premium if it borrows securities and will be obligated to repay the lender of the security any dividends or interest that accrues on the security during the term of the loan. The amount of any gain from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of such fee, premium, dividends, interest or expense the Fund pays in connection with the short sale.

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

Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security’s value cannot decrease below zero. The Adviser’s use of short sales in combination with long positions in the Fund’s portfolio in an attempt to improve performance or reduce overall portfolio risk may not be successful and may result in greater losses or lower positive returns than if the Fund held only long positions. It is possible that the Fund’s long securities positions will decline in value at the same time that the value of its short securities positions increase, thereby increasing potential losses to the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s short selling strategies will limit its ability to fully benefit from increases in the fixed-income markets.

By investing the proceeds received from selling securities short, the Fund could be deemed to be employing a form of leverage, which creates special risks. The use of leverage may increase the Fund’s exposure to long securities positions and make any change in the Fund’s NAV greater than it would be without the use of leverage. This could result in increased volatility of returns. There is no guarantee that any leveraging strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Finally, regulations imposed by the SEC or other regulatory bodies relating to short selling may restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in short selling.

Liquidity Risk

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its Managed Assets in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (determined using the SEC’s standard applicable to registered investment companies, i.e., securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the securities). The Fund may also invest in restricted securities. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase these securities.

 

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

Some loans and fixed-income instruments are not readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. Loans and fixed-income instruments may not be listed on any national securities exchange and no active trading market may exist for certain of the loans and fixed-income instruments in which the Fund will invest. Where a secondary market exists, the market for some loans and fixed-income instruments may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

Credit Risk

Credit risk is the risk that one or more loans or other debt instruments in the Fund’s portfolio will decline in price or fail to pay interest or principal when due because the issuer of the instrument experiences a decline in its financial status. While a senior position in the capital structure of a Borrower or issuer may provide some protection with respect to the Fund’s investments in Secured Loans, losses may still occur because the market value of Secured Loans is affected by the creditworthiness of Borrowers or issuers and by general economic and specific industry conditions and the Fund’s other investments will often be subordinate to other debt in the issuer’s capital structure. To the extent the Fund invests in below investment grade instruments, it will be exposed to a greater amount of credit risk than a fund which invests in investment grade securities. The prices of lower grade instruments are more sensitive to negative developments, such as a decline in the issuer’s revenues or a general economic downturn, than are the prices of higher grade instruments. Instruments of below investment grade quality are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due and therefore involve a greater risk of default. In addition, the Fund may enter into credit derivatives which may expose it to additional risk in the event that the instruments underlying the derivatives default.

Interest Rate Risk

Loans, corporate debt securities or other fixed-income instruments that the Fund may invest in are subject to the risk that market values of such securities will decline as interest rates increase. These changes in interest rates have a more pronounced effect on securities with longer durations. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV.

Leverage Risk

The Fund incurs leverage as part of its investment strategy. All costs and expenses related to any form of leverage used by the Fund are borne entirely by common shareholders. Certain forms of effective leverage used by the Fund, such as leverage incurred in securities lending, swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling, may not be considered senior securities under the 1940 Act, but will be considered leverage for the Fund’s leverage limits. The Fund’s use of these forms of effective leverage will not exceed 30% of its net assets. The Fund uses Borrowings. Furthermore, the Fund adds leverage to its portfolio through the issuance of Preferred Shares. The Fund’s total use of leverage and short sales exposure, either through traditional

 

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leverage programs or through securities lending, total swap contract arrangements, other derivative transactions or short selling (including the market value of securities the Fund is obligated to repay through short sales even in transactions that do not result in leverage), will not exceed 40% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (67% of the Fund’s net assets). With respect to its short positions in securities and certain of its derivative positions, the Fund may maintain an amount of cash or liquid securities in a segregated account equal to the face value of those positions.

The Fund may also offset derivative positions against one another or against other assets to manage the effective market exposure resulting from derivatives in its portfolio. To the extent that the Fund does not segregate liquid assets or otherwise cover its obligations under such transactions, such transactions will be treated as Borrowings for purposes of the requirement under the 1940 Act that the Fund may not enter into any such transactions if the Fund’s Borrowings’ would thereby exceed 33 1/3% of its Managed Assets. See “Leverage.” In addition, to the extent that any offsetting positions do not behave in relation to one another as expected, the Fund may perform as if it were leveraged. The Fund’s use of leverage could create the opportunity for a higher return for common shareholders but would also result in special risks for common shareholders and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on the securities and investments purchased with leverage proceeds are greater than the cost of the leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income and gains from the securities and investments purchased with such proceeds do not cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be less than if leverage had not been used. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. Leverage involves risks and special considerations for common shareholders, including:

 

   

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

 

   

the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on Borrowings and short-term debt or in the dividend rates on the MRPS that the Fund may pay will reduce the return to the common shareholders or will result in fluctuations in the dividends paid on the Common Shares;

 

   

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

 

   

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

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

Derivatives Risk

Under normal market conditions, the use of derivatives by the Fund does not exceed 30% of the Fund’s Managed Assets. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including: the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying assets in the Fund’s portfolio; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative contract would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative contract and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. Certain of the derivative investments in which the Fund may invest may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning

 

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such instruments. Furthermore, the ability to successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Adviser to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. Thus, the use of derivative investments to generate income, for hedging, for currency or interest rate management or other purposes may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices below or above the current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise want to sell. In addition, there may be situations in which the Adviser elects not to use derivative investments that result in losses greater than if they had been used. Amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund’s derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain. Changes to the derivatives markets as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and other government regulation may also have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to make use of derivative transactions. On November 25, 2019, the SEC re-proposed a rule that would regulate the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. The new derivatives rule, if adopted, may impact the manner in which the Fund uses derivatives.

Derivatives Legislation and Regulatory Risk

The enforceability of agreements governing hedging transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the identity of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. New or amended regulations may be imposed by the CFTC, the SEC, the Federal Reserve, the EU or other financial regulators, other governmental or intergovernmental regulatory authorities or self-regulatory organizations that supervise the financial markets, and could adversely affect the Fund. In particular, the CFTC and the SEC are empowered to promulgate a variety of new rules pursuant to recently enacted financial reform legislation in the United States. The Fund also may be adversely affected by changes in the enforcement or interpretation of statutes and rules by these regulatory authorities or self-regulatory organizations.

In addition, the securities and futures markets are subject to comprehensive statutes and regulations. For instance, the Dodd-Frank Act could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments. The Dodd-Frank Act is designed to impose stringent regulation on the over-the-counter derivatives market in an attempt to increase transparency and accountability and provides for, among other things, new clearing, execution, margin, reporting, recordkeeping, business conduct, documentation, disclosure, position limit, minimum net capital and registration requirements. Although the CFTC has released final rules relating to clearing, execution, reporting, risk management, compliance, position limit, anti-fraud, consumer protection, portfolio reconciliation, documentation, recordkeeping, business conduct, margin requirements and registration requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act, many of the provisions are subject to further final rulemaking and clarifications, and thus the Dodd-Frank Act’s ultimate impact remains unclear.

New regulations could, among other things, restrict the Fund’s ability to engage in derivatives transactions (for example, by making certain types of derivatives transactions no longer available to the Fund), increase the costs of using certain instruments (for example, by increasing margin, capital or reporting requirements) and/or make them less effective. In particular, new margin requirements and capital charges, even when not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the pricing of derivatives transacted by the Fund. New exchange trading and trade reporting requirements and position limits may lead to changes in the liquidity of derivative transactions, or higher pricing or reduced liquidity in the derivatives markets, or the reduction of arbitrage opportunities for the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund’s engages in derivative transactions could also limit the ability of the Fund from using these instruments, affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments or may change the availability of certain investments. As a result, these changes could make it difficult for the Fund to execute its investment strategy.

It is unclear how the regulatory changes will affect counterparty risk. For instance, in December 2012, the CFTC issued a final rule requiring certain credit default swaps and interest rate swaps to be centrally cleared,

 

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which is applicable to all swap counterparties not eligible for certain narrowly-defined exemption or exceptions. Where the Fund enters into certain swaps subject to mandatory clearing, it may be required to execute such swaps on a registered designated contract market or swap execution facility (“SEF”). Such clearing requirements may affect the Fund’s ability to negotiate individualized terms and/or may increase the costs of entering into such derivative transactions (for example, by increasing margin or capital requirements). Clearing mandates with respect to other types of derivative instruments have not yet been issued by the applicable regulators, but could have additional impact on the Fund’s ability to use such instruments as part of its investment strategy. In addition, certain foreign jurisdictions may also impose clearing requirements or expand existing clearing requirements that could apply to the Fund’s transactions with non-U.S. entities. For entities designated by the CFTC or the SEC as “swap dealers,” “security-based swaps dealers,” “major swap participants” or major “security-based swap participants,” the Dodd-Frank Act imposes new regulatory, reporting and compliance requirements. On May 23, 2012, a joint final rulemaking by the CFTC and the SEC defining these key terms was published in the Federal Register. Based on those definitions, the Fund would not be a swap dealer, security-based swap dealer, major swap participant or security-based major swap participant at this time. If the Fund is later designated as a swap dealer, security-based swap dealer, major swap participant or major security-based swap participant, its business will be subject to increased regulatory requirements, including registration requirements, additional recordkeeping and reporting obligations, external and internal business conduct standards, position limits monitoring, capital and margin thresholds, which will in turn increase the Fund’s compliance cost.

Furthermore, on December 15, 2015, the CFTC approved a final rule, which became effective in April 2016, but with later implementation dates as specified below, governing margin requirements for uncleared swaps entered into by registered swap dealers and major swap participants who are not supervised by the prudential regulators, referred to as “covered swap entities.” The final rule generally requires covered swap entities, subject to certain thresholds and exemptions, to collect and post margin in respect of uncleared swap transactions with other covered swap entities and financial end-users. In particular, the final rule requires covered swap entities and financial end-users having “material swaps exposure,” defined as an average aggregate daily notional amount of uncleared swaps exceeding a certain specified amount, to collect and/or post (as applicable) a minimum amount of “initial margin” in respect of uncleared swaps, subject to a phase-in schedule until September 1, 2021, when the average aggregate daily notional amount will thenceforth be $8 billion as calculated from June, July and August of the previous calendar year. In addition, the final rule requires covered swap entities entering into uncleared swaps with other covered swap entities or financial-end-users, regardless of swaps exposure, to post and/or collect (as applicable) “variation margin” in reflection of changes in the mark-to-market value of an uncleared swap since the swap was executed or the last time such margin was exchanged. The implementation date for variation margin requirements was March 1, 2017, subject to no-action relief to delay, until September 1, 2017, for full compliance. The CFTC final rule is substantially consistent with a similar rule mandating the exchange of initial and variation margin adopted by the prudential regulators in October 2015. It is possible that such regulations could increase the cost of and limit the implementation of the Fund’s use of derivatives, which could have an adverse impact on the Fund.

On November 30, 2018, the CFTC published a proposed rule restructuring the regulatory framework applicable to SEFs and requiring more types of cleared swap contracts to be traded on SEFs. If implemented, the proposed rule may increase the cost of entering into certain swap contracts or reduce liquidity in those products. The proposed rule will require SEF registration of many non-U.S. swap facilities, which may have a disproportionate impact on certain cross-border swap contracts.

In addition to U.S. laws and regulations relating to derivatives, certain non-U.S. regulatory authorities, such as those in the EU, Australia, Japan and Hong Kong, have passed or proposed, or may propose in the future, legislation similar to that imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act. For example, on November 25, 2019, the SEC re-proposed a rule that would regulate the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. The new derivatives rule, if adopted, may impact the manner in which the Fund uses derivatives. Furthermore, the EU regulations on derivatives will impose position limits on commodity transactions, and the European Market

 

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Infrastructure Regulation (“EMIR”) already requires reporting of derivatives and various risk mitigation techniques to be applied to derivatives entered into by parties that are subject to the jurisdiction of EMIR. Certain entities, including private funds, may be required to clear certain derivatives and may become subject to initial and variation margin requirements with respect to their non-cleared derivatives, under the recently implemented “EMIR Refit” regulations. These EU regulatory changes may impact the Fund and a broad range of counterparties, both outside and within the EU, and are expected to potentially increase the cost of transacting derivatives for the Fund (particularly with banks and other dealers directly subject to such regulations).

Commodities Regulation

CFTC Rule 4.5 permits investment advisers to registered investment companies to claim an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” under the CEA with respect to a fund, provided certain requirements are met. In order to permit the Adviser to claim this exclusion with respect to the Fund, the Fund limits its transactions in certain futures, options on futures and swaps deemed “commodity interests” under CFTC rules (excluding transactions entered into for “bona fide hedging purposes,” as defined under CFTC regulations) such that either: (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish such futures, options on futures and swaps do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions; or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of such futures, options on futures and swaps does not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions. In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the Fund may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the futures, options or swaps markets. Accordingly, the Fund is not subject to regulation under the CEA or otherwise regulated by the CFTC. If the Adviser was unable to claim the exclusion with respect to the Fund, the Adviser would become subject to registration and regulation as a commodity pool operator, which would subject the Adviser and the Fund to additional registration and regulatory requirements and increased operating expenses.

Swap Risk

The Fund may also invest in credit default swaps, total return swaps and interest rate swaps. Such transactions are subject to market risk, liquidity risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction, known as “counterparty risk,” and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other costs. When buying protection under a swap, the risk of loss with respect to swaps generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. However, when selling protection under a swap, the risk of loss is often the notional value of the underlying asset, which can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid; however, there is no guarantee that the swap market will continue to provide liquidity. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used. In a total return swap, the Fund pays the counterparty a floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities (or pays an equivalent amount, if the total return is negative). The Fund bears the risk of default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover potential obligations under the swap.

Counterparty and Prime Brokerage Risk

Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Fund’s prime brokers or counterparties with respect to derivatives or other transactions supported by another party’s credit will affect the value of those instruments. Certain entities that have served as prime brokers or counterparties in the markets for these transactions have recently incurred significant financial hardships including bankruptcy and losses as a result of

 

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exposure to sub-prime mortgages and other lower quality credit investments that have experienced recent defaults or otherwise suffered extreme credit deterioration. As a result, such hardships have reduced such entities’ capital and called into question their continued ability to perform their obligations under such transactions. By using derivatives, swaps or other transactions, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience similar financial hardships. If a prime broker or counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding; if the Fund’s claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such prime broker or counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances. In addition, regulations that were adopted by prudential regulators in 2019 require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many derivatives contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that such counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings.

Credit Derivatives Risk

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

Structured Products Risk

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its Managed Assets in structured products, consisting of CLOs and credit-linked notes. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk.

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

Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. CLOs and credit-linked notes are typically privately offered and sold. As a result, investments in CLOs and credit-linked notes may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities

 

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discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in CLOs are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. See “The Fund’s Investments—Portfolio Composition.”

Lender Liability Risk

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

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

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

LIBOR Risk

Instruments in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR. The Fund and issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests may also obtain financing at floating rates based on LIBOR. The underlying collateral of CLOs in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR. Derivative instruments utilized by the Fund and/or issuers of instruments in which the Fund may invest may also reference LIBOR. On July 27, 2017, the UK Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is expected that a number of private-sector banks currently reporting information used to set LIBOR will stop doing so after 2021 when their current reporting commitment ends, which could either cause LIBOR to stop publication immediately or cause LIBOR’s regulator to determine that its quality has degraded to the degree that it is no longer representative of its underlying market. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a new index calculated by short-term repurchase agreements, backed by U.S. Treasury securities. Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could have adverse impacts and represent a significant risk on newly issued financial instruments and existing financial instruments which reference LIBOR. While some instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate setting methodology, not all instruments may have such provisions and there are significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies.

Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could lead to significant short-term and long-term uncertainty and market instability and the extent to which that may impact the Fund may vary depending on various factors, which include, but are not limited to: (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts and

 

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(ii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new successor reference rates and/or fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments. In addition, the transition to a successor rate could potentially cause (i) increased volatility or illiquidity in markets for instruments that currently rely on LIBOR, (ii) a reduction in the value of certain instruments held by the Fund, or (iii) reduced effectiveness of related Fund transactions, such as hedging. It remains uncertain how such changes would be implemented and the effects such changes would have on the Fund, issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests and financial markets generally.

Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk

The Adviser is subject to certain conflicts of interest in its management of the Fund. These conflicts arise primarily from the involvement of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates in other activities that may conflict with those of the Fund. The Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates engage in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of their business activities, the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates may engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates or the interests of their clients may conflict with the interests of the Fund or the common shareholders. Other present and future activities of the Adviser, GSO, Blackstone and their affiliates may give rise to additional conflicts of interest, which may have a negative impact on the Fund.

In addressing these conflicts and regulatory, legal and contractual requirements across its various businesses, Blackstone has implemented certain policies and procedures (e.g., information walls) that may reduce the positive firm-wide synergies that the Adviser may have potentially utilized for purposes of finding attractive investments. Additionally, Blackstone may limit a client and/or its portfolio companies from engaging in agreements with or related to companies in which any fund of Blackstone has or has considered making an investment or which is otherwise an advisory client of Blackstone and/or from time to time restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with companies or other clients of Blackstone, either as result of contractual restrictions or otherwise. Finally, Blackstone has in the past entered, and is likely in the future to enter, into one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or with respect to certain types of investments that, although possibly intended to provide greater opportunities for the Fund, may require the Fund to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity the Fund can otherwise take.

As part of its regular business, Blackstone provides a broad range of services other than those provided by the Adviser, including investment banking, underwriting, capital markets syndication and advisory (including underwriting), placement, financial advisory, restructuring and advisory, consulting, asset/property management, mortgage servicing, insurance (including title insurance), monitoring, commitment, syndication, origination, servicing, management consulting and other similar operational and finance matters, healthcare consulting/brokerage, group purchasing, organizational, operational, loan servicing, financing, divestment and other services. In addition, Blackstone may provide services in the future beyond those currently provided. The Fund will not receive a benefit from the fees or profits derived from such services. In such a case, a client of Blackstone would typically require Blackstone to act exclusively on its behalf. This request may preclude all of Blackstone clients (including the Fund) from participating in related transactions that would otherwise be suitable. Blackstone will be under no obligation to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. In connection with its other businesses, Blackstone will likely come into possession of information that limits its ability to engage in potential transactions. The Fund’s activities are expected to be constrained as a result of the inability of the personnel of Blackstone to use such information. For example, employees of Blackstone from time to time are prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with members of the Adviser’s investment team that would be relevant to monitoring the Fund’s portfolio and other investment decisions. Additionally, there are expected to be circumstances in which one or more of certain individuals associated with Blackstone will be precluded from providing services related to the Fund’s activities because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of Blackstone (e.g., trading may be restricted). Blackstone has long term relationships with a significant number of corporations and

 

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their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser will consider those relationships, and may decline to participate in a transaction as a result of such relationships. To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Fund may also co-invest with clients of Blackstone in particular investment opportunities, and the relationship with such clients could influence the decisions made by the Adviser with respect to such investments. The Fund may be forced to sell or hold existing investments (possibly at disadvantageous times or under disadvantageous conditions) as a result of various relationships that Blackstone may have or transactions or investments Blackstone and its affiliates may make or have made. The inability to transact in any security, derivative or loan held by the Fund could result in significant losses or lost opportunity costs to the Fund. See “Management of the Fund—Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI for more information addressing potential conflicts of interest.

Limitations on Transactions with Affiliates Risk

The 1940 Act limits our ability to enter into certain transactions with certain of our affiliates. As a result of these restrictions, we may be prohibited from buying or selling any security directly from or to any portfolio company of or private equity fund managed by Blackstone, GSO or any of their respective affiliates. However, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such portfolio company’s loans or securities in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for the Adviser between the interests of the Fund and the portfolio company, in that the ability of the Adviser to recommend actions in the best interest of the Fund might be impaired. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain of our affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us. Although the Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits it, among other things, to co-invest with certain affiliates of the Adviser and certain funds managed and controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, it may only do so in accordance with certain terms and conditions that limit the types of transactions the Fund may engage in.

Dependence on Key Personnel Risk

The Adviser is dependent upon the experience and expertise of certain key personnel in providing services with respect to the Fund’s investments. If the Adviser were to lose the services of these individuals, its ability to service the Fund could be adversely affected. As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques for the Fund’s portfolio and the Fund’s performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser has informed the Fund that the investment professionals associated with the Adviser are actively involved in other investment activities not concerning the Fund and will not be able to devote all of their time to the Fund’s business and affairs. In addition, individuals not currently associated with the Adviser may become associated with the Fund and the performance of the Fund may also depend on the experience and expertise of such individuals.

Prepayment Risk

During periods of declining interest rates, Borrowers or issuers may exercise their option to prepay principal earlier than scheduled. For fixed rate securities, such payments often occur during periods of declining interest rates, forcing the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding securities, resulting in a possible decline in the Fund’s income and distributions to common shareholders. This is known as prepayment or “call” risk. Below investment grade instruments frequently have call features that allow the issuer to redeem the security at dates prior to its stated maturity at a specified price (typically greater than par) only if certain prescribed conditions are met (“call protection”). An issuer may redeem a below investment grade instrument if, for example, the issuer can refinance the debt at a lower cost due to declining interest rates or an improvement in the credit standing of the issuer. Loans and the loans underlying CLOs in which the Fund invests typically do not have call protection after a certain period from initial issuance. For premium bonds (bonds acquired at prices that exceed their par or principal value) purchased by the Fund, prepayment risk may be enhanced.

 

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Inflation/Deflation Risk

Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Fund’s investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Shares and Preferred Shares, and distributions thereon, can decline.

In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund’s use of leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to common shareholders. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

Non-U.S. Securities Risk

The Fund may invest in Non-U.S. Securities. Such investments involve certain risks not involved in domestic investments and may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies. Financial markets in foreign countries often are not as developed, efficient or liquid as financial markets in the United States, and therefore, the prices of Non-U.S. Securities can be more volatile. Certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of Non-U.S. Securities to make payments of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, whether from currency blockage or otherwise. In addition, in investing in Non-U.S. Securities, the Fund will be subject to risks associated with adverse political and economic developments in foreign countries, including seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, different legal systems and laws relating to creditors’ rights and the potential inability to enforce legal judgments, all of which could cause the Fund to lose money on its investments in Non-U.S. Securities. Generally, there is less readily available and reliable information about non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers due to less rigorous disclosure or accounting standards and regulatory practices. The cost of servicing external debt will also generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates, as many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international interest rates. Because Non-U.S. Securities may trade on days when the Fund’s Common Shares are not priced, NAV may change at times when Common Shares cannot be sold.

Foreign Currency Risk

Because the Fund may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in securities or other instruments denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of instruments held by the Fund and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments. Currencies of certain countries may be volatile and therefore may affect the value of instruments denominated in such currencies, which means that the Fund’s NAV could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. The Adviser may, but is not required to, seek to protect the Fund from changes in currency exchange rates through hedging transactions depending on market conditions. See “Risks—Swap Risk.” The Fund may incur costs in connection with the conversions between various currencies. In addition, certain countries may impose foreign currency exchange controls or other restrictions on the repatriation, transferability or convertibility of currency.

UK Exit from the EU

The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020. The UK-EU trade relationship is currently subject to a transition period, which will expire on December 31, 2020. During this period, the UK will remain in the EU customs union and single market, and EU law will continue to apply to the UK, as the future UK-EU trade relationship is negotiated. If the two governments fail to approve a new trade agreement by the end of the transition period, a hard Brexit will be implemented effective January 1, 2021.

Since the June 2016 referendum in the UK, global financial markets have experienced significant volatility due to the uncertainty around Brexit. There will likely continue to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK’s

 

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post-withdrawal and post-transition framework, in particular as to the arrangements which will apply to its relationships with the EU and with other countries. This process and/or the uncertainty associated with it may adversely affect the return on investments economically tied to the UK (and consequently the Fund). This may be due to, among other things: (i) increased uncertainty and volatility in UK, EU and other financial markets; (ii) fluctuations in asset values; (iii) fluctuations in exchange rates; (iv) increased illiquidity of investments located, listed or traded within the UK, the EU or elsewhere; (v) changes in the willingness or ability of financial and other counterparties to enter into transactions, or the price at which and terms on which they are prepared to transact; and/or (vi) changes in legal and regulatory regimes to which the Fund’s investments are or become subject.

Repurchase Agreements Risk

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

Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk

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

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

From time to time the Fund also may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities or warrants incidental to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or issuer. Investments in equity securities incidental to investments in loans or fixed-income instruments entail certain risks in addition to those associated with investments in loans or fixed-income instruments. Because equity is merely the residual value of an issuer after all claims and other interests, it is inherently more risky than the bonds or loans of the same Borrower or issuer. The value of the equity securities may be affected more rapidly, and to a greater extent, by company-specific developments and general market conditions. These risks may increase fluctuations in the Fund’s NAV. The Fund frequently may possess material

 

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non-public information about a Borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument of a Borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities while in possession of material non-public information, the Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a security of the Borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

U.S. Government Debt Securities Risk

U.S. government debt securities generally do not involve the credit risks associated with investments in other types of debt securities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from other securities. Like other debt securities, however, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV. Since the magnitude of these fluctuations will generally be greater at times when the Fund’s average maturity is longer, under certain market conditions the Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, accept lower current income from short-term investments rather than investing in higher yielding long-term securities. In addition, the recent economic crisis in the United States has negatively impacted government-sponsored entities, which include Federal Home Loan Banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. As the real estate market has deteriorated through declining home prices and increasing foreclosure, government-sponsored entities, which back the majority of U.S mortgages, have experienced extreme volatility and in some cases a lack of liquidity. In September 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under a conservatorship of the U.S. federal government. Any Fund investments issued by Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae may ultimately lose value.

Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk

The Fund may be adversely affected by uncertainties such as terrorism, international political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which it is invested. Likewise, natural and environmental disasters, epidemics or pandemics, and systemic market dislocations may be highly disruptive to economies and markets. See “—Epidemic and Pandemic Risk” below. Uncertainties and events around the world may (i) result in market volatility, (ii) have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and (iii) cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Fund cannot predict the effects of geopolitical events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets.

General Economic Conditions Risk

The global growth cycle is in a mature phase and signs of slowdown are evident in certain regions around the world, although most economists continue to expect moderate economic growth in the near term, with limited signals of an imminent recession in the U.S. as consumer and government spending remain healthy. Although the broader outlook remains constructive and progress was made on trade, including a phase one deal with China and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, geopolitical instability continues to pose risk. In particular, the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 in many countries, which is a rapidly evolving situation, has disrupted global travel and supply chains, and has adversely impacted global commercial activity and a number of industries, such as transportation, hospitality and entertainment. The rapid development and fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate adverse impact of COVID-19, or any future pandemics that may arise, which may have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions, and may lead to significant declines in corporate earnings or loan performance, and the ability of corporate borrowers to service their debt, any of which could trigger a period of global economic slowdown, and have an adverse impact on the performance and financial results of the Fund and the obligors of the Fund, and the value and the liquidity of the Common Shares.

Force Majeure Risk

The Fund may be affected by force majeure events (e.g., acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease, pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, nationalization of

 

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industry and labor strikes). Force majeure events could adversely affect the ability of the Fund or a counterparty to perform its obligations. The liability and cost arising out of a failure to perform obligations as a result of a force majeure event could be considerable and could be borne by the Fund. Certain force majeure events, such as war or an outbreak of an infectious disease, could have a broader negative impact on the global or local economy, thereby affecting the Fund. Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including the nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control, could result in a loss to the Fund if an investment is affected, and any compensation provided by the relevant government may not be adequate.

Epidemic and Pandemic Risk

Certain countries have been susceptible to epidemics/pandemics, most recently COVID-19, which has been designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The outbreak of such epidemics/pandemics, together with any resulting restrictions on travel or quarantines imposed, has had, and will continue to have, a negative impact on the economy and business activity globally (including in the countries in which the Fund invests), and thereby is expected to adversely affect the performance of the Fund’s investments. Furthermore, the rapid development of epidemics/pandemics could preclude prediction as to their ultimate adverse impact on economic and market conditions, and, as a result, presents material uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund and the performance of its investments.

COVID-19 Risk

During the first quarter of 2020, there was a global outbreak of COVID-19, which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, including the United States, and has spread to every state in the United States. The World Health Organization has designated COVID-19 as a pandemic, and numerous countries, including the United States, have declared national emergencies with respect to COVID-19. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been rapidly evolving, and as cases of COVID-19 have continued to be identified in additional countries, many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines and restrictions on travel, closing financial markets and/or restricting trading, and limiting operations of non-essential businesses. Such actions are creating disruption in global supply chains, increasing rates of unemployment and adversely impacting many industries. The outbreak could have a continued adverse impact on economic and market conditions and trigger a period of global economic slowdown.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, a material adverse impact on the Fund’s NAV and portfolio liquidity among other factors. These impacts will likely continue to some extent as the outbreak persists and potentially even longer. Although many or all facets of the Fund’s business have been or could be impacted by COVID-19, the Adviser currently believes the following impacts to be the most material:

 

   

The Fund’s NAV per share has decreased as a result of the outbreak, and the Fund expects the impact to continue, in some instances materially. The recent decrease in NAV per share was the result of a deterioration in prices across the Fund’s portfolio investments and across the global credit markets, including the Fund’s quoted syndicated loan investments and high yield bond investments. The price of these investments deteriorated as a result of market conditions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased credit risk for the Fund’s obligors as their businesses were impacted by the outbreak and technical selling pressure as other market participants began selling assets in an effort to realize liquidity. It is possible that the value of the Fund’s investments, and therefore the Fund’s NAV per share, could continue to decrease during the period of the COVID-19 outbreak and potentially longer. The Fund believes its investments in portfolio companies in certain industries have been, and will continue to be, most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, the majority of the Fund’s investments have been, and may continue to be, affected by the outbreak.

 

   

The issuers of the Fund’s underlying investments may not be able to make interest payments, which would adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Many of these businesses are adversely affected by COVID-19 and are experiencing lost revenue as quarantines and other social disruption have slowed or

 

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stopped purchases of their products or services or have forced them to limit or suspend operations. Furthermore, although most of the Fund’s investments are first lien loans and secured by first lien security interests in the applicable issuer’s assets, if an issuer defaults on its loan there is no guarantee we will be able to recover the principal amount of the loan.

 

   

Disruption in the financial markets caused by the COVID-19 outbreak could restrict the Fund’s access to financing and such financing may not be on as favorable terms as the Fund could have obtained prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Furthermore, because of declining values of certain of the Fund’s assets, the Fund has and may continue to sell assets in order to remain in compliance with the Fund’s leverage tests. This factor may limit the Fund’s ability to make new investments and adversely impact the Fund’s performance.

The immediately preceding outcomes are those the Adviser considers to be most material as a result of the pandemic. The Fund has also experienced, and may experience in the future, other negative impacts to its business as a result of the pandemic that could exacerbate other risks described in this prospectus, including:

 

   

significant mark-downs in the fair value of the Fund’s investments and decreases in NAV per share;

 

   

weakening financial conditions of or the bankruptcy or insolvency of obligors of the Fund, which may result in the inability of such obligors to meet debt obligations, delays in collecting accounts receivable, defaults, or forgiveness or deferral of interest payments from such obligors;

 

   

significant volatility in the markets for syndicated loans, which could cause rapid and large fluctuations in the values of such investments and adverse effects on the liquidity of any such investments, and may also require the Fund to repay certain of its financing arrangements or result in the Fund having insufficient liquid assets to cover its obligations and be required to treat such obligations as senior securities under the 1940 Act;

 

   

the Fund’s investments may require a workout, restructuring, recapitalization or reorganizations that involve additional investment from the Fund and/or that result in greater risks and losses to the Fund;

 

   

deteriorations in credit and financing market conditions, which may adversely impact the Fund’s ability to access financing for its investments on favorable terms or at all;

 

   

operational impacts on the Adviser, administrator, custodian, transfer agent, and the Fund’s other third-party advisors, service providers, vendors and counterparties, including independent valuation firms, the Fund’s financial intermediaries, its lenders and other providers of financing, brokers and other counterparties that we purchase and sell assets to and from, derivative counterparties, and legal and diligence professionals that we rely on for acquiring the Fund’s investments;

 

   

limitations on the Fund’s ability to ensure business continuity in the event the Adviser’s, or the Fund’s counsel or other third-party advisors’ and service providers’ continuity of operations plan is not effective or improperly implemented or deployed during a disruption;

 

   

the availability of key personnel of the Adviser, administrator, custodian, transfer agent, and the Fund’s other service providers as they face changed circumstances and potential illness during the epidemic/pandemic;

 

   

difficulty in valuing the Fund’s assets in light of significant changes in the financial markets, including difficulty in forecasting discount rates and making market comparisons, and circumstances affecting the Adviser’s, Administrator’s and the Fund’s service providers’ personnel during the pandemic; See also “—Valuation Risk” above;

 

   

significant changes to the valuations of pending investments; and

 

   

limitations on the Fund’s ability to make distributions or dividends, as applicable, to the Fund’s common shareholders or preferred shareholders and/or to comply with the requirements to maintain the Fund’s status as a RIC due to material adverse impacts on the Fund’s cash flows from operations or liquidity.

 

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The rapid development and fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate adverse impact of COVID-19 on economic and market conditions, and, as a result, present material uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund and the performance of its investments. The full extent of the impact and effects of COVID-19 will depend on future developments, including, among other factors, the duration and spread of the outbreak, along with related travel advisories, quarantines and restrictions, the recovery time of the disrupted supply chains and industries, the impact of labor market interruptions, the impact of government interventions, and uncertainty with respect to the duration of the global economic slowdown. COVID-19 and the current financial, economic and capital markets environment, and future developments in these and other areas present uncertainty and risk with respect to the Fund’s performance, portfolio liquidity and ability to pay distributions. See “—Epidemic and Pandemic Risk” above.

Cyber-Security Risk and Identity Theft Risks

The Fund’s operations are highly dependent on the Adviser’s information systems and technology and the Fund relies heavily on the Adviser’s financial, accounting, communications and other data processing systems. The Adviser’s systems may fail to operate properly or become disabled as a result of tampering or a breach of its network security systems or otherwise. In addition, the Adviser’s systems face ongoing cybersecurity threats and attacks. Attacks on the Adviser’s systems could involve, and in some instances have in the past involved, attempts intended to obtain unauthorized access to its proprietary information, destroy data or disable, degrade or sabotage its systems, or divert or otherwise steal funds, including through the introduction of computer viruses, “phishing” attempts and other forms of social engineering. Cyberattacks and other security threats could originate from a wide variety of external sources, including cyber criminals, nation state hackers, hacktivists and other outside parties. Cyberattacks and other security threats could also originate from the malicious or accidental acts of insiders, such as employees of the Adviser.

There has been an increase in the frequency and sophistication of the cyber and security threats the Adviser faces, with attacks ranging from those common to businesses to those that are more advanced and persistent, which may target the Adviser because, as an alternative asset management firm, the Adviser holds a significant amount of confidential and sensitive information about its investors, its portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) and potential investments. As a result, the Adviser may face a heightened risk of a security breach or disruption with respect to this information. There can be no assurance that measures the Adviser takes to ensure the integrity of its systems will provide protection, especially because cyberattack techniques used change frequently or are not recognized until successful. If the Adviser’s systems are compromised, do not operate properly or are disabled, or it fails to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications in a timely manner, the Adviser could suffer financial loss, a disruption of its businesses, liability to its investment funds and fund investors, including the Fund and common shareholders, regulatory intervention or reputational damage. The costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means.

In addition, the Fund could also suffer losses in connection with updates to, or the failure to timely update, the Adviser’s information systems and technology. In addition, the Adviser has become increasingly reliant on third party service providers for certain aspects of its business, including for the administration of certain funds, as well as for certain information systems and technology, including cloud-based services. These third party service providers could also face ongoing cyber security threats and compromises of their systems and as a result, unauthorized individuals could gain, and in some past instances have gained, access to certain confidential data.

Cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world. Many jurisdictions in which the Adviser operates have laws and regulations relating to data privacy, cybersecurity and protection of personal information, including, as examples, the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU and that went into effect in May 2018 and the California Consumer Privacy Act that went into effect in January 2020. Some jurisdictions have also enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals and government agencies of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data.

 

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Breaches in security, whether malicious in nature or through inadvertent transmittal or other loss of data, could potentially jeopardize the Adviser, its employees’ or the Fund’s investors’ or counterparties’ confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, the Adviser’s computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in its, its employees’, the Fund’s investors’, the Fund’s counterparties’ or third parties’ business and operations, which could result in significant financial losses, increased costs, liability to the Fund’s investors and other counterparties, regulatory intervention and reputational damage. Furthermore, if the Adviser fails to comply with the relevant laws and regulations or fail to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications of breach in a timely matter, it could result in regulatory investigations and penalties, which could lead to negative publicity and reputational harm, and may cause the Fund’s investors and clients to lose confidence in the effectiveness of its security measures.

Obligors of the Fund also rely on data processing systems and the secure processing, storage and transmission of information, including payment and health information. A disruption or compromise of these systems could have a material adverse effect on the value of these businesses. The Fund may invest in strategic assets having a national or regional profile or in infrastructure, the nature of which could expose it to a greater risk of being subject to a terrorist attack or security breach than other assets or businesses. Such an event may have material adverse consequences on the Fund’s investment or assets of the same type or may require obligors of the Fund to increase preventative security measures or expand insurance coverage.

Finally, the Adviser’s and the Fund’s technology, data and intellectual property and the technology, data and intellectual property of their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) are also subject to a heightened risk of theft or compromise to the extent the Adviser and the Fund’s portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) engage in operations outside the United States, in particular in those jurisdictions that do not have comparable levels of protection of proprietary information and assets such as intellectual property, trademarks, trade secrets, know-how and customer information and records. In addition, the Adviser and the Fund and their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable) may be required to compromise protections or forego rights to technology, data and intellectual property in order to operate in or access markets in a foreign jurisdiction. Any such direct or indirect compromise of these assets could have a material adverse impact on the Adviser and the Fund and their portfolio companies or obligors (as applicable).

Portfolio Turnover Risk

The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year, as well as within a given year. While the Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate is not expected to exceed 100% under normal circumstances, it has exceeded that amount in the past and may again in the future. However, portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to common shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. A high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund’s distributions being treated as a dividend to the Fund’s common shareholders. In addition, a higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund. See “The Fund’s Investments—Investment Policies—Portfolio Turnover” and “Tax Matters.”

Government Intervention in the Financial Markets

The recent instability in the financial markets has led the U.S. government to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take additional actions that affect the regulation of the securities or structured products in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such securities or structured products, in ways that are unforeseeable. Borrowers under Secured Loans held by the Fund may seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself

 

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is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives. The Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund’s portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The Fund’s Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to open-end status. These provisions could deprive common shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust.”

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Trustees and Officers

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Fund is vested in the Board. The responsibilities of the Board include, among other things, the oversight of the Fund’s investment activities, oversight of our financing arrangements, and corporate governance activities. The Board currently has an audit committee and a nominating and governance committee and may establish additional committees from time to time as necessary. The day-to-day operation of the Fund is delegated to the officers of the Fund and the Adviser, subject always to the investment objectives, restrictions, and policies of the Fund and to the general supervision of the Board.

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

Investment Adviser

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC acts as the Fund’s investment adviser and also provides administrative and compliance oversight services to the Fund. The Adviser is located at 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSO. GSO is part of the credit platform of Blackstone, which is one of the world’s leading investment firms with total assets under management of $538 billion. Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on real estate, private equity, public debt and equity, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. As of March 31, 2020, GSO’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of $121 billion across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including loans, high yield bonds, distressed and mezzanine debt and private equity, including hedge funds. In addition, as of December 31, 2019, the Adviser had total assets under management of approximately $40.5 billion. The Adviser is part of the LCS business unit of GSO and is responsible for managing long-only credit strategies, including investments in U.S. and European senior secured loans, high yield bonds, and structured credit investments, in vehicles, including CLOs, separately managed accounts, commingled funds, three other closed-end funds and a sub-advised ETF.

Competitive Advantages

The Adviser believes that it offers the following competitive advantages:

Global platform with seasoned investment professionals. The Adviser’s senior management team believes that the breadth and depth of its experience, together with the wider resources of GSO and Blackstone and their relationships with the investment community, provide the Adviser with a significant competitive advantage in sourcing and analyzing attractive investment opportunities worldwide. The Adviser’s investment professionals have extensive experience in leveraged finance. Individual members of the Adviser’s investment team also have experience in shorting and derivatives strategies.

Disciplined, income-oriented investment philosophy. The Adviser employs a defensive investment approach focused on long-term credit performance and principal protection. This investment approach involves a multi-stage selection process for each investment opportunity as well as ongoing monitoring of each investment made, with particular emphasis on early detection of credit deterioration. This strategy is designed to maximize current yield and minimize the risk of capital loss while maintaining potential for long-term capital appreciation.

Expertise across all levels of the corporate capital structure. The Adviser believes that its broad expertise and experience at all levels of a company’s capital structure afford it numerous tools to manage risk while

 

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preserving the opportunity for attractive returns on the Fund’s investments. The Adviser attempts to capitalize on this expertise in an effort to produce and maintain an investment portfolio that can perform in a broad range of economic conditions.

Investment Team

Set forth below is information regarding the team of professionals at the Adviser primarily responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Fund. The Adviser utilizes a team approach, with decisions derived from interaction among various investment management sector specialists. Under this team approach, management of the Fund’s portfolio will reflect a consensus of interdisciplinary views.

Robert Zable is a Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager of the U.S. CLOs, closed-end funds in GSO’s LCS unit. He is also a member of GSO’s LCS Management Committee and sits on LCS’s U.S. Syndicated Credit Investment Committee, Global Structured Credit Investment Committee, LCS Global Asset Allocation Committee, and CLO Origination Committee. Before joining GSO, Mr. Zable was a Vice President at FriedbergMilstein LLC, where he was responsible for credit opportunity investments and junior capital origination and execution. Prior to that, Mr. Zable was a Principal with Abacus Advisors Group, a boutique restructuring and distressed investment firm. Mr. Zable began his career at JP Morgan Securities Inc., where he focused on leveraged finance in New York and London. Mr. Zable received a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Gordon McKemie is a Principal and Portfolio Manager of the closed-end and exchange-traded funds in GSO’s LCS unit. He is also a U.S. credit research analyst involved with the ongoing analysis and evaluation of primary and secondary fixed income investments. He sits on LCS’s U.S. Syndicated Credit Investment Committee. Prior to joining GSO, Mr. McKemie was an Associate in Leveraged Finance at Citigroup and an Assistant Vice President in high yield research at Barclays Capital. He began his career at Lehman Brothers. Mr. McKemie received a B.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by them and other information is provided in the SAI.

Investment Advisory Agreement

The Adviser provides services to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Fund and the Adviser. Under the investment advisory agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, the Adviser will manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the Fund.

The Fund’s investment advisory agreement will continue in effect, unless otherwise terminated, until May 31, 2020, and then will continue from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Board who are not “interested persons” of the Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Fund’s investment advisory agreement provides that the Adviser may render services to others. The Fund’s investment advisory agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the Fund when authorized either by a vote of a majority of the outstanding securities entitled to vote (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the Fund’s Trustees, or by the Adviser on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Fund’s investment advisory agreement provides that neither the Adviser nor its personnel or affiliates shall be liable for any error of judgment

 

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or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

The Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser a management fee at an annual rate equal to 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends).

A discussion regarding the basis for the continuation of the investment advisory agreement by the Board is available in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. The basis for subsequent continuations of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement will be provided in annual or semi-annual reports to shareholders for the periods during which such continuations occur.

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

Administrator

ALPS, located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the Administration Agreement, ALPS maintains the Fund’s general ledger and is responsible for calculating the NAV of the Common Shares, and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund. ALPS is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily value of the Fund’s net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $215,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses.

Control Persons

A control person is any person who owns beneficially more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or who is otherwise deemed to “control” the Fund. Such person may be able to determine or significantly influence the outcome of matters submitted to a vote of common shareholders. As of April 27, 2020, the Fund did not know of any person or entity who “controlled” the Fund.

 

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NET ASSET VALUE

The NAV of the Common Shares of the Fund is computed based upon the value of the Fund’s Managed Assets. NAV per Common Share is determined daily by ALPS on each day that the Exchange is open for business as of the close of the regular trading session on the Exchange. The Fund calculates NAV per common share by subtracting liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends) from the total assets of the Fund (the value of the securities plus cash or other assets, including interest accrued but not yet received) and dividing the result by the total number of outstanding Common Shares of the Fund.

The Fund values its investments primarily by using the mid-price of market quotations from a nationally recognized loan pricing service. Short-term debt investments having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less when purchased will be valued at cost adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. Any investments and other assets for which such current market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value (“Fair Valued Assets”) as determined in good faith under procedures established by, and under the general supervision and responsibility of, the Board. The Adviser submits its recommendations regarding the valuation and/or valuation methodologies for Fair Valued Assets to a valuation committee comprised of officers and employees of the Adviser. The valuation committee may accept, modify or reject any recommendations. The pricing of all Fair Valued Assets shall be subsequently reported to the Board or the appropriate committee thereof.

Non-U.S. Securities are valued by translating available quotes into U.S. dollar equivalents, if the quotes are considered reliable, and are otherwise valued at fair value. Over-the-counter options are priced on the basis of dealer quotes. Other types of derivatives for which quotes may not be available are valued at fair value.

When determining the price for a Fair Valued Asset, the Adviser seeks to determine the price that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive from the current sale of that asset in an arm’s-length transaction. Fair value determinations are based upon all available factors that the Adviser deems relevant.

 

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DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund makes regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to common shareholders. The Fund pays common shareholders at least annually all or substantially all of its net investment income after the payment of interest, fees or dividends, if any, owed with respect to any forms of leverage utilized by the Fund. The Fund pays any capital gains distributions at least annually. The Fund utilizes a “dynamic” distribution strategy that is based on the net income earned by the Fund. The Fund declares a set of monthly distributions each quarter in amounts closely tied to the Fund’s recent average monthly net income. As a result, the monthly distribution amounts for the Fund typically vary quarter-to-quarter. The following table sets forth information about distributions we paid to our common shareholders during the past three fiscal years, percentage participation by common shareholders in our DRIP, and reinvestments and related issuances of additional Common Shares as a result of such participation (the information in the table is unaudited):

 

Distribution Payable Date

to Common Shareholders

   Amount of
Distribution
Per Share
     Percentage of Common
Shareholders Electing
to Participate in DRIP
    Amount of
Corresponding
Reinvestment
through DRIP
     Additional Common Shares
Issued through DRIP
 

July 31, 2017

   $ 0.103        2.07   $ —          —    

August 31, 2017

   $ 0.103        2.05   $ —          —    

September 29, 2017

   $ 0.103        1.64   $ —          —    

October 31, 2017

   $ 0.103        1.56   $ —          —    

November 30, 2017

   $ 0.103        0.91   $ —          —    

December 29, 2017

   $ 0.103        0.85   $ —          —    

January 31, 2018

   $ 0.103        0.86   $ —          —    

February 28, 2018

   $ 0.103        0.90   $ —          —    

March 29, 2018

   $ 0.103        0.87   $ —          —    

April 30, 2018

   $ 0.103        0.78   $ —          —    

May 31, 2018

   $ 0.103        0.77   $ —          —    

June 29, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.02   $ —          —    

July 31, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.21   $ —          —    

August 31, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.22   $ —          —    

September 28, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.22   $ —          —    

October 31, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.27   $ —          —    

November 30, 2018

   $ 0.103        1.01   $ —          —    

December 31, 2018

   $ 0.117        1.00   $ —          —    

January 31, 2019

   $ 0.467        1.00   $ —          —    

February 28, 2019

   $ 0.117        1.17   $ —          —    

March 29, 2019

   $ 0.115        1.05   $ —          —    

April 30, 2019

   $ 0.115        1.02   $ —          —    

May 31, 2019

   $ 0.115        0.98   $ —          —    

June 28, 2019

   $ 0.122        0.74   $ 11,434        730  

July 31, 2019

   $ 0.122        0.70   $ 10,924        694  

August 30, 2019

   $ 0.122        0.86   $ 13,380        862  

September 30, 2019

   $ 0.119        0.77   $ 11,683        755  

October 31, 2019

   $ 0.119        0.79   $ —          —    

November 29, 2019

   $ 0.119        0.80   $ 12,130        802  

December 31, 2019

   $ 0.115        0.88   $ 12,900        836  

January 31, 2020

   $ 0.163        0.72   $ 15,005        958  

February 28, 2020

   $ 0.115        0.70   $ —          —    

March 31, 2020

   $ 0.112        0.84   $ —          —    

April 30, 2020

   $ 0.112        0.80   $ —          —    

 

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

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

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

 

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DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

Pursuant to the DRIP, shareholders whose Common Shares are registered in their own name may “opt-in” to the plan and elect to reinvest all or a portion of their distributions in our Common Shares by providing the required enrollment notice to Computershare, the DRIP administrator. Common shareholders whose shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee may have distributions reinvested only if such a service is provided by the broker or the nominee or if the broker or the nominee permits participation in the DRIP. Common shareholders whose shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee should contact the broker or nominee for details. A shareholder may terminate participation in the DRIP at any time by notifying the DRIP administrator before the record date of the next distribution through the Internet, by telephone or in writing. All distributions to shareholders who do not participate in the DRIP, or have elected to terminate their participation in the DRIP, will be paid by check mailed directly to the record holder by or under the direction of the DRIP administrator when the Board declares a distribution.

When we declare a distribution, common shareholders who are participants in the DRIP receive the equivalent of the amount of the distribution in our Common Shares. If you participate in the DRIP, the number of Common Shares of the Fund you will receive will be determined as follows:

(1) If the market price of the Common Shares plus any brokerage commissions on the payable date (or, if the payable date is not an Exchange trading day, the immediately preceding trading day) for determining shareholders eligible to receive the relevant distribution (the “determination date”) is equal to or exceeds 98% of the NAV per common share, the Fund will issue new Common Shares at a price equal to the greater of:

(a) 98% of the NAV per share at the close of trading on the Exchange on the determination date or

(b) 95% of the market price per common share on the determination date.

(2) If 98% of the NAV per common share exceeds the market price of the Common Shares plus any brokerage commissions on the determination date, the DRIP administrator will receive the distribution in cash and will buy Common Shares in the open market, on the Exchange or elsewhere, for your account as soon as practicable commencing on the trading day following the determination date and terminating no later than the earlier of (a) 30 days after the distribution payment date, or (b) the record date for the next succeeding distribution to be made to the shareholders; except when necessary to comply with applicable provisions of the federal securities laws. If during this period: (i) the market price plus any brokerage commissions rises so that it equals or exceeds 98% of the NAV per common share at the close of trading on the Exchange on the determination date before the DRIP administrator has completed the open market purchases or (ii) the DRIP administrator is unable to invest the full amount eligible to be reinvested in open market purchases, the DRIP administrator will cease purchasing Common Shares in the open market and the Fund will issue the remaining Common Shares at a price per share equal to the greater of (a) 98% of the NAV per share at the close of trading on the Exchange on the determination date or (b) 95% of the then current market price per share.

The DRIP administrator maintains all shareholder accounts in the DRIP and furnishes written confirmations of all transactions in the account, including information needed by shareholders for personal and tax records. Our Common Shares in the account of each DRIP participant are held by the DRIP administrator in non-certificated form in the name of the participant, and each shareholder’s proxy includes shares purchased pursuant to the DRIP.

There is no charge to participants for reinvesting regular distributions and capital gains distributions. The fees of the DRIP administrator for handling the reinvestment of regular distributions and capital gains distributions are included in the fee to be paid by us to our transfer agent. There are no brokerage charges with respect to Common Shares issued directly by us as a result of regular distributions or capital gains distributions payable either in shares or in cash. However, each participant bears a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the DRIP administrator’s open market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of

 

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such distributions. Shareholders that opt-in to the DRIP will add to their investment through dollar cost averaging. Because all dividends and distributions paid to such shareholder will be automatically reinvested in additional Common Shares, the average cost of such shareholder’s Common Shares will decrease over time. Dollar cost averaging is a technique for lowering the average cost per share over time if the Fund’s NAV declines. While dollar cost averaging has definite advantages, it cannot assure profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

The automatic reinvestment of such dividends or distributions does not relieve participants of any income tax that may be payable on such dividends or distributions. See “Tax Matters.”

You may obtain additional information about the DRIP by contacting the DRIP administrator at the following address: Computershare, Attn: Sales Dept., P.O. Box 358035, Pittsburgh, PA 15252.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

As of April 27, 2020, the following amount of the Fund’s classes of securities was authorized for registration and outstanding:

 

(1)

 

(2)

 

(3)

 

(4)

Title of Class   Amount Authorized   Amount Held by the Fund for
its Account
  Amount Outstanding Exclusive
of Amount Shown Under (3)
Common Shares   Unlimited   N/A   12,707,797
Preferred Shares   20,000   N/A   20,000

MRPS (Series A)(1)

  20,000   N/A   20,000

 

(1)

Each share of MRPS has a liquidation preference of $1,000.

Common Shares

The Fund is a statutory trust organized under the laws of Delaware pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of October 22, 2010, as amended and restated on December 15, 2010. The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares. Each Common Share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of this offering, will be fully paid and non-assessable. Common shareholders will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Fund unless all accrued interest, fees and dividends, if any, with respect to the Fund’s leverage have been paid, unless certain asset coverage tests with respect to the leverage employed by the Fund are satisfied after giving effect to the distributions, and unless certain other requirements imposed by any rating agencies rating the MRPS issued by the Fund have been met. See “—Preferred Shares” below. All Common Shares are equal as to dividends, assets and voting privileges and have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. The Fund sends annual and semi-annual reports, including financial statements, when available, to all common shareholders.

The Fund may issue additional Common Shares under the Fund’s DRIP, and otherwise may make additional offerings of shares with approval by the Board. Any additional offering of Common Shares will be subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, which provides that shares may not be issued at a price below the then current NAV, exclusive of the sales load, except in connection with an offering to existing common shareholders or with the consent of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities.

The Fund’s Common Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”.

The Fund’s NAV per share generally increases when interest rates decline, and decreases when interest rates rise. However, because the Secured Loans that the Fund invests in are floating rate in nature, the Fund’s NAV per share will be less affected by interest rate fluctuations than if it were investing primarily in other forms of securities.

Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds like the Fund do not continuously offer shares and do not provide daily redemptions. Rather, if a shareholder decides to buy additional Common Shares or sell shares already held, the shareholder may do so by trading through a broker on the Exchange or otherwise. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade on an exchange at prices lower than NAV. Shares of the Fund and of closed-end investment companies like the Fund that invest predominantly in Secured Loans and fixed-income instruments have traded during some periods at prices higher than NAV and have traded during other periods at prices lower than NAV. Because the market value of the Common Shares may be influenced by such factors as dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), dividend stability, portfolio credit quality, NAV, relative demand for and supply of such Common Shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Fund, the Fund cannot assure you that its Common Shares will trade at a price equal to or higher than NAV in the future. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and you should not purchase the Common Shares if you intend to sell them soon after purchase.

 

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Preferred Shares

The Fund’s Declaration of Trust provides that the Board may authorize and issue Preferred Shares, with rights as determined by the Board, without the approval of the common shareholders. Common shareholders have no preemptive right to purchase any Preferred Shares that might be issued.

The Fund may issue Preferred Shares in an aggregate amount of up to 33 1/3% of its total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior securities at the time the leverage is incurred in order to buy additional securities. The use of leverage can create risks. The Fund currently has $20,000,000 total liquidation preference of Preferred Shares outstanding in the form of a series of MRPS, which has terms as set forth in the Supplement to the Declaration of Trust (the “Articles Supplementary”). The liquidation preference, voting rights and redemption provisions of the MRPS are summarized below. These summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Articles Supplementary.

Liquidation Preference

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

Voting Rights

The 1940 Act requires that the holders of any Preferred Shares, voting separately as a single class, have the right to elect at least two trustees at all times. The remaining trustees will be elected by holders of Common Shares and Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class. Effective July 27, 2016, Thomas W. Jasper and Michael F. Holland were designated by the Board as the Preferred Trustees of the Fund with respect to the MRPS. In addition, subject to the prior rights, if any, of the holders of any other class of senior securities outstanding, the holders of any Preferred Shares have the right to elect a majority of the Trustees of the Fund at any time two years’ dividends on any Preferred Shares are unpaid. The 1940 Act also requires that, in addition to any approval by shareholders that might otherwise be required, the approval of the holders of a majority of any outstanding Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class, would be required to (1) adopt any plan of reorganization that would adversely affect the Preferred Shares and (2) take any action requiring a vote of security holders under Section 13(a) of the 1940 Act, including, among other things, changes in the Fund’s sub-classification as a closed-end investment company or changes in its fundamental investment restrictions. See “Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust.” As a result of these voting rights, the Fund’s ability to take any such actions may be impeded to the extent that there are any Preferred Shares outstanding. The Board presently intends that, except as otherwise indicated in this Prospectus and except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of MRPS will have equal voting rights with common shareholders (one vote per share, unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act) and will vote together with common shareholders as a single class.

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding MRPS, voting as a separate class, would be required to amend, alter or repeal any of the preferences, rights or powers of holders of MRPS so as to affect materially and adversely such preferences, rights or powers, or to increase or decrease the authorized number of Preferred Shares. The class vote of holders of MRPS described above will in each case be in addition to any other vote required to authorize the action in question.

Redemption, Purchase and Sale of Preferred Shares by the Fund

The terms of the MRPS provide that (i) they are redeemable by the Fund in whole or in part at the original purchase price per share plus accrued dividends per share; (ii) the Fund may tender for or purchase MRPS and (iii) the Fund may subsequently resell any MRPS so tendered for or purchased. Any redemption or purchase of Preferred Shares by the Fund will reduce the leverage applicable to the Common Shares, while any resale of such Preferred Shares by the Fund will increase that leverage.

 

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CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST

The Fund’s Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of the Board. This could have the effect of depriving common shareholders of an opportunity to sell their Common Shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control over the Fund. Such attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and disrupting the normal operation of the Fund. The Trustees are elected and divided into three classes, with the terms of one class expiring at each annual meeting of shareholders. At each annual meeting, one class of Trustees is elected to a three-year term. This provision could delay for up to two years the replacement of a majority of the Board. A Trustee may be removed from office for cause only, and not without cause, and only by the action of a majority of the remaining Trustees followed by a vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares then entitled to vote for the election of the respective Trustee.

The Declaration of Trust grants special approval rights with respect to certain matters to members of the Board who qualify as “Continuing Trustees,” which term means trustees who either (i) have been members of the Board for a period of at least thirty-six months (or since November 18, 2010, if less than thirty-six months) or (ii) were nominated to serve as members of the Board by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then members of the Board.

The Declaration of Trust requires the affirmative vote or consent of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Trustees and holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares to authorize certain Fund transactions not in the ordinary course of business, including a merger or consolidation, certain issuances or transfers by the Fund of the Shares (except as may be pursuant to a public offering, the Fund’s DRIP or upon exercise of any stock subscription rights), certain sales, transfers or other dispositions of Fund assets, or any shareholder proposal regarding specific investment decisions, unless the transaction is authorized by both a majority of the Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (in which case no shareholder authorization would be required by the Declaration of Trust, but may be required in certain cases under the 1940 Act). The Declaration of Trust also requires the affirmative vote or consent of holders of a majority of the Trustees and of holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company. Also, the Declaration of Trust provides that the Fund may dissolve upon the vote of a majority of the Trustees and two-thirds of the Shares. See “Risks—Anti-Takeover Provisions.”

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

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

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

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

For the purposes of calculating “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” under the Declaration of Trust, each class and series of the Fund will vote together as a single class, except to the extent required by the

 

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1940 Act or the Declaration of Trust, with respect to any class or series of Shares. If a separate class vote is required, the applicable proportion of Shares of the class or series, voting as a separate class or series, also will be required.

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

CLOSED-END FUND STRUCTURE

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company (commonly referred to as a “closed-end fund”). Closed-end funds differ from open-end funds (which are generally referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds generally list their Common Shares for trading on a stock exchange and do not redeem their Common Shares at the request of the shareholder. This means that if shareholders wish to sell common shares of a closed-end fund, they must trade them on the market like any other stock at the prevailing market price at that time. In a mutual fund, if the shareholder wishes to sell shares of the mutual fund, the mutual fund will redeem or buy back the shares at “NAV.” Also, mutual funds generally offer new shares on a continuous basis to new investors, and closed-end funds generally do not. The continuous inflows and outflows of assets in a mutual fund can make it difficult to manage a mutual fund’s investments. By comparison, closed-end funds are generally able to stay more fully invested in securities that are consistent with their investment objectives, and also have greater flexibility to make certain types of investments, and to use certain investment strategies, such as financial leverage.

Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their NAV. Because of this possibility and the recognition that any such discount may not be in the interest of shareholders, the Board might consider from time to time engaging in open-market repurchases, tender offers for shares or other programs intended to reduce the discount. We cannot guarantee or assure, however, that the Board will decide to engage in any of these actions. There is also no guarantee or assurance that such actions, if undertaken, would result in the shares trading at a price equal or close to NAV per share.

REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, the Fund may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its Common Shares unless (1) all accrued Preferred Shares dividends have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the NAV of the Fund’s

 

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portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the Common Shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon). Any service fees incurred in connection with any tender offer made by the Fund will be borne by the Fund and will not reduce the stated consideration to be paid to tendering shareholders.

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

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

TAX MATTERS

The discussion below and certain disclosure in the SAI provide general tax information related to an investment in Common Shares of the Fund. Because tax laws are complex and often change, common shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. Unless otherwise noted, the following tax discussion applies only to U.S. shareholders that hold the Common Shares as capital assets. A U.S. shareholder is an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a U.S. corporation, a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court in the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person, or any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source.

The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to continue to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify under Subchapter M for the favorable tax treatment accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things: (1) distribute to its shareholders in each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and its net tax-exempt income; (2) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gain from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies; and (b) net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each, a “Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership”); and (3) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year of the Fund (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash, cash items, U.S. government securities and securities of other RICs, and other securities, with these other securities limited, with respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets, and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or (III) any one or more Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships. As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income

 

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tax on its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes in each taxable year to its shareholders. The Fund distributes to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain.

If the Fund failed to qualify for the favorable tax treatment accorded to RICs in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income (including its net capital gain), even if such income were distributed to its shareholders, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible (i) to be treated as “qualified dividend income” in the case of individual and other non-corporate shareholders and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and make distributions (which could be subject to interest charges) before requalifying for taxation as a RIC.

A RIC that fails to distribute, by the close of each calendar year, an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary taxable income for such calendar year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of such calendar year, plus any shortfalls from any prior year’s required distribution, is liable for a 4% excise tax on the portion of the undistributed amounts of such income that are less than the required distributions. For these purposes, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains on which it paid U.S. federal income tax.

Distributions to common shareholders of ordinary income (including “market discount” realized by the Fund on the sale of debt securities), and of net short-term capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund will generally be taxable to common shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions, if any, of net capital gains properly reported as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the common shareholder has owned Common Shares of the Fund. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be treated by a common shareholder as a return of capital which will be applied against and reduce the common shareholder’s basis in his or her Common Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the common shareholder’s basis in his or her Common Shares, the excess will be treated by the common shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the Common Shares. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations or for the reduced rates applicable to certain qualified dividend income received by non-corporate common shareholders.

Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Shares of the Fund pursuant to the DRIP. Common shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Shares of the Fund will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, unless the Fund issues additional Common Shares with a fair market value equal to or greater than NAV, in which case, such common shareholders will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Common Shares. The additional Common Shares received by a common shareholder pursuant to the DRIP will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the Common Shares were credited to the common shareholder’s account.

Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, dividends declared in October, November or December, payable to common shareholders of record on a specified date in one of those months, and paid during the following January, will be treated as having been distributed by the Fund (and received by common shareholders) on December 31 of the year in which declared.

In general, the sale or other disposition of Common Shares will result in capital gain or loss to common shareholders. A holder’s gain or loss generally will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Common Shares

 

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have been held for more than one year. Present law taxes both long- and short-term capital gains of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income. For non-corporate taxpayers, however, long-term capital gains are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation. Losses realized by a holder on the sale or exchange of Common Shares held for six months or less are treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or amounts designated as undistributed capital gains, as discussed under “Tax Matters—Distributions” in the SAI) with respect to such Common Shares. In addition, no loss will be allowed on the sale or other disposition of Common Shares if the owner acquires (including pursuant to the DRIP) or enters into a contract or option to acquire securities that are substantially identical to such Common Shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such case, the basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

The Fund may be required to withhold from all distributions and redemption proceeds payable to U.S. shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification numbers or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be refunded or credited against the common shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

If a common shareholder (other than a partnership) is not a U.S. shareholder (other than such a common shareholder whose ownership of shares is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business), certain dividends received by such common shareholder may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax. To the extent that Fund distributions consist of ordinary dividends that are subject to withholding, the applicable withholding agent will generally be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). However, dividends paid by the Fund that are “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” will generally be exempt from such withholding, in each case to the extent the Fund properly reports such dividends to shareholders. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a non-U.S. shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements. Net capital gain dividends (that is, distributions of the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) distributed by the Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax.

The Fund may be required to withhold from distributions to a non-U.S. shareholder that are otherwise exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption.

Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as “FATCA”), a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax may apply to any ordinary dividends and other distributions that the Fund pays to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as specifically defined in the Code), whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its United States “account” holders (as specifically defined in the Code) and meets certain other specified requirements or (ii) a non-financial foreign entity, whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such entity provides a certification that the beneficial owner of the payment does not have any substantial United States owners or provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such substantial United States owner and certain other specified requirements are met. In certain cases, the relevant foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity may qualify for an exemption from, or be deemed to be in compliance with, these rules. In addition, foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding FATCA and whether it may be relevant to your ownership and disposition of Common Shares.

 

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The foregoing tax discussion is for general information only. The provisions of the Code and regulations thereunder presently in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Fund and common shareholders are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive with respect to the Fund’s transactions. The foregoing does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to special classes of taxpayers including, without limitation, financial institutions, insurance companies, investors in pass-through entities, U.S. shareholders whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities or commodities that elect mark to market treatment, or persons that will hold Common Shares as a position in a “straddle,” “hedge” or as part of a “constructive sale” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, this discussion does not address the application of the Medicare tax on net investment income or the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax.

Common shareholders are advised to consult with their own tax advisors for more detailed information concerning federal income tax matters.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell our Common Shares from time to time under this Prospectus and any related Prospectus Supplement in any one or more of the following ways (1) directly to one or more purchasers, (2) through agents for the period of their appointment, (3) to underwriters as principals for resale to the public, (4) to dealers as principals for resale to the public, (5) through “at-the-market” transactions or (6) pursuant to our DRIP.

Our securities may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or fixed prices, which may change; at prevailing market prices at the time of sale; prices related to prevailing market prices; at varying prices determined at the time of sale; or at negotiated prices. Our securities may be sold other than for cash, including in exchange transactions for non-control securities, or may be sold for a combination of cash and securities. The Prospectus Supplement will describe the method of distribution of our securities offered therein.

Each Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of our securities will state the terms of the offering, including:

 

   

the names of any agents, underwriters or dealers;

 

   

any sales loads, underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

   

any discounts, commissions, fees or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers or agents;

 

   

the public offering or purchase price of the offered securities and the estimated net proceeds we will receive from the sale; and

 

   

any securities exchange on which the offered securities may be listed.

Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

Direct Sales

We may sell our securities directly to, and solicit offers from, purchasers, including institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act for any resales of the securities. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may use electronic media, including the internet, to sell offered securities directly. We will describe the terms of any of those sales in a Prospectus Supplement.

Distribution Through Agents

We may offer and sell our securities on a continuous basis through agents that we designate. We will name any agent involved in the offer and sale and describe any commissions payable by us in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the agents will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of their appointment.

Offers to purchase our securities may be solicited directly by the issuer or by agents designated by the issuer from time to time. Any such agent, who may be deemed to be an underwriter as the term is defined in the Securities Act, involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities in respect of which this Prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by the issuer to such agent set forth, in a Prospectus Supplement.

Distribution Through Underwriters

We may offer and sell our securities from time to time to one or more underwriters who would purchase the securities as principal for resale to the public either on a firm commitment or best efforts basis. If we sell our

 

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securities to underwriters, we will execute an underwriting agreement with them at the time of the sale and will name them in the Prospectus Supplement. In connection with these sales, the underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts and commissions. The underwriters also may receive commissions from purchasers of our securities for whom they may act as agent. Unless otherwise stated in the Prospectus Supplement, the underwriters will not be obligated to purchase our securities unless the conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement are satisfied, and if the underwriters purchase any of the securities, they will be required to purchase all of the offered securities. In the event of default by any underwriter, in certain circumstances, the purchase commitments may be increased among the non-defaulting underwriters or the underwriting agreement may be terminated. The underwriters may sell the offered securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters as well as from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Sales of the offered securities by underwriters may be in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The Prospectus Supplement will describe the method of reoffering by the underwriters. The Prospectus Supplement will also describe the discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to the underwriters, if any, all other items constituting underwriting compensation, and the discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to dealers, if any. If a Prospectus Supplement so indicates, we may grant the underwriters an option to purchase additional shares of our securities at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, within a specified number of days from the date of the Prospectus Supplement, to cover any overallotments.

Distribution Through Dealers

We may offer and sell our securities from time to time to one or more dealers who would purchase the securities as principal. The dealers then may resell the offered securities to the public at fixed or varying prices to be determined by those dealers at the time of resale. We will set forth the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction in the Prospectus Supplement.

Distribution Through At-the-Market Offerings

We may engage in at-the-market offerings to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise, in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4). An at-the-market offering may be through one or more underwriters or dealers, including but not limited to UBS Securities LLC, acting as principal or agent for us.

General Information

Agents, underwriters, or dealers participating in an offering of our securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the offered securities for whom they may act as agent, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.

We may offer to sell our securities either at a fixed price or at prices that may vary, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices.

If indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, we may authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which these contracts may be made include: commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases these institutions must be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under any contract will be subject only to those conditions described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The underwriters and the other agents will not have any responsibility for the validity or performance of the contracts. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

 

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In connection with any offering of the securities in an underwritten transaction, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the Common Shares. Those transactions may include overallotment, entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions, and reclaiming selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer.

 

   

An overallotment in connection with an offering creates a short position in the offered securities for the underwriters’ own account.

 

   

An underwriter may place a stabilizing bid to purchase an offered security for the purpose of pegging, fixing, or maintaining the price of that security.

 

   

Underwriters may engage in syndicate covering transactions to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the offered securities by bidding for, and purchasing, the offered securities or any other securities in the open market in order to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering.

 

   

The managing underwriter may impose a penalty bid on a syndicate member to reclaim a selling concession in connection with an offering when offered securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in syndicate covering transactions or otherwise.

Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.

Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on the Exchange may engage in passive market making transactions in our securities on the Exchange in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the Common Shares. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

We will not require underwriters or dealers to make a market in the Common Shares. Any underwriters to whom the offered securities are sold for offering and sale may make a market in the offered securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making at any time without notice.

Under agreements entered into with us, underwriters and agents may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution for payments the underwriters or agents may be required to make. The underwriters, agents, and their affiliates may engage in financial or other business transactions with us and our subsidiaries, if any, in the ordinary course of business.

The aggregate offering price specified on the cover of this Prospectus relates to the offering of the securities not yet issued as of the date of this Prospectus. The place and time of delivery for the offered securities in respect of which this Prospectus is delivered are set forth in the accompanying Prospectus Supplement.

To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the underwriters may from time to time act as a broker or dealer and receive fees in connection with the execution of our portfolio transactions after the underwriters have ceased to be underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, each may act as a broker while it is an underwriter.

A Prospectus and accompanying Prospectus Supplement in electronic form may be made available on the websites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate our securities for sale to their

 

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online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of our securities for internet distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, our securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

We may issue and sell Common Shares pursuant to our DRIP.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

The custodian of the assets of the Fund is The Bank of New York Mellon located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286. Computershare Inc., located at 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend paying agent with respect to the Common Shares.

LEGAL MATTERS

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is counsel to the Fund. Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. has opined on certain matters of Delaware law relating to the offering of the securities and the legality of the securities to be offered hereby.

 

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PRIVACY POLICY

This privacy policy sets forth the Adviser’s policies with respect to nonpublic personal information of individual investors, shareholders, prospective investors and former investors of investment funds managed by the Adviser. These policies apply to individuals only and are subject to change.

Rev January 2019

 

FACTS    WHAT DO BLACKSTONE REGISTERED FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
Why?    Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
What?   

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

•  Social Security number and income

 

•  Assets and investment experience

 

•  Risk tolerance and transaction history

How?    All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Blackstone Registered Funds (as defined below) choose to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

     
Reasons we can share your personal information   Do Blackstone Registered
Funds share?
  Can you limit
this sharing?
   

For our everyday business purposes—

such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

  Yes   No
   

For our marketing purposes—

to offer our products and services to you

  Yes   No
   
For joint marketing with other financial companies   No   We don’t share
   
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes— information about your transactions and experiences   No   We don’t share
   
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes— information about your creditworthiness   No   We don’t share
   
For our affiliates to market to you   No   We don’t share
   
For nonaffiliates to market to you   No   We don’t share

 

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Questions?    Email us at GLB.Privacy@blackstone.com
Who We Are
 
Who is providing this notice?    Blackstone Registered Funds include Blackstone Alternative Alpha Fund, Blackstone Alternative Alpha Fund II, Blackstone Real Estate Income Fund, Blackstone Real Estate Income Fund II, Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc., Blackstone Alternative Investment Funds, on behalf of its series Blackstone Alternative Multi-Strategy Fund, Blackstone Diversified Multi-Strategy Fund, a sub-fund of Blackstone Alternative Investment Funds plc, and the GSO Funds, consisting of Blackstone / GSO Senior Floating Rate Term Fund, Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, Blackstone / GSO Strategic Credit Fund, Blackstone / GSO Floating Rate Enhanced Income Fund and Blackstone / GSO Secured Lending Fund
What We Do
 
How do Blackstone Registered Funds protect my personal information?    To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
 
How do Blackstone Registered Funds collect my personal information?   

We collect your personal information, for example, when you:

 

•  open an account or give us your income information

 

•  provide employment information or give us your contact information

 

•  tell us about your investment or retirement portfolio

 

We also collect your personal information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

 
Why can’t I limit all sharing?   

Federal law gives you the right to limit only:

 

•  sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes—information about your creditworthiness

 

•  affiliates from using your information to market to you

 

•  sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. See below for more on your rights under state law.

 
What happens when I limit sharing for an account I hold jointly with someone else?    Your choices will apply to everyone on your account—unless you tell us otherwise.
Definitions
 
Affiliates   

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

•  Our affiliates include companies with a Blackstone name and financial companies such as GSO Capital Partners LP and Strategic Partners Fund Solutions.

 

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Nonaffiliates   

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

•  Blackstone Registered Funds do not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

   
Joint marketing   

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

•  Our joint marketing partners include financial services companies.

Other Important Information

California Residents—In accordance with California law, we will not share information we collect about California residents with nonaffiliates except as permitted by law, such as with the consent of the customer or to service the customer’s accounts. We will also limit the sharing of information about you with our affiliates to the extent required by applicable California law.

 

Vermont Residents—In accordance with Vermont law, we will not share information we collect about Vermont residents with nonaffiliates except as permitted by law, such as with the consent of the customer or to service the customer’s accounts. We will not share creditworthiness information about Vermont residents among Blackstone Registered Funds’ affiliates except with the authorization or consent of the Vermont resident.

Blackstone

Investor Data Privacy Notice

 

  1.

Why are you seeing this notice?

 

   

You may need to provide Personal Data to us as part of your investment into a fund or other investment vehicle (collectively, each a Fund) managed or advised by investment advisers that are subsidiaries of The Blackstone Group Inc. or its affiliates (and, where applicable, the general partner of the relevant Fund) (collectively, Blackstone).

 

   

We want you to understand how and why we use, store and otherwise process your Personal Data when you deal with us or our relevant affiliates (including under applicable data protection laws). If this notice (the “Data Privacy Notice”) has been made available to you, you may have certain rights with respect to your Personal Data under applicable data protection laws (including as described in this Data Privacy Notice).

 

   

Personal Data” has the meaning given to it under data protection laws that apply to our processing of your personal information, and includes any information that relates to, describes, identifies or can be used, directly or indirectly, to identify an individual (such as name, address, date of birth, personal identification numbers, sensitive personal information, and economic information).

 

   

We ask that investors promptly provide the information contained in this Data Privacy Notice to any individuals whose Personal Data they provide to the Fund or its affiliates in connection with ‘know your client’/anti-money laundering requests or otherwise.

Please read the information below carefully. It explains how and why Personal Data is processed by us.

 

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  2.

Who is providing this notice?

Blackstone is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. Blackstone is a global financial services firm with offices, operations and entities globally, including as described at this link: https://www.blackstone.com/privacy#appendixA.

 

   

For transparency, the Blackstone entities on whose behalf this privacy statement is made are: (i) the Fund; and (ii) where applicable, the Blackstone general partner and/or investment adviser of the relevant Fund, in each case, with which you contract, transact or otherwise share Personal Data (together, the Fund Parties).

 

   

Where we use the terms “we”, “us” and “our” in this Data Privacy Notice, we are referring to the Fund and the Fund Parties.

 

   

Please consult your subscription documents, private placement memorandum or other offering documentation provided to you by or on behalf of the Fund Parties which will further specify the entities and contact details of the Fund Parties relevant to our relationship with you.

 

   

We welcome investors and their representatives to contact us if they have any queries with respect to the Fund Parties (in particular, which Fund Parties are relevant to their relationship with Blackstone). If you have any queries, our contact details are below.

When you provide us with your Personal Data, each Fund Party that decides how and why Personal Data is processed acts as a “data controller”. In simple terms, this means that the Fund Party makes certain decisions on how to use and protect your Personal Data—but only to the extent that we have informed you about the use or are otherwise permitted by law.

Where your Personal Data is processed by an entity controlled by, or under common control with, the Blackstone entity/ies managing a Fund for its own purposes, this entity will also be a data controller.

 

  3.

What Personal Data do we collect about you?

The types of Personal Data that we collect and share depends on the product or service you have with us and the nature of your investment.

The Personal Data collected about you will help us to provide you with a better service and facilitate our business relationship.

We may combine Personal Data that you provide to us with Personal Data that we collect from you, or about you from other sources, in some circumstances. This will include Personal Data collected in an online or offline context.

As a result of our relationship with you as an investor, in the past 12 months we may have collected Personal Data concerning you in the following categories:

 

  a)

Identifiers (e.g., real name, alias, postal address, email address, social security or driver’s license number, government ID, signature, telephone number, education, employment, employment history, financial information, including tax-related information/codes and bank account details, information used for monitoring and background checks to comply with laws and regulations, including ‘know your client’, anti-money laundering, and sanctions checks, and other contact information);

 

  b)

Sensitive/protected characteristic information (e.g., age/date of birth, nationality, citizenship, country of residence, gender, and other information used to comply with laws and regulations);

 

  c)

Commercial information (e.g., assets, income, transaction and investment history, accounts at other institutions, information concerning source of funds and any applicable restrictions on your investment such as political exposure or sanctions);

 

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  d)

Internet or other network activity (e.g., browsing or search history, information regarding interaction with an internet website, application, or advertisement, online identifiers such as cookies);

 

  e)

Sensory and surveillance data (e.g., recordings of telephone calls where permitted or required by law, video surveillance recordings, and other records of your interactions with us or our service providers, including electronic communications);

 

  f)

Professional or employment-related information (e.g., current or past job history); and

 

  g)

Inferences drawn from other personal information (e.g., profiles reflecting preferences and trends, based on information such as assets, investment experience, risk tolerance, investment activity, and transaction history).

 

  4.

Where do we obtain your Personal Data?

We collect, and have collected, Personal Data about you from a number of sources, including from you directly:

 

     

 

 

WHAT

  

HOW

1   Personal Data that you give us   

•  from the forms and any associated documentation that you complete when subscribing for an investment, shares and/or opening an account with us. This can include information about your name, address, date of birth, passport details or other national identifier, driving licence, your national insurance or social security number and income, employment information and details about your investment or retirement portfolio(s)

 

•  when you provide it to us in correspondence and conversations, including electronic communications such as email and telephone calls

 

•  when you make transactions with respect to the Fund

 

•  when you interact with our online platforms and websites (such as bxaccess.com)

 

•  when you purchase securities from us and/or tell us where to send money

 

•  from cookies, web beacons, and similar interactions when you or your devices access our sites

 

2   Personal Data that we obtain from others   

We obtain Personal data from:

 

•  publicly available and accessible directories and sources

 

•  bankruptcy registers

 

•  tax authorities, including those that are based outside the territory in which you are located or domiciled, including the Cayman Islands, the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Economic Area (EEA), if you are subject to tax in another jurisdiction

 

•  governmental and competent regulatory authorities to whom we have regulatory obligations

 

•  credit agencies

 

•  fraud prevention and detection agencies/organisations

 

•  transaction counterparties

 

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  5.

Why do we process your Personal Data?

We may process or disclose your Personal Data for the following reasons:

 

     

 

 

WHY

  

HOW

1   Contract   

It is necessary to perform our contract with you to:

 

•  administer, manage and set up your investor account(s) to allow you to purchase your holding (of shares) in our Funds

 

•  meet the resulting contractual obligations we have to you

 

•  facilitate the continuation or termination of the contractual relationship between you and the Fund

 

•  facilitate the transfer of funds, and administering and facilitating any other transaction, between you and the Fund

2   Compliance with law   

It is necessary for compliance with an applicable legal or regulatory obligation to which we are subject, in order to:

 

•  undertake our client and investor due diligence, and on-boarding checks

 

•  carry out verification, ‘know your client’, terrorist financing, sanctions, and anti-money laundering checks

 

•  verify the identity and addresses of our investors (and, if applicable, their beneficial owners)

 

•  comply with requests from regulatory, governmental, tax and law enforcement authorities

 

•  carry out surveillance and investigations

 

•  carry out audit checks

 

•  maintain statutory registers

 

•  prevent and detect fraud

 

•  comply with sanctions requirements

3   Legitimate
interests
  

For our legitimate interests or those of a third party (such as a transaction counterparty or lender) to:

 

•  manage and administer your holding in any funds in which you are invested, and any related accounts on an ongoing basis

 

•  assess and process any applications or requests made by you

 

•  open, maintain or close accounts in connection with your investment in, or withdrawal from, the Fund scheme

 

•  send updates, information and notices or otherwise correspond with you in connection with your investment in the Fund scheme

 

•  address or investigate any complaints, claims, proceedings or disputes

 

•  provide you with, and inform you about, our investment products and services

 

•  monitor and improve our relationships with investors

 

•  comply with applicable regulatory obligations, including anti-money laundering, sanctions and ‘know your client’ checks

 

 

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WHY

  

HOW

        

 

•  assist our transaction counterparties to comply with their regulatory and legal obligations (including anti-money laundering, ‘know your client’ and sanctions checks)

 

•  manage our risk and operations

 

•  comply with our accounting and tax reporting requirements

 

•  comply with our audit requirements

 

•  assist with internal compliance with our policies and processes

 

•  ensure appropriate group management and governance

 

•  keep our internal records

 

•  prepare reports on incidents / accidents

 

 

•  protect our business against fraud, breach of confidence, theft of proprietary materials, and other financial or business crimes (to the extent that this is not required of us by law)

 

•  analyse and manage commercial risks

 

•  seek professional advice, including legal advice

 

•  enable any actual or proposed assignee or transferee, participant or sub-participant of the partnership’s or Fund vehicles’ rights or obligations to evaluate proposed transactions

 

•  facilitate business asset transactions involving the Fund partnership or Fund-related vehicles

 

•  monitor communications to/from us using our systems

 

•  protect the security and integrity of our information technology systems

 

•  manage our financing arrangements with our financiers and financing transaction counterparties, including payment providers, intermediaries, and correspondent/agent banks

 

We only rely on these interests where we have considered that, on balance, the legitimate interests are not overridden by your interests, fundamental rights or freedoms.

 

Monitoring as described at (3) above

We monitor communications where the law requires us to do so. We will also monitor where we are required to do so to comply with our regulatory rules and practices and, where we are permitted to do so, to protect our business and the security of our systems.

 

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  6.

Who we share your Personal Data with

Your Personal Data will be shared with:

 

WHO

  

WHY

Fund Associates   

We share your Personal Data with our associates, related parties and members of our group. This is:

 

•  to manage our relationship with you

 

•  for the legitimate interests of a third party in carrying out anti-money laundering and compliance checks required of them under applicable laws and regulations

 

•  for the purposes set out in this Data Privacy Notice

Fund Managers, Depositories, Administrators, Custodians, Investment Advisers   

•  delivering the services you require

 

•  managing your investment

 

•  supporting and administering investment-related activities

 

•  complying with applicable investment, anti-money laundering and other laws and regulations

Tax Authorities   

•  to comply with applicable laws and regulations

 

•  where required or requested by tax authorities in the territory in which you are located or domiciled (in particular, Cayman Island or UK/EEA tax authorities) who, in turn, may share your Personal Data with foreign tax authorities

 

•  where required or requested by foreign tax authorities, including outside of the territory in which you are located or domiciled (including outside the Cayman Islands or UK/EEA)

Service Providers   

•  delivering and facilitating the services needed to support our business relationship with you

 

•  supporting and administering investment-related activities

 

•  where disclosure to the service provider is considered necessary to support Blackstone with the purposes described in section 5 of this Data Privacy Notice

Financing Counterparties, Lenders, Correspondent and Agent Banks   

•  assisting these transaction counterparties with regulatory checks, such as ‘know your client’ and anti-money laundering procedures

 

•  sourcing credit for Fund-related entities in the course of our transactions and fund life cycles

Our Lawyers, Auditors and other Professional Advisers   

•  providing you with investment-related services

 

•  to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements

In exceptional circumstances, we will share your Personal Data with:

 

   

competent regulatory, prosecuting and other governmental agencies or litigation counterparties, in any country or territory; and

 

   

other organisations and agencies—where we are required to do so by law.

 

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For California residents, in the preceding 12 months, we may have disclosed Personal Data listed in any of the categories in section 3 above for a business purpose (in particular, as described in this section).

We have not sold Personal Data in the 12 months preceding the date of this Data Privacy Notice.

 

  7.

Do you have to provide us with this Personal Data?

Where we collect Personal Data from you, we will indicate if:

 

   

provision of the Personal Data is necessary for our compliance with a legal obligation; or

 

   

it is purely voluntary and there are no implications for you if you do not wish to provide us with it.

Unless otherwise indicated, you should assume that we require the Personal Data for business and/or compliance purposes.

Some of the Personal Data that we request is necessary for us to perform our contract with you and if you do not wish to provide us with this Personal Data, it will affect our ability to provide our services to you and manage your investment.

 

  8.

Sending your Personal Data internationally

We will transfer your Personal Data between different countries to our affiliates and group members, members of the Fund’s partnership, transaction counterparties, and third party service providers. These countries may not have similarly strict data protection and privacy laws and will include those countries in which our affiliates and service providers operate (and may include, for example, transfers from the UK/EEA or Cayman Islands to a jurisdiction outside of such territory).

Where we transfer Personal Data to other members of our group, our service providers or another third party recipient from one country to another, we will ensure that our arrangements with them are governed by data transfer agreements or appropriate safeguards, designed to ensure that your Personal Data is protected as required under applicable data protection law (including, where appropriate, under an agreement on terms approved for this purpose by the European Commission or by obtaining your consent).

Please contact us if you would like to know more about these agreements or receive a copy of them. Please see below for our contact details.

 

  9.

Consent—and your right to withdraw it

We do not generally rely on obtaining your consent to process your Personal Data. If we do, you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time. Please contact us or send us an email at PrivacyQueries@Blackstone.com at any time if you wish to do so.

 

  10.

Retention and deletion of your Personal Data

We keep your Personal Data for as long as it is required by us for our legitimate business purposes, to perform our contractual obligations or, where longer, such longer period as is required or permitted by law or regulatory obligations which apply to us.

We will generally:

 

   

retain Personal Data about you throughout the life cycle of any investment you are involved in; and

 

   

retain some Personal Data after your relationship with us ends.

 

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As a general principle, we do not retain your Personal Data for longer than we need it.

We will usually delete your Personal Data (at the latest) after you cease to be an investor in any fund and there is no longer any legal/regulatory requirement, or business purpose, for retaining your Personal Data.

 

  11.

Your rights

You may, subject to certain limitations, have data protection rights depending on the data protection laws that apply to our processing of your Personal Data, including the right to:

 

   

access your Personal Data, and some related information, including the purpose for processing the Personal Data, the categories of recipients of that Personal Data to the extent that it has been transferred internationally, and, where the Personal Data has not been collected directly from you, the source (the “category information”)

 

   

restrict the use of your Personal Data in certain circumstances

 

   

have incomplete or inaccurate Personal Data corrected

 

   

ask us to stop processing your Personal Data

 

   

require us to delete your Personal Data in some limited circumstances

You also have the right in some circumstances to request us to “port” your Personal Data in a portable, re-usable format to other organisations (where this is possible).

California residents may also request certain information about our disclosure of Personal Data during the prior year, including category information (as defined above).

We review and verify requests to protect your Personal Data, and will action data protection requests fairly and in accordance with applicable data protection laws and principles.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us (details below).

 

  12.

Concerns or queries

We take your concerns very seriously. We encourage you to bring it to our attention if you have any concerns about our processing of your Personal Data. This Data Privacy Notice was drafted with simplicity and clarity in mind. We are, of course, happy to provide any further information or explanation needed. Our contact details are below.

Please also contact us via any of the below contact methods if you have a disability and require an alternative format of this Data Privacy Notice.

If you want to make a complaint, you can also contact the body regulating data protection in your country, where you live or work, or the location where the data protection issue arose. In particular:

 

Country

  

Supervisory Authority

Cayman Islands    Cayman Islands Ombudsman (available at: https://ombudsman.ky)
European Union   

A list of the EU data protection authorities and contact details is available by clicking this link: http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/article29/item-detail.cfm?item_id=612080

 

United Kingdom    Information Commissioner’s Office (available at: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/)

 

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  13.

Contact us

Please contact us if you have any questions about this Data Privacy Notice or the Personal Data we hold about you.

Contact us by email or access our web form at PrivacyQueries@Blackstone.com.

Contact us in writing using this address:

 

Address   

For EU/UK related queries:

 

40 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 5AL, United Kingdom

 

All other queries:

 

345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154

 

  14.

Changes to this Data Privacy Notice

We keep this Data Privacy Notice under regular review. Please check regularly for any updates at our investor portal (www.bxaccess.com).

This Data Privacy Notice was last updated in January 2020.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

     Page  

Investment Objectives

     1  

Investment Restrictions

     1  

Investment Policies and Techniques

     3  

Management of the Fund

     19  

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

     61  

Description of Shares

     63  

Repurchase of Common Shares

     63  

Tax Matters

     65  

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

     71  

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     71  

Custodian and Transfer Agent

     71  

Additional Information

     71  

Financial Statements

     72  

Appendix A—Description of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings

     A-1  

Appendix B—Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of the Adviser

     B-1  

 

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

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 8, 2020

Filed Pursuant to Rule 497(c)

Registration Statement No. 333-[]

FORM OF PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(to Prospectus dated                , 2020)

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

Up to                Common Shares

 

 

The Fund. Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company.

Investment Objectives. The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

Investment Strategies. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic long-short strategy in a diversified portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of predominantly U.S. corporate issuers, including first- and second-lien secured loans (“Secured Loans”) and high yield corporate bonds of varying maturities. The loans and fixed-income instruments that the Fund invests in long positions in are typically rated below investment grade at the time of purchase. Below investment grade quality instruments are those that, at the time of investment, are rated Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Corporation Ratings Group or Fitch Ratings, Inc., or if unrated are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Instruments of below investment grade quality, commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities, are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to an issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. This Prospectus Supplement, together with the accompanying Prospectus dated                , 2020 sets forth the information that you should know before investing.

The Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”. The net asset value (“NAV”) of the Common Shares at the close of business on                , 2020 was $            per share, and the last sale price per share of the Common Shares on the Exchange on that date was $            . Shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from NAV.

You should read this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus (which includes a Statement of Additional Information, dated                , 2020, containing additional information about the Fund, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and, as amended from time to time, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Prospectus. You can review the table of contents for the Statement of Additional Information on page 115 of the accompanying Prospectus. You may request a free copy of the Statement of Additional Information, annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders (when available), and additional information about the Fund and make shareholder inquiries by calling toll-free (800) 522-6645, by writing to the Fund or visiting the Fund’s website (http://www.blackstone-gso.com/bgx/). You can access the same documents, including any materials incorporated by reference, free from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov.

Investing in the Fund’s securities involves certain risks. See “Risks” beginning on page 62 of the accompanying Prospectus.

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

 

     Per Share      Total  

Public offering price

   $                $            

Sales load

   $        $    

Proceeds, after expenses, to the Fund

   $        $    

[We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional Common Shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover over-allotments, if any, within days from the date of this Prospectus Supplement. If the underwriters exercise the option in full, the total underwriting discount will be $                , and the proceeds, before expenses, to us will be $                .]

[Underwriter(s)]

 

 

This Prospectus Supplement is dated                , 2020

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

Capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in the accompanying Prospectus.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

     Page  

Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     S-ii  

Prospectus Supplement Summary

     S-1  

Summary of Fund Expenses

     S-2  

Use of Proceeds

     S-4  

Capitalization

     S-5  

Distributions

     S-6  

Market and Net Asset Value Information

     S-7  

Underwriting/Plan of Distribution

     S-8  

Legal Matters

     S-9  

Where You Can Find More Information

     S-9  

Prospectus

 

     Page  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

Summary of Fund Expenses

     37  

Financial Highlights

     39  

Senior Securities

     42  

The Fund

     43  

Use of Proceeds

     43  

Market and Net Asset Value Information

     43  

The Fund’s Investments

     44  

Leverage

     59  

Risks

     62  

Management of the Fund

     84  

Net Asset Value

     87  

Distributions

     88  

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     90  

Description of Shares

     92  

Certain Provisions in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust

     94  

Closed-End Fund Structure

     95  

Repurchase of Common Shares

     95  

Tax Matters

     96  

Plan of Distribution

     100  

Custodian and Transfer Agent

     103  

Legal Matters

     103  

Privacy Policy

     104  

Table of Contents for the Statement of Additional Information

     115  

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus. This Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus set forth certain information about us that a prospective investor should carefully consider before making an investment in our securities. This Prospectus Supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering, also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. The Prospectus gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. If the description of this offering varies between

 

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this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in this Prospectus Supplement; provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date and incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement, the statement in the incorporated document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. The information contained in or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus is accurate only as of the respective dates on their front covers, regardless of the time of delivery of this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus, or the sale of the securities. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

CAUTIONARY NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI contain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements including, in particular, the statements about our plans, objectives, strategies and prospects regarding, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations and business. We have identified some of these forward-looking statements with words like “believe,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “forecast,” “possible,” “potential,” “project,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “approximate” or “continue” and other words and terms of similar meaning and the negative of such terms. Such forward-looking statements may be contained in this Prospectus Supplement as well as in the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Many factors mentioned in our discussion in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus, including the risks outlined under “Risks” in the accompanying Prospectus, will be important in determining future results.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The factors identified above are believed to be important factors, but not necessarily all of the important factors, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Unpredictable or unknown factors could also have material adverse effects on us. Since our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, we cannot give any assurance that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations and financial condition. All forward-looking statements included in this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus or the SAI are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of such documents. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements or the risk factors contained therein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under the federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus and the SAI are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) and the accompanying prospectus (the “Prospectus”) relating to Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund. This summary provides an overview of selected information and does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in our common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Shares”). You should read carefully the entire Prospectus Supplement, the accompanying Prospectus, including the section entitled “Risks,” the statement of additional information incorporated by reference into the Prospectus (the “SAI”) and the financial statements and related notes, before making an investment decision.

 

The Fund

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. Throughout the Prospectus, we refer to Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund simply as the “Fund” or as “we,” “us” or “our.” See “The Fund” in the accompanying Prospectus.

 

Investment Adviser

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”) acts as the Fund’s investment adviser and also provides administrative and compliance oversight services to the Fund. The Adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSO Capital Partners LP (collectively with its affiliates in the credit-focused business of The Blackstone Group Inc., “GSO”), is a registered investment adviser. GSO is part of the credit platform of The Blackstone Group Inc. (collectively with its affiliates as the context requires, “Blackstone” and together with GSO, the “Firm”), which is one of the world’s leading investment firms with total assets under management of $        . Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on real estate, private equity, public debt and equity, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. As of                ,                , GSO’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of $        across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including loans, high yield bonds, distressed and mezzanine debt and private equity, including hedge funds. In addition, as of                ,                , the Adviser had total assets under management of approximately $        .

 

  The Adviser receives a monthly fee at the annual rate of 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. See “Management of the Fund—Investment Advisory Agreement” in the accompanying Prospectus.

 

The Offering

Common Shares offered:                shares
 

 

  Shared outstanding after the offering:                shares

 

Risks

See “Risks” beginning on page 62 of the accompanying Prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before deciding to invest in the Fund’s Common Shares.


 

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SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES

The purpose of the following table and example is to help you understand all fees and expenses holders of Common Shares of the Fund (“common shareholders”) would bear directly or indirectly. The table below is based on the capital structure of the Fund as of (except as noted below).

 

     Percentage of
Offering Price
 

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES

  

Sales Load

     —   %(1) 

Offering Expenses Borne by the Fund

     —   %(1) 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees

     None (2) 
  

 

 

 

TOTAL TRANSACTION EXPENSES (as a percentage of offering price)(3)

  
  

 

 

 

 

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

ANNUAL EXPENSES

  

Advisory Fees(4)

             

Dividends on Preferred Shares(5)

             

Other Expenses(6)

             

Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds(7)

             

TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES

             
  

 

 

 

 

(1)

In the event that the securities to which this Prospectus relates are sold to or through agents, underwriters or dealers, the related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the applicable sales load, the estimated amount of total offering expenses (which may include offering expenses borne by third parties on behalf of the Fund), the offering price and the offering expenses borne by the Fund as a percentage of the offering price.

(2)

You will be charged a brokerage commission if you direct the DRIP administrator to sell your Common Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

(3)

The related Prospectus Supplement will disclose the offering price and the total shareholder transaction expenses as a percentage of the offering price.

(4)

The Adviser receives a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends).

(5)

Assumes the annual dividend rate for the MRPS is    % as of                ,                , and is not increased as a result of any downgrade in the ratings of the MRPS. If the ratings of the MRPS are downgraded, the Fund’s dividend expense may increase.

(6)

“Other Expenses” are estimated amounts for the current fiscal year based on the Fund’s fees and expenses for the year ended                . “Other Expenses” include professional fees and other expenses, including, without limitation, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filing fees, printing fees, administration fees, transfer agency fees, custody fees, trustee fees and insurance costs.

(7)

Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds is based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year and assumes the use of leverage in an amount equal to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (after the leverage is incurred), and the annual interest rate on Borrowings of    %. The actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund will vary over time in accordance with the level of the Fund’s borrowings and market interest rates. Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds are required to be treated as an expense of the Fund for accounting purposes.

 

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Table of Contents

Example

As required by the relevant SEC regulations, the following example illustrates the expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in the Fund’s Common Shares assuming (i) total annual expenses of    % of net assets attributable to the Fund’s Common Shares, (ii) a 5% annual return and (iii) reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at NAV:

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

$            

  $               $               $            

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

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in a Prospectus Supplement, the Fund intends to invest the net proceeds of any offering of its securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies as stated herein. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds in accordance with its investment objectives and policies within thirty days after the completion of any offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be primarily invested in high yield securities or high-grade, short-term securities.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization (i) as of                ,                and (ii) as adjusted to give effect to the issuance of the Common Shares offered hereby. As indicated below, common shareholders will bear the offering costs associated with this offering.

 

     Actual      As Adjusted  
            (Unaudited)  

Cash

                                               

Total Debt:

     

Senior Secured Notes

     

Loan Payable

     

Net Assets:

     

Common Shares ($0.001 par value,                 shares authorized, shares issued and outstanding (actual),                 shares issued and outstanding (as adjusted) and                 issued and outstanding (as further adjusted))

     

Paid-in capital in excess of par value

     

Accumulated net investment loss, net of income taxes

     

Accumulated net realized gain on investments, net of income taxes

     

Net unrealized gains on investments, net of income taxes

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Net Assets

                                               
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund makes regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to common shareholders. The Fund pays common shareholders at least annually all or substantially all of its net investment income after the payment of interest, fees or dividends, if any, owed with respect to any forms of leverage utilized by the Fund. The Fund pays any capital gains distributions at least annually. The Fund utilizes a “dynamic” distribution strategy that is based on the net income earned by the Fund. The Fund declares a set of monthly distributions each quarter in amounts closely tied to the Fund’s recent average monthly net income. As a result, the monthly distribution amounts for the Fund typically vary quarter-to-quarter. The following table sets forth information about distributions we paid to our common shareholders during the past three fiscal years, percentage participation by common shareholders in our DRIP, and reinvestments and related issuances of additional Common Shares as a result of such participation (the information in the table is unaudited):

 

Distribution Payable Date

to Common Shareholders

   Amount of
Distribution
Per Share
     Percentage of Common
Shareholders Electing
to Participate in DRIP
    Amount of
Corresponding
Reinvestment
through DRIP
     Additional Common Shares
Issued through DRIP
 
   $                                     $                       

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

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

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

 

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MARKET AND NET ASSET VALUE INFORMATION

The Fund’s Common Shares are listed on the Exchange and trade under the ticker symbol “BGX”. Our Common Shares commenced trading on the Exchange on January 27, 2011.

Our Common Shares have traded both at a premium and at a discount in relation to the Fund’s NAV per share. We cannot predict whether our Common Shares will trade at a premium or discount to NAV in the future. Our issuance of additional Common Shares may have an adverse effect on prices in the secondary market for our Common Shares by increasing the number of Common Shares available, which may create downward pressure on the market price for our Common Shares. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to NAV. See “Risks—Market Discount Risk.”

The following table sets forth for each of the periods indicated the range of high and low closing sale price of our Common Shares and the quarter-end sale price, each as reported on the Exchange, the NAV per share of Common Shares and the premium or discount to NAV per share at which our Common Shares were trading. NAV is generally determined on each business day that the Exchange is open for business. See “Net Asset Value” for information as to the determination of our NAV.

 

     Quarterly Closing
Sale Price
     Quarter-End Closing  
     High      Low      Sale Price      Net Asset
Value Per
Share of
Common
Stock(1)
     Premium/
(Discount) of
Quarter-End
Sale Price
to Net Asset
Value(2)
 

Fiscal Year 20[    ]

                                                                                                   

 

Source of market prices: Bloomberg.

(1)

NAV per share is determined as of close of business on the last day of the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the NAV per share on the date of the high and low closing sales prices, which may or may not fall on the last day of the quarter. NAV per share is calculated as described in “Net Asset Value.”

(2)

Calculated as of the quarter-end by dividing quarter-end closing sales price by the quarter-end NAV, minus 1.

In recognition of the possibility that Common Shares might trade at a discount to NAV, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) may consider one or more actions that might be taken to seek to reduce or eliminate any material discount from NAV in respect of Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Board may decide not to take any of these actions in the future. In addition, there can be no assurance any of these actions, or others, if undertaken, will reduce market discount. See “Closed-End Fund Structure” and “Repurchase of Common Shares.”

On                , the last reported sale price of our Common Shares on the Exchange was $        , which represented a [premium/discount] of approximately    % to the NAV per share reported by us on that date.

As of                 , we had approximately                 Common Shares outstanding and we had net assets attributable to common shareholders of approximately $        .

 

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UNDERWRITING/PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

[TO BE FURNISHED AT TIME OF OFFERING]

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is counsel to the Fund. Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. has opined on certain matters of Delaware law relating to the offering of the securities and the legality of the securities to be offered hereby.              has opined on certain matters in connection with the securities offered hereby for the underwriters.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and are required to file reports (including our annual and semi-annual reports), proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our most recent shareholder report filed with the SEC is for the period ended                . Such reports, proxy statements and other information, as well as the registration statement and the amendments, exhibits and schedules thereto, can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may also e-mail requests for these documents to publinfo@sec.gov.

This Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus do not contain all of the information in our registration statement, including amendments, exhibits, and schedules. Statements in this Prospectus Supplement and the accompanying Prospectus about the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete and in each instance reference is made to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by this reference. Additional information about us can be found in our Registration Statement (including amendments, exhibits, and schedules) on Form N-2 filed with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site (www.sec.gov) that contains our Registration Statement, other documents incorporated by reference, and other information we have filed electronically with the SEC, including proxy statements and reports filed under the Exchange Act.

 

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[] Shares

BLACKSTONE / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

Common Shares

$[] per Share

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

[], 202[]

[Underwriter(s)]

 

 

 

 


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

 

Subject to Completion Dated May 8, 2020

BLACKSTONE / GSO

LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (the “Fund”) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. This Statement of Additional Information relating to the common shares of beneficial interest (“Common Shares”) of the Fund does not constitute a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the prospectus relating thereto dated [                ], 2020 (“Prospectus”). This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus, does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing Common Shares, and investors should obtain and read the Prospectus prior to purchasing such shares. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by calling toll-free (844) 702-1299. You may also obtain a copy of the Prospectus on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Web site (http://www.sec.gov). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Statement of Additional Information have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.

This Statement of Additional Information is dated [                ], 2020.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

     Page  

Investment Objectives

     1  

Investment Restrictions

     1  

Investment Policies and Techniques

     3  

Management of the Fund

     19  

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

     61  

Description of Shares

     63  

Repurchase of Common Shares

     63  

Tax Matters

     65  

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

     71  

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     71  

Custodian and Transfer Agent

     71  

Additional Information

     71  

Financial Statements

     72  

Appendix A—Description of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings

     A-1  

Appendix B—Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of the Adviser

     B-1  

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to provide current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

Fundamental Restrictions

Except as described below, the Fund, as a fundamental policy, may not, without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares and preferred Shares (“Preferred Shares” and collectively with Common Shares, the “Shares”), if any, voting together as a single class, and of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares, voting as a separate class:

(1) invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any one industry, provided that securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. government securities”) and tax-exempt securities of governments or their political subdivisions will not be considered to represent an industry;

(2) issue senior securities or borrow money to purchase additional securities other than as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

(3) make loans to other persons, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, the SEC staff or other authority;

(4) underwrite the securities of other issuers, except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities or the sale of its own securities, the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter;

(5) purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may invest in securities or other interests of companies that deal in real estate or are engaged in the real estate business and instruments secured by real estate or interests therein, and the Fund may acquire, hold and sell real estate acquired through default, liquidation, or other distributions of an interest in real estate as a result of the Fund’s ownership of such other assets; or

(6) purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts or derivative instruments or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in subparagraph (1) above, securities of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and securities backed by the credit of a U.S. governmental entity are not considered to represent industries. If the Fund were to “concentrate” its investments in a particular industry, investors would be exposed to greater risks because the Fund’s performance would be largely dependent on that industry’s performance.

With respect to the limitation regarding the issuance of senior securities set forth in subparagraph (2) above, “senior securities” are defined as any bond, debenture, note, or similar obligation or instrument constituting a security and evidencing indebtedness, and any stock of a class having priority over any other class as to distribution of assets or payment of dividends.

The ability of a closed-end fund to issue senior securities is severely circumscribed by complex regulatory constraints under the 1940 Act that restrict, for instance, the amount, timing and form of senior securities that

 

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may be issued. Certain portfolio management techniques, such as credit default swaps, the purchase of securities on margin, short sales or the writing of puts on portfolio securities, may be considered senior securities unless appropriate steps are taken to segregate the Fund’s assets or otherwise cover its obligations. To the extent the Fund covers its commitment under these transactions, including by the segregation of liquid assets, equal in value to the amount of the Fund’s commitment, such instrument will not be considered a “senior security” by the Fund and therefore will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund.

Under the Investment Company Act, a “senior security” does not include any promissory note or evidence of indebtedness where such loan is for temporary purposes only and in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the total assets of the issuer at the time the loan is made. A loan is presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within sixty days and is not extended or renewed.

Section 18(a) of the 1940 Act requires certain actions by the Fund if its asset coverage falls below certain levels. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue Preferred Shares unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior securities, is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding Preferred Shares (i.e., the liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund other than senior securities). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of its outstanding Preferred Shares plus its outstanding liabilities and indebtedness. If Preferred Shares are issued, the Fund may purchase or redeem Preferred Shares from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain assets coverage of any Preferred Shares of at least 200%.

The 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain at all times an asset coverage of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. For the purpose of borrowing money, “asset coverage” means the ratio that the value of the Fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. On the other hand, certain practices and investments may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act.

With respect to the limitation regarding making loans to other persons set forth in subparagraph (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.

With respect to the limitation regarding underwriting the securities of other issuers set forth in subparagraph (4) above, a technical provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) deems certain persons to be “underwriters” if they purchase a security from an issuer and later sell it to the public. Although it is not believed that the application of this Securities Act provision would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy set forth in subparagraph (4) will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act. Under the Securities Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus.

When used with respect to particular Shares of the Fund, “majority of the outstanding voting securities” means (i) 67% or more of the Shares present at a meeting of shareholders, if the holders of more than 50% of the Shares are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the Shares, whichever is less. Except for the fundamental policies disclosed above, all other policies of the Fund disclosed herein and in the Prospectus are non-fundamental policies which may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) without shareholder approval.

 

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Non-Fundamental Restrictions

The Fund’s (1) investment objectives and (2) policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in credit investments, including, but not limited to, loans and fixed income instruments, are not fundamental and may be changed by the Board without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ written notice prior to changing the non-fundamental policy in (2) above.

In addition, to comply with U.S. federal income tax requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company, the Fund’s investments will be limited in a manner such that at the close of each quarter of each taxable year, (a) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets are invested (i) in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of a single issuer or two or more issuers controlled (by owning 20% or more of their voting power) by the Fund and determined to be engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (ii) in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined under Section 851(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) and (b) with regard to at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets, no more than 5% of the value of its total assets are invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of a single issuer and no investment in any such securities represents more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer. These tax-related limitations may be changed by the Board only to the extent appropriate in light of changes to applicable tax requirements.

The percentage limitations applicable to the Fund’s portfolio described in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information apply only at the time of investment and the Fund will not be required to sell securities due to subsequent changes in the value of securities it owns.

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES

The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund’s investment policies and techniques in the Prospectus.

Portfolio Contents

Secured Loans

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

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

The Fund may purchase “Assignments” from the Agent or other Loan Investors. The purchaser of an Assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the Loan Agreement (as defined herein) of the assigning Loan Investor and becomes a Loan Investor under the Loan Agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning Loan Investor. Assignments may, however, be arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, and the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Loan Investor.

 

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

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

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

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

A Borrower must comply with various restrictive covenants contained in a loan agreement or note purchase agreement between the Borrower and the holders of the Secured Loan (the “Loan Agreement”). Such covenants, in addition to requiring the scheduled payment of interest and principal, may include restrictions on dividend payments and other distributions to shareholders, provisions requiring the Borrower to maintain specific minimum financial ratios and limits on total debt. In addition, the Loan Agreement may contain a covenant requiring the Borrower to prepay the Loan with any free cash flow. Free cash flow is generally defined as net

 

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cash flow after scheduled debt service payments and permitted capital expenditures, and includes the proceeds from asset dispositions or sales of securities. A breach of a covenant which is not waived by the Agent, or by the Loan Investors directly, as the case may be, is normally an event of acceleration; i.e., the Agent, or the Loan Investors directly, as the case may be, has the right to call the outstanding Secured Loan. The typical practice of an Agent or a Loan Investor in relying exclusively or primarily on reports from the Borrower to monitor the Borrower’s compliance with covenants may involve a risk of fraud by the Borrower. In the case of a Secured Loan in the form of a Participation, the agreement between the buyer and seller may limit the rights of the holder to vote on certain changes which may be made to the Loan Agreement, such as waiving a breach of a covenant. However, the holder of the Participation will, in almost all cases, have the right to vote on certain fundamental issues such as changes in principal amount, payment dates and interest rate.

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

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

Secured Loans will usually require, in addition to scheduled payments of interest and principal, the prepayment of the Secured Loan from free cash flow, as described above. The degree to which Borrowers prepay Secured Loans, whether as a contractual requirement or at their election, may be affected by general business conditions, the financial condition of the Borrower and competitive conditions among Loan Investors, among others. As such, prepayments cannot be predicted with accuracy. Recent market conditions, including falling default rates among others, have led to increased prepayment frequency and loan renegotiations. These renegotiations are often on terms more favorable to borrowers. Upon a prepayment, either in part or in full, the actual outstanding debt on which the Fund derives interest income will be reduced. However, the Fund may receive both a prepayment penalty fee from the prepaying Borrower and a facility fee upon the purchase of a new Secured Loan with the proceeds from the prepayment of the former.

From time to time, Blackstone and its affiliates may borrow money from various banks in connection with their business activities. Such banks may also sell interests in Secured Loans to, or acquire them from, the Fund

 

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or may be intermediate participants with respect to Secured Loans in which the Fund owns interests. Such banks may also act as Agents for Secured Loans held by the Fund.

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

The Fund will be subject to the risk that collateral securing a loan will decline in value or have no value. Such a decline, whether as a result of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise, could cause the Secured Loan to be undercollateralized or unsecured. In most credit agreements there is no formal requirement to pledge additional collateral. In addition, the Fund may invest in Secured Loans guaranteed by, or secured by assets of, shareholders or owners, even if the Secured Loans are not otherwise collateralized by assets of the Borrower; provided, however, that such guarantees are fully secured. There may be temporary periods when the principal asset held by a Borrower is the stock of a related company, which may not legally be pledged to secure a Secured Loan. On occasions when such stock cannot be pledged, the Secured Loan will be temporarily unsecured until the stock can be pledged or is exchanged for or replaced by other assets, which will be pledged as security for the Secured Loan. However, the Borrower’s ability to dispose of such securities, other than in connection with such pledge or replacement, will be strictly limited for the protection of the holders of Secured Loans and, indirectly, Secured Loans themselves.

If a Borrower becomes involved in bankruptcy proceedings, a court may invalidate the Fund’s security interest in the loan collateral or subordinate the Fund’s rights under the Secured Loan to the interests of the Borrower’s unsecured creditors or cause interest previously paid to be refunded to the Borrower. If a court required interest to be refunded, it could negatively affect the Fund’s performance. Such action by a court could be based, for example, on a “fraudulent conveyance” claim to the effect that the Borrower did not receive fair consideration for granting the security interest in the loan collateral to the Fund. For Secured Loans made in connection with a highly leveraged transaction, consideration for granting a security interest may be deemed inadequate if the proceeds of the Loan were not received or retained by the Borrower, but were instead paid to other persons (such as shareholders of the Borrower) in an amount which left the Borrower insolvent or without sufficient working capital. There are also other events, such as the failure to perfect a security interest due to faulty documentation or faulty official filings, which could lead to the invalidation of the Fund’s security interest in loan collateral. If the Fund’s security interest in loan collateral is invalidated or the Secured Loan is subordinated to other debt of a Borrower in bankruptcy or other proceedings, the Fund would have substantially lower recovery, and perhaps no recovery, on the full amount of the principal and interest due on the Secured Loan.

The Fund may acquire warrants and other equity securities as part of a unit combining a Secured Loan and equity securities of a Borrower or its affiliates. The acquisition of such equity securities will only be incidental to the Fund’s purchase of a Secured Loan. The Fund may also acquire equity securities or credit securities (including non-dollar denominated equity or credit securities) issued in exchange for a Secured Loan or issued in connection with the debt restructuring or reorganization of a Borrower, or if such acquisition, in the judgment of GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”) may enhance the value of a Secured Loan or would otherwise be consistent with the Fund’s investment policies. Such warrants and equity securities will typically have limited value and there is no assurance that such securities will ever obtain value.

Fixed-Income Instruments

The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, such as high-yield corporate debt securities, or bonds, or U.S. government securities. Corporate bonds and other fixed-income instruments are typically originated,

 

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

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

Fixed-income securities are generally subject to many of the same risks that affect Secured Loans and unsecured loans. However, holders of fixed-income bonds are generally subordinate to any existing lenders in the issuer’s capital structure and thus have a lower priority in payment than lenders.

Unsecured Loans

The Fund may invest in unsecured loans, which have the same characteristics as Secured Loans except that such loans are not secured by collateral. Accordingly, the risks associated with unsecured loans are higher than the risk of loans with first priority over the collateral. In the event of default on a unsecured loan, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan. It is possible that no value would remain for the unsecured holder and therefore result in a loss of investment to the Fund.

Unsecured loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in Secured Loans. Because unsecured loans are unsecured and thus lower in priority of payment to Secured Loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the borrower. Unsecured loans generally have greater price volatility than Secured Loans and may be less liquid. There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in unsecured loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans. Unsecured loans share the same risks as other below investment grade instruments.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

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

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

 

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Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase

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

Foreign Investments

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar denominated securities of non-U.S. issuers, including securities of emerging markets issuers. The Fund may also invest in securities denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars. Because foreign companies are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a domestic company. Volume and liquidity in most foreign debt markets is less than in the United States and securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, broker-dealers and listed companies than in the United States. Mail service between the United States and foreign countries may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Payment for securities before delivery may be required. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Foreign securities markets, while growing in volume and sophistication, are generally not as developed as those in the United States, and securities of some foreign issuers (particularly those located in developing countries) may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies.

In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, could be significant and far-reaching. In June 2016, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) approved a referendum to leave the EU, commonly referred to as “Brexit,” which sparked depreciation in the value of the British pound, short-term declines in global stock markets, and heightened risk of continued worldwide economic volatility. The UK exited the EU on January 31, 2020. As a result of Brexit, there was and remains considerable uncertainty as to the arrangements that will apply to the UK’s relationship with the EU and other countries leading up to, and following, its withdrawal. This long-term uncertainty may affect other countries in the EU and elsewhere. Further, the UK’s departure from the EU may cause volatility within the EU, triggering prolonged economic downturns in certain European countries or sparking additional member states to contemplate departing the EU. In addition, Brexit creates the perception of additional economic stresses for the UK, including the view that there may be potential decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, wider corporate bond spreads due to uncertainty, and possible declines in business and consumer spending as well as foreign direct investment.

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) may be purchased. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer and are alternatives to purchasing directly the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, they continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer’s country. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be sponsored or unsponsored. Unsponsored

 

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receipts are established without the participation of the issuer. Unsponsored receipts may involve higher expenses, they may not pass through voting or other shareholder rights, and they may be less liquid.

Equity Securities

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

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

Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred security, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued or the dividend paid on such security until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. A convertible security ranks senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but is usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Convertible securities may be purchased for their appreciation potential when they yield more than the underlying securities at the time of purchase or when they are considered to present less risk of principal loss than the underlying securities. Generally speaking, the interest or dividend yield of a convertible security is somewhat less than that of a non-convertible security of similar quality issued by the same company. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument.

Holders of convertible securities generally have a claim on the assets of the issuer prior to the common stockholders but may be subordinated to other debt securities of the same issuer. Certain convertible debt securities may provide a put option to the holder, which entitles the holder to cause the securities to be redeemed by the issuer at a premium over the stated principal amount of the debt securities under certain circumstances. Certain convertible securities may include loss absorption characteristics that make the securities more equity-like. This is particularly true of convertible securities issued by companies in the financial services sector.

Synthetic convertible securities may include either cash-settled convertibles or manufactured convertibles. Cash-settled convertibles are instruments that are created by the issuer and have the economic characteristics of traditional convertible securities but may not actually permit conversion into the underlying equity securities in all circumstances. As an example, a private company may issue a cash-settled convertible that is convertible into common stock only if the company successfully completes a public offering of its common stock prior to maturity and otherwise pays a cash amount to reflect any equity appreciation. Manufactured convertibles are created by the investment adviser or another party by combining separate securities that possess one of the two principal characteristics of a convertible security, i.e., fixed-income (“fixed-income component”) or a right to acquire equity securities (“convertibility component”). The fixed-income component is achieved by investing in

 

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nonconvertible fixed-income securities, such as nonconvertible bonds, preferred securities and money market instruments. The convertibility component is achieved by investing in call options, warrants, or other securities with equity conversion features (“equity features”) granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of the underlying stocks within a specified period of time at a specified price or, in the case of a stock index option, the right to receive a cash payment based on the value of the underlying stock index. A manufactured convertible differs from traditional convertible securities in several respects. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security that has a unitary market value, a manufactured convertible is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the total “market value” of such a manufactured convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component and its convertibility component. More flexibility is possible in the creation of a manufactured convertible than in the purchase of a traditional convertible security. Because many corporations have not issued convertible securities, the investment adviser may combine a fixed-income instrument and an equity feature with respect to the stock of the issuer of the fixed-income instrument to create a synthetic convertible security otherwise unavailable in the market. The investment adviser may also combine a fixed-income instrument of an issuer with an equity feature with respect to the stock of a different issuer when the investment adviser believes such a manufactured convertible would better promote the Fund’s objective than alternative investments. For example, the investment adviser may combine an equity feature with respect to an issuer’s stock with a fixed-income security of a different issuer in the same industry to diversify the Fund’s credit exposure, or with a U.S. Treasury instrument to create a manufactured convertible with a higher credit profile than a traditional convertible security issued by that issuer. A manufactured convertible also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately and, upon purchasing the separate securities, “combined” to create a manufactured convertible. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for eventual inclusion in a manufactured convertible while postponing the purchase of a suitable bond to pair with the warrant pending development of more favorable market conditions. The value of a manufactured convertible may respond to certain market fluctuations differently from a traditional convertible security with similar characteristics. For example, in the event the Fund created a manufactured convertible by combining a short-term U.S. Treasury instrument and a call option on a stock, the manufactured convertible would be expected to outperform a traditional convertible of similar maturity that is convertible into that stock during periods when Treasury instruments outperform corporate fixed-income securities and underperform during periods when corporate fixed-income securities outperform Treasury instruments.

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

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities

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

(1) U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing

 

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Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration and Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities. Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. The recent economic crisis in the United States has negatively impacted government-sponsored entities, which include Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). As the real estate market has deteriorated through declining home prices and increasing foreclosure, government-sponsored entities, which back the majority of U.S mortgages have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. In September 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under a conservatorship of the U.S. federal government. Any Fund investments for temporary defensive purposes in securities issued by Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae may ultimately lose value. The Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund’s portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.

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

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

(4) Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for such notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time. The Adviser will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. Investments in

 

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commercial paper will be limited to commercial paper rated in the highest categories by a major rating agency and which mature within one year of the date of purchase or carry a variable or floating rate of interest.

Other Portfolio Contents

Short Sales

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

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

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

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited. However, the Adviser expects that most of its short investments will be in U.S. Treasuries and investment grade bonds. Because these securities have historically low upward volatility, this may serve to reduce the Fund’s risk of loss from short sales.

Derivatives

General Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions. The Adviser, with respect to the Fund, has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and the National Futures Association, which regulate trading in the futures markets. Pursuant to Rule 4.5 of the regulations under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”), the Fund is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool under the CEA.

Various exchanges and regulatory authorities have undertaken reviews of options and Futures trading in light of market volatility. Among the possible actions that have been presented are proposals to adopt new or more stringent daily price fluctuation limits for Futures and options transactions and proposals to increase the margin requirements for various types of futures transactions.

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

 

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

As a holder of a put option, the Fund will have the right to sell the securities underlying the option and as the holder of a call option, the Fund will have the right to purchase the currencies or securities underlying the option, in each case at their exercise price. An American style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option exercise period while a European style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration. A Bermudan style put or call option may be exercised at any time on fixed dates occurring during the term of the option. The Fund may seek to terminate its option positions prior to their expiration by entering into closing transactions. The ability of the Fund to enter into a closing sale transaction depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund so desires.

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

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

Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into securities-related futures contracts, including security futures contracts as an anticipatory hedge. The Fund may sell futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in securities prices and purchase futures as an offset against the effect of expected increases in securities prices. The Fund will not enter into futures contracts which are prohibited under the CEA and will, to the extent required by regulatory authorities, enter only into futures contracts that are traded on exchanges and are standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument. A security futures contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of a security or of the component securities of a narrow-based security index, at a certain price. A person who buys a security futures contract enters into a contract to purchase an underlying security and is said to be “long” under the contract. A person who sells a security futures contact enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be “short” under the contract. The price at which the contract trades (the “contract price”) is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange.

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

 

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gain or loss on the security futures contract based on the contract price established at the end of the day for settlement purposes.

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

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

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures contract position. The Fund would continue to be required to meet margin requirements until the position is closed, possibly resulting in a decline in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”). In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

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

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

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

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not

 

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satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to the Fund. In computing daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market the current value of its open futures contracts. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. In order to reduce the risk associated with leveraging, the Fund will cover its current obligations under swap agreements according to guidelines established by the SEC. If the Fund enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, it will be required to segregate assets on the Fund’s records with a daily value at least equal to the excess, if any, of the Fund’s accrued obligations under the swap agreement over the accrued amount the Fund is entitled to receive under the agreement. If the Fund enters into a swap agreement on other than a net basis, it will be required to segregate assets on the Fund’s records with a value equal to the full amount of the Fund’s accrued obligations under the agreement.

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

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

When-Issued and Forward Commitment Securities

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

 

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

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

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

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

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may designate on its books and records liquid instruments having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the

 

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purpose of the Fund’s limitation on borrowings. The use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is nevertheless still obligated to repurchase. Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.

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

Repurchase Agreements

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

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Board of Trustees

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Fund, including oversight of the Adviser, is vested in the Board. The Board is classified into three classes—Class I, Class II and Class III—as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, with the Trustees in each class to hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. At each succeeding annual meeting of shareholders, the successors to the class of Trustees whose terms expire at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for terms expiring at the later of the annual meeting of shareholders held in the third year following the year of their election or the election and qualification of their successors. Under the terms of the Fund’s charter, the holders of Preferred Shares of the Fund are entitled as a class, to the exclusion of common shareholders, to elect two trustees of the Fund (the “Preferred Trustees”). Currently, Thomas W. Jasper and Michael F. Holland are serving as the Preferred Trustees.

Below is a list of the Trustees and officers of the Fund and their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years. The business address of the Fund, the Adviser and their board members and officers is 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154, unless specified otherwise below.

 

Name and
Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
Held With
Registrant

 

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

 

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex(1)
Overseen
by the
Trustee

 

Other
Directorships
Held by the
Trustee During
Past Five Years

NON-INTERESTED TRUSTEES:

         

Edward H. D’Alelio

Birth Year: 1952

 

Lead Independent Trustee

and member of Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees

 

November 2010

Class II

  Mr D’Alelio was formerly a Managing Director and CIO for Fixed Income at Putnam Investments, Boston where he retired in 2002. He currently is an Executive in Residence with the School of Management, Univ. of Mass Boston.   7   Owl Rock Capital Corp. business development companies (3 portfolios overseen in Fund Complex)

Michael F. Holland(2)

Birth Year: 1944

  Trustee and member of Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees  

Since November 2010

Class I

  Mr. Holland is the Chairman of Holland & Company, a private investment firm he founded in 1995. He is also President and Founder of the Holland Balanced Fund.   7   State Street Master Funds; Reaves Utility Income Fund; The China Fund, Inc. (until 2019); The Taiwan Fund, Inc. (until 2017)

Thomas W. Jasper(2)

Birth Year: 1948

  Trustee, Chairman of Audit Committee and member of Nominating and Governance Committee  

Since November 2010

Class III

  Mr. Jasper is the Managing Partner of Manursing Partners LLC, a consulting firm. He was Chief Executive Officer of Primus Guaranty, Ltd. from 2001-2010.   7   Ciner Resources LP (master limited partnership)

 

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Name and
Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
Held With
Registrant

 

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

 

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex(1)
Overseen
by the
Trustee

 

Other
Directorships
Held by the
Trustee During
Past Five Years

Gary S. Schpero

Birth Year: 1953

  Trustee, Chairman of Nominating and Governance Committee and member of Audit Committee  

Since May 2012

Class III

  Mr. Schpero is retired. Prior to January 2000, he was a partner at the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP where he served as managing partner of the Investment Management and Investment Company Practice Group.   4   AXA Premier VIP Trust; EQ Advisors Trust; 1290 Funds

INTERESTED TRUSTEES(3):

         

Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

Birth Year: 1963

  Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Trustee  

Since Inception

Class I

  Mr. Smith is a Senior Managing Director of GSO and is Head of GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC. He joined GSO from the Royal Bank of Canada in July 2005 where he was a Managing Partner and Co-head of RBC Capital Market’s Alternative Investments Unit.   5   None

 

(1)

The “Fund Complex” consists of the “GSO Closed-End Funds” (the Fund, Blackstone / GSO Senior Floating Rate Term Fund, Blackstone / GSO Strategic Credit Fund and Blackstone / GSO Floating Rate Enhanced Income Fund), Blackstone / GSO Secured Lending Fund (“BGSL”), the “Blackstone Real Estate Income Funds” (Blackstone Real Estate Income Fund, Blackstone Real Estate Income Fund II and Blackstone Real Estate Income Master Fund), the “Blackstone Alternative Alpha Funds” (Blackstone Alternative Alpha Fund, Blackstone Alternative Alpha Fund II and Blackstone Alternative Alpha Master Fund) and Blackstone Alternative Multi-Strategy Fund.

(2)

Messrs. Holland and Jasper are elected by the holders of the Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class.

(3)

“Interested person” of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Mr. Smith is an interested person due to his employment with the Adviser.

Experience of Trustees

The Trustees were selected to join the Board based upon the following as to each Trustee: his character and integrity; his service as a member of other boards of his willingness to serve and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; as to each Trustee other than Mr. Smith, his status as not being an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act; and, as to Mr. Smith, his role with GSO and The Blackstone Group Inc. No factor, by itself, was controlling. In addition to the information provided in the table included below, each Trustee possesses the following attributes: Mr. D’Alelio, experience as an investment professional; Mr. Holland, experience as an investment professional and service as a board member of other registered management investment companies; Mr. Jasper, experience as an investment professional in the structured products market and experience concerning risk management; Mr. Schpero, experience as a legal professional specializing in asset management and service as a board member of other registered management investment companies; and Mr. Smith, experience as an executive and portfolio manager and leadership roles with GSO and The Blackstone Group Inc. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of the Trustees

 

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are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustees as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.

Share Ownership

Set forth in the table below is the dollar range of equity securities held in the Fund and on an aggregate basis for the entire Family of Investment Companies overseen by each Trustee as of December 31, 2019. Investment companies are considered to be in the same family if they share the same investment adviser or principal underwriter and hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range(1) of
Equity Securities in
the Fund
     Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities Overseen
by Trustee in the
Family of
Investment
Companies(2)
 

NON-INTERESTED TRUSTEES:

     

Edward H. D’Alelio

     None        None  

Michael F. Holland

     $10,001-$50,000        $10,001-$50,000  

Thomas W. Jasper

     None        $50,001-$100,000  

Gary S. Schpero

     $1-10,000        $10,001-$50,000  

INTERESTED TRUSTEES:

     

Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

     Over $100,000        Over $100,000  

 

(1)

“Beneficial Ownership” is determined in accordance with Section 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

(2)

The term “Family of Investment Companies” means any two registered investment companies that:

 

  (i)

share the same investment adviser or principal underwriter; and

 

  (ii)

hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services.

Trustee Transactions with Fund Affiliates

As of December 31, 2019, none of the independent trustees, meaning those Trustees who are not “interested persons” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (each an “Independent Trustee” and collectively the “Independent Trustees”), nor members of their immediate families owned securities, beneficially or of record, in GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”), or an affiliate or person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser, other than investments in the Fund and investments in affiliated investment vehicles that, pursuant to guidance from the SEC Staff, do not affect such Trustee’s independence. Furthermore, during the two most recently completed calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have had any direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Adviser or any of its affiliates. In addition, since the beginning of the last two calendar years, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families have conducted any transactions (or series of transactions) or maintained any direct or indirect relationship in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and to which the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser was a party.

 

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Compensation of Trustees

The fees and expenses of the Trustees of the Fund are paid by the Fund. The Trustee who is a member of the Blackstone organization receives no compensation from the Fund. The following table sets forth compensation received by the Independent Trustees for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation from
the Fund
     Total Compensation
from the Fund and
Fund Complex Paid
to Trustees(1)
 

NON-INTERESTED TRUSTEES:

     

Edward H. D’Alelio

   $ 18,817      $ 231,500  

Michael F. Holland

   $ 16,987      $ 217,500  

Thomas W. Jasper

   $ 18,294      $ 227,500  

Gary S. Schpero

   $ 18,294      $ 140,000  

INTERESTED TRUSTEES:

     

Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

   $ —        $ —    

 

(1)

Total compensation paid from the Fund Complex includes compensation paid by the Funds, $87,500 of compensation paid to each of Messrs. D’Alelio, Holland and Jasper by the Blackstone Real Estate Income Funds, and $35,605, $32,144, $34,616, and $34,616 of compensation paid to Messrs. D’Alelio, Holland, Jasper, and Schpero respectively by BGFLX. BGSL, the Blackstone Alternative Alpha Funds and Blackstone Alternative Multi-Strategy Fund do not pay compensation to Trustees of the Fund.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Fund, together with Blackstone / GSO Senior Floating Rate Term Fund, Blackstone / GSO Strategic Credit Fund and Blackstone / GSO Floating Rate Enhanced Income Fund (the “GSO Closed-End Funds”), pay every Trustee who is not a director, officer, employee, or affiliate of GSO or ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS”), the Fund’s administrator, a retainer fee of $145,000 per annum. The Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee also receive a retainer fee of $12,000 per annum from the GSO Closed-End Funds. The Lead Independent Trustee receives a retainer fee of $16,000 per annum from the GSO Closed-End Funds.

Board Committees

The Board currently has two committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee.

The Audit Committee consists of Edward H. D’Alelio, Michael F. Holland, Thomas W. Jasper and Gary S. Schpero. The Audit Committee acts according to the Audit Committee charter (the “Audit Committee Charter”). Thomas W. Jasper has been appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board. The Audit Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to accounting and financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the adequacy of the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting processes, policies and practices; the integrity of the Fund’s financial statements; the adequacy of the Fund’s overall system of internal controls; the Fund’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the qualification and independence of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm; and the performance of the Fund’s internal audit function provided by the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers. The independent accountant is ultimately accountable to the Board and Audit Committee, as representatives of the common shareholders. The independent accountant for the Fund reports directly to the Audit Committee. The Board adopted an Audit Committee Charter at its organizational meeting. The Audit Committee held five meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

The Nominating and Governance Committee consists of Edward H. D’Alelio, Michael F. Holland, Thomas W. Jasper and Gary S. Schpero. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for selecting

 

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and nominating candidates for election as Trustees to the Board. Gary S. Schpero has been appointed as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. When vacancies or creations occur, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider Trustee candidates recommended by a variety of sources to nominate for election by the common shareholders. The Nominating and Governance Committee may accept nominees recommended by a common shareholder as it deems appropriate. Common shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee for the Board should send recommendations to the Fund’s Secretary at 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, New York 10154 and include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the common shareholders. In considering Trustee candidates, the Nominating and Governance Committee will take into consideration the interest of common shareholders, the needs of the Board and the Trustee candidate’s qualifications, which include but are not limited to, the quality and diversity of the individual’s professional experience, education, individual qualification or skills. The Board adopted a Nominating and Governance Committee Charter at its organizational meeting. The Nominating and Governance Committee held three meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

Risk Oversight

The Board’s role in risk oversight of the Fund reflects its responsibility under applicable state law to oversee generally, rather than to manage, the operations of the Fund. In line with its oversight responsibility, the Board receives reports and makes inquiries at its regular meetings and as needed regarding the nature and extent of significant Fund risks (including investment, compliance and valuation risks) that potentially could have a materially adverse impact on the business operations, investment performance or reputation of the Fund, but relies upon the Fund’s management (including the Fund’s portfolio managers) and Chief Compliance Officer, who reports directly to the Board, and the Adviser to assist it in identifying and understanding the nature and extent of such risks and determining whether, and to what extent, such risks may be eliminated or mitigated. In addition to reports and other information received from Fund management and the Adviser regarding the Fund’s investment program and activities, the Board as part of its risk oversight efforts expects to meet at its regular meetings and as needed with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer to discuss, among other things, risk issues and issues regarding the policies, procedures and controls of the Fund. The Board may be assisted in performing aspects of its role in risk oversight by the Audit Committee and such other standing or special committees as may be established from time to time by the Board. For example, the Audit Committee of the Board will meet regularly with the Fund’s independent public accounting firm to review, among other things, reports on the Fund’s internal controls for financial reporting.

The Board believes that not all risks that may affect the Funds can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Funds’ goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters may be summaries of relevant information and may be inaccurate or incomplete. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management oversight is expected to be subject to substantial limitations.

 

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Officers of the Fund

The Fund’s executive officers will be chosen each year at a regular meeting of the Board to hold office until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. The executive officers of the Fund currently are:

 

Name and Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held

with Registrant

 

Length of

Time Served

 

Principal Occupation

During the Past Five Years

 

Number of
Registered
Investment
Companies in
Fund Complex
Overseen

Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

Birth Year: 1963

  Trustee, Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer   Since Inception   Mr. Smith is a Senior Managing Director of GSO and is Head of GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC. Mr. Smith joined GSO from the Royal Bank of Canada in July 2005 where he was a Managing Partner and Co-head of RBC Capital Market’s Alternative Investments Unit.   5

Robert W. Busch

Birth Year: 1982

  Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer   Since March 2019   Mr. Busch is a Senior Vice President of GSO. Before joining GSO, Mr. Busch worked previously at Fifth Street Asset Management from 2012 to 2018, where he was Senior Vice President of Finance and served as Controller of the firm’s two publicly traded business development companies and publicly traded alternative asset manager. Prior to that, Mr. Busch worked at Deloitte & Touche LLP, a global public accounting firm.   5

Robert Zable

Birth Year: 1972

  Executive Vice President and Assistant Secretary   Since Inception   Mr. Zable is a Senior Managing Director of GSO. Before joining GSO, Mr. Zable was a Vice President at FriedbergMilstein LLC, where he was responsible for credit opportunity investments and junior capital origination and execution. Prior to that, Mr. Zable was a Principal with Abacus Advisors Group, a restructuring and distressed investment firm. Mr. Zable began his career at JP Morgan Securities Inc., where he focused on leveraged finance in New York and London.   4

Marisa J. Beeney

Birth Year: 1970

  Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary   Since Inception   Ms. Beeney is a Senior Managing Director of GSO and General Counsel of GSO. Before joining GSO, she was with the finance group of DLA Piper. Ms. Beeney began her career at Latham & Watkins LLP working primarily on project finance and development transactions, as well as other structured credit products.   5

 

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Name and Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held

with Registrant

 

Length of

Time Served

 

Principal Occupation

During the Past Five Years

 

Number of
Registered
Investment
Companies in
Fund Complex
Overseen

Jane Lee

Birth Year: 1972

  Public Relations Officer   Since Inception   Ms. Lee is a Senior Managing Director of GSO and Head of GSO’s capital formation efforts. Ms. Lee joined GSO from Royal Bank of Canada in July 2005, where she was most recently a partner in the Debt Investments Group and was responsible for origination of new CLO transactions and investor relations.   4

The Fund’s officers do not receive compensation from the Fund, but are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at meetings of the Board.

The Adviser

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC acts as the Fund’s investment adviser and also provides administrative and compliance oversight services to the Fund. The Adviser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GSO Capital Partners LP (collectively with its affiliates, “GSO”), is a registered investment adviser. GSO is part of the credit platform of The Blackstone Group Inc. (collectively with its affiliates, “Blackstone”), which is one of the world’s leading investment firms with total assets under management of $538 billion. Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on real estate, private equity, public debt and equity, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. As of March 31, 2020, GSO’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of $121 billion across multiple strategies within the leveraged finance marketplace, including loans, high yield bonds, distressed and mezzanine debt and private equity, including hedge funds. In addition, as of December 31, 2019, the Adviser had total assets under management of approximately $40.5 billion. The Adviser is part of the Liquid Credit Strategies (“LCS”) business unit of GSO and is responsible for managing long-only credit strategies, including investments in U.S. and European senior secured loans, high yield bonds, and structured credit investments, in vehicles, including CLOs, separately managed accounts, commingled funds, three other closed-end funds and a sub-advised ETF.

Pursuant to the investment advisory agreement, the Adviser manages the Fund’s investment portfolio, directs purchases and sales of portfolio securities and reports thereon to the Fund’s officers and Trustees regularly. The Adviser or its parent also provides the office space, facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to perform the following services for the Fund: SEC compliance, including record keeping, reporting requirements and registration statements and proxies; supervision of Fund operations, including coordination of functions of the transfer agent, custodian, accountants, counsel and other parties performing services or operational functions for the Fund; and certain administrative and clerical services, including certain accounting services and maintenance of certain books and records.

The 1940 Act requires that the Board, including a majority of its members who are not considered to be “interested persons” under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) voting separately, approve on an annual basis the continuation of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. On May 30, 2019, the Board, including the Independent Trustees, considered and approved the continuation of the Agreement for an additional one-year term.

The investment advisory agreement provides for the Fund to pay a management fee at an annual rate equal to 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund

 

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minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends). During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Fund paid the Adviser $2,430,110, $2,615,838 and $2,621,340, respectively, under the investment advisory agreement.

The investment advisory agreement had an initial term of two years and continues in effect for successive periods of 12 months thereafter, provided that each continuance is specifically approved at least annually by both (1) the vote of a majority of the Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding securities entitled to vote (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Fund (upon the vote of a majority of the Board or a majority of the outstanding securities entitled to vote) or by the Adviser, upon not more than 60 nor less than 30 days’ written notice by either party to the other which can be waived by the non-terminating party. The agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder).

The investment advisory agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Adviser is not liable to the Fund or any of the common shareholders for any act or omission by the Adviser in the supervision or management of its respective investment activities or for any loss sustained by the Fund or the common shareholders and provides for indemnification by the Fund of the Adviser, its Trustees, officers, employees, agents and control persons for liabilities incurred by them in connection with their services to the Fund, subject to certain limitations and conditions.

Although the professional staff of the Adviser will devote as much time to the management of the Fund as the Adviser deems appropriate to perform its duties in accordance with the investment advisory agreement and in accordance with reasonable commercial standards, the professional staff of the Adviser may have conflicts in allocating its time and services among the Fund and the Adviser’s other investment vehicles and accounts. The Adviser has informed the Board that the services of the Adviser are not exclusive, and the Adviser provides similar services to other investment companies and other clients and may engage in other activities. A discussion regarding the basis for the approval of the investment advisory agreement by the Board is available in the Fund’s Annual Report.

Administrator

ALPS Fund Services, Inc., located at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), ALPS maintains the Fund’s general ledger and is responsible for calculating the NAV of the Common Shares, and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund. ALPS is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of 0.12% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $215,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund paid ALPS $254,042 under the Administration Agreement.

Portfolio Managers

Unless otherwise indicated, the information below is provided as of the date of this Statement of Additional Information.

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the Fund) for which the Fund’s portfolio managers have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts. For each category, the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts where fees are based on performance is also indicated as of December 31, 2019.

 

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As of December 31, 2019, Robert Zable managed, or was a member of the management team for, the following client accounts:

 

     Number of
Accounts
   Assets of
Accounts
     Number of
Accounts
Subject to a
Performance Fee
     Assets
Subject to a
Performance Fee
 

Registered Investment Companies

   3    $ 2.039 billion        —        $ —    

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

   34    $ 20.321 billion        34      $ 20.321 billion  

Other Accounts

   1    $ 0.157 billion        —        $ —    

As of December 31, 2019, Gordon McKemie managed, or was a member of the management team for, the following client accounts:

 

     Number of
Accounts
   Assets of
Accounts
     Number of
Accounts
Subject to a
Performance Fee
     Assets
Subject to a
Performance Fee
 

Registered Investment Companies

   4    $ 4.604 billion        —        $                 —    

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

   —      $ —          —        $ —    

Other Accounts

   —      $ —          —        $ —    

Portfolio Manager Compensation

The Adviser’s financial arrangements with its portfolio managers, its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of components and may vary from year to year based on a number of factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary and a discretionary bonus.

Base Compensation. Generally, portfolio managers receive base compensation and employee benefits based on their individual seniority and/or their position with the firm.

Discretionary Compensation. In addition to base compensation, portfolio managers may receive discretionary compensation. Discretionary compensation is based on individual seniority, contributions to the Adviser and performance of the client assets that the portfolio manager has primary responsibility for. The discretionary compensation is not based on a precise formula, benchmark or other metric. These compensation guidelines are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of the Adviser and its clients.

Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities owned by the portfolio managers in the Fund as of December 31, 2019.

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in
the Fund
 

Robert Zable

     None  

Gordon McKemie

   $ 10,001 - $50,000  

 

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Potential Conflicts of Interest

The purchase of Common Shares in the Fund involves a number of significant risks that should be considered before making any investment. The Fund and common shareholders will be subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest involving the Firm. In addition, as a consequence of Blackstone holding a controlling interest in GSO and Blackstone’s status as a public company, the officers, directors, members, managers and employees of GSO will take into account certain additional considerations and other factors in connection with the management of the business and affairs of the Fund that would not necessarily be taken into account if Blackstone were not a public company. The following discussion enumerates certain, but not all, potential conflicts of interest that should be carefully evaluated before making an investment in the Fund, but is not intended to be an exclusive list of all such conflicts. The Firm and its personnel may in the future engage in further activities that may result in additional conflicts of interest not addressed below. Any references to the Firm, GSO, Blackstone or the Adviser in this section will be deemed to include their respective affiliates, partners, members, shareholders, officers, directors and employees, except that portfolio companies of managed clients shall only be included to the extent the context shall require and references to GSO affiliates shall only be to affiliates operating as a part of Blackstone’s credit focused business group.

For purposes of this discussion and ease of reference, the following terms shall have the meanings as set forth below:

Other GSO Clients” means, collectively, the investment funds, client accounts (including managed accounts) and proprietary accounts and/or other similar arrangements (including such arrangements in which the Fund or one or more Other GSO Clients own interests) that GSO may establish, advise or sub-advise from time to time and to which GSO provides investment management or sub-advisory services (other than the Fund and any such funds and accounts in which the Fund has an interest), in each case including any alternative investment vehicles and additional capital vehicles relating thereto and any vehicles established by GSO to exercise its side-by-side or other general partner investment rights as set forth in their respective governing documents; provided, that for the avoidance of doubt, “Other GSO Clients” shall not include GSO in its role as principal of any account, including any accounts for which GSO or an affiliate thereof acts as an advisor.

Blackstone Clients” means, collectively, the investment funds, client accounts (including managed accounts) and proprietary accounts and/or other similar arrangements (including such arrangements in which the Fund or one or more Blackstone Clients own interests) that Blackstone may establish, advise or sub-advise from time to time and to which Blackstone provides investment management or sub-advisory services (other than the Fund, any such funds and accounts in which the Fund has an interest and Other GSO Clients), in each case including any alternative investment vehicles and additional capital vehicles relating thereto and any vehicles established by Blackstone to exercise its side-by-side or other general partner investment rights as set forth in their respective governing documents; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, “Blackstone Clients” shall not include Blackstone in its role as principal of any account, including any accounts for which Blackstone or an affiliate thereof acts as an advisor.

Other Clients” means, collectively, Other GSO Clients and Blackstone Clients.

The Firms Policies and Procedures. Because the Firm has many different asset management and advisory businesses, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would be subject if it had just one line of business. Certain policies and procedures implemented by the Firm to mitigate potential conflicts of interest and address certain regulatory requirements and contractual restrictions, such as the Firm’s information wall policy, will from time to time reduce the synergies and collaboration across the Firm’s various businesses that the Fund expects to draw on for purposes of identifying, pursuing and managing attractive investment opportunities. For example, the Firm will come into possession of material non-public information with respect to companies, including companies in which the Fund has investments or is considering making investments. The information, which could be of benefit to the Fund, is likely to be restricted to those other businesses and otherwise be unavailable to

 

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the Fund. It is also possible that the Fund could be restricted from trading despite the fact that the Fund did not receive such information. Additionally, the Firm may restrict or otherwise limit the Fund and/or its obligors from entering into agreements with, or related to, companies that either are advisory clients of the Firm or in which any fund managed by the Firm has invested or has considered making an investment. The Firm will from time to time restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund and/or its obligors to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with companies of other advisory clients of the Firm, either as a result of contractual restrictions or otherwise. Furthermore, there will be circumstances in which affiliates of the Firm (including Other Clients) may refrain from taking certain confidential information in order to avoid trading restrictions. Finally, the Firm has and will enter into one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or with respect to certain types of investments that, although possibly intended to provide greater opportunities for the Fund, may require the Fund to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity the Fund can otherwise take. There can be no assurance that additional restrictions will not be imposed that would further limit the ability of the Firm to share information internally.

Broad and Wide-Ranging Activities. The Firm engages in a broad spectrum of activities. In the ordinary course of its business activities, the Firm will engage in activities where the interests of certain divisions of the Firm or the interests of its clients will conflict with the interests of the common shareholders in the Fund. Other present and future activities of the Firm will give rise to additional conflicts of interest. In the event that a conflict of interest arises, the Adviser will attempt to resolve such conflict in a fair and equitable manner, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act and the Board’s oversight. Common shareholders should be aware that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund’s interests. Investors should be aware that conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund’s interests. In addition, the Adviser may in certain situations choose to obtain the consent of the Board with respect to any specific conflict of interest, including with respect to the approvals required under the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act. The Fund may enter into joint transactions or cross-trades with clients or affiliates of the Adviser to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act and any applicable co-investment order from the SEC. Subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, the Fund may invest in loans or other securities, the proceeds of which may refinance or otherwise repay debt or securities of companies whose debt is owned by other funds managed by GSO.

Allocation of Personnel. The Adviser and its members, officers and employees will devote as much of their time to the activities of the Fund as they deem necessary to conduct its business affairs in an appropriate manner. By the terms of the investment advisory agreement, the Firm is not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser. Firm personnel, including members of the investment committee, will work on other projects, serve on other committees and source potential investments for and otherwise assist the investment programs of Other Clients and their portfolio companies, including other investment programs to be developed in the future. These activities could be viewed as creating a conflict of interest in that the time and effort of the members of the Adviser and its officers and employees will not be devoted exclusively to the business of the Fund, but will be allocated between the business of the Fund and the management of the monies of such Other Clients of the Adviser. Time spent on these other initiatives diverts attention from the activities of the Fund, which could negatively impact the common shareholders. Furthermore, GSO and GSO personnel derive financial benefit from these other activities, including fees and performance-based compensation. Firm personnel outside of GSO may share in the fees and performance-based compensation from the Fund; similarly, GSO personnel may share in the fees and performance-based compensation generated by Other Clients. These and other factors create conflicts of interest in the allocation of time by Firm personnel. GSO’s determination of the amount of time necessary to conduct the Fund’s activities will be conclusive.

Outside Activities of Principals and Other Personnel and their Related Parties. Certain of the principals and employees of the Adviser may be subject to a variety of conflicts of interest relating to their responsibilities to the Fund, Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies, and their outside business activities as members of investment or advisory committees or boards of directors of or advisors to investment funds,

 

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corporations, foundations or other organizations. Such positions create a conflict if such other entities have interests that are adverse to those of the Fund, including if such other entities compete with the Fund for investment opportunities or other resources. The other managed accounts and/or investment funds in which such individuals may become involved may have investment objectives that overlap with the Fund. Although such principals and employees will seek to limit any such conflicts in a manner that is in accordance with their fiduciary duties to the Fund, there can be no assurance that conflicts of interest between the interests of the Fund and Other Clients will be resolved favorably for the Fund. Furthermore, certain principals and employees of the Adviser may have a greater financial interest in the performance of such other funds or accounts than the performance of the Fund. Such involvement may create conflicts of interest in making investments on behalf of the Fund and such other funds and accounts. Also, Blackstone personnel, Firm employees, including employees of the Adviser, are generally permitted to invest in alternative investment funds, private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge funds or other investment vehicles, including potential competitors of the Fund. Common shareholders will not receive any benefit from any such investments, and the financial incentives of such Firm employees in such other investments could be greater than their financial incentives in relation to the Fund.

Additionally, certain employees and other professionals of the Firm may have family members or relatives employed by advisers and service providers (or their affiliates) or otherwise actively involved in industries and sectors in which the Fund invests, or have business, financial, personal or other relationships with companies in such industries and sectors (including the advisors and service providers described above) or other industries, which gives rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest. For example, such family members or relatives might be employees, officers, directors or owners of companies or assets that are actual or potential investments of the Fund or other counterparties of the Fund and its obligors and/or assets, or service providers of the Fund. Moreover, in certain instances, the Fund or its obligors may issue loans to or acquire securities from, or otherwise transact with, companies that are owned by such family members or relatives or in respect of which such family members or relatives have other involvement. These relationships also may influence Blackstone, the Adviser and/or GSO in deciding whether to select or recommend certain service providers to perform services for the Fund or obligors (the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund or such obligors, as applicable). Notwithstanding the foregoing, investment transactions relating to the Fund that require the use of a service provider will generally be allocated to service providers on the basis of best execution, the evaluation of which includes, among other considerations, such service provider’s provision of certain investment-related services and research that the Adviser believes to be of benefit to the Fund. To the extent that the Firm determines appropriate, conflict mitigation strategies may be put in place with respect to a particular circumstance, such as internal information barriers or recusal, disclosure or other steps determined appropriate by the Firm.

Secondments and Internships. Certain personnel of the Firm and its affiliates, including consultants, will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to one or more portfolio companies, vendors, service providers and vendors or common shareholders or other investors of the Fund and Other Clients to provide services, including the sourcing of investments for the Fund or other parties. The salaries, benefits, overhead and other similar expenses for such personnel during the secondment could be borne by the Firm and its affiliates or the organization for which the personnel are working or both. In addition, personnel of portfolio companies, vendors and service providers (including law firms and accounting firms) and common shareholders or other investors of the Fund and Other Clients will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to, serve internships at or otherwise provide consulting services to, the Firm, the Fund and its obligors, and Other Clients and its portfolio companies. While often the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) are the beneficiaries of these types of arrangements, the Firm is from time to time a beneficiary of these arrangements as well, including in circumstances where the vendor or service provider also provides services to the Fund, Other Clients, their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) or the Firm in the ordinary course. The Firm, the Fund, Other Clients or their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) could receive benefits from these arrangements at no cost, or alternatively could pay all or a portion of the fees, compensation or other expenses in respect of these arrangements. The management fee will not be reduced as a result of these arrangements or any fees, expense reimbursements or other costs related thereto and the Fund may not receive any benefit as a result

 

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of these arrangements. The personnel described above may provide services in respect of multiple matters, including in respect of matters related to the Firm, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies, each of their respective affiliates and related parties, and the Firm will endeavor in good faith to allocate the costs of these arrangements, if any, to the Firm, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies and other parties based on time spent by the personnel or another methodology the Firm deems appropriate in a particular circumstance.

Other Benefits. GSO and its personnel will receive certain intangible and/or other benefits, rebates and/or discounts and/or perquisites arising or resulting from their activities on behalf of the Fund, which will not reduce the management fee or incentive fees or otherwise be shared with the Fund, investors and/or portfolio companies. For example, airline travel or hotel stays incurred as Fund expenses, as set forth in the investment advisory agreement (“Fund Expenses”), may result in “miles” or “points” or credit in loyalty/status programs, and such benefits and/or amounts will, whether or not de minimis or difficult to value, inure exclusively to GSO and/or such personnel (and not the Fund and/or portfolio companies) even though the cost of the underlying service is borne by the Fund and/or portfolio companies. GSO, its personnel, and other related persons also receive discounts on products and services provided by portfolio companies and/or customers or suppliers of such portfolio companies. Such other benefits or fees may give rise to conflicts of interest in connection with the Fund’s investment activities, and while the Adviser and GSO will seek to resolve any such conflicts in a fair and equitable manner, there is no assurance that any such conflicts will be resolved in favor of the Fund. (See also “—Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors” and “—Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally” below.)

Senior Advisors, Industry Experts and Operating Partners. GSO may engage and retain strategic advisers, consultants, senior advisors, executive advisers, industry experts, operating partners, deal sourcers, consultants and other similar professionals (which may include former employees of Blackstone and/or GSO, as well as current employees of Blackstone’s and/or GSO’s portfolio companies) (“Senior and Other Advisors”) who are not employees or affiliates of GSO and who will, from time to time, receive payments from, or allocations of a profits interest with respect to, portfolio companies (as well as from GSO or the Fund). In particular, in some cases, consultants, including those with a “Senior Advisor” title, have been and will be engaged with the responsibility to source and recommend transactions to GSO or to undertake a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy, potentially on a full-time and/or exclusive basis and notwithstanding any overlap with the responsibilities of GSO under the investment advisory agreement, the compensation to such consultants may be borne fully by the Fund and/or portfolio companies (with no reduction to the management fee payable by the Fund) and not GSO. In such circumstances, such payments from, or allocations of a profits interest with respect to, portfolio companies and/or the Fund may, subject to applicable law, be treated as Fund Expenses and will not, even if they have the effect of reducing any retainers or minimum amounts otherwise payable by GSO, be deemed paid to or received by GSO, and such amounts will not reduce the management fees or incentive fees payable.

To the extent permitted by applicable law and/or any applicable SEC-granted exemptive or no-action relief, these Senior and Other Advisors often have the right or may be offered the ability to (i) co-invest alongside the Fund, including in the specific investments in which they are involved (and for which they may be entitled to receive performance-related incentive fees, which will reduce the Fund’s returns), (ii) otherwise participate in equity plans for management of any such portfolio company or (iii) invest directly in the Fund or in a vehicle controlled by the Fund subject to reduced or waived management fees and/or incentive fees, including after the termination of their engagement by or other status with the Firm. Such co-investment and/or participation generally will result in the Fund being allocated a smaller share of the applicable investment. Such co-investment and/or participation may vary by transaction and such participation may, depending on its structure, reduce the Fund’s returns. Additionally, and notwithstanding the foregoing, these Senior and Other Advisors, as well as other Blackstone Clients, may be (or have the preferred right to be) investors in GSO’s portfolio companies (which, in some cases, may involve agreements to pay performance fees or allocate profits interests to such persons in connection with the Fund’s investment therein, which will reduce the Fund’s returns) and/or Other Clients. Such Senior and Other Advisors, as well as other Blackstone Clients, may also, subject to applicable law,

 

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have rights to co-invest with the Fund on a side-by-side basis, which rights are generally offered on a no-fee/no-carried interest basis and generally result in the Fund being allocated a smaller share of an investment than would otherwise be the case in the absence of such side-by-side participation.

The time, dedication and scope of work of, and the nature of the relationship with each of the Senior and Other Advisors vary considerably. In certain cases, they may provide the Adviser and/or GSO with industry-specific insights and feedback on investment themes, assist in transaction due diligence or make introductions to and provide reference checks on management teams. In other cases, they take on more extensive roles (and may be exclusive service providers to GSO) and serve as executives or directors on the boards of portfolio companies or contribute to the identification and origination of new investment opportunities. The Fund may rely on these Senior and Other Advisors to recommend GSO as a preferred investment partner, identify investments, source opportunities, and otherwise carry out its investment program, but there is no assurance that these advisers will continue to be involved with the Fund for any length of time. In certain instances, GSO has formal arrangements with these Senior and Other Advisors (which may or may not be terminable upon notice by any party), and in other cases the relationships are more informal. They are either compensated (including pursuant to retainers and expense reimbursement, and, in any event, pursuant to negotiated arrangements) by GSO, the Fund, and/or portfolio companies or otherwise uncompensated unless and until an engagement with a portfolio company develops. In certain cases, they have certain attributes of GSO “employees” (e.g., they may have dedicated offices at GSO, receive administrative support from GSO personnel, participate in general meetings and events for GSO personnel, work on GSO matters as their primary or sole business activity, service GSO exclusively, have GSO-related e-mail addresses and/or business cards and participate in certain benefit arrangements typically reserved for GSO employees, etc.) even though they are not considered GSO employees, affiliates or personnel for purposes of the investment advisory agreement between the Fund and GSO. Some Senior and Other Advisors may provide services only for the Fund and its obligors, while others may have other clients. Senior and Other Advisors could have conflicts of interest between their services for the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and themselves or other clients, on the other hand, and GSO is limited in its ability to monitor and mitigate these conflicts. GSO expects, where applicable, to allocate the costs of such Senior and Other Advisors to the Fund and/or applicable portfolio companies, and to the extent any such costs are allocated to the Fund, they would be treated as Fund Expenses. Payments or allocations to Senior and Other Advisors will not be reduced by the management fee, and can be expected to increase the overall costs and expenses borne indirectly by investors in the Fund. There can be no assurance that any of the Senior and Other Advisors, to the extent engaged, will continue to serve in such roles and/or continue their arrangements with GSO, the Fund and/or any portfolio companies for the duration of the relevant investments.

As an example of the foregoing, in certain investments through joint ventures, investment platforms, other entities or similar arrangements, the Fund will from time to time enter into an arrangement with one or more individuals (who may be former personnel of the Firm or current or former personnel of portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients, may have experience or capability in sourcing or managing investments, and may form a management team) to undertake a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy. The services provided by such individuals or relevant portfolio company, as the case may be, could include the following with respect to investments: origination or sourcing, due diligence, evaluation, negotiation, servicing, development, management (including turnaround) and disposition. The individuals or relevant portfolio company could be compensated with a salary and equity incentive plan, including a portion of profits derived from the Fund or a portfolio company or asset of the Fund, or other long-term incentive plans. Compensation could also be based on assets under management, a waterfall similar to a carried interest, respectively, or other similar metric. The Fund could initially bear the cost of overhead (including rent, utilities, benefits, salary or retainers for the individuals or their affiliated entities) and the sourcing, diligence and analysis of investments, as well as the compensation for the individuals and entity undertaking the build-up strategy. Such expenses could be borne directly by the Fund as Fund Expenses (or broken deal expenses, if applicable) or indirectly through expenditures by a portfolio company. None of the fees, costs or expenses described above will reduce the management fee.

 

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In addition, the Adviser may engage third parties as Senior and Other Advisors (or in another similar capacity) in order to advise it with respect to existing investments, specific investment opportunities, and economic and industry trends. Such Senior and Other Advisors may receive reimbursement of reasonable related expenses by portfolio companies or the Fund and may have the opportunity to invest in a portion of the equity and/or debt available to the Fund for investment that would otherwise be taken by the Adviser and its affiliates. If such Senior and Other Advisors generate investment opportunities on the Fund’s behalf, such Senior and Other Advisors may receive special additional fees or allocations comparable to those received by a third party in an arm’s length transaction and such additional fees or allocations would be borne fully by the Fund and/or portfolio companies (with no reduction to the management fee payable by the Fund) and not GSO.

Multiple Firm Business Lines. The Firm has multiple business lines, including the Blackstone Capital Markets Group, which, subject to applicable law, Blackstone, GSO, the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients and third parties may engage for debt and equity financings and to provide other investment banking, brokerage, investment advisory or other services. As a result of these activities, the Firm is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than if it had one line of business. For example, the Firm may come into possession of information that limits the Fund’s ability to engage in potential transactions. Similarly, other Firm businesses and their personnel may be prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with GSO that would be relevant to monitoring the Fund’s investments and other activities. Additionally, Blackstone, GSO or Other Clients can be expected to enter into covenants that restrict or otherwise limit the ability of the Fund or its obligors and their affiliates to make investments in, or otherwise engage in, certain businesses or activities. For example, Other Clients could have granted exclusivity to a joint venture partner that limits the Fund and Other Clients from owning assets within a certain distance of any of the joint venture’s assets, or Blackstone, GSO or an Other Client could have entered into a non-compete in connection with a sale or other transaction. These types of restrictions may negatively impact the ability of the Fund to implement its investment program. (See also “—Other Blackstone and GSO Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities”). Finally, Blackstone and GSO personnel who are members of the investment team or investment committee may be excluded from participating in certain investment decisions due to conflicts involving other Firm businesses or for other reasons, in which case the Fund will not benefit from their experience. The common shareholders will not receive a benefit from any fees earned by the Firm or their personnel from these other businesses.

Blackstone is under no obligation to decline any engagements or investments in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. The Firm has long-term relationships with a significant number of corporations and their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on behalf of the Fund, the Adviser will consider those relationships and may decline to participate in a transaction as a result of one or more of such relationships (e.g., investments in a competitor of a client or other person with whom Blackstone has a relationship). The Fund may be forced to sell or hold existing investments as a result of investment banking relationships or other relationships that the Firm may have or transactions or investments the Firm may make or have made. (See “—Other Blackstone and GSO Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities” and “—Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally.”) Subject to the 1940 Act and any applicable co-investment order issued by the SEC, the Fund may also co-invest with clients of the Firm in particular investment opportunities, and the relationship with such clients could influence the decisions made by the Adviser with respect to such investments. There can be no assurance that all potentially suitable investment opportunities that come to the attention of the Firm will be made available to the Fund.

Finally, Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients could acquire shares in the Fund in the secondary market. Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients would generally have greater information than counterparties in such transactions, and the existence of such business could produce conflicts, including in the valuation of the Fund’s Investments.

Minority Investments in Asset Management Firms. Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients, including Blackstone Strategic Capital Holdings (“BSCH”) and its related parties, regularly make minority investments in

 

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alternative asset management firms that are not affiliated with Blackstone, the Fund, other Blackstone Clients and their respective portfolio companies, and which may from time to time engage in similar investment transactions, including with respect to purchase and sale of investments, with these asset management firms and their sponsored funds and portfolio companies. Typically, the Blackstone related party with an interest in the asset management firm would be entitled to receive a share of carried interest/performance based incentive compensation and net fee income or revenue share generated by the various products, vehicles, funds and accounts managed by that third party asset management firm that are included in the transaction or activities of the third party asset management firm, or a subset of such activities such as transactions with a Blackstone related party. In addition, while such minority investments are generally structured so that Blackstone does not “control” such third party asset management firms, Blackstone may nonetheless be afforded certain governance rights in relation to such investments (typically in the nature of “protective” rights, negative control rights or anti-dilution arrangements, as well as certain reporting and consultation rights) that afford Blackstone the ability to influence the firm. Although Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients, including BSCH, do not intend to control such third party asset management firms, there can be no assurance that all third parties will similarly conclude that such investments are non-control investments or that, due to the provisions of the governing documents of such third party asset management firms or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations, investments by Blackstone and other Blackstone Clients, including BSCH, will not be deemed to have control elements for certain contractual, regulatory or other purposes. While such third party asset managers may not be affiliated with the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act, Blackstone may, under certain circumstances, be in a position to influence the management and operations of such asset managers and the existence of its economic/revenue sharing interest therein may give rise to conflicts of interest. Participation rights in a third party asset management firm (or other similar business), negotiated governance arrangements and/or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations could expose the investments of the Fund to claims by third parties in connection with such investments (as indirect owners of such asset management firms or similar businesses) that may have an adverse financial or reputational impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund, its affiliates and their respective obligors and portfolio companies may from time to time engage in transactions with, and buy and sell investments from, any such third party asset managers and their sponsored funds, and such transactions and other commercial arrangements between such third party asset managers and the Fund and its obligors are not subject to approval by the Board. There can be no assurance that the terms of these transactions between parties related to Blackstone, on the one hand, and the Fund and its obligors, on the other hand, will be at arm’s length or that Blackstone will not receive a benefit from such transactions, which can be expected to incentivize Blackstone to cause these transactions to occur. These conflicts related to investments in and arrangements with other asset management firms, will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund.

Data. The Firm receives or obtains various kinds of data and information from the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable), including data and information relating to business operations, trends, budgets, customers and other metrics, some of which is sometimes referred to as “big data.” The Firm can be expected to be better able to anticipate macroeconomic and other trends, and otherwise develop investment themes, as a result of its access to (and rights regarding) this data and information from the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable). The Firm has entered and will continue to enter into information sharing and use arrangements with the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable), related parties and service providers, which may give the Firm access to (and rights regarding) data that it would not otherwise obtain in the ordinary course. Although the Firm believes that these activities improve the Firm’s investment management activities on behalf of the Fund and Other Clients, information obtained from the Fund and its obligors also provides material benefits to Blackstone, GSO or Other Clients without compensation or other benefit accruing to the Fund or common shareholders. For example, information from a portfolio company in which the Fund holds an interest can be expected to enable the Firm to better understand a particular industry and execute trading and investment strategies in reliance on that understanding for Blackstone, GSO and Other Clients that do not own an interest in the portfolio company, without compensation or benefit to the Fund or its obligors.

 

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Furthermore, except for contractual obligations to third parties to maintain confidentiality of certain information, and regulatory limitations on the use of material nonpublic information, the Firm is generally free to use data and information from the Fund’s activities to assist in the pursuit of the Firm’s various other activities, including to trade for the benefit of the Firm and/or an Other Client. Any confidentiality obligations in the operative documents do not limit the Firm’s ability to do so. For example, the Firm’s ability to trade in securities of an issuer relating to a specific industry may, subject to applicable law, be enhanced by information of a portfolio company in the same or related industry. Such trading can be expected to provide a material benefit to the Firm without compensation or other benefit to the Fund or common shareholders.

The sharing and use of “big data” and other information presents potential conflicts of interest and the common shareholders acknowledge and agree that any benefits received by the Firm or its personnel (including fees, costs and expenses) will not reduce the management fees or incentive fees payable to the Adviser or otherwise be shared with the Fund or common shareholders. As a result, the Adviser has an incentive to pursue investments that have data and information that can be utilized in a manner that benefits the Firm or Other Clients.

Data Management Services. Blackstone or an affiliate of Blackstone formed in the future may provide data management services to portfolio companies and may also provide such services directly to the Fund and Other Clients (collectively, “Data Holders”). Such services may include assistance with obtaining, analyzing, curating, processing, packaging, organizing, mapping, holding, transforming, enhancing, marketing and selling such data (among other related data management and consulting services) for monetization through licensing or sale arrangements with third parties and, subject to applicable law and the limitations in the investment advisory agreement and any other applicable contractual limitations, with the Fund, Other Clients, portfolio companies and other Blackstone affiliates and associated entities (including funds in which Blackstone and Other Clients make investments, and portfolio companies thereof). Where Blackstone believes appropriate, data from one Data Holder may be pooled with data from other Data Holders. Any revenues arising from such pooled data sets would be allocated between applicable Data Holders on a fair and reasonable basis as determined by GSO in its sole discretion, with GSO able to make corrective allocations should it determine subsequently that such corrections were necessary or advisable. Blackstone is expected to receive compensation for such data management services, which may include a percentage of the revenues generated through any licensing or sale arrangements with respect to the relevant data, and which compensation may also include fees, royalties and cost and expense reimbursement (including start-up costs and allocable overhead associated with personnel working on relevant matters (including salaries, benefits and other similar expenses)), provided that any compensation amounts will not exceed market rates for such services as determined by GSO to be appropriate under the circumstances. Additionally, Blackstone may determine to share the products from such Data Management Services within Blackstone or its affiliates (including Other Clients or their portfolio companies) at no charge and, in such cases, the Data Holders would not receive any financial or other benefit from having provided such data to Blackstone. The potential receipt of such compensation by Blackstone could create incentives for the Firm to cause the Fund to invest in portfolio companies with a significant amount of data that it might not otherwise have invested in or on terms less favorable than it otherwise would have sought to obtain.

Blackstone and GSO Strategic Relationships. Blackstone and GSO have entered, and it can be expected that Blackstone and GSO in the future will enter, into strategic relationships with investors (and/or one or more of their affiliates) that involve an overall relationship with Blackstone or GSO that could incorporate one or more strategies in addition to the Fund’s strategy (“Strategic Relationships”), with terms and conditions applicable solely to such investor and its investment in multiple Blackstone or GSO strategies that would not apply to any other investor’s investment in the Fund. A Strategic Relationship often involves an investor agreeing to make a capital commitment to multiple Blackstone or GSO funds, one of which may include the Fund. Common shareholders will not receive a copy of any agreement memorializing such a Strategic Relationship program (even if in the form of a side letter) and will be unable to elect in the “most-favored-nations” election process any rights or benefits afforded through a Strategic Relationship. Specific examples of such additional rights and benefits include, among others, specialized reporting, discounts or reductions on and/or reimbursements or

 

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rebates of management fees or carried interest, secondment of personnel from the investor to Blackstone or GSO (or vice versa), rights to participate in the investment review and evaluation process, as well as priority rights or targeted amounts for co-investments alongside GSO or Blackstone funds (including, without limitation, preferential or favorable allocation of co-investment and preferential terms and conditions related to co-investment or other participation in Blackstone or GSO funds (including in respect of any carried interest and/or management fees to be charged with respect thereto, as well as any additional discounts or rebates with respect thereto or other penalties that may result if certain target co-investment allocations or other conditions under such arrangements are not achieved)). The co-investment that is part of a Strategic Relationship may include co-investment in investments made by the Fund. Blackstone, including its personnel (including GSO personnel), may receive compensation from Strategic Relationships and be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from the Fund to or source investment opportunities for Strategic Relationships. Strategic Relationships may therefore result in fewer co-investment opportunities (or reduced or no allocations) being made available to common shareholders, subject to the 1940 Act.

Portfolio Operations Group. Members of Blackstone’s Portfolio Operations group, who are Blackstone employees, are permitted to provide services to the Fund’s obligors, and any payments made by such obligors to Blackstone for reimbursement of the internal compensation costs for time spent on such obligors will not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund. As a result, Blackstone may be incentivized to cause members of the Portfolio Operations group to spend more time on the Fund’s obligors as compared to portfolio companies of Other Clients that do reduce the management fee offset. There can be no assurance that members of the Portfolio Operations group will be able to provide their services to portfolio companies and/or that any individuals within the Portfolio Operations group will remain employed by Blackstone.

Buying and Selling Investments or Assets from Certain Related Parties. The Fund and its obligors may purchase investments or assets from or sell investments or assets to common shareholders, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio companies of Other Clients or their respective related parties. Purchases and sales of investments or assets between the Fund or its obligors, on the one hand, and common shareholders, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio companies of Other Clients or their respective related parties, on the other hand, are not, unless required by applicable law, subject to the approval of the Board or any common shareholder. These transactions involve conflicts of interest, as the Firm may receive fees and other benefits, directly or indirectly, from or otherwise have interests in both parties to the transaction, including different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to the parties to the transaction. For example, there can be no assurance that any investment or asset sold by the Fund to a common shareholder, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties will not be valued or allocated a sale price that is lower than might otherwise have been the case if such asset were sold to a third party rather than to a common shareholder, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties. The Firm will not be required to solicit third party bids or obtain a third party valuation prior to causing the Fund or any of its obligors to purchase or sell any asset or investment from or to a common shareholder, other obligors of the Fund, portfolio company of Other Clients or any of their respective related parties as provided above.

Other Firm Businesses, Activities and Relationships. As part of its regular business, Blackstone provides a broad range of investment banking, advisory and other services. In addition, from time to time, the Firm will provide services in the future beyond those currently provided. Common shareholders will not receive any benefit from any fees relating to such services.

In the regular course of its capital markets, investment banking, real estate advisory and other businesses, Blackstone represents potential purchasers, sellers and other involved parties, including corporations, financial buyers, management, shareholders and institutions, with respect to transactions that could give rise to other transactions that are suitable for the Fund. In such a case, a Blackstone advisory client would typically require Blackstone to act exclusively on its behalf. Such advisory client requests may preclude all Blackstone-affiliated clients, including the Fund, from participating in related transactions that would otherwise be suitable. Blackstone will be under no obligation to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available

 

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to the Fund. In connection with its capital markets, investment banking, advisory, real estate and other businesses, Blackstone comes into possession of information that limits its ability to engage in potential transactions. The Fund’s activities are expected to be constrained as a result of the inability of Blackstone personnel to use such information. For example, employees of Blackstone from time to time are prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with members of the Fund’s investment team. Additionally, there are expected to be circumstances in which one or more individuals associated with Blackstone affiliates (including clients) will be precluded from providing services related to the Fund’s activities because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of Blackstone (e.g., trading may be restricted). Where Blackstone affiliates are engaged to find buyers or financing sources for potential sellers of assets, the seller may permit the Fund to act as a participant in such transactions (as a buyer or financing partner), which would raise certain conflicts of interest inherent in such a situation (including as to the negotiation of the purchase price).

The Fund may invest in securities of the same issuers as Other Clients, other investment vehicles, accounts and clients of the Firm and the Adviser. To the extent that the Fund holds interests that are different (or more senior or junior) than those held by such Other Clients, GSO may be presented with decisions involving circumstances where the interests of such Other Clients are in conflict with those of the Fund. Furthermore, it is possible the Fund’s interest may be subordinated or otherwise adversely affected by virtue of such Other Clients’ involvement and actions relating to its investment.

In addition, the 1940 Act may limit the Fund’s ability to undertake certain transactions with its affiliates that are registered under the 1940 Act or regulated as business development companies under the 1940 Act. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be prohibited from executing “joint” transactions with such affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund.

GSO has received an exemptive order that permits certain funds, among other things, to co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of GSO, and certain funds managed and controlled by GSO and its affiliates subject to certain terms and conditions. In addition, other present and future activities of the Firm and its affiliates (including GSO and the Adviser) will from time to time give rise to additional conflicts of interest relating to the Firm and its investment activities. In the event that any such conflict of interest arises, the Adviser will attempt to resolve such conflicts in a fair and equitable manner. Investors should be aware that, subject to applicable law, conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund’s interests.

Transactions with Clients of Blackstone Insurance Solutions. Blackstone Insurance Solutions (“BIS”) is a business unit of Blackstone that is comprised of two affiliated registered investment advisers. BIS provides investment advisory services to insurers (including insurance companies that are owned, directly or indirectly, by Blackstone or Other Clients, in whole or in part). Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise with respect to the relationship of the Fund and its obligors with the funds, vehicles or accounts BIS advises or sub-advises, including accounts where an insurer participates in investments directly and there is no separate vehicle controlled by Blackstone (collectively, “BIS Clients”). BIS Clients have invested and are expected to continue investing in Other Clients and the Fund. BIS Clients may have investment objectives that overlap with those of the Fund or its obligors, and such BIS Clients may invest, as permitted by applicable law and the Fund’s exemptive relief, alongside the Fund or such obligors in certain investments, which will reduce the investment opportunities otherwise available to the Fund or such obligors. BIS Clients will also participate in transactions related to the Fund and/or its obligors (e.g., as originators, co-originators, counterparties or otherwise). Other transactions in which BIS Clients will participate include, without limitation, investments in debt or other securities issued by portfolio companies or other forms of financing to portfolio companies (including special purpose vehicles established by the Fund or such portfolio companies). When investing alongside the Fund or its obligors or in other transactions related to the Fund or its obligors, BIS Clients may or may not invest or divest at the same time or on the same terms as the Fund or the applicable obligors. BIS Clients may also from time to time acquire investments and obligors directly or indirectly from the Fund, as permitted by applicable law and the Fund’s exemptive relief. In circumstances where GSO determines in good faith that the conflict of interest is

 

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mitigated in whole or in part through various measures that Blackstone, GSO or the Adviser implements, the Adviser may determine to proceed with the applicable transaction (subject to oversight by the Board and the applicable law to which the Fund is subject). In order to seek to mitigate any potential conflicts of interest with respect to such transactions (or other transactions involving BIS Clients), Blackstone may, in its discretion, involve independent members of the board of a portfolio company or a third party stakeholder in the transaction to negotiate price and terms on behalf of the BIS Clients or otherwise cause the BIS Clients to “follow the vote” thereof, and/or cause an independent client representative or other third party to approve the investment or otherwise represent the interests of one or more of the parties to the transaction. In addition, Blackstone or the Adviser may limit the percentage interest of the BIS Clients participating in such transaction, or obtain appropriate price quotes or other benchmarks, or, alternatively, a third-party price opinion or other document to support the reasonableness of the price and terms of the transaction. BIS will also from time to time require the applicable BIS Clients participating in a transaction to consent thereto (including in circumstances where the Adviser does not seek the consent of the Board). There can be no assurance that any such measures or other measures that may be implemented by Blackstone will be effective at mitigating any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

Allocation of Portfolios. The Firm may have an opportunity to acquire a portfolio or pool of assets, securities and instruments that it determines should be divided and allocated among the Fund and Other Clients. Such allocations generally would be based on the Firm’s assessment of the expected returns and risk profile of each of the assets. For example, some of the assets in a pool may have a return profile appropriate for the Fund, while others may have a return profile not appropriate for the Fund but appropriate for Other Clients. Also, a pool may contain both debt and equity instruments that the Firm determines should be allocated to different funds. In all of these situations, the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, securities and instruments in the pool and therefore, subject to applicable law and the conditions of the Fund’s co-investment relief, among the Fund and Other Clients acquiring any of the assets, securities and instruments. Similarly, there will likely be circumstances in which the Fund and Other Clients will sell assets in a single or related transactions to a buyer. In some cases a counterparty will require an allocation of value in the purchase or sale contract, though the Firm could determine such allocation of value is not accurate and should not be relied upon. The Firm will generally rely upon internal analysis to determine the ultimate allocation of value, though it could also obtain third party valuation reports. Regardless of the methodology for allocating value, the Firm will have conflicting duties to the Fund and Other Clients when they buy or sell assets together in a portfolio, including as a result of different financial incentives the Firm has with respect to different vehicles, most clearly when the fees and compensation, including performance-based compensation, earned from the different vehicles differ. There can be no assurance that an investment will not be valued or allocated a purchase price that is higher or lower than it might otherwise have been allocated if such investment were acquired or sold independently rather than as a component of a portfolio shared with Other Clients.

Other Affiliate Transactions and Investments in Different Levels of Capital Structure. From time to time, the Fund and the Other Clients may make investments at different levels of an issuer’s capital structure or otherwise in different classes of an issuer’s securities or loans, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act. Such investments may inherently give rise to conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest between or among the various classes of securities or loans that may be held by such entities. To the extent the Fund holds securities or loans that are different (including with respect to their relative seniority) than those held by an Other Client, the Adviser and its affiliates may be presented with decisions when the interests of the funds are in conflict. For example, conflicts could arise where the Fund lends funds to a portfolio company while an Other Client invests in equity securities of such portfolio company. In this circumstance, for example, if such portfolio company were to go into bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise be unable to meet its payment obligations or comply with its debt covenants, conflicts of interest could arise between the holders of different types of securities or loans as to what actions the portfolio company should take. In addition, purchases or sales of securities or loans for the account of the Fund (particularly marketable securities) will be bunched or aggregated with orders for Other Clients, including other funds. It is frequently not possible to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities sold, and the various prices may be averaged, which may be disadvantageous to the Fund.

 

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Further conflicts could arise after the Fund and Other Clients have made their respective initial investments. For example, if additional financing is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, it may not be in the best interests of the Fund to provide such additional financing. If the Other Clients were to lose their respective investments as a result of such difficulties, the ability of the Adviser to recommend actions in the best interests of the Fund might be impaired. Any applicable co-investment order issued by the SEC may restrict the Fund’s ability to participate in follow-on financings. GSO may in its discretion take steps to reduce the potential for adversity between the Fund and the Other Clients, including causing the Fund and/or such Other Clients to take certain actions that, in the absence of such conflict, it would not take. Such conflicts will be more difficult if the Fund and Other Clients hold significant or controlling interests in competing or different tranches of a portfolio company’s capital structure. In addition, there may be circumstances where GSO agrees to implement certain procedures to ameliorate conflicts of interest that may involve a forbearance of rights relating to the Fund or Other Clients, such as where GSO may cause the Fund or Other Clients to decline to exercise certain control- and/or foreclosure-related rights with respect to a portfolio company.

Further, the Fund is prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with certain of its affiliates (including portfolio companies of Other Clients) without the prior approval of a majority of the independent members of the Board and, in some cases, the SEC. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund will be an affiliate of the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act and generally the Fund will be prohibited from buying or selling any securities from or to such affiliate, absent the prior approval of the Board. However, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such affiliate’s loans or securities in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for the Adviser between the Fund’s interests and the interests of such affiliate, in that the ability of the Adviser to recommend actions in the Fund’s best interest may be limited. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or closely related times), without prior approval of the Board and, in some cases, the SEC.

In addition, conflicts may arise in determining the amount of an investment, if any, to be allocated among potential investors and the respective terms thereof. There can be no assurance that any conflict will be resolved in favor of the Fund, and, subject to applicable law, a decision by GSO to take any particular action could have the effect of benefiting an Other Client (and, incidentally, may also have the effect of benefiting GSO) and therefore may not have been in the best interests of, and may be adverse to, the Fund. There can be no assurance that the return on the Fund’s investment will be equivalent to or better than the returns obtained by the Other Clients participating in the transaction. The common shareholders will not receive any benefit from fees paid to any affiliate of the Adviser from a portfolio company in which an Other Client also has an interest to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.

Related Financing Counterparties. The Fund may invest in companies or other entities in which Other Clients make an investment in a different part of the capital structure (and vice versa) subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act and the Fund’s co-investment order. The Adviser requests in the ordinary course proposals from lenders and other sources to provide financing to the Fund and its obligors. GSO takes into account various facts and circumstances it deems relevant in selecting financing sources, including whether a potential lender has expressed an interest in evaluating debt financing opportunities, whether a potential lender has a history of participating in debt financing opportunities generally and with the Firm in particular, the size of the potential lender’s loan amount, the timing of the relevant cash requirement, the availability of other sources of financing, the creditworthiness of the lender, whether the potential lender has demonstrated a long-term or continuing commitment to the success of Blackstone, GSO and their funds, and such other factors that Blackstone and GSO deem relevant under the circumstances. The cost of debt alone is not determinative.

The Firm could have incentives to cause the Fund and its obligors to accept less favorable financing terms from a common shareholder, Other Clients, their portfolio companies, Blackstone, and other parties with material relationships with the Firm than it would from a third party. If the Fund or a portfolio company occupies a more senior position in the capital structure than a common shareholder, Other Client, their portfolio companies and

 

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other parties with material relationships with Blackstone, Blackstone could have an incentive to cause the Fund or portfolio company to offer more favorable financing terms to such parties. In the case of a related party financing between the Fund or its obligors, on the one hand, and Blackstone or Other Clients’ portfolio companies, on the other hand, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Adviser could, but is not obligated to, rely on a third party agent to confirm the terms offered by the counterparty are consistent with market terms, or the Adviser could instead rely on its own internal analysis, which the Adviser believes is often superior to third party analysis given the Firm’s scale in the market. If however any of the Firm, the Fund, an Other Client or any of their obligors or portfolio companies (as applicable) delegates to a third party, such as another member of a financing syndicate or a joint venture partner, the negotiation of the terms of the financing, the transaction will be assumed to be conducted on an arms-length basis, even though the participation of the Firm related vehicle impacts the market terms. For example, in the case of a loan extended to the Fund or a portfolio company by a financing syndicate in which an Other Client has agreed to participate on terms negotiated by a third party participant in the syndicate, it may have been necessary to offer better terms to the financing provider to fully subscribe the syndicate if the Other Client had not participated. It is also possible that the frequent participation of Other Clients in such syndicates could dampen interest among other potential financing providers, thereby lowering demand to participate in the syndicate and increasing the financing costs to the Fund. The Adviser does not believe either of these effects is significant, but no assurance can be given to common shareholders that these effects will not be significant in any circumstance. Unless required by applicable law, the Adviser will not seek any consent or approvals from common shareholders or the Board in the case of any of these conflicts.

The Firm could cause actions adverse to the Fund to be taken for the benefit of Other Clients that have made an investment more senior in the capital structure of a portfolio company than the Fund (e.g., provide financing to a portfolio company, the equity of which is owned by the Fund) and, vice versa, actions may be taken for the benefit of the Fund and its obligors that are adverse to Other Clients. The Firm could seek to implement procedures to mitigate conflicts of interest in these situations such as (i) a forbearance of rights, including some or all non-economic rights, by the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be) by, for example, agreeing to follow the vote of a third party in the same tranche of the capital structure, or otherwise deciding to recuse itself with respect to decisions on defaults, foreclosures, workouts, restructurings and other similar matters, (ii) causing the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be) to hold only a non-controlling interest in any such portfolio company, (iii) retaining a third party loan servicer, administrative agent or other agent to make decisions on behalf of the Fund or relevant Other Client (or their respective obligors or portfolio companies, as the case may be), or (iv) create groups of personnel within the Firm separated by information barriers (which may be temporary and limited purpose in nature), each of which would advise one of the clients that has a conflicting position with other clients. As an example, to the extent an Other Client holds an interest in a loan or security that is different (including with respect to relative seniority) than those held by the Fund or its obligors, the Firm may decline to exercise, or delegate to a third party, certain control, foreclosure and other similar governance rights of the Other Client. In these cases, the Firm would generally act on behalf of one of its clients, though the other client would generally retain certain control rights, such as the right to consent to certain actions taken by the trustee or administrative or other agent of the investment, including a release, waiver, forgiveness or reduction of any claim for principal or interest; extension of maturity date or due date of any payment of any principal or interest; release or substitution of any material collateral; release, waiver, termination or modification of any material provision of any guaranty or indemnity; subordination of any lien; and release, waiver or permission with respect to any covenants.

In connection with negotiating loans and bank financings in respect of GSO-sponsored transactions, GSO will generally obtain the right to participate (for its own account or an Other Client) in a portion of the financings with respect to such GSO-sponsored transactions on the same terms negotiated by third parties with the Firm or other terms the Adviser determines to be consistent with the market. Although the Firm could rely on third parties to verify market terms, the Firm may nonetheless have influence on such third parties. No assurance can be given that negotiating with a third party, or verification of market terms by a third party, will ensure that the Fund and its obligors receive market terms.

 

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In addition, it is anticipated that in a bankruptcy proceeding the Fund’s interests will likely be subordinated or otherwise adverse to the interests of Other Clients with ownership positions that are more senior to those of the Fund. For example, an Other Client that has provided debt financing to an investment of the Fund may take actions for its benefit, particularly if the Fund’s Investment is in financial distress, which adversely impact the value of the Fund’s subordinated interests.

Although Other Clients can be expected to provide financing to the Fund and its obligors subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, there can be no assurance that any Other Client will indeed provide any such financing with respect to any particular Investment. Participation by Other Clients in some but not all financings of the Fund and its obligors may adversely impact the ability of the Fund and its obligors to obtain financing from third parties when Other Clients do not participate, as it may serve as a negative signal to market participants.

Any financing provided by a common shareholder or an affiliate to the Fund or a portfolio company is not a capital contribution to the Fund and does not reduce the unused capital commitment of such common shareholder.

Conflicting Fiduciary Duties to Debt Funds. Other Clients include funds and accounts that make investments in senior secured loans, distressed debt, subordinated debt, high-yield securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and other debt instruments. As discussed above, it is expected that these Other Clients or investors therein will be offered the opportunity, subject to applicable law, to provide financing with respect to investments made by the Fund and its obligors. The Firm owes a fiduciary duty to these Other Clients as well as to the Fund and will encounter conflicts in the exercise of these duties. For example, if an Other Client purchases high-yield securities or other debt instruments of a portfolio company of the Fund, or otherwise occupies a senior (or other different) position in the capital structure of an investment relative to the Fund, the Firm will encounter conflicts in providing advice to the Fund and to these Other Clients with regard to appropriate terms of such high-yield securities or other instruments, the enforcement of covenants, the terms of recapitalizations and the resolution of workouts or bankruptcies, among other matters. More commonly, the Fund could hold an investment that is senior in the capital structure, such as a debt instrument, to an Other Client. Although measures described above in “Related Financing Counterparties” above can mitigate these conflicts, they cannot completely eliminate them.

Similarly, certain Other Clients may invest in securities of publicly traded companies that are actual or potential investments of the Fund or its obligors. The trading activities of those vehicles may differ from or be inconsistent with activities that are undertaken for the account of the Fund or its obligors in any such securities or related securities. In addition, the Fund may not pursue an investment in a portfolio company otherwise within the investment strategy of the Fund as a result of such trading activities by Other Clients.

Other Blackstone and GSO Clients; Allocation of Investment Opportunities. Certain inherent conflicts of interest arise from the fact that the Adviser, GSO and Blackstone provide investment management, advisory and sub-advisory services to the Fund and Other Clients.

The respective investment programs of the Fund and the Other Clients may or may not be substantially similar. GSO and/or Blackstone may give advice to, and recommend securities for, Other Clients that may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, the Fund, even though their investment objectives may be the same as or similar to those of the Fund. While GSO will seek to manage potential conflicts of interest in a fair and equitable manner, the portfolio strategies employed by GSO and Blackstone in managing their respective Other Clients are likely to conflict from time to time with the transactions and strategies employed by the Adviser in managing the Fund and may affect the prices and availability of the securities and instruments in which the Fund invests. Conversely, participation in specific investment opportunities may be appropriate, at times, for both the Fund and Other Clients. In any event, it is the policy of GSO to allocate

 

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investment opportunities and sale opportunities on a basis deemed by GSO, in its sole discretion, to be fair and equitable over time.

Allocation Methodology Considerations

GSO will share any investment and sale opportunities with such Other Clients and the Fund in accordance with the Advisers Act, and Firm-wide allocation policies, which generally provide for sharing pro rata based on targeted acquisition size or targeted sale size.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, GSO may also consider the following factors in making any allocation determinations, and such factors may result in a different allocation of investment and/or sale opportunities: (i) the risk-return and target return profile of the proposed investment relative to the Fund’s and the Other Clients’ current risk profiles; (ii) the Fund’s and/or the Other Clients’ investment guidelines, restrictions, terms and objectives, including whether such objectives are considered solely in light of the specific investment under consideration or in the context of the respective portfolios’ overall holdings; (iii) the need to re-size risk in the Fund’s or the Other Clients’ portfolios (including the potential for the proposed investment to create an industry, sector or issuer imbalance in the Fund’s and Other Clients’ portfolios, as applicable) and taking into account any existing non-pro rata investment positions in the portfolio of the Fund and Other Clients; (iv) liquidity considerations of the Fund and the Other Clients, including during a ramp-up or wind-down of one or more of the Fund or such Other Clients, proximity to the end of the Fund’s or Other Clients’ specified term or investment period, any redemption/withdrawal requests, anticipated future contributions and available cash; (v) legal, tax, accounting, political, national security and other consequences; (vi) regulatory or contractual restrictions or consequences (including, without limitation, requirements under the 1940 Act and any related rules, orders, guidance or other authority applicable to the Fund or Other GSO Clients); (vii) avoiding a de minimis or odd lot allocation; (viii) availability and degree of leverage and any requirements or other terms of any existing leverage facilities; (ix) the Fund’s or Other Clients’ investment focus on a classification attributable to an investment or issuer of an investment, including, without limitation, investment strategy, geography, industry or business sector; (x) the nature and extent of involvement in the transaction on the part of the respective teams of investment professionals dedicated to the Fund or such Other Clients; (xi) the management of any actual or potential conflict of interest; (xii) with respect to investments that are made available to GSO by counterparties pursuant to negotiated trading platforms (e.g., ISDA contracts), the absence of such relationships which may not be available to the Fund and all Other Clients; (xiii) available capital of the Fund and the Other Clients, (xiv) primary and permitted investment strategies and objectives of the Fund and the Other Clients, including, without limitation, with respect to Other Clients that expect to invest in or alongside other funds or across asset classes based on expected return (such as certain managed accounts with similar investment strategies and objectives), (xv) sourcing of the investment, (xvi) the specific nature (including size, type, amount, liquidity, holding period, anticipated maturity and minimum investment criteria) of the investment, (xvii) expected investment return, (xviii) expected cash characteristics (such as cash-on-cash yield, distribution rates or volatility of cash flows), (xix) capital expenditure required as part of the investment, (xx) portfolio diversification concerns (including, but not limited to, whether a particular fund already has its desired exposure to the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question), (xxi) relation to existing investments in a fund, if applicable (e.g., “follow on” to existing investment, joint venture or other partner to existing investment, or same security as existing investment), and (xxii) any other considerations deemed relevant by GSO in good faith.

GSO shall not have any obligation to present any investment opportunity (or portion of any investment opportunity) to the Fund if GSO determines in good faith that such opportunity (or portion thereof) should not be presented to the Fund for any one or a combination of the reasons specified above, or if GSO is otherwise restricted from presenting such investment opportunity to the Fund.

In addition, GSO has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits certain existing and future funds regulated under the 1940 Act (each, a “Regulated Fund”), among other things, to co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of GSO, and certain funds managed and controlled by GSO and its

 

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affiliates, including the Fund, subject to certain terms and conditions. For so long as any privately negotiated investment opportunity falls within the investment criteria of one or more Regulated Funds, such investment opportunity shall also be offered to such Regulated Fund(s). In the event that the aggregate targeted investment sizes of the Fund and such Regulated Fund(s) exceed the amount of such investment opportunity, allocation of such investment opportunity to each of the Fund and such Regulated Fund(s) will be reduced proportionately based on their respective “available capital” as defined in the exemptive order, which may result in allocation to the Fund in an amount less than what it would otherwise have been if such Regulated Fund(s) did not participate in such investment opportunity. The exemptive order also restricts the ability of the Fund (or any other GSO fund) from investing in any privately negotiated investment opportunity alongside a Regulated Fund except at the same time and on same terms. As a result, the Fund may be unable to make investments in different parts of the capital structure of the same issuer in which a Regulated Fund has invested or seeks to invest. The rules promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as well as any related guidance from the SEC and/or the terms of the exemptive order itself, are subject to change, and GSO could undertake to amend the exemptive order (subject to SEC approval), obtain additional exemptive relief, or otherwise be subject to other requirements in respect of co-investments involving the Fund and any Regulated Funds, any of which may impact the amount of any allocation made available to Regulated Funds and thereby affect (and potentially decrease) the allocation made to the Fund.

Moreover, with respect to GSO’s ability to allocate investment opportunities, including where such opportunities are within the common objectives and guidelines of the Fund and one or more Other Clients (which allocations are to be made on a basis that GSO believes in good faith to be fair and reasonable), GSO and Blackstone have established general guidelines and policies, which it may update from time to time, for determining how such allocations are to be made, which, among other things, set forth principles regarding what constitutes “debt” or “debt-like” investments, criteria for defining “control-oriented equity” or “infrastructure” investments, guidance regarding allocation for certain types of investments (e.g., distressed energy) and other matters. In addition, certain Other Clients may receive certain priority or other allocation rights with respect to certain investments, subject to various conditions set forth in such Other Clients’ respective governing agreements. The application of those guidelines and conditions may result in the Fund or Other Clients not participating (and/or not participating to the same extent) in certain investment opportunities in which they would have otherwise participated had the related allocations been determined without regard to such guidelines and conditions and based only on the circumstances of those particular investments. Additionally, investment opportunities sourced by GSO will be allocated in accordance with Blackstone’s and GSO’s allocation policies, which may provide that investment opportunities will be allocated in whole or in part to other business units of the Firm on a basis that Blackstone and GSO believe in good faith to be fair and reasonable, based on various factors, including the involvement of the respective teams from GSO and such other business units. It should also be noted that investment opportunities sourced by business units of the Firm other than GSO will be allocated in accordance with such business units’ allocation policies, which will result in such investment opportunities being allocated, in whole or in part, away from GSO, the Fund and Other GSO Clients.

When GSO determines not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity for the Fund that would otherwise be within the Fund’s objectives and strategies, and Blackstone or GSO provides the opportunity or offers the opportunity to Other Clients, Blackstone or GSO, including their personnel (including GSO personnel), may receive compensation from the Other Clients, whether or not in respect of a particular investment, including an allocation of carried interest or referral fees, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by the Fund to GSO. As a result, GSO (including GSO personnel who receive such compensation) could be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from the Fund to or source investment opportunities for Other Clients. In addition, in some cases Blackstone or GSO may earn greater fees when Other Clients participate alongside or instead of the Fund in an Investment.

GSO makes good faith determinations for allocation decisions based on expectations that may prove inaccurate. Information unavailable to GSO, or circumstances not foreseen by GSO at the time of allocation, may cause an investment opportunity to yield a different return than expected. Conversely, an investment that GSO expects to be consistent with the Fund’s objectives may fail to achieve them.

 

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The Adviser may, but will be under no obligation to, provide co-investment opportunities relating to investments made by the Fund to common shareholders, Other Clients, and investors of such Other Clients, subject to the Fund’s exemptive relief and the 1940 Act. Such co-investment opportunities may be offered to such parties in the Adviser’s discretion, subject to the Fund’s exemptive relief. From time to time, GSO may form one or more funds or accounts to co-invest in transactions with the Fund (or transactions alongside any of the Fund and one or more Other Clients). Furthermore, for the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that the Fund has received its target amount in respect of an investment opportunity, any remaining portion of such investment opportunity initially allocated to the Fund may be allocated to Other Clients or to co-investors in GSO’s discretion pursuant to the Fund’s exemptive relief.

Orders may be combined for the Fund and all other participating Other Clients, and if any order is not filled at the same price, they may be allocated on an average price basis. Similarly, if an order on behalf of more than one account cannot be fully executed under prevailing market conditions, securities may be allocated among the different accounts on a basis that GSO or its affiliates consider equitable.

Additionally, it can be expected that the Firm will, from time to time, enter into arrangements or strategic relationships with third parties, including other asset managers, financial firms or other businesses or companies, that, among other things, provide for referral, sourcing or sharing of investment opportunities. Blackstone or GSO may pay management fees and performance-based compensation in connection with such arrangements. Blackstone or GSO may also provide for or receive reimbursement of certain expenses incurred or received in connection with these arrangements, including diligence expenses and general overhead, administrative, deal sourcing and related corporate expenses. The amount of these rebates may relate to allocations of co-investment opportunities and increase if certain co-investment allocations are not made. While it is possible that the Fund will, along with the Firm itself, benefit from the existence of those arrangements and/or relationships, it is also possible that investment opportunities that would otherwise be presented to or made by the Fund would instead be referred (in whole or in part) to such third party, or, as indicated above, to other third parties, either as a contractual obligation or otherwise, resulting in fewer opportunities (or reduced allocations) being made available to the Fund and/or common shareholders. This means that co-investment opportunities that are sourced by the Fund may be allocated to investors that are not common shareholders. For example, a firm with which the Firm has entered into a strategic relationship may be afforded with “first-call” rights on a particular category of investment opportunities, although there is not expected to be substantial overlap in the investment strategies and/or objectives between the Fund and any such firm.

Certain Investments Inside the Fund’s Strategy that are not Pursued by the Fund. Under certain circumstances, Blackstone or GSO may determine not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity within the Fund’s strategy, including without limitation, as a result of business, reputational or other reasons applicable to the Fund, Other Clients, their respective obligors or portfolio companies or Blackstone. In addition, GSO may determine that the Fund should not pursue some or all of an investment opportunity, including, by way of example and without limitation, because the Fund has already invested sufficient capital in the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question, as determined by GSO in its sole discretion, or the investment is not appropriate for the Fund for other reasons as determined by GSO in its sole discretion. In any such case Blackstone or GSO could, thereafter, offer such opportunity to other parties, including Other Clients or portfolio companies or limited partners or common shareholders of the Fund or Other Clients, joint venture partners, related parties or third parties. Any such Other Clients may be advised by a different Blackstone or GSO business group with a different investment committee, which could determine an investment opportunity to be more attractive than GSO believes to be the case. In any event, there can be no assurance that GSO’s assessment will prove correct or that the performance of any investments actually pursued by the Fund will be comparable to any investment opportunities that are not pursued by the Fund. Blackstone and GSO, including their personnel, may receive compensation from any such party that makes the investment, including an allocation of carried interest or referral fees, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by the Fund to GSO. In some cases, Blackstone or GSO earns greater fees when Other Clients participate alongside or instead of the Fund in an Investment.

 

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Cross Transactions. Situations may arise where certain assets held by the Fund may be transferred to Other Clients and vice versa. Such transactions will be conducted in accordance with, and subject to, the Adviser’s contractual obligations to the Fund and applicable law, including the 1940 Act.

Fund Co-Investment Opportunities. As a registered investment company under the 1940 Act, the Fund is subject to certain limitations relating to co-investments and joint transactions with affiliates, which likely will in certain circumstances limit the Fund’s ability to make investments or enter into other transactions alongside the Other Clients. There can be no assurance that such regulatory restrictions will not adversely affect the Fund’s ability to capitalize on attractive investment opportunities. However, subject to the 1940 Act and any applicable co-investment order issued by the SEC, the Fund may co-invest with Other Clients (including co-investment or other vehicles in which the Firm or its personnel invest and that co-invest with such Other Clients) in investments that are suitable for the Fund and one or more of such Other Clients. Even if the Fund and any such Other Clients and/or co-investment or other vehicles invest in the same securities, conflicts of interest may still arise.

The Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits it, among other things, to co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of the Adviser and certain funds managed and controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, subject to certain terms and conditions. Such order may restrict the Fund’s ability to enter into follow-on investments or other transactions. Pursuant to such order, the Fund may co-invest in a negotiated deal with certain affiliates of the Adviser or certain funds managed and controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, subject to certain terms and conditions. The Fund may also receive an allocation in such a deal alongside affiliates pursuant to other mechanisms to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.

Investments in Portfolio Companies Alongside Other Clients. From time to time, the Fund will co-invest with Other Clients (including co-investment or other vehicles in which the Firm or its personnel invest and that co-invest with such Other Clients) in investments that are suitable for both the Fund and such Other Clients, as permitted by applicable law and/or any applicable SEC-granted order. Even if the Fund and any such Other Clients invest in the same securities or loans, conflicts of interest may still arise. For example, it is possible that as a result of legal, tax, regulatory, accounting, political, national security or other considerations, the terms of such investment (and divestment thereof) (including with respect to price and timing) for the Fund and such other funds and vehicles may not be the same. Additionally, the Fund and such Other Clients and/or vehicles will generally have different investment periods and/or investment objectives (including return profiles) and GSO, as a result, may have conflicting goals with respect to the price and timing of disposition opportunities. As such, subject to applicable law and any applicable order issued by the SEC, the Fund and/or such Other Clients may dispose of any such shared investment at different times and on different terms.

Firm Involvement in Financing of Third Party Dispositions by the Fund. The Fund may from time to time dispose of all or a portion of an investment by way of accepting a third-party purchaser’s bid where the Firm or one or more Other Clients is providing financing as part of such bid or acquisition of the investment or underlying assets thereof. This generally would include the circumstance where the Firm or one or more Other Clients is making commitments to provide financing at or prior to the time such third-party purchaser commits to purchase such investments or assets from the Fund. Such involvement of the Firm or one or more Other Clients as such a provider of debt financing in connection with the potential acquisition of portfolio investments by third parties from the Fund may give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest.

Material, Non-Public Information. GSO will come into possession of confidential information with respect to an Issuer. GSO may be restricted from buying, originating or selling securities, loans of, or derivatives with respect to, the issuer on behalf of the Fund until such time as the information becomes public or is no longer deemed material such that it would preclude the Fund from participating in an investment. Disclosure of such information to the Adviser’s personnel responsible for the affairs of the Fund will be on a need-to-know basis only, and the Fund may not be free to act for the Fund upon any such information. Therefore, the Fund may not have access to confidential information in the possession of GSO that might be relevant to an investment decision to be made for the Fund. In addition, GSO, in an effort to avoid buying or selling restrictions on behalf

 

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of the Fund or Other GSO Clients, may choose to forego an opportunity to receive (or elect not to receive) information that other market participants or counterparties, including those with the same positions in the issuer as the Fund, are eligible to receive or have received, even if possession of such information would otherwise be advantageous to the Fund.

In addition, affiliates of GSO within Blackstone may come into possession of confidential information with respect to an issuer. GSO may be restricted from buying, originating or selling securities, loans of, or derivatives with respect to, the issuer on behalf of the Fund if the Firm deemed such restriction appropriate. Disclosure of such information to the Adviser’s personnel responsible for the affairs of the Fund will be on a need-to-know basis only, and the Fund may not be free to act upon any such information. Therefore, the Fund may not have access to confidential information in the possession of the Firm that might be relevant to an investment decision to be made by the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund may not be able to initiate a transaction that it otherwise might have initiated and may not be able to sell an investment that it otherwise might have sold.

Break-up and other Similar Fees. Break-up or topping fees with respect to the Fund’s investments can be paid to GSO. Alternatively, the Fund could receive the break-up or topping fees directly. Break-up or topping fees paid to GSO or the Fund in connection with a transaction could be allocated, or not, to Other Clients or co-investment vehicles that invest (or are expected to invest) alongside the Fund, as determined by GSO to be appropriate in the circumstances. Generally, GSO would not allocate break-up or topping fees with respect to a potential investment to the Fund, an Other Client or co-investment vehicle unless such person would also share in broken deal expenses related to the potential investment. In the case of fees for services as a director of a portfolio company, the management fee will not be reduced to the extent any Firm personnel continues to serve as a director after the Fund has exited (or is in the process of exiting) the applicable portfolio company and/or following the termination of such employee’s employment with the Firm. For the avoidance of doubt, although the financial advisory and restructuring business of Blackstone has been spun out, to the extent any investment banking fees, consulting (including management consulting) fees, syndication fees, capital markets syndication and advisory fees (including underwriting fees), origination fees, servicing fees, healthcare consulting / brokerage fees, fees relating to group purchasing, financial advisory fees and similar fees for arranging acquisitions and other major financial restructurings, loan servicing and/or other types of insurance fees, operations fees, financing fees, fees for asset services, title insurance fees, and other similar fees and annual retainers (whether in cash or in kind) are received by Blackstone, such fees will not be required to be shared with the Fund or the common shareholders and will not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund.

Broken Deal Expenses. Any expenses that may be incurred by the Fund for actual investments as described herein may also be incurred by the Fund with respect to broken deals (i.e., investments that are not consummated). GSO is not required to and in most circumstances will not seek reimbursement of broken deal expenses (i.e., expenses incurred in pursuit of an investment that is not consummated) from third parties, including counterparties to the potential transaction or potential co-investors. Examples of such broken deal expenses include, but are not limited to, reverse termination fees, extraordinary expenses such as litigation costs and judgments, travel and entertainment expenses incurred, costs of negotiating co-investment documentation, and legal, accounting, tax and other due diligence and pursuit costs and expenses. Any such broken deal expenses could, in the sole discretion of GSO, be allocated solely to the Fund and not to Other Clients or co-investment vehicles that could have made the investment, even when the Other Client or co-investment vehicle commonly invests alongside the Fund in its investments or the Firm or Other Clients in their investments. In such cases, the Fund’s shares of expenses would increase. In the event broken deal expenses are allocated to an Other Client or a co-investment vehicle, GSO may advance such fees and expenses without charging interest until paid by the Other Client or co-investment vehicle, as applicable.

Other Firm Business Activities. The Firm, Other Clients, their obligors/portfolio companies, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing will receive fees and compensation, including performance-based and other incentive fees, for products and services provided to the Fund and its obligors, such as fees for asset and property management; investment management, underwriting, syndication or refinancing of a loan or investment; loan

 

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servicing; special servicing; administrative services; advisory services on purchase or sale of an asset or company; investment banking and capital markets services; placement agent services; fund administration; internal legal and tax planning services; information technology products and services; insurance procurement; brokerage; solutions and risk management services; data extraction and management products and services; and other products and services. Such parties will also provide products and services for fees to the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and their personnel and related parties, as well as third parties. Through its Innovations group, Blackstone incubates businesses that can be expected to provide goods and services to the Fund (subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act and applicable guidance) and Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, as well as other Firm-related parties and third parties. By contracting for a product or service from a business related to the Firm, the Fund and its obligors would provide not only current income to the business and its stakeholders, but could also create significant enterprise value in them, which would not be shared with the Fund or common shareholders and could benefit the Firm directly and indirectly. Also, the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and their personnel and related parties may receive compensation or other benefits, such as through additional ownership interests or otherwise, directly related to the consumption of products and services by the Fund and its obligors. The Fund and its obligors will incur expense in negotiating for any such fees and services, which will be treated as Fund Expenses. In addition, the Firm may receive fees associated with capital invested by co-investors relating to investments in which the Fund participates or otherwise, in connection with a joint venture in which the Fund participates (subject to the 1940 Act) or otherwise with respect to assets or other interests retained by a seller or other commercial counterparty with respect to which the Firm performs services. Finally, the Firm and its personnel and related parties may also receive compensation in connection with referrals and related activities of such business incubated by the Blackstone Innovations group.

GSO, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates, personnel and related parties could continue to receive fees, including performance-based or incentive fees, for the services described in the preceding paragraphs with respect to investments sold by the Fund or a portfolio company to a third party buyer after the sale is consummated. Such post-disposition involvement will give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest, particularly in the sale process. Moreover, GSO, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates, personnel and related parties may acquire a stake in the relevant asset as part of the overall service relationship, at the time of the sale or thereafter.

GSO does not have any obligation to ensure that fees for products and services contracted by the Fund or its obligors are at market rates unless the counterparty is considered an affiliate of the Firm and given the breadth of the Firm’s investments and activities GSO may not be aware of every commercial arrangement between the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and the Firm, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing, on the other hand.

Except as set forth above, the Fund and common shareholders will not receive the benefit (e.g., through a reduction to the management fee or otherwise) of any fees or other compensation or benefit received by GSO, its affiliates or their personnel and related parties. (See also “—Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally” and “—Other Firm Business Activities.”)

Securities and Lending Activities. Blackstone, its affiliates and their related parties and personnel will from time to time participate in underwriting or lending syndicates with respect to current or potential portfolio companies, or may otherwise act as arrangers of financing, including with respect to the public offering and/or private placement of debt or equity securities issued by, or loan proceeds borrowed by the Fund and its obligors, or otherwise in arranging financing (including loans) for such obligors or advise on such transactions. Such underwritings or engagements may be on a firm commitment basis or may be on an uncommitted “best efforts” basis, and the underwriting or financing parties are under no duty to provide any commitment unless specifically set forth in the relevant contract. Blackstone may also provide placement or other similar services to purchasers or sellers of securities, including loans or instruments issued by portfolio companies. There may also be circumstances in which the Fund commits to purchase any portion of such issuance from the portfolio company

 

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that a Blackstone broker-dealer intends to syndicate to third parties. As a result thereof, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, Blackstone may receive commissions or other compensation, thereby creating a potential conflict of interest. This could include, by way of example, fees and/or commissions for equity syndications to co-investment vehicles. In certain cases, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, a Blackstone broker-dealer will from time to time act as the managing underwriter or a member of the underwriting syndicate or broker for the Fund or its obligors, or as dealer, broker or advisor to a counterparty to the Fund or a portfolio company and purchase securities from or sell securities to the Fund, Other Clients or obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients or advise on such transactions. Blackstone will also from time to time, on behalf of the Fund or other parties to a transaction involving the Fund or its obligors, effect transactions, including transactions in the secondary markets that result in commissions or other compensation paid to Blackstone by the Fund or its obligors or the counterparty to the transaction, thereby creating a potential conflict of interest. This could include, by way of example, fees and/or commissions for equity syndications to co-investment vehicles. Subject to applicable law, Blackstone will from time to time receive underwriting fees, discounts, placement commissions, loan modification or restructuring fees, servicing fees, capital markets advisory fees, lending arrangement fees, asset/property management fees, insurance (including title insurance) fees and consulting fees, monitoring fees, commitment fees, syndication fees, origination fees, organizational fees, operational fees, loan servicing fees, and financing and divestment fees (or, in each case, rebates in lieu of any such fees, whether in the form of purchase price discounts or otherwise, even in cases where Blackstone, an Other Client or its portfolio companies are purchasing debt) or other compensation with respect to the foregoing activities, which are not required to be shared with the Fund. In addition, the management fee with respect to the Fund generally will not be reduced by such amounts. Therefore, Blackstone will from time to time have a potential conflict of interest regarding the Fund and the other parties to those transactions to the extent it receives commissions, discounts or other compensation from such other parties. The Board, in its sole discretion, will approve any transactions, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, in which a Blackstone broker-dealer acts as an underwriter, as broker for the Fund, or as dealer, broker or advisor, on the other side of a transaction with the Fund only where the Board believes that such transactions are appropriate for the Fund and, by investing in Common Shares, a common shareholder consents to all such transactions, along with the other transactions involving conflicts of interest described herein, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

When Blackstone serves as underwriter with respect to securities of the Fund or its obligors, the Fund and such obligors could from time to time be subject to a “lock-up” period following the offering under applicable regulations during which time the Fund or portfolio company would be unable to sell any securities subject to the “lock-up.” This may prejudice the ability of the Fund and its obligors to dispose of such securities at an opportune time. In addition, Blackstone Capital Markets may serve as underwriter in connection with the sale of securities by the Fund or its obligors. Conflicts may arise because such engagement would result in Blackstone Capital Markets receiving selling commissions or other compensation in connection with such sale. (See also “—Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally” below.)

PJT Partners Inc. On October 1, 2015, Blackstone spun off its financial and strategic advisory services, restructuring and reorganization advisory services, and its Park Hill fund placement businesses and combined these businesses with PJT Partners Inc. (“PJT”), an independent financial advisory firm founded by Paul J. Taubman. While the combined business operates independently from Blackstone and is not an affiliate thereof, it is expected that there will be substantial overlapping ownership between Blackstone and PJT for a considerable period of time going forward. Therefore, conflicts of interest will arise in connection with transactions between or involving the Fund and its obligors, on the one hand, and PJT, on the other. The pre-existing relationship between Blackstone and its former personnel involved in financial and strategic advisory services at PJT, the overlapping ownership and co-investment and other continuing arrangements between PJT and Blackstone may influence GSO to select or recommend PJT to perform services for the Fund or its obligors, the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund. Given that PJT is no longer an affiliate of Blackstone, GSO and its affiliates will be free to cause the Fund and portfolio companies to transact with PJT generally without restriction under the applicable governing documents, notwithstanding the relationship between Blackstone and PJT.

 

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Obligor/Portfolio Company Relationships Generally. The Fund’s obligors are expected to be counterparties to or participants in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with portfolio companies of Other Clients for the provision of goods and services, purchase and sale of assets and other matters. Although the Firm may determine that such agreements, transactions or other arrangements are consistent with the requirements of such Other Clients’ offering and/or governing agreements, such agreements, transactions or other arrangements may not have otherwise been entered into but for the affiliation with GSO and/or Blackstone. These agreements, transactions or other agreements involve fees, commissions, servicing payments and/or discounts to GSO, any Blackstone affiliate (including personnel) or a portfolio company, none of which reduce the management fee payable by the Fund). For example, the Firm may cause, or offer the opportunity to, portfolio companies to enter into agreements regarding group procurement (such as the group purchasing organization), benefits management, purchase of title and/or other insurance policies (which may be pooled across portfolio companies and discounted due to scale) and other operational, administrative or management related matters from a third party or a Firm affiliate, and other similar operational initiatives that may result in commissions or similar payments, including related to a portion of the savings achieved by the portfolio company. Such agreements, transactions or other arrangements may be entered into without the consent or direct involvement of the Fund and/or such Other Client or the consent of the Board and/or the common shareholders of the Fund or such Other Client (including, without limitation, in the case of minority and/or non-controlling investments by the Fund in such portfolio companies or the sale of assets from one portfolio company to another) and/or such Other Client. In any such case, the Fund may not be involved in the negotiation process, and there can be no assurance that the terms of any such agreement, transaction or other arrangement will be as favorable to the Fund as otherwise would be the case if the counterparty were not related to the Firm.

In addition, it is possible that certain portfolio companies of Other Clients or companies in which Other Clients have an interest will compete with the Fund for one or more investment opportunities and/or engage in activities that may have adverse consequences on the Fund and/or its obligors. As an example of the latter, the laws and regulations of certain jurisdictions (e.g., bankruptcy, environmental, consumer protection and/or labor laws) may not recognize the segregation of assets and liabilities as between separate entities and may permit recourse against the assets of not just the entity that has incurred the liabilities, but also the other entities that are under common control with, or part of the same economic group as, such entity. In such circumstances, the assets of the Fund and/or its obligors may be used to satisfy the obligations or liabilities of one or more Other Clients, their portfolio companies and/or affiliates.

Certain portfolio companies may have established or invested in, or may in the future establish or invest in, vehicles that are managed exclusively by the portfolio company (and not the Fund or the Firm or any of its affiliates) and that invest in asset classes or industry sectors (such as cyber security) that fall within the Fund’s investment strategy. Such vehicles, which may not be considered affiliates of the Firm and would not be subject to the Firm’s policies and procedures, may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities. Portfolio companies and affiliates of the Firm may also establish other investment products, vehicles and platforms focusing on specific asset classes or industry sectors (such as reinsurance) that may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities (it being understood that such arrangements may give rise to conflicts of interest that may not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund). Portfolio companies and affiliates of the Firm may also establish other investment products, vehicles and platforms focusing on specific asset classes or industry sectors (such as reinsurance) that may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities (it being understood that such arrangements may give rise to conflicts of interest that may not necessarily be resolved in favor of the Fund). In addition, the Fund may hold non-controlling interests in certain portfolio companies and, as a result, such portfolio companies could engage in activities outside of the Fund’s control that may have adverse consequences on the Fund and/or its other obligors.

In addition, the Firm has also entered into an investment management arrangement whereby it provides investment management services to Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company (a portfolio company of certain Other Clients), which will involve investments across a variety of asset classes (including investments that may otherwise be appropriate for the Fund), and in the future the Firm may enter into similar arrangements

 

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with other portfolio companies. Such arrangements may reduce the allocations of investments to the Fund, and the Firm may be incentivized to allocate investments away from the Fund to the counterparties to such investment management arrangements or other vehicles/accounts to the extent the economic arrangements related thereto are more favorable to the Firm relative to the terms of the Fund.

Further, obligors with respect to which the Fund may elect members of the board of directors may, as a result, subject the Fund and/or such directors to fiduciary obligations to make decisions that they believe to be in the best interests of any such portfolio company. Although in most cases the interests of the Fund and any such portfolio company will be aligned, this may not always be the case. This may create conflicts of interest between the relevant director’s obligations to any such portfolio company and its stakeholders, on the one hand, and the interests of the Fund, on the other hand. Although GSO will generally seek to minimize the impact of any such conflicts, there can be no assurance they will be resolved favorably for the Fund.

Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors. Subject to applicable law, the Fund, Other Clients, obligors/portfolio companies of each of the foregoing and GSO can be expected to engage obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients to provide some or all of the following services: (a) corporate support services (including, without limitation, accounts payable, accounting/audit (including valuation support services), account management, insurance, procurement, placement, brokerage, consulting, cash management, corporate secretarial services, domiciliation, data management, directorship services, finance/budget, human resources, information technology/systems support, internal compliance/KYC, judicial processes, legal, operational coordination (i.e., coordination with JV partners, property managers), risk management, reporting, tax, tax analysis and compliance (e.g., CIT and VAT compliance), transfer pricing and internal risk control, treasury and valuation services); (b) loan services (including, without limitation, monitoring, restructuring and work-out of performing, sub-performing and nonperforming loans, administrative services, and cash management); (c) management services (i.e., management by a portfolio company, Blackstone affiliate or third party (e.g., a third-party manager) of operational services); (d) operational services (i.e., general management of day to day operations); (e) risk management (tax and treasury); (f) insurance procurement, placement, brokerage and consulting services; and (g) other services. Similarly, GSO, Other Clients and their portfolio companies can be expected to engage obligors of the Fund to provide some or all of these services. Some of the services performed by portfolio company service providers could also be performed by GSO from time to time and vice versa. Fees paid by the Fund or its obligors to the other portfolio company service providers do not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund and are not otherwise shared with the Fund.

Obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients that can be expected to provide services to the Fund and its obligors include, without limitation, the following, and may include additional obligors that may be formed or acquired in the future:

BTIG. BTIG, LLC (“BTIG”) is a global financial services firm in which certain Blackstone entities own a strategic minority investment. BTIG provides institutional trading, investment banking, research and related brokerage services and may provide goods and services for the Fund or its obligors.

Optiv. Optiv Security, Inc. is a portfolio company held by certain Blackstone private equity funds that provides a full slate of information security services and solutions and may provide goods and services for the Fund and its obligors.

PSAV. PSAV, Inc. is a portfolio company held by certain Blackstone private equity funds that provides outsourced audiovisual services and event production and may provide goods and services for the Fund and its obligors.

Refinitiv. On October 1, 2018, a consortium led by Blackstone announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone had completed an acquisition of Thomson Reuters’ Financial & Risk business (“Refinitiv”). Refinitiv operates a pricing service that provides valuation services and provides goods and services for the Fund and its obligors.

 

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Blackstone through one or more of its funds has committed to a minority investment in Kryalos, an operating partner in certain investments made by Other Clients, and expects that Kryalos will perform services after the investment has closed for the Fund and Other Clients and receive compensation as described below.

The Fund and its obligors will compensate one or more of these service providers and vendors owned by the Fund or Other Clients, including through incentive based compensation payable to their management teams and other related parties. The incentive based compensation paid with respect to a portfolio company or asset of the Fund or Other Clients will vary from the incentive based compensation paid with respect to other portfolio companies and assets of the Fund and Other Clients; as a result the management team or other related parties can be expected to have greater incentives with respect to certain assets and portfolio companies relative to others, and the performance of certain assets and portfolio companies may provide incentives to retain management that also service other assets and portfolio companies. Some of these service providers and vendors owned or controlled by the Fund or Other Clients will charge the Fund and its obligors for goods and services at rates generally consistent with those available in the market for similar goods and services. The discussion regarding the determination of market rates under “Firm Affiliated Service Providers” herein applies equally in respect of the fees and expenses of the portfolio company service providers, if charged at rates generally consistent with those available in the market. Other service providers and vendors owned and/or controlled by the Fund or Other Clients pass through expenses on a cost reimbursement, no-profit or break-even basis, in which case the service provider allocates costs and expenses directly associated with work performed for the benefit of the Fund and its obligors to them, along with any related tax costs and an allocation of the service provider’s overhead, including any of the following: salaries, wages, benefits and travel expenses; marketing and advertising fees and expenses; legal, accounting and other professional fees and disbursements; office space and equipment; insurance premiums; technology expenditures, including hardware and software costs; costs to engage recruitment firms to hire employees; diligence expenses; one-time costs, including costs related to building-out and winding-down a portfolio company; taxes; and other operating and capital expenditures. Any of the foregoing costs, although allocated in a particular period, will, in certain circumstances, relate to activities occurring outside the period, and therefore the Fund could pay more than its pro rata portion of fees for services. The allocation of overhead among the entities and assets to which services are provided can be expected to be based on any of a number of different methodologies, including, without limitation, “cost” basis as described above, “time-allocation” basis, “per unit” basis, “per square footage” basis or “fixed percentage” basis. There can be no assurance that a different manner of allocation would result in the Fund and its obligors bearing less or more costs and expenses. GSO will not always perform or obtain benchmarking analysis or third-party verification of expenses with respect to services provided on a cost reimbursement, no profit or break even basis. There can be no assurances that amounts charged by portfolio company service providers that are not controlled by the Fund or Other Clients will be consistent with market rates or that any benchmarking, verification or other analysis will be performed with respect to such charges. If benchmarking is performed, the related expenses will be borne by the Fund, Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and will not reduce the management fee. A portfolio company service provider will, in certain circumstances, subcontract certain of its responsibilities to other portfolio companies. In such circumstances, the relevant subcontractor could invoice the portfolio company for fees (or in the case of a cost reimbursement arrangement, for allocable costs and expenses) in respect of the services provided by the subcontractor. The portfolio company, if charging on a cost reimbursement, no-profit or break-even basis, would in turn allocate those costs and expenses as it allocates other fees and expenses as described above. Similarly, Other Clients, their portfolio companies and GSO can be expected to engage portfolio companies of the Fund to provide services, and these portfolio companies will generally charge for services in the same manner described above, but the Fund and its obligors generally will not be reimbursed for any costs (such as start-up costs) relating to such portfolio companies incurred prior to such engagement. Some of the services performed by these service providers could also be performed by GSO from time to time and vice versa. Fees paid by the Fund or its obligors to these service providers do not the offset or reduce the management fee payable to the Adviser.

Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally. Certain third party advisors and other service providers and vendors to the Fund and its obligors (including accountants, administrators, lenders,

 

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bankers, brokers, attorneys, consultants, title agents and investment or commercial banking firms) are owned by the Firm, the Fund or Other Clients or provide goods or services to, or have other business, personal, financial or other relationships with, the Firm, the Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies and affiliates and personnel. Such advisors and service providers referred to above may be investors in the Fund, affiliates of the Adviser, sources of financing and investment opportunities or co-investors or commercial counterparties or entities in which the Firm and/or Other Clients have an investment, and payments by the Fund and/or such entities may indirectly benefit the Firm, the Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies or any affiliates or personnel. Also, advisors, lenders, investors, commercial counterparties, vendors and service providers (including any of their affiliates or personnel) to the Fund and its obligors could have other commercial or personal relationships with the Firm, Other Clients and their respective portfolio companies, or any affiliates, personnel or family members of personnel of the foregoing. Although the Firm selects service providers and vendors it believes are most appropriate in the circumstances based on its knowledge of such service providers and vendors (which knowledge is generally greater in the case of service providers and vendors that have other relationships to the Firm), the relationship of service providers and vendors to the Firm as described above will influence the Firm in deciding whether to select, recommend or form such an advisor or service provider to perform services for the Fund, subject to applicable law, or a portfolio company, the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund and can be expected to incentivize the Firm to engage such service provider over a third party, utilize the services of such service providers and vendors more frequently than would be the case absent the conflict, or to pay such service providers and vendors higher fees or commissions than would be the case absent the conflict. The incentive could be created by current income and/or the generation of enterprise value in a service provider or vendor; the Firm can be expected to also have an incentive to invest in or create service providers and vendors to realize on these opportunities.

The Firm has a practice of not entering into any arrangements with advisors, vendors or service providers that provide lower rates or discounts to the Firm itself compared to those it enters into on behalf of the Fund and its obligors for the same services. However, legal fees for unconsummated transactions are often charged at a discount rate, such that if the Fund and its obligors consummate a higher percentage of transactions with a particular law firm than the Firm, the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, the shareholders could indirectly pay a higher net effective rate for the services of that law firm than the Firm, the Fund or Other Clients or their obligors/portfolio companies. Also, advisors, vendors and service providers often charge different rates or have different arrangements for different types of services. For example, advisors, vendors and service providers often charge fees based on the complexity of the matter as well as the expertise and time required to handle it. Therefore, to the extent the types of services used by the Fund and its obligors are different from those used by the Firm, Other Clients and their portfolio companies, and their affiliates and personnel, the Fund and its obligors can be expected to pay different amounts or rates than those paid by such other persons. Similarly, the Firm, the Fund, the Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies and affiliates can be expected to enter into agreements or other arrangements with vendors and other similar counterparties (whether such counterparties are affiliated or unaffiliated with the Firm) from time to time whereby such counterparty will, in certain circumstances, charge lower rates (or no fee) or provide discounts or rebates for such counterparty’s products or services depending on the volume of transactions in the aggregate or other factors.

Subject to applicable law, the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies are expected to enter into joint ventures with third parties to which the service providers and vendors described above will provide services. In some of these cases, the third party joint venture partner may negotiate to not pay its pro rata share of fees, costs and expenses to be allocated as described above, in which case the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies that also use the services of the portfolio company service provider will, directly or indirectly, pay the difference, or the portfolio company service provider will bear a loss equal to the difference.

The Firm may, from time to time, encourage service providers to funds and investments to use, at market rates and/or on arm’s length terms, the Firm-affiliated service providers in connection with the business of the

 

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Fund, obligors/portfolio companies, and unaffiliated entities. This practice provides an indirect benefit to the Firm in the form of added business for the Firm-affiliated service providers.

Certain obligors/portfolio companies that provide services to the Fund, Other Clients and/or obligors/portfolio companies or assets of the Fund and/or Other Clients may be transferred between and among the Fund and/or Other Clients (where the Fund may be a seller or a buyer in any such transfer) for minimal or no consideration (based on a third party valuation confirming the same). Such transfers may give rise to actual or potential conflicts of interest for GSO.

Firm Affiliated Service Providers. Certain of the Fund’s, the Firm’s and/or obligor/portfolio companies’ advisers and other service providers, or their affiliates (including accountants, administrators, lenders, bankers, brokers, attorneys, consultants, and investment or commercial banking firms) also provide goods or services to, or have business, personal, financial or other relationships with, the Firm, its affiliates and portfolio companies. Such advisers and service providers (or their affiliates) may be investors in the Fund, affiliates of the Firm, sources of investment opportunities, co-investors, commercial counterparties and/or portfolio companies in which the Firm and/or the Fund has an investment. Accordingly, payments to such entities may indirectly benefit the Fund and/or its affiliates, including the Firm and Other Clients. No fees charged by these service providers and vendors will reduce the management fees payable to the Adviser. Furthermore, the Firm, the Other Clients and their portfolio companies and their affiliates and related parties will use the services of these Firm affiliates, including at different rates. Although the Firm believes the services provided by its affiliates are equal or better than those of third parties, the Firm directly benefits from the engagement of these affiliates, and there is therefore an inherent conflict of interest such as those described above.

Because the Firm has many different businesses, including the Blackstone Capital Markets Group, which Blackstone investment teams and portfolio companies may engage to provide underwriting and capital market advisory services, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would be subject if it had just one line of business. To the extent Blackstone determines appropriate, conflict mitigation strategies may be put in place with respect to a particular circumstance, such as internal information barriers or recusal, disclosure or other steps determined appropriate by the Adviser. Service providers affiliated with the Firm, which are generally expected to receive competitive market rate fees (as determined by the Adviser or its affiliates) with respect to certain Investments, include:

 

   

BPM. Blackstone Property Management is a Blackstone affiliate that may provide property management, leasing oversight, corporate services (including accounting and reporting), development and construction management, and transaction support services to any of the Fund’s investment properties primarily located in the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

 

   

Equity Healthcare. Equity Healthcare LLC (“Equity Healthcare”) is a Blackstone affiliate that negotiates with providers of standard administrative services for health benefit plans and other related services for cost discounts, quality of service monitoring, data services and clinical consulting. Because of the combined purchasing power of its client participants, which include unaffiliated third parties, Equity Healthcare is able to negotiate pricing terms that are believed to be more favorable than those that the portfolio companies could obtain on an individual basis. The fees received by Equity Healthcare in connection with services provided to investments will not reduce the management fee payable by the Fund.

 

   

LNLS. Blackstone wholly owns a leading national title agency, Lexington National Land Services (“LNLS”), a title agent company. LNLS may act as an agent for one or more underwriters in issuing title policies and/or providing support services in connection with investments by the Fund, Other Clients and third parties. LNLS focuses on transactions in rate-regulated U.S. states where the cost of title insurance is non-negotiable. LNLS will not perform services in nonregulated U.S. states for the Fund and Other Clients unless (i) in the context of a portfolio transaction that includes assets in rate-

 

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regulated U.S. states, (ii) as part of a syndicate of title insurance companies where the rate is negotiated by other insurers or their agents, (iii) when a third party is paying all or a material portion of the premium or (iv) when providing only support services to the underwriter and not negotiating the title policy or issuing it to the insured. LNLS earns fees, which would have otherwise been paid to third parties, by providing title agency services and facilitating the placement of title insurance with underwriters. Blackstone receives distributions from LNLS in connection with investments by the Fund based on its equity interest in LNLS. In each case, there will be no related reduction in management fees. As a result, while Blackstone believes that venture will provide services at or better than those provided by third parties (even in jurisdictions where insurance rates are regulated), there is an inherent conflict of interest that would incentivize Blackstone to engage LNLS over a third party.

 

   

Refinitiv. See “—Obligor/Portfolio Company Service Providers and Vendors.”

Certain Blackstone-affiliated service providers and their respective personnel will receive a management promote, an incentive fee and other performance-based compensation in respect of investments, sales or other transaction volume. Furthermore, Blackstone-affiliated service providers may charge costs and expenses based on allocable overhead associated with personnel working on relevant matters (including salaries, benefits and other similar expenses).

In connection with such relationships, GSO and, if required by applicable law, the Board, will make determinations of competitive market rates based on its consideration of a number of factors, which are generally expected to include GSO’s experience with non-affiliated service providers, benchmarking data and other methodologies determined by GSO to be appropriate under the circumstances (i.e., rates that fall within a range that GSO has determined is reflective of rates in the applicable market and certain similar markets, though not necessarily equal to or lower than the median rate of comparable firms). In respect of benchmarking, while GSO often obtains benchmarking data regarding the rates charged or quoted by third parties for services similar to those provided by GSO affiliates in the applicable market or certain similar markets, relevant comparisons may not be available for a number of reasons, including, without limitation, as a result of a lack of a substantial market of providers or users of such services or the confidential or bespoke nature of such services (e.g., different assets may receive different services). In addition, benchmarking data is based on general market and broad industry overviews, rather than determined on an asset by asset basis. As a result, benchmarking data does not take into account specific characteristics of individual assets then invested in by the Fund (such as location or size), or the particular characteristics of services provided. For these reasons, such market comparisons may not result in precise market terms for comparable services. Expenses to obtain benchmarking data will be borne by the Fund, Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and will not reduce the management fee. Finally, in certain circumstances GSO may determine that third party benchmarking is unnecessary, either because the price for a particular good or service is mandated by law (e.g., title insurance in rate regulated states) or because GSO has access to adequate market data to make the determination without reference to third party benchmarking. For example, certain portfolio companies may enter into an employer health program arrangement or similar arrangements with Equity Healthcare, a Blackstone affiliate that negotiates with providers of standard administrative services and insurance carriers for health benefit plans and other related services for cost discounts, quality of service monitoring, data services and clinical consulting. Because of the combined purchasing power of its client participants, Equity Healthcare is able to negotiate pricing terms from providers that are believed to be more favorable than the companies could obtain for themselves on an individual basis. The payments made to Blackstone in connection with Equity Healthcare, group purchasing, insurance and benefits management will not reduce the management fee payable to the Adviser.

Advisers and service providers, or their affiliates, often charge different rates, including below-market or no fee, or have different arrangements for different types of services. With respect to service providers, for example, the fee for a given type of work may vary depending on the complexity of the matter as well as the expertise required and demands placed on the service provider. Therefore, to the extent the types of services used by the Fund and/or portfolio companies differ from those used by the Firm and its affiliates (including personnel), GSO

 

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and/or Blackstone or their respective affiliates (including personnel) may pay different amounts or rates than those paid by the Fund and/or portfolio companies. However, GSO and its affiliates have a longstanding practice of not entering into any arrangements with advisers or service providers that could provide for lower rates or discounts than those available to the Fund, Other Clients and/or portfolio companies for the same services. Furthermore, advisers and service providers may provide services exclusively to the Firm and its affiliates, including the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies, although such advisers and service providers would not be considered employees of Blackstone or GSO. Similarly, Blackstone, GSO, each of their respective affiliates, the Fund, the Other Clients and/or their obligors/portfolio companies, may enter into agreements or other arrangements with vendors and other similar counterparties (whether such counterparties are affiliated or unaffiliated with the Firm) from time to time whereby such counterparty may charge lower rates (or no fee) and/or provide discounts or rebates for such counterparty’s products and/or services depending on certain factors, including volume of transactions entered into with such counterparty by the Firm, its affiliates, the Fund, the Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies in the aggregate.

In addition, investment banks or other financial institutions, as well as Blackstone employees, may also be investors in the Fund. These institutions and employees are a potential source of information and ideas that could benefit the Fund. Blackstone has procedures in place reasonably designed to prevent the inappropriate use of such information by the Fund.

Transactions with Portfolio Companies. The Firm and obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients provide products and services to or otherwise contract with the Fund and its obligors, among others. In the alternative, the Firm may form a joint venture with such a company to implement such referral arrangement. For example, such arrangements may include the establishment of a joint venture or other business arrangement between the Firm, on the one hand, and a portfolio company of the Fund, portfolio company of an Other Client or third party, on the other hand, pursuant to which the joint venture or business provides services (including, without limitation, corporate support services, loan management services, management services, operational services, risk management services, data management services, consulting services, brokerage services, insurance procurement, placement, brokerage and consulting services, and other services) to obligors of the Fund (and portfolio companies of Other Clients) that are referred to the joint venture or business by the Firm. The Firm, the Fund and Other Clients and their respective obligors/portfolio companies and personnel and related parties of the foregoing may make referrals or introductions to obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients in an effort, in part, to increase the customer base of such companies or businesses (and therefore the value of the investment held by the Fund or Other Client, which would also benefit the Firm financially through its participation in such joint venture or business) or because such referrals or introductions may result in financial benefits, such as additional equity ownership and/or milestones benefitting the referring or introducing party that are tied or related to participation by the obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund and/or of Other Clients, accruing to the party making the introduction. The Fund and the common shareholders will not share in any fees, economics, equity or other benefits accruing to the Firm, Other Clients and their portfolio companies as a result of the introduction of the Fund and its obligors. Moreover, payments made to the Firm in connection with such arrangements will not reduce the management fee payable to the Adviser. There may, however, be instances in which the applicable arrangements provide that the Fund or its obligors share in some or all of any resulting financial incentives (including, in some cases, equity ownership) based on structures and allocation methodologies determined in the sole discretion of the Firm. Conversely, where the Fund or one of its obligors is the referring or introducing party, rather than receiving all of the financial incentives (including, in some cases, additional equity ownership) for similar types of referrals and/or introductions, such financial incentives (including, in some cases, equity ownership) may be similarly shared with the participating Other Clients or their respective portfolio companies.

The Firm may also enter into commercial relationships with third party companies, including those in which the Fund considered making an investment (but ultimately chose not to pursue). For example, the Firm may enter into an introducer engagement with such company, pursuant to which the Firm introduces the company to unaffiliated third parties (which may include current and former portfolio companies and portfolio companies of

 

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Other Clients and/or their respective employees) in exchange for a fee from, or equity interest in, such company. Even though the Firm may benefit financially from this commercial relationship, the Firm will be under no obligation to reimburse the Fund for Broken Deal Expenses incurred in connection with its consideration of the prospective investment and such arrangements will not be subject to the management fee payable to the Adviser and otherwise described herein.

Additionally, the Firm or an affiliate thereof will from time to time hold equity or other investments in companies or businesses that provide services to or otherwise contract with portfolio companies. Blackstone and GSO have in the past entered (and can be expected in the future to enter) into relationships with companies in the information technology, corporate services and related industries whereby Blackstone acquires an equity or similar interest in such company. In connection with such relationships, Blackstone and/or GSO may also make referrals and/or introductions to portfolio companies (which may result in financial incentives (including additional equity ownership) and/or milestones benefitting Blackstone and/or GSO that are tied or related to participation by portfolio companies). Such joint venture or business could use data obtained from obligors of the Fund and/or portfolio companies of Other Clients. (See “—Data.”) These arrangements may be entered into without the consent or direct involvement of the Fund. The Fund and the common shareholders will not share in any fees or economics accruing to Blackstone and/or GSO as a result of these relationships and/or participation by portfolio companies.

With respect to transactions or agreements with portfolio companies (including, for the avoidance of doubt, long-term incentive plans), at times if officers unrelated to the Firm have not yet been appointed to represent a portfolio company, the Firm may negotiate and execute agreements between the Firm and/or the Fund on the one hand, and the portfolio company or its affiliates, on the other hand, without arm’s length representation of the portfolio company, which could entail a conflict of interest in relation to efforts to enter into terms that are arm’s length. Among the measures the Firm may use to mitigate such conflicts are to involve outside counsel to review and advise on such agreements and provide insights into commercially reasonable terms, or establish separate groups with information barriers within the Firm to advise on each side of the negotiation.

Related Party Leasing. Subject to applicable law, the Fund and its obligors may lease property to or from Blackstone, Other Clients and their portfolio companies and affiliates and other related parties. The leases are generally expected to be at market rates. Blackstone may confirm market rates by reference to other leases it is aware of in the market, which Blackstone expects to be generally indicative of market given the scale of Blackstone’s real estate business. Blackstone will nonetheless have conflicts of interest in making these determinations. There can be no assurance that the Fund and its obligors will lease to or from any such related parties on terms as favorable to the Fund and its obligors as would apply if the counterparties were unrelated.

Cross-Guarantees and Cross-Collateralization. While GSO generally seeks to use reasonable efforts to avoid cross-guarantees and other similar arrangements, a counterparty, lender or other participant in any transaction to be pursued by the Fund (other than alternative investment vehicles) and/or the Other Clients may require or prefer facing only one fund entity or group of entities, which may result in any of the Fund, such Other Clients, the portfolio companies, such Other Clients’ portfolio companies and/or other vehicles being jointly and severally liable for such applicable obligation (subject to any limitations set forth in the applicable partnership agreements or other governing documents thereof), which in each case may result in the Fund, such Other Clients, such portfolio companies, and/or vehicles entering into a back-to-back or other similar reimbursement agreement, subject to applicable law. In such situation, better financing terms may be available through a cross-collateralized arrangement, but it is not expected that any of the Fund or such Other Clients or vehicles would be compensated (or provide compensation to the other) for being primarily liable vis-à-vis such third party counterparty. Also, it is expected that cross-collateralization will generally occur at portfolio companies rather than the Fund for obligations that are not recourse to the Fund except in limited circumstances such as “bad boy” events. Any cross-collateralization arrangements with Other Clients could result in the Fund losing its interests in otherwise performing investments due to poorly performing or non-performing investments of Other Clients in the collateral pool.

 

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Similarly, a lender could require that it face only one portfolio company of the Fund and Other Clients, even though multiple obligors of the Fund and Other Clients benefit from the lending, which will typically result in (i) the portfolio company facing the lender being solely liable with respect to the entire obligation, and therefore being required to contribute amounts in respect of the shortfall attributable to other portfolio companies, and (ii) obligors of the Fund and Other Clients being jointly and severally liable for the full amount of the obligation, liable on a cross-collateralized basis or liable for an equity cushion (which cushion amount may vary depending upon the type of financing or refinancing (e.g., cushions for refinancings may be smaller)). The obligor/portfolio companies of the Fund and Other Clients benefiting from a financing may enter into a back-to-back or other similar reimbursement agreements to ensure no obligor/portfolio company bears more than its pro rata portion of the debt and related obligations. It is not expected that the obligors/portfolio companies would be compensated (or provide compensation to other portfolio companies) for being primarily liable, or jointly liable, for other portfolio companies pro rata share of any financing.

Joint Venture Partners. The Fund will from time to time enter into one or more joint venture arrangements with third party joint venture partners. Investments made with joint venture partners will often involve performance-based compensation and other fees payable to such joint venture partners, as determined by the Adviser in its sole discretion. The joint venture partners could provide services similar to those provided by the Adviser to the Fund. Yet, no compensation or fees paid to the joint venture partners would reduce the management fees payable by the Fund. Additional conflicts would arise if a joint venture partner is related to the Firm in any way, such as a limited partner investor in, lender to, a shareholder of, or a service provider to the Firm, the Fund, Other Clients, or their respective obligors/portfolio companies, or any affiliate, personnel, officer or agent of any of the foregoing.

Group Procurement; Discounts. The Fund (subject to applicable law) and certain portfolio companies will enter into agreements regarding group procurement (such as CoreTrust, an independent group purchasing organization), benefits management, purchase of title and/or other insurance policies (which may include brokerage and/or placement thereof, and will from time to time be pooled across portfolio companies and discounted due to scale, including through sharing of deductibles and other forms of shared risk retention) from a third party or an affiliate of GSO and/or Blackstone, and other operational, administrative or management related initiatives. The Firm will allocate the cost of these various services and products purchased on a group basis among the Fund, Other Clients and their obligors/portfolio companies. Some of these arrangements result in commissions, discounts, rebates or similar payments to GSO and/or Blackstone or their affiliates (including personnel), or Other Clients and their portfolio companies, including as a result of transactions entered into by the Fund and its obligors and/or related to a portion of the savings achieved by the obligors. Such commissions or payment will not reduce the management fee. The Firm may also receive consulting or other fees from the parties to these group procurement arrangements. To the extent that a portfolio company of an Other Client is providing such a service, such portfolio company and such Other Client will benefit. Further, the benefits received by a particular portfolio company providing the service may be greater than those received by the Fund and its obligors receiving the service. Conflicts exist in the allocation of the costs and benefits of these arrangements, and common shareholders rely on the Adviser to handle them in its sole discretion.

Diverse Shareholder Group. The common shareholders are expected to be based in a wide variety of jurisdictions and take a wide variety of forms. The common shareholders may have conflicting investment, tax and other interests with respect to their investments in the Fund and with respect to the interests of investors in other investment vehicles managed or advised by the Adviser and GSO that may participate in the same investments as the Fund. The conflicting interests of individual common shareholders with respect to other common shareholders and relative to investors in other investment vehicles would generally relate to or arise from, among other things, the nature of investments made by the Fund and such other partnerships, the structuring or the acquisition of investments and the timing of disposition of investments. As a consequence, conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the decisions made by the Adviser or GSO, including with respect to the nature or structuring of investments that may be more beneficial for one investor than for another investor, especially with respect to investors’ individual tax situations. In addition, the Fund may make

 

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investments that may have a negative impact on related investments made by the common shareholders in separate transactions. In selecting and structuring investments appropriate for the Fund, the Adviser or GSO will consider the investment and tax objectives of the Fund and the common shareholders (and those of investors in other investment vehicles managed or advised by the Adviser or GSO) as a whole, not the investment, tax or other objectives of any common shareholder individually.

In addition, certain common shareholders also may be investors in Other Clients, including supplemental capital vehicles and co-investment vehicles that may invest alongside the Fund in one or more investments, consistent with applicable law and/or any applicable SEC-granted order. common shareholders also may include affiliates of the Firm, such as Other Clients, affiliates of obligors/portfolio companies of the Fund or Other Clients, charities, foundations or other entities or programs associated with Firm personnel and/or current or former Firm employees, the Firm’s senior advisors and/or operating partners and any affiliates, funds or persons may also invest in the Fund through the vehicles established in connection with the Firm’s side-by-side co-investment rights, subject to applicable law, in each case, without being subject to management fees, and common shareholders will not be afforded the benefits of such arrangements. Some of the foregoing Firm related parties are sponsors of feeder vehicles that could invest in the Fund as common shareholders. The Firm related sponsors of feeder vehicles generally charge their investors additional fees, including performance based fees, which could provide the Firm current income and increase the value of its ownership position in them. The Firm will therefore have incentives to refer potential investors to these feeder vehicles. All of these Firm related shareholders will have equivalent rights to vote and withhold consents as nonrelated shareholders. Nonetheless, the Firm may have the ability to influence, directly or indirectly, these Firm related shareholders.

It is also possible that the Fund or its obligors will be a counterparty (such counterparties dealt with on an arm’s-length basis) or participant in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with a common shareholder or an affiliate of a common shareholder. Such transactions may include agreements to pay performance fees to operating partners, a management team and other related persons in connection with the Fund’s investment therein, which will reduce the Fund’s returns. Such common shareholders described in the previous sentences may therefore have different information about the Firm and the Fund than common shareholders not similarly positioned. In addition, conflicts of interest may arise in dealing with any such common shareholders, and the Adviser and its affiliates may not be motivated to act solely in accordance with its interests relating to the Fund. Similar information disparity may occur as a result of common shareholders monitoring their investments in vehicles such as the Fund differently. For example, certain common shareholders may periodically request from the Adviser information regarding the Fund, its investments and/or obligors that is not otherwise set forth in (or has yet to be set forth) in the reporting and other information required to be delivered to all common shareholders. In such circumstances, the Adviser may provide such information to such common shareholders, subject to applicable law and regulations. Unless required by applicable law, the Adviser will not be obligated to affirmatively provide such information to all common shareholders (although the Adviser will generally provide the same information upon request and treat common shareholders equally in that regard). As a result, certain common shareholders may have more information about the Fund than other common shareholders, and, unless required by applicable law, the Adviser will have no duty to ensure all common shareholders seek, obtain or process the same information regarding the Fund, its investments and/or obligors. Therefore, certain common shareholders may be able to take actions on the basis of such information which, in the absence of such information, other common shareholders do not take. Furthermore, at certain times the Firm may be restricted from disclosing to the common shareholders material non-public information regarding any assets in which the Fund invests, particularly those investments in which an Other Client or portfolio company that is publicly registered co-invests with the Fund. In addition, investment banks or other financial institutions, as well as Firm personnel, may also be common shareholders. These institutions and personnel are a potential source of information and ideas that could benefit the Fund, and may receive information about the Fund and its obligors in their capacity as a service provider or vendor to the Fund and its obligors.

Possible Future Activities. The Firm and its affiliates may expand the range of services that it provides over time. Except as provided herein, the Firm and its affiliates will not be restricted in the scope of its business or in

 

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the performance of any such services (whether now offered or undertaken in the future) even if such activities could give rise to conflicts of interest, and whether or not such conflicts are described herein. The Firm and its affiliates have, and will continue to develop, relationships with a significant number of companies, financial sponsors and their senior managers, including relationships with clients who may hold or may have held investments similar to those intended to be made by the Fund. These clients may themselves represent appropriate investment opportunities for the Fund or may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities.

Restrictions Arising under the Securities Laws. The Firm’s activities and the activities of Other Clients (including the holding of securities positions or having one of its employees on the board of directors of a portfolio company) could result in securities law restrictions on transactions in securities held by the Fund, affect the prices of such securities or the ability of such entities to purchase, retain or dispose of such investments, or otherwise create conflicts of interest, any of which could have an adverse impact on the performance of the Fund and thus the return to the common shareholders.

The 1940 Act may limit the Fund’s ability to undertake certain transactions with or alongside its affiliates that are registered under the 1940 Act. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be prohibited from executing “joint” transactions with the Fund’s 1940 Act registered affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times) or buying investments from, or selling them to, Other Clients. These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund.

The Fund has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits us, among other things, to co-invest with certain other persons, including certain affiliates of the Adviser and certain funds managed and controlled by the Adviser and its affiliates, subject to certain terms and conditions.

Shareholders’ Outside Activities. A common shareholder shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in activities in addition to those relating to the Fund, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Fund and its obligors, and may engage in transactions with, and provide services to, the Fund or its obligors (which may include providing leverage or other financing to the Fund or its obligors as determined by the Adviser in its sole discretion). None of the Fund, any common shareholder or any other person shall have any rights by virtue of the Fund’s operative documents in any business ventures of any common shareholder. The common shareholder, and in certain cases the Adviser, will have conflicting loyalties in these situations.

Insurance. The Fund will purchase, and/or bear premiums, fees, costs and expenses (including any expenses or fees of insurance brokers) for insurance to insure the Fund and the Board against liability in connection with the activities of the Fund. This includes a portion of any premiums, fees, costs and expenses for one or more “umbrella,” group or other insurance policies maintained by the Firm that cover the Fund and one or more of the Other Clients, the Adviser, GSO and/or Blackstone (including their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, independent client representative (if any) and other indemnified parties). The Adviser will make judgments about the allocation of premiums, fees, costs and expenses for such “umbrella,” group or other insurance policies among the Fund, one or more Other Clients, the Adviser, GSO and/or Blackstone on a fair and reasonable basis, subject to approval by the Board.

Additional Potential Conflicts of Interest. The officers, directors, members, managers, employees and personnel of the Adviser may trade in securities for their own accounts, subject to restrictions and reporting requirements as may be required by law or the Firm’s policies, or otherwise determined from time to time by the Adviser. In addition, certain Other Clients may be subject to the 1940 Act or other regulations that, due to the role of the Firm, could restrict the ability of the Fund to buy investments from, to sell investments to or to invest in the same securities as, such Other Clients. Such regulations may have the effect of limiting the investment opportunities available to the Fund. In addition, as a consequence of Blackstone’s status as a public company, the officers, directors, members, managers and personnel of the Adviser may take into account certain considerations and other factors in connection with the management of the business and affairs of the Fund and its affiliates that would not necessarily be taken into account if Blackstone were not a public company. The directors of Blackstone have

 

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fiduciary duties to shareholders of the public company that may conflict with their duties to the Fund. Finally, although the Firm believes its positive reputation in the marketplace provides benefit to the Fund and Other Clients, the Adviser could decline to undertake investment activity or transact with a counterparty on behalf of the Fund for reputational reasons, and this decision could result in the Fund foregoing a profit or suffering a loss.

Proxy Voting Policies

The Board has delegated the voting of proxies for Fund securities to the Adviser pursuant to the Adviser’s proxy voting guidelines. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will vote proxies related to Fund securities in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. A copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting policy is attached as Appendix B to this Statement of Additional Information.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available without charge by calling toll-free (877) 876-1121, or on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Codes of Ethics

The Fund and the Adviser have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. These codes govern personal trading by Fund and Adviser personnel. Among other requirements, the codes require certain persons to report certain of their personal securities transactions and holdings (in reportable securities) to the Adviser or Fund, and the Adviser and Fund are required to review such reports. The Fund’s code permits the Fund’s personnel to trade in securities, but prohibits insider trading and trades knowingly made within certain time frames of trades made by the Fund in the same securities. The Adviser’s code permits the Adviser’s personnel to trade in securities, but not to trade in securities in which the Fund invests. These codes of ethics are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Web site (http://www.sec.gov), and copies of these codes may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

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PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

The Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of prices and any brokerage commissions. With respect to Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans, the Fund generally will engage in privately negotiated transactions for purchase or sale in which the Adviser will negotiate on behalf of the Fund, although a more developed market may exist or develop for certain Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans. Most of these transactions will be principal transactions at net prices for which the Fund will generally incur little or no brokerage costs. The Fund may be required to pay fees, or forgo a portion of interest and any fees payable to the Fund, to a lender selling Assignment or Participations to the Fund. The Adviser will determine the lenders from whom the Fund will purchase Assignments and Participations by considering their professional ability, level of service, relationship with the Borrower, financial condition, credit standards and quality of management. Affiliates of the Adviser may participate in the primary and secondary market for Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans. Because of certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act, this may restrict the Fund’s ability to acquire some Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans. The Adviser does not believe that this will have a material effect on the Fund’s ability to acquire Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans consistent with its investment policies. Sales to dealers are effected at bid prices. The illiquidity of many Secured Loans and Subordinated Loans may restrict the ability of the Adviser to locate in a timely manner persons willing to purchase the Fund’s interests in Secured Loans or Subordinated Loans at a fair price should the Fund desire to sell such interests.

With respect to fixed-income instruments and other types of securities, the Fund may (i) purchase certain money market instruments directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid, (ii) purchase securities in the over-the-counter market from an underwriter or dealer serving as market maker for the securities, in which case the price includes a fixed amount of compensation to the underwriter or dealer, and (iii) purchase and sell listed securities on an exchange, which are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services.

Payments of commissions to brokers who are affiliated persons of the Fund (or affiliated persons of such persons) will be made in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act.

Commissions paid on such transactions would be commensurate with the rate of commissions paid on similar transactions to brokers that are not so affiliated.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018 and December 2017, the Fund paid $0, $69 and $0, respectively, in brokerage commissions. During the same period, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to any broker that is an affiliated person of the Fund, is an affiliated person of an affiliated person of the Fund, or has an affiliated person that is an affiliated person of the Fund or the Adviser. During the same period, the Fund did not acquire securities of its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parent companies.

The Adviser is responsible for placing portfolio transactions and will do so in a manner deemed fair and reasonable to the Fund and not according to any formula. The primary consideration in all portfolio transactions is prompt execution of orders in an effective manner at the most favorable price. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating prices and any brokerage commissions on such transactions, the Adviser considers the firm’s reliability, integrity and financial condition and the firm’s execution capability, the size and breadth of the market for the security, the size of and difficulty in executing the order, and the best net price. There may be instances when, in the judgment of the Adviser, more than one firm can offer comparable execution services.

A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Adviser determine in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall responsibility of the Adviser to the Fund and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by the Fund will be reasonable in relation to the

 

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benefits to the Fund over the long-term. The advisory fees that the Fund pays to the Adviser will not be reduced as a consequence of the Adviser’s receipt of brokerage and research services. To the extent that portfolio transactions are used to obtain such services, the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund will exceed those that might otherwise be paid by an amount that cannot be presently determined. Such services generally would be useful and of value to the Adviser in serving one or more of their other clients and, conversely, such services obtained by the placement of brokerage business of other clients generally would be useful to the Adviser in carrying out their obligations to the Fund. While such services are not expected to reduce the expenses of the Adviser, the Adviser would, through use of the services, avoid the additional expenses that would be incurred if they should attempt to develop comparable information through their own staffs. Commission rates for brokerage transactions on foreign stock exchanges are generally fixed.

One or more of the other accounts that the Adviser manages may own from time to time some of the same investments as the Fund. Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of such other investment companies or accounts; however, from time to time, the same investment decision may be made for more than one company or account. When two or more companies or accounts seek to purchase or sell the same securities, the securities actually purchased or sold will be allocated among the companies and accounts on a good faith equitable basis, usually on a pro rata basis, by the Adviser in its discretion in accordance with the accounts’ various investment objectives. Such allocations are based upon the written procedures of the Adviser, which have been reviewed and approved by the Board. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the price or size of the position obtainable for the Fund. In other cases, however, the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better execution for the Fund. It is the opinion of the Board that this advantage, when combined with the other benefits available due to the Adviser’s organization, outweighs any disadvantages that may be said to exist from exposure to simultaneous transactions.

While the Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate is not expected to exceed 100% under normal circumstances, it has exceeded that amount in the past and may again in the future. Portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund. Because it is difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower than expected. Higher portfolio turnover results in increased Fund costs, including brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale of securities and on the reinvestment in other securities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

Common Shares

The Fund holds annual meetings of shareholders and intends to do so for as long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing. All Common Shares are equal as to dividends, assets and voting privileges and have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. The Fund sends annual and semi-annual reports, including financial statements, to all holders of its Shares. The Prospectus contains a detailed discussion of the Common Shares.

Preferred Shares

The Fund’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) provides that the Board may authorize and issue Preferred Shares with rights as determined by the Board, by action of the Board without the approval of the common shareholders. Common shareholders have no preemptive right to purchase any Preferred Shares that might be issued. Whenever Preferred Shares are outstanding, common shareholders will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Fund unless all accrued dividends on Preferred Shares have been paid, unless asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) with respect to Preferred Shares would be at least 200% after giving effect to the distributions and unless certain other requirements imposed by any rating agencies rating the Preferred Shares have been met.

Rating Agency Guidelines. The Fund has issued Series A mandatory redeemable preferred shares (“MRPS”), which are currently rated by one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”). Currently, the Fund’s supplement to the Declaration of Trust (the “Articles Supplementary”) requires the Fund to use its reasonable best efforts to cause at least one NRSRO to maintain a current rating on the MRPS. The Fund may be subject to certain guidelines by an NRSRO in connection with the ratings of the MRPS. These guidelines generally include asset coverage requirements, portfolio characteristics such as portfolio diversification and credit rating criteria, and qualitative views on the Fund and Fund management. While these guidelines may impose different requirements than those under the 1940 Act, it is not anticipated that these guidelines will impede the management of the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies.

Other Shares

The Board (subject to applicable law and the terms of the Declaration of Trust) may authorize an offering, without the approval of the holders of either Common Shares or Preferred Shares, of other classes of shares, or other classes or series of shares, as they determine to be necessary, desirable or appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions as the Board see fit. The Fund currently does not expect to issue any other classes of shares, or series of shares, except for the Shares.

REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES

The Fund is a closed-end management investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares. Instead, the Fund’s Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses), NAV, dividend stability, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors. Because shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than NAV, the Board may consider action that might be taken to reduce or eliminate any material discount from NAV in respect of Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares, or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Board may decide not to take any of these actions. In addition, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers, if undertaken, will reduce market discount.

 

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

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

Although the decision to take action in response to a discount from NAV will be made by the Board at the time it considers such issue, it is the Board’s present policy, which may be changed by the Board, not to authorize repurchases of Common Shares or a tender offer for such shares if: (1) such transactions, if consummated, would (a) result in the delisting of the Common Shares from the New York Stock Exchange, or (b) impair the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under the Code (which would make the Fund a taxable entity, causing the Fund’s income to be taxed at the corporate level in addition to the taxation of shareholders who receive dividends from the Fund), or as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act; (2) the Fund would not be able to liquidate portfolio securities in an orderly manner and consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies in order to repurchase shares; or (3) there is, in the board’s judgment, any (a) material legal action or proceeding instituted or threatened challenging such transactions or otherwise materially adversely affecting the Fund, (b) general suspension of or limitation on prices for trading securities on the New York Stock Exchange, (c) declaration of a banking moratorium by Federal or state authorities or any suspension of payment by United States or New York banks, (d) material limitation affecting the Fund or the issuers of its portfolio securities by Federal or state authorities on the extension of credit by lending institutions or on the exchange of foreign currency, (e) commencement of war, armed hostilities or other international or national calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States, excluding the current hostilities in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to the extent these hostilities do not materially escalate, or (f) other event or condition which would have a material adverse effect (including any adverse tax effect) on the Fund or its shareholders if shares were repurchased. The Board may in the future modify these conditions in light of experience.

The repurchase by the Fund of its shares at prices below NAV will result in an increase in the NAV of those shares that remain outstanding. However, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers at or below NAV will result in the Fund’s shares trading at a price equal to their NAV. Nevertheless, the fact that the Fund’s shares may be the subject of repurchase or tender offers from time to time, or that the Fund may be converted to an open-end investment company, may reduce any spread between market price and NAV that might otherwise exist.

In addition, a purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares will decrease the Fund’s total assets which would likely have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio. Any purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares at a time when Preferred Shares are outstanding will increase the leverage applicable to the outstanding Common Shares then remaining.

Before deciding whether to take any action if the Common Shares trade below NAV, the Board will consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its shareholders and market considerations. Based on these considerations, even if the Fund’s shares should trade at a discount, the Board may determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its shareholders, no action should be taken.

 

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TAX MATTERS

Set forth below is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax aspects concerning the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Common Shares. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to common shareholders in light of their particular circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion applies only to U.S. shareholders that hold Common Shares as capital assets. A U.S. shareholder is an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a U.S. corporation, a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court in the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person, or any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source. This discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling authorities, all of which are subject to change, or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). This discussion does not represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to special classes of taxpayers including, without limitation, financial institutions, insurance companies, investors in pass-through entities, U.S. shareholders whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities or commodities that elect mark to market treatment, or persons that will hold Common Shares as a position in a “straddle,” “hedge” or as part of a “constructive sale” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, this discussion does not address the application of the Medicare tax on net investment income or the U.S. federal alternative minimum tax. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, or disposition of Common Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, foreign country or other taxing jurisdiction.

Taxation of the Fund

The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to continue to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code.

To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things: (i) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies; and (b) net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each a “Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership”); and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, with respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is represented by the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or (III) any one or more Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes in each taxable year to its shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income and its net tax-exempt income for such taxable year. The Fund distributes to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain.

 

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Amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% U.S. federal excise tax. To prevent imposition of the excise tax, the Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (iii) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. For these purposes, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains on which it paid U.S. federal income tax.

A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of any calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to common shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received.

If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC or failed to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income (including its net capital gain), even if such income were distributed to common shareholders, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to common shareholders as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible (i) to be treated as “qualified dividend income” in the case of individual and other noncorporate common shareholders and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate common shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and make distributions (which could be subject to interest charges) before requalifying for taxation as a RIC.

Distributions

Distributions to common shareholders of ordinary income (including “market discount” realized by the Fund on the sale of debt securities), and of net short-term capital gains, if any, realized by the Fund will generally be taxable to common shareholders as ordinary income to the extent that such distributions are paid out of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions, if any, of net capital gains properly reported as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the common shareholder has owned Common Shares. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will be treated by a common shareholder as a return of capital which will be applied against and reduce the common shareholder’s basis in his or her Common Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the common shareholder’s basis in his or her Common Shares, the excess will be treated by the common shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the Common Shares. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations or for the reduced rates applicable to certain qualified dividend income received by non-corporate common shareholders.

Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Shares pursuant to the DRIP. Common shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, unless the Fund issues additional Common Shares with a fair market value equal to or greater than NAV, in which case, common shareholders will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Common Shares. The additional Common Shares received by a common shareholder pursuant to the DRIP will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the Common Shares were credited to the common shareholder’s account.

The Fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment and be taxed at corporate rates on the amount retained. In such case, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in

 

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a notice to common shareholders, who will be treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each common shareholder will (i) be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and (iii) increase the tax basis for its Common Shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.

The Internal Revenue Service currently requires that a RIC that has two or more classes of stock allocate to each such class proportionate amounts of each type of its income (such as ordinary income and capital gains) based upon the percentage of total dividends paid to each class for the tax year. Accordingly the Fund allocates capital gain dividends, if any, between its Common Shares and Preferred Shares in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year. Common shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions.

Sale or Exchange of Common Shares

Upon the sale or other disposition of Common Shares, a common shareholder will generally realize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the common shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the Common Shares sold. Such gain or loss will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the common shareholder’s holding period for the Common Shares. Generally, a common shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the Common Shares have been held for more than one year. For non-corporate taxpayers, long-term capital gains are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation.

No loss will be allowed on the sale or other disposition of Common Shares if the owner acquires (including pursuant to the DRIP) or enters into a contract or option to acquire securities that are substantially identical to such Common Shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Losses realized by a common shareholder on the sale or exchange of Common Shares held for six months or less are treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or amounts designated as undistributed capital gains) with respect to such Common Shares.

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a common shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to Common Shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Internal Revenue Service Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Common shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Nature of Fund’s Investments

Certain of the Fund’s hedging and derivatives transactions are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above.

These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to common shareholders and the Fund’s status as a RIC. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.

 

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Impact of Short Sales

As part of its strategy, the Fund may engage in short sales. Short sales by the Fund may affect the Fund’s holding period in the Fund’s investments that are related to the short sales. By affecting the holding period, the short sales may reduce the amounts of long-term capital gains realized by the Fund. This may result in a higher overall tax rate applicable to common shareholders with respect to their income from the Fund. The short sales may, in certain circumstances, also result in deemed sales by the Fund, causing the Fund to have income without cash flow. The recognition of income without cash flow may require the Fund to sell securities to generate cash to distribute to its shareholders in order to continue to qualify for the favorable tax treatment available to a RIC.

Below Investment Grade Instruments

The Fund expects to invest a substantial portion of its Managed Assets in below investment grade (high yield) instruments, commonly known as “high yield” or “junk” instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the extent necessary, to preserve its status as a RIC and to distribute sufficient income to not become subject to U.S. federal income tax.

Original Issue Discount

Investments by the Fund in debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as zero coupon securities, debt instruments with PIK interest, step-up bonds or other discount securities) will result in income to the Fund equal to the accrued original issue discount each year during which the Fund holds the securities, even if the Fund receives no corresponding cash interest payments. If the Fund purchases debt instruments as part of a package of investments where the Fund also invests in common stock, other equity securities or warrants, the Fund might be required to accrue original issue discount in an amount equal to the value of such common stock, other equity securities or warrants (even if the face amount of such debt instruments does not exceed the Fund’s purchase price for such package of investments). Original issue discount is included in determining the amount of income which the Fund must distribute to maintain its qualification for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs and to avoid the payment of U.S. federal income tax and the nondeductible 4% U.S. federal excise tax. Because such income may not be matched by a corresponding cash distribution to the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of other securities to be able to make distributions to common shareholders.

Market Discount Securities

In general, the Fund will be treated as having acquired a security with market discount if its stated redemption price at maturity (or, in the case of a security issued with original issue discount, its revised issue price) exceeds the Fund’s initial tax basis in the security by more than a statutory de minimis amount. The Fund will be required to treat any principal payments on, or any gain derived from the disposition of, any securities acquired with market discount as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis. If this election is not made, all or a portion of any deduction for interest expense incurred to purchase or carry a market discount security may be deferred until the Fund sells or otherwise disposes of such security.

Currency Fluctuations

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency

 

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and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.

Foreign Taxes

The Fund’s investment in Non-U.S. Securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund’s yield on those securities would be decreased. Common shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund.

Preferred Shares or Borrowings

If the Fund utilizes leverage through the issuance of Preferred Shares or Borrowings, it may be restricted by certain covenants with respect to the declaration of, and payment of, dividends on Common Shares in certain circumstances. Limits on the Fund’s payments of dividends on Common Shares may prevent the Fund from meeting the distribution requirements described above, and may, therefore, jeopardize the Fund’s qualification for taxation as a RIC and possibly subject the Fund to the 4% excise tax. The Fund will endeavor to avoid restrictions on its ability to make dividend payments.

Backup Withholding

The Fund may be required to withhold from all distributions and redemption proceeds payable to U.S. shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification numbers or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be refunded or credited against the common shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

Foreign Shareholders

U.S. taxation of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “foreign shareholder”), depends on whether the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.

If the income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the foreign shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions. However, dividends paid by the Fund that are “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” will generally be exempt from such withholding, in each case to the extent the Fund properly reports such dividends to shareholders. For these purposes, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the source if received directly by a foreign shareholder, and that satisfy certain other requirements. A foreign shareholder whose income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of Common Shares.

However, a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements will nevertheless be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% on such capital gain dividends, undistributed capital gains and sale or exchange gains.

 

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If the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income, any capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of Common Shares will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents or domestic corporations. Foreign corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code.

The Fund may be required to withhold from distributions that are otherwise exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless the foreign shareholder certifies his or her foreign status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption.

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Foreign shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

Additional Withholding Requirements

Under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as “FATCA”), a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax may apply to any ordinary dividends and other distributions that the Fund pays to (i) a “foreign financial institution” (as specifically defined in the Code), whether such foreign financial institution is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its United States “account” holders (as specifically defined in the Code) and meets certain other specified requirements or (ii) a non-financial foreign entity, whether such non-financial foreign entity is the beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such entity provides a certification that the beneficial owner of the payment does not have any substantial United States owners or provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each such substantial United States owner and certain other specified requirements are met. In certain cases, the relevant foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity may qualify for an exemption from, or be deemed to be in compliance with, these rules. In addition, foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding FATCA and whether it may be relevant to your ownership and disposition of Common Shares.

Other Taxation

Common shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Common shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

A control person is any person who owns beneficially more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or who is otherwise deemed to “control” the Fund. Such person may be able to determine or significantly influence the outcome of matters submitted to a vote of the common shareholders. As of April 27, 2020, the Fund did not know of any person or entity who “controlled” the Fund.

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or is known by the Fund to own of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of the Fund’s outstanding equity securities. As of April 27, 2020, the following persons owned beneficially more than 5% of a class of the Fund’s outstanding equity securities:

 

Class of Shares

  

Name and Address

   Percentage
Ownership
of class
   

Type of

Ownership

Preferred Shares   

Voya Financial

230 Park Avenue New York NY 10169

     50   Beneficial
Preferred Shares   

Sun Life Financial Inc.

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada

1 York Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 0B6

     50   Beneficial
Common Shares   

First Trust Portfolios L.P.

First Trust Advisors L.P.

The Charger Corporation

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

     19.95   Beneficial

As of April 27, 2020, the Trustees and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of each class of the Fund’s equity securities.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The financial statements and financial highlights dated December 31, 2019 incorporated by reference in this Statement of Additional Information have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”), an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing therein. Such financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

The custodian of the assets of the Fund is The Bank of New York Mellon located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286. Computershare Inc., located at 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend paying agent with respect to the Common Shares.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A Registration Statement on Form N-2, including amendments thereto, relating to the Common Shares offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the SEC, Washington, D.C. The Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, such as the exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Fund and the Common Shares offered

 

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hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement. Statements contained in the Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. A copy of the Registration Statement may be inspected without charge at the SEC’s principal office in Washington, D.C., and copies of all or any part thereof may be obtained from the SEC upon the payment of certain fees prescribed by the SEC.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements and related report of Deloitte, independent registered public accounting firm, are herein incorporated by reference from the Fund’s annual report for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “Annual Report”). The Annual Report is available upon request, without charge, by calling the Fund toll-free at (844) 702-1299.

 

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APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF S&P, MOODY’S AND FITCH RATINGS1

S&P Global Ratings—A brief description of the applicable S&P Global Ratings and its affiliates (collectively, “S&P”) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by S&P) follows:

ISSUE CREDIT RATING DEFINITIONS

An S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:

 

   

The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

 

   

The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise we impute; and

 

   

The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

 

“AAA”    An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.
“AA”    An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

 

1 

The ratings indicated herein are believed to be the most recent ratings available at the date of this Statement of Additional Information for the securities listed. Ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuance. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so, and the ratings indicated do not necessarily represent ratings which would be given to these securities on the date of the Fund’s fiscal year end.

 

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“A”    An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.
“BBB”    An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC,” and “C”    Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC,” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.
“BB”    An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B”    An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CCC”    An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“CC”    An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
“C”    An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.
“D”    An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The

 

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   “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
*PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-)    The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
“NR”    NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings   
“A-1”    A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.
“A-2”    A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
“A-3”    A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“B”    A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
“C”    A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
“D”    A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an

 

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   obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)

 

S&P Global Ratings uses the following qualifiers that limit the scope of a rating. The structure of the transaction can require the use of a qualifier such as a “p” qualifier, which indicates the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. A qualifier appears as a suffix and is part of the rating.

 

Federal deposit insurance limit:
“L” qualifier

  

 

Ratings qualified with “L” apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

Principal: “p” qualifier    This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The “p” suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated.

Preliminary Ratings:
“prelim” qualifier

  

 

Preliminary ratings, with the “prelim” suffix, may be assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by S&P Global Ratings of appropriate documentation. S&P Global Ratings reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating.

  

•  Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.

 

•  Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be issued upon the obligor’s emergence from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s).

 

•  Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or that are in the process of being independently established when, in S&P Global Ratings’ opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligations of these entities.

  

•  Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is undergoing a well-formulated restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to

 

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its proposed obligation(s). These preliminary ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the transformative event not occur, S&P Global Rating would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings.

 

•  A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a preliminary issue credit rating.

Termination Structures: “t” qualifier

   This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

Counterparty Instrument Rating:
“cir” qualifier

  

 

This symbol indicates a Counterparty Instrument Rating (CIR), which is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an issuer in a securitization structure with respect to a specific financial obligation to a counterparty (including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and liquidity facilities). The CIR is determined on an ultimate payment basis; these opinions do not take into account timeliness of payment.

Inactive Qualifiers (No longer applied or outstanding)

Contingent upon final documentation: “*” inactive qualifier

  

 

This symbol indicated that the rating was contingent upon S&P Global Ratings’ receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows. Discontinued use in August 1998.

Termination of obligation to tender: “c” inactive qualifier

  

 

This qualifier was used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term credit rating of the issuer was lowered to below an investment-grade level and/or the issuer’s bonds were deemed taxable. Discontinued use in January 2001.

U.S. direct government securities: “G” inactive qualifier

  

 

The letter “G” followed the rating symbol when a fund’s portfolio consisted primarily of direct U.S. government securities.

Public Information Ratings: “pi” inactive qualifier

  

 

This qualifier was used to indicate ratings that were based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. Such ratings did not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and therefore could have been based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a “pi” suffix. Discontinued use as of December 2014 and as of August 2015 for Lloyd’s Syndicate Assessments.

 

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Provisional Ratings:
“pr” inactive qualifier

  

 

The letters “pr” indicate that the rating was provisional. A provisional rating assumed the successful completion of a project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements was largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, made no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion.

Quantitative Analysis of public information: “q” inactive qualifier

  

 

A “q” subscript indicates that the rating is based solely on quantitative analysis of publicly available information. Discontinued use in April 2001.

Extraordinary risks:
“r” inactive qualifier

  

 

The “r” modifier was assigned to securities containing extraordinary risks, particularly market risks, that are not covered in the credit rating. The absence of an “r” modifier should not be taken as an indication that an obligation would not exhibit extraordinary non-credit related risks. S&P Global Ratings discontinued the use of the “r” modifier for most obligations in June 2000 and for the balance of obligations (mainly structured finance transactions) in November 2002.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.—A brief description of the applicable Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by Moody’s) follows:

LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS RATINGS

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default1 2

 

1 

For certain structured finance, preferred stock and hybrid securities in which payment default events are either not defined or do not match investors’ expectations for timely payment, the ratings reflect the likelihood of impairment and the financial loss in the event of impairment.

2 

Supranational institutions and central banks that hold sovereign debt or extend sovereign loans, such as the IMF or the European Central Bank, may not always be treated similarly to other investors and lenders with similar credit exposures. Long-term and short-term ratings assigned to obligations held by both supranational institutions and central banks, as well as other investors, reflect only the credit risks faced by other investors unless specifically noted otherwise.

 

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Moody’s differentiates structured finance ratings from fundamental ratings (i.e., ratings on nonfinancial corporate, financial institution, and public sector entities) on the global long-term scale by adding (sf) to all structured finance ratings.3 The addition of (sf) to structured finance ratings should eliminate any presumption that such ratings and fundamental ratings at the same letter grade level will behave the same. The (sf) indicator for structured finance security ratings indicates that otherwise similarly rated structured finance and fundamental securities may have different risk characteristics. Through its current methodologies, however, Moody’s aspires to achieve broad expected equivalence in structured finance and fundamental rating performance when measured over a long period of time.

 

   Long-Term Rating Definitions:
“Aaa”    Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
“Aa”    Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
“A”    Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
“Baa”    Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
“Ba”    Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
“B”    Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
“Caa”    Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
“Ca”    Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
“C”    Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic

 

3 

Like other global scale ratings, (sf) ratings reflect both the likelihood of a default and the expected loss suffered in the event of default. Ratings are assigned based on a rating committee’s assessment of a security’s expected loss rate (default probability multiplied by expected loss severity), and may be subject to the constraint that the final expected loss rating assigned would not be more than a certain number of notches, typically three to five notches, above the rating that would be assigned based on an assessment of default probability alone. The magnitude of this constraint may vary with the level of the rating, the seasoning of the transaction, and the uncertainty around the assessments of expected loss and probability of default.

 

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rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.*

 

*

By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

MEDIUM-TERM NOTE PROGRAM RATINGS

Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to medium-term note (MTN) programs and definitive ratings to the individual debt securities issued from them (referred to as drawdowns or notes).

MTN program ratings are intended to reflect the ratings likely to be assigned to drawdowns issued from the program with the specified priority of claim (e.g. senior or subordinated). To capture the contingent nature of a program rating, Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to MTN programs. A provisional rating is denoted by a (P) in front of the rating.

The rating assigned to a drawdown from a rated MTN or bank/deposit note program is definitive in nature, and may differ from the program rating if the drawdown is exposed to additional credit risks besides the issuer’s default, such as links to the defaults of other issuers, or has other structural features that warrant a different rating. In some circumstances, no rating may be assigned to a drawdown.

Moody’s encourages market participants to contact Moody’s Ratings Desks or visit www.moodys.com directly if they have questions regarding ratings for specific notes issued under a medium-term note program. Unrated notes issued under an MTN program may be assigned an NR (not rated) symbol.

Short-Term Rating Definitions:

Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.4 5

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1”    Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
“P-2”    Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
“P-3”    Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
“NP”    Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

4 

For certain structured finance, preferred stock and hybrid securities in which payment default events are either not defined or do not match investors’ expectations for timely payment, the ratings reflect the likelihood of impairment.

5 

Supranational institutions and central banks that hold sovereign debt or extend sovereign loans, such as the IMF or the European Central Bank, may not always be treated similarly to other investors and lenders with similar credit exposures. Long-term and short-term ratings assigned to obligations held by both supranational institutions and central banks, as well as other investors, reflect only the credit risks faced by other investors unless specifically noted otherwise.

 

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Fitch IBCA, Inc.—A brief description of the applicable Fitch IBCA, Inc. (“Fitch”) ratings symbols and meanings (as published by Fitch) follows:

INTERNATIONAL ISSUER AND CREDIT RATING SCALES

The Primary Credit Rating Scales (those featuring the symbols “AAA”-“D” and “Fi”-“D”) are used for debt and financial strength ratings. The below section describes their use for issuers and obligations in corporate, public and structured finance debt markets.

Long-Term Ratings Scales—Issuer Credit Ratings Scales

Rated entities in a number of sectors, including financial and non-financial corporations, sovereigns, insurance companies and certain sectors within public finance, are generally assigned Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs). IDRs are also assigned to certain entities or enterprises in global infrastructure, project finance and public finance. IDRs opine on an entity’s relative vulnerability to default (including by way of a distressed debt exchange) on financial obligations. The threshold default risk addressed by the IDR is generally that of the financial obligations whose non-payment would best reflect the uncured failure of that entity. As such, IDRs also address relative vulnerability to bankruptcy, administrative receivership or similar concepts.

In aggregate, IDRs provide an ordinal ranking of issuers based on the agency’s view of their relative vulnerability to default, rather than a prediction of a specific percentage likelihood of default. For historical information on the default experience of Fitch-rated issuers, please consult the transition and default performance studies available from the Fitch Ratings website.

 

“AAA”    Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
“AA”    Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
“A”    High credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
“BBB”    Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
“BB”    Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

 

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“B”    Highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.
“CCC”    Substantial credit risk. Default is a real possibility.
“CC”    Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable.
“C”    Near default. A default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a “C” category rating for an issuer include: a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation; b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation; c. the formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange; d. a closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent.
“RD”    Restricted default. “RD” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings’ opinion has experienced: a. an uncured payment default or distressed debt exchange on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation, but b. has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, and c. has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include: i. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt; ii. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation; iii. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; ordinary execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.
“D”   

Default. “D” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings’ opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, or that has otherwise ceased business.

 

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.

 

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In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency’s opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings, and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer’s financial obligations or local commercial practice.

Note: The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ Long-Term IDR category, or to Long-Term IDR categories below “B”.

Limitations of the Issuer Credit Rating Scale:

Specific limitations relevant to the issuer credit rating scale include:

 

   

The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood or failure likelihood over any given time period.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuer’s securities or stock, or the likelihood that this value may change.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuer’s securities or stock.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an issuer (or an obligation with respect to structured finance transactions) default .

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the suitability of an issuer as a counterparty to trade credit.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on any quality related to an issuer’s business, operational or financial profile other than the agency’s opinion on its relative vulnerability to default and relative recovery should a default occur.

Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the reader’s convenience.

Short-Term Ratings—Short-Term Ratings Assigned to

Issuers and Obligations

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

 

“F1”    Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
“F2”    Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
“F3”   

Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely

payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

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“B”    Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
“C”    High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
“RD”    Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
“D”    Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

Limitations of the Short-Term Ratings Scale:

Specific limitations relevant to the Short-Term Ratings scale include:

 

   

The ratings do not predict a specific percentage of default likelihood or failure likelihood over any given time period.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the market value of any issuer’s securities or stock, or the likelihood that this value may change.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the liquidity of the issuer’s securities or stock.

 

   

The ratings do not opine on the possible loss severity on an obligation should an issuer (or an obligation with respect to structured finance transactions) default .

 

   

The ratings do not opine on any quality related to an issuer or transaction’s profile other than the agency’s opinion on the relative loss severity of the rated obligation should the obligation default.

Ratings assigned by Fitch Ratings articulate an opinion on discrete and specific areas of risk. The above list is not exhaustive, and is provided for the reader’s convenience.

 

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APPENDIX B

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE ADVISER

The Fund has delegated the voting of proxies for Fund securities to the Adviser pursuant to the Adviser’s proxy voting guidelines. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will vote proxies related to Fund securities in the best interests of the Fund and common shareholders. Set forth below is a copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting policy.

Information on how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be reported on Form N-PX.

Adviser Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

By virtue of GSO’s relationship as general partner or investment manager of funds, collateralized loan obligation vehicles, separately managed accounts, and registered funds (“Clients”), the Firm has proxy voting authority with respect to Client securities. When voting proxies on behalf of Clients, GSO’s overall objective is to vote proxies in the best interest of the Clients and, in so doing, to maximize the value of the investments made by the Clients taking into consideration the Clients’ investment horizons and other relevant factors.

This document sets forth GSO’s policies and procedures that are designed to meet these overall objectives. As described below, the Firm’s policies and procedures address the following areas:

 

   

The personnel responsible for monitoring corporate actions, deciding how to vote proxies and confirming that proxies are submitted in a timely manner;

 

   

The basis on which decisions are made regarding whether and how to vote proxies depending on the nature of the matter at issue;

 

   

The approach to addressing material conflicts of interest that may arise between GSO and the Clients when voting proxies and how the Firm resolves those conflicts in the best interest of the Clients;

 

   

The means by which the Clients and their investors may obtain information about proxy voting; and

 

   

The books and records that GSO retains in connection with proxy voting.

While GSO endeavors to follow these policies and procedures in all situations, special circumstances may arise from time to time that warrant a deviation. In addition, GSO will apply its proxy voting policies and procedures to votes cast with respect to publicly traded companies and, to the extent applicable, to analogous actions taken with respect to investments made in private companies.

General Procedures

Monitoring Corporate Actions

The Clients that GSO manages generally make a limited number of investments in equity securities. When the Firm receives proxy voting materials (or similar voting/solicitation notices), they are initially transmitted by the company’s corporate secretary or transfer agent to the Employee who is designated to receive notices in the definitive documentation governing the relevant Client’s investment, if any (the “Proxy Recipient”). The Proxy Recipient must inform the Head of Middle Office and Operations (“Head of MOOG”) of such receipt and review the materials, determine which Client(s) hold the securities and confirm the number of securities with the Head Trader and the Head of MOOG. The Proxy Recipient will also consult the relevant Portfolio Manager(s) of each Client that holds the securities that are the subject of the proxy vote. The Proxy Recipient will monitor the voting deadline to confirm that the deadline for the response is met.

 

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Determination of Voting Decisions

Decisions on how to vote a proxy generally are made by the relevant Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager and the members of the investment team covering the applicable security often have the most intimate knowledge of both a company’s operations and the potential impact of a proxy vote’s outcome. Where appropriate, the Portfolio Manager or a member of the investment team may consult with the Chief Compliance Officer or Chief Legal Officer and the members of the applicable Investment Committee regarding decisions and completion of the proxy material. Decisions are based on a number of factors that may vary depending on a proxy’s subject matter, but are guided by the general policies described in this document. In addition, GSO may determine not to vote a proxy after consideration of the vote’s expected benefit to Clients and the cost of voting the proxy.1

Communication of Decision

After making a decision to vote a proxy and determining how to vote the proxy, the Portfolio Manager or a member of the investment team covering the security will then submit the vote. The Portfolio Manager or such investment team member will send completed copies of the proxy materials to the Proxy Recipient and the Head of MOOG. The procedures for voting proxies may vary, and can include electronic voting, forwarding voting instructions to the custodian or voting proxies forwarded by the custodian.

Providing Proxy Voting Information to Clients

GSO acknowledges that its investors have a right to information about how the Firm votes Client proxies, and GSO will make information available on request. The Firm also will make a copy of these policies and procedures available on request. When an investor makes a request about a particular vote, GSO usually will provide the following information: (1) the date of the vote; (2) a brief description of the matter voted on; (3) how (or whether) GSO cast the vote on the matter; and (4) any other reasonable information a limited partner might request. Proxy voting information and the procedure for obtaining such information is included in GSO’s Form ADV, which is available to each investor.

Books and Records

GSO must maintain the following additional records relating to proxy voting, which must be maintained by MOOG, or other applicable individual or group, as indicated, in an easily accessible place for five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years of which in GSO’s offices.

 

   

A copy of these proxy voting policies and procedures (maintained by the GSO Legal Compliance Department);

 

   

A copy of each proxy statement received by GSO regarding Client securities;

 

   

A record of each vote cast by GSO on behalf of a Client;

 

   

A copy of all memoranda or similar documents created by GSO that were material to making a decision on the voting of Client securities or that memorialize the basis for that decision (maintained by relevant deal team members); and

 

   

A copy of each written request by an investor for information on how GSO voted proxies on behalf of a Client, and a copy of any written response by GSO to any request (written or oral) by an investor for information on how GSO voted proxies on behalf of the Client (maintained by the Investor Relations & Business Development group, “IRBD”).

 

1 

In determining whether the cost of voting a proxy outweighs its expected benefit to Clients, the relevant Portfolio Manager may consider factors such as (1) the subject matter of the vote; (2) the additional length of time that GSO anticipates holding the investment; and (3) logistical issues associated with voting proxies for foreign companies.

 

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GSO may satisfy the requirement to maintain copies of proxy statements received and a record of votes cast on behalf of the Clients by relying on third parties to make and retain, on behalf of GSO, a copy of such proxy statements and voting records, provided that GSO has obtained an undertaking from the third party to provide a copy of the proxy statements and voting records promptly upon request. GSO also may satisfy the requirement to maintain copies of proxy statements by relying on its ability to obtain a copy of a proxy statement from the SEC’s EDGAR system (to the extent that such proxy statements are available through the EDGAR system).

Proxy Voting Records

You may obtain information, without charge, regarding how we voted proxies with respect to our portfolio securities by making a written request for proxy voting information to: Chief Compliance Officer, GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154.

 

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PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(1)

Financial Statements

 

  Part A

Financial Highlights

 

  Part B

The following financial statements of the Registrant are incorporated by reference in Part B of the Registration Statement:

Portfolio of Investments as of December 31, 2019

Schedule of Investments at December 31, 2019

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2019

Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Notes to Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Year Ended December 31, 2019

 

(2)

Exhibits

 

  (a)(1)

Declaration of Trust, dated October 22, 2010(1)

 

  (a)(2)

Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, dated December 15, 2010(2)

 

  (a)(3)

Supplement to Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust Relating to Series A Mandatory Redeemable Preferred Shares, dated July 27, 2016(3)

 

  (b)

By-Laws(2)

 

  (c)

Not Applicable

 

  (d)

Articles V and VIII of Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust are incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (e)

Dividend Reinvestment Plan(2)

 

  (f)

Not Applicable

 

  (g)

Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and the Adviser(5)

 

  (h)

Not Applicable

 

  (i)

Not Applicable

 

  (j)(1)

Custody Agreement(5)

 

  (j)(2)

Special Custody and Pledge Agreement(5)

 

  (k)(1)

Service Agreement for Transfer Agent Services(5)

 

  (k)(2)

Agreement for Prime Brokerage(5)

 

  (k)(3)

Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement(5)

 

  (k)(4)

Amendment to Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement(5)

 

  (k)(5)

Report Modernization Addendum to Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement (5)

 

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  (k)(6)

Master Repurchase Agreement(5)

 

  (k)(7)

Annex I to Master Repurchase Agreement(5)

 

  (k)(8)

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of Nova Scotia (5)

 

  (l)

Opinion and Consent of Delaware Counsel(5)

 

  (m)

Not Applicable

 

  (n)

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm(5)

 

  (o)

Not Applicable

 

  (p)

Subscription Agreement (2)

 

  (q)

Not Applicable

 

  (r)(1)

Code of Ethics of the Registrant(5)

 

  (r)(2)

Code of Ethics of the Adviser(5)

 

  (s)

Power of Attorney(4)

 

(1)

Filed on October 26, 2010 with Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-170154 and 811-22488) and incorporated by reference herein.

(2)

Filed on January 14, 2011 with Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-170154 and 811-22488) and incorporated by reference herein.

(3)

Filed on March 1, 2017 with Registrant’s Annual Report on Form NSAR-B (File No. 811-22488) and incorporated by reference herein.

(4)

Filed on March 18, 2020 with Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 811-22488) and incorporated by reference herein.

(5)

Filed herewith.

Item 26. Marketing Arrangements

The information contained under the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” contained in Registrant’s Prospectus is incorporated 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

The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this Registration Statement:

 

SEC registration fees

   $ 12,980  

NYSE listing fees

   $ 17,250  

FINRA fees

   $ —    

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ 6,500  

Legal fees and expenses

   $ 225,000  

Printing and mailing expenses

   $ 20,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 281,730  

Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

None.

 

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Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities

At March 31, 2020:

 

Title of Class

   Number of
Record Holders
 

Common Shares

     4  

Preferred Shares

     10  

Item 30. Indemnification

Article V of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, incorporated by reference as Exhibit (a)(2) to this Registration Statement, provide that:

Section 5.1 No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc. No Shareholder of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit incorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law. No Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person, save only liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising from bad faith, willful misconduct, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to the foregoing exception, all such Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. If any Shareholder, Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any such liability, subject to the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to any personal liability. Any repeal or modification of this Section 5.1 shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Trustee or officer of the Trust existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

Section 5.2 Mandatory Indemnification. (a) The Trust hereby agrees to indemnify each person who at any time serves as a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust (each such person being an “indemnitee”) against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth in this Article V by reason of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misconduct, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence, or (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein as “disabling conduct”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee (1) was authorized by a majority of the Trustees or (2) was instituted by the indemnitee to enforce his or her rights to indemnification hereunder in a case in which the indemnitee is found to be entitled to such indemnification. The rights to indemnification set forth in this Declaration shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Trustee or officer of the Trust and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. No amendment or restatement of this Declaration or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate any of the benefits provided to any person who at any time is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust or otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder in respect of any act or omission that occurred prior to such amendment, restatement or repeal.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall be made hereunder unless there has been a determination (i) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent jurisdiction before whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (ii) in the absence of such a decision, by (1) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding (“Disinterested Non-Party Trustees”), that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (2) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion concludes that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determinations to make advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and made in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph (c) below.

(c) The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standards of conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the Trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (i) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct, independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

(d) The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Declaration, the By-Laws of the Trust, any statute, agreement, vote of Shareholders or Trustees who are not Interested Persons or any other right to which he or she may be lawfully entitled.

(e) Subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify and provide for the advance payment of expenses to employees, agents and other Persons providing services to the Trust or serving in any capacity at the request of the Trust or provide for the advance payment of expenses for such Persons, provided that such indemnification has been approved by a majority of the Trustees.

Section 5.3 No Bond Required of Trustees. No Trustee shall, as such, be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties hereunder.

Section 5.4 No Duty of Investigation; No Notice in Trust Instruments, etc. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively taken to have been executed or done by the executors thereof only in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration or in their capacity as officers, employees or agents of the Trust. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940 Act.

Section 5.5 Reliance on Experts, etc. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the performance of its duties, be fully and completely justified and protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting

 

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from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Trust, upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of the Trust’s officers or employees or by any advisor, administrator, manager, distributor, selected dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee.

Reference is made to Section 6 of the Form of Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit (h)(1) to this Registration Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Adviser

The descriptions of the Adviser under the caption “Management of the Fund” in the prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of this registration statement are incorporated by reference herein. Information as to the directors and officers of the Adviser together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of the Adviser in the last two years, is included in its application for registration as an investment adviser on Form ADV (File No. 801-68243) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and is incorporated herein by reference. The Adviser’s principal business address is 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154.

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records

The accounts and records of the Registrant are maintained at the office of the Registrant at ALPS Fund Services, Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado, 80203.

Item 33. Management Services

Not applicable.

Item 34. Undertakings

(1) Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is amended, if subsequent to the effective date of this registration statement, its net asset value declines more than ten percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement or its net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

(2) Not applicable.

(3) If 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, the Registrant undertakes to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the

 

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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, the Registrant further undertakes to file a post-effective amendment to set forth the terms of such offering.

(4) Registrant undertakes:

(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(2) 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; and

(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, 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, if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C: each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act as part of this registration statement relating to an offering, other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act, shall be deemed to be part of and included in this registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in this registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement or prospectus that is part of this 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 this registration statement or prospectus that was part of this registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

(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, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act;

(2) the portion of any 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

 

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

(5) Registrant undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.

Registrant undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus will be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(6) Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on the 8th day of May, 2020.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND
By:   /s/ Daniel H. Smith, Jr.
  Name: Daniel H. Smith, Jr.
  Title: Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacity and on the date indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

Daniel H. Smith, Jr.

   Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee (Principal Executive Officer)   May 8, 2020

/s/ Robert W. Busch

Robert W. Busch

   Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   May 8, 2020

/s/ Edward H. D’Alelio*

Edward H. D’Alelio

  

Trustee

  May 8, 2020

/s/ Michael F. Holland*

Michael F. Holland

  

Trustee

  May 8, 2020

/s/ Thomas W. Jasper*

Thomas W. Jasper

  

Trustee

  May 8, 2020

/s/ Gary S. Schpero*

Gary S. Schpero

  

Trustee

  May 8, 2020

 

*By:   /s/ Daniel H. Smith, Jr.
  Daniel H. Smith, Jr.
  As Agent or Attorney-in-Fact

May 8, 2020

The original powers of attorney authorizing Daniel H. Smith, Jr., Robert W. Busch, Robert Zable, Marisa J. Beeney and Jane Lee to execute the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, for the trustees of the Registrant on whose behalf this Amendment is filed have been executed and were filed as Exhibit (s).


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Schedule of Exhibits to Form N-2

 

Exhibit No.

  

Exhibit

(g)    Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and the Adviser
(j)(1)    Custody Agreement
(j)(2)    Special Custody and Pledge Agreement
(k)(1)    Service Agreement for Transfer Agent Services
(k)(2)    Agreement for Prime Brokerage
(k)(3)    Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement
(k)(4)    Amendment to Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement
(k)(5)    Report Modernization Addendum to Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement
(k)(6)    Master Repurchase Agreement
(k)(7)    Annex I to Master Repurchase Agreement
(k)(8)    Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of Nova Scotia
(l)    Opinion and Consent of Delaware Counsel
(n)    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
(r)(1)    Code of Ethics of the Registrant
(r)(2)    Code of Ethics of the Adviser

Exhibit (g)

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

This Investment Advisory Agreement, dated and effective as of January 19, 2010, is made by and between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (herein referred to as the “Fund”) and GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (herein referred to as the “Adviser”) (this “Agreement”).

1. Appointment of Adviser. The Adviser hereby undertakes and agrees, upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, to provide overall investment management services for the Fund and in connection therewith to: (i) supervise the Fund’s investment program, including advising and consulting with the Fund’s board of trustees (the “Board of Trustees”) regarding the Fund’s overall investment strategy; (ii) make, in consultation with the Fund’s Board of Trustees, investment strategy decisions for the Fund; (iii) manage the investing and reinvesting of the Fund’s assets; (iv) place purchase and sale orders on behalf of the Fund; (v) advise the Fund with respect to all matters relating to the Fund’s use of leveraging techniques; (vi) provide or procure the provision of research and statistical data to the Fund in relation to investing and other matters within the scope of the investment objective and limitations of the Fund; (vii) monitor the performance of the Fund’s outside service providers, including the Fund’s administrator, transfer agent and custodian; (viii) be responsible for compliance by the Fund with U.S. federal, state and other applicable laws and regulations; and (ix) pay the salaries, fees and expenses of such of the Fund’s trustees, officers or employees who are trustees, officers or employees of the Adviser or any of its affiliates, except that the Fund will bear travel expenses or an appropriate portion thereof of trustees and officers of the Fund who are trustees, officers or employees of the Adviser to the extent that such expenses relate to attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees or any committees thereof. The Adviser may delegate any of the foregoing responsibilities to a third party with the consent of the Fund. The Fund acknowledges that the Adviser makes no warranty that any investments made by the Adviser hereunder will not depreciate in value or at any time not be affected by adverse tax consequences, nor does it give any warranty as to the performance or profitability of the assets or the success of any investment strategy recommended or used by the Adviser.

2. Expenses. In connection herewith, the Adviser agrees to maintain a staff within its organization to furnish the above services to the Fund. The Adviser shall bear all expenses arising out of its duties hereunder. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to pay all of the Fund’s organizational expenses arising out of the Fund’s initial public offering expenses (other than the sales load, but inclusive of the distribution assistance payment) to the extent offering expenses are in excess of $0.04 per share.

Except as provided above and in Section 1 hereof, the Fund shall be responsible for all of the Fund’s expenses and liabilities, including organizational and offering expenses (which include out-of-pocket expenses, but not overhead or employee costs of the Adviser); expenses for legal, accounting and auditing services; taxes and governmental fees; dues and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; fees


and expenses incurred in connection with listing the Fund’s shares on any stock exchange; costs of printing and distributing shareholder reports, proxy materials, prospectuses, stock certificates, if any, and distribution of dividends; charges of the Fund’s custodians and sub-custodians, administrators and sub-administrators, registrars, transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and dividend reinvestment plan agents; payment for portfolio pricing services to a pricing agent, if any; registration and filing fees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); expenses of registering or qualifying securities of the Fund for sale in the various states; freight and other charges in connection with the shipment of the Fund’s portfolio securities; fees and expenses of non-interested trustees or non-interested members of any advisory or investment board, committee or panel of the Fund; travel expenses or an appropriate portion thereof of trustees and officers of the Fund, or members of any advisory or investment board, committee or panel of the Fund, to the extent that such expenses relate to attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, or of any such advisory or investment board, committee or panel; salaries of shareholder relations personnel; costs of shareholders meetings; insurance; interest; brokerage costs; and litigation and other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses.

3. Transactions with Affiliates. The Adviser is authorized on behalf of the Fund, from time to time when deemed to be in the best interests of the Fund and to the extent permitted by applicable law, to purchase and/or sell securities in which the Adviser or any of its affiliates underwrites, deals in and/or makes a market and/or may perform or seek to perform investment banking services for issuers of such securities. The Adviser is further authorized, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to select brokers (including any brokers affiliated with the Adviser) for the execution of trades for the Fund.

4. Best Execution; Research Services. The Adviser is authorized, for the purchase and sale of the Fund’s portfolio securities, to employ such dealers and brokers as may, in the judgment of the Adviser, implement the policy of the Fund to obtain the best results, taking into account such factors as price, including dealer spread, the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm’s general execution and operational facilities and the firm’s risk in positioning the securities involved. Consistent with this policy, the Adviser is authorized to direct the execution of the Fund’s portfolio transactions to dealers and brokers furnishing statistical information or research deemed by the Adviser to be useful or valuable to the performance of its investment advisory functions for the Fund. It is understood that in these circumstances, as contemplated by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the commissions paid may be higher than those which the Fund might otherwise have paid to another broker if those services had not been provided. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser. It is understood that the expenses of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such information or research. Research services furnished to the Adviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the Fund may be used by the Adviser in servicing other investment companies, entities or funds and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the Adviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies, entities or funds and accounts which the Adviser manages may be used by the Adviser in servicing the Fund. It is understood that not all of these research services are used by the Adviser in managing any particular account, including the Fund.

 

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The Adviser and its affiliates may aggregate purchase or sale orders for the assets with purchase or sale orders for the same security for other clients’ accounts of the Adviser or of its affiliates, the Adviser’s own accounts and hold proprietary positions in accordance with its current aggregation and allocation policy (collectively, the “Advisory Clients”), but only if (x) in the Adviser’s reasonable judgment such aggregation results in an overall economic or other benefit to the assets taking into consideration the advantageous selling or purchase price, brokerage commission and other expenses and factors and (y) the Adviser’s actions with respect to aggregating orders for multiple Advisory Clients, as well as the Fund, are consistent with applicable law. However, the Adviser is under no obligation to aggregate any such orders under any circumstances.

5. Remuneration. In consideration of the services to be rendered by the Adviser under this Agreement, the Fund shall pay the Adviser a monthly fee in United States dollars on the fifth business day of each month for the previous month at an annual rate of 1.20% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets. The term “net assets” means total assets of the Fund minus liabilities (including accrued expenses or dividends). If the fee payable to the Adviser pursuant to this Section 5 begins to accrue before the end of any month or if this Agreement terminates before the end of any month, the fee for the period from such date to the end of such month or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full month in which such effectiveness or termination occurs. For purposes of calculating each such monthly fee, the value of the Fund’s net assets shall be computed at the time and in the manner specified in the Registration Statement on Form N-2, as in effect from time to time, filed with the Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

6. Representations and Warranties. The Adviser represents and warrants that it is duly registered and authorized as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the Adviser agrees to maintain effective all material requisite registrations, authorizations and licenses, as the case may be, until the termination of this Agreement.

7. Services Not Deemed Exclusive. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that:

(a)    the services provided hereunder by the Adviser are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Adviser and any of its affiliates or related persons are free to render similar services to others and to use the research developed in connection with this Agreement for other Advisory Clients or affiliates. The Fund agrees that the Adviser may give advice and take action with respect to any of its other Advisory Clients which may differ from advice given or the timing or nature of action taken with respect to any client or account so long as it is the Adviser’s policy, to the extent practicable, to allocate investment opportunities to the client or account on a fair and equitable basis relative to its other Advisory Clients. It is understood that the Adviser shall not have any obligation to recommend for purchase or sale any loans which its principals, affiliates or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own accounts or for any other client or account if, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, such transaction or investment appears unsuitable, impractical or undesirable for the Fund. Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Adviser an agent of the Fund;

 

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(b)    circumstances may arise under which the Adviser determines there is a limited supply or demand for a particular security. Under such circumstances, the Adviser shall allocate such security to the Fund and other Advisory Clients in accordance with its then-current aggregation and allocation policy and in a fair and equitable manner consistent with its fiduciary duties owed to the Fund and such other Advisory Clients. In circumstances where the Adviser has determined to purchase or sell any security or make or dispose of any other investment of an Advisory Client’s funds and believes, in its reasonable judgment, that such investment would be appropriate for the assets, then, consistent with its fiduciary duties and applicable law, the Adviser may, but is not obligated, to cross the relevant transactions between the other Advisory Client’s account and the assets;

(c)    as a regular part of the restructuring and advisory practice of an affiliate of the Investment Adviser (the “Restructuring Affiliate”), the Restructuring Affiliate advises debtors and creditors in connection with out-of-court debt restructurings and workouts and with bankruptcy proceedings. The Restructuring Affiliate also serves as advisor to official creditor committees established pursuant to such proceedings. In situations in which an issuer of an Investment (or a creditor or group of creditors of such issuer) is a client or potential client of the restructuring and reorganization advisory practice (any such investment, a “Conflicted Investment”), the Adviser sell the Conflicted Investment to the extent deemed advisable by the Restructuring Affiliate, in consultation with the Adviser’s compliance officer, in order to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest with the restructuring and reorganization advisory practice, whether or not such disposition would otherwise be in the best interests of the Fund. Further, there may also be instances in which the work of the restructuring and reorganization advisory practice prevents the Adviser from purchasing an investment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere herein, due to certain confidentiality obligations which the Restructuring Affiliate may be subject to, the Adviser shall not be obligated to inform the Fund at the time of any sale of Conflicted Investments; and

(d)    the Adviser and its members, partners, officers, directors and employees shall devote as much of their time to the activities of the Fund as they deem necessary and appropriate. The services of the Adviser and its affiliates are not exclusive and the Adviser and its affiliates are not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser.

8. Limit of Liability. The Adviser shall exercise its best judgment in rendering the services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission or any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect or purport to protect the Adviser against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which the Adviser would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties (“disabling

 

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conduct”). The Adviser may consult with counsel and accountants in respect of the Fund’s affairs and shall be fully protected and justified in any action or inaction which is taken in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel and accountants; provided, that such counsel or accountants were selected with reasonable care. The Fund will indemnify the Adviser against, and hold it harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses), including any amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties, not resulting from disabling conduct by the Adviser. Indemnification shall be made only following: (i) a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before which the proceeding was brought that the Adviser was not liable by reason of disabling conduct or (ii) in the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that the Adviser was not liable by reason of disabling conduct by (a) the vote of a majority of a quorum of trustees of the Fund who are neither “interested persons” of the Fund nor parties to the proceeding (“disinterested non-party trustees”) or (b) an independent legal counsel in a written opinion. The Adviser shall be entitled to advances from the Fund for payment of the reasonable expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred by it in connection with the matter as to which it is seeking indemnification in the manner and to the fullest extent permissible under law. Prior to any such advance, the Adviser shall provide to the Fund a written affirmation of its good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Fund has been met and a written undertaking to repay any such advance if it should ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has not been met. In addition, at least one of the following additional conditions shall be met: (a) the Adviser shall provide a security in form and amount acceptable to the Fund for its undertaking; (b) the Fund is insured against losses arising by reason of the advance; or (c) a majority of a quorum of disinterested non-party trustees or independent legal counsel, in a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a review of facts readily available to the Fund at the time the advance is proposed to be made, that there is reason to believe that the Adviser will ultimately be found to be entitled to indemnification. The Adviser shall not be liable hereunder or otherwise for any loss due to the mistake, action, inaction, negligence, dishonesty, fraud or bad faith of any broker or other agent; provided, that such broker or other agent shall have been selected, engaged or retained and monitored by the Adviser with in good faith, unless such action or inaction was made by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of its obligations and duties hereunder, or in the case of a criminal action or proceeding, where the Adviser had reasonable cause to believe its conduct was unlawful.

9. Duration and Termination. This Agreement shall remain in effect until                 , 2012 and shall continue in effect thereafter for successive annual periods, but only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the affirmative vote of (i) a majority of the members of the Fund’s Board of Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) the Fund’s Board of Trustees or the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund.

Notwithstanding the above, this Agreement is terminable with respect to the Fund without penalty by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Adviser, or by the Adviser upon not less than 90 days’ written notice to the Fund, and will be terminated upon the mutual written consent of the Investment Adviser and the Fund. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act”).

 

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10. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed as being inconsistent with the 1940 Act.

11. Notices. Any notice hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person or by telex or facsimile (followed by delivery in person) to the parties at the addresses set forth below.

If to the Fund:

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

280 Park Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10017

Attn:    Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee

If to the Adviser:

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

280 Park Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10017

Attn:    Marisa Beeney, General Counsel

or to such other address as to which the recipient shall have informed the other party in writing.

Unless specifically provided elsewhere, notice given as provided above shall be deemed to have been given, if by personal delivery, on the day of such delivery, and, if by facsimile and mail, on the date on which such facsimile or mail is sent.

12. Miscellaneous. The Fund acknowledges receipt of Part II of the Adviser’s Form ADV filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 203(c) of the Advisers Act, which states information relative to the Adviser’s investment and brokerage policies and other important matters, and which the Investment Adviser warrants is the current filing of such form, at least 48 hours prior to the execution of this Agreement, as required by Rule 204-3 under the Advisers Act..

13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto caused their duly authorized signatories to execute this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND
By:   /s/ Marisa J. Beeney
  Name: Marisa J. Beeney
  Title: Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary

 

GSO / BLACKSTONE DEBT FUNDS MANAGEMENT LLC
By:   /s/ Marisa J. Beeney
  Name: Marisa J. Beeney
  Title: Authorized Signatory

Exhibit (j)(1)

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

CUSTODY AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT, dated as of July 17, 2014 between Blackstone/GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware having its principal office and place of business at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (the “Fund”) and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business, having its principal office and place of business at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286 (“Custodian”).

WITNESSETH:

That for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth the Fund and Custodian agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words shall have the meanings set forth below:

1. “Agent Bank shall be any banking or other financial institution that acts as agent bank for a commercial or bank loan by administering such loan, including making book-entry notations of ownership interests in such loan.

2. “Authorized Person shall be any person, whether or not an officer or employee of the Fund, duly authorized by the Fund’s board to execute any Certificate or to give any Oral Instruction with respect to one or more Accounts, such persons to be designated in a Certificate annexed hereto as Schedule I hereto or such other Certificate as may be received by Custodian from time to time.

3. “Book-Entry System shall mean the Federal Reserve/Treasury book-entry system for receiving and delivering securities, its successors and nominees.

4. “Business Day shall mean any day on which Custodian and relevant Depositories are open for business.

5. “Certificate shall mean any notice, instruction, or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to Custodian, which is actually received by Custodian by letter or facsimile transmission and signed on behalf of the Fund by an Authorized Person or a person reasonably believed by Custodian to be an Authorized Person.

6. “Composite Currency Unit shall mean the Euro or any other composite currency unit consisting of the aggregate of specified amounts of specified currencies, as such unit may be constituted from time to time.


7. “Custodian Affiliate shall mean any office, branch or subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

8. “Depository shall include (a) any Agent Bank administering a Security of the Fund, (b) the Book-Entry System, (c) the Depository Trust Company, (d) any other clearing agency or securities depository registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission identified to the Fund from time to time, and (e) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.

9. “Foreign Depository shall mean (a) Euroclear, (b) Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme, (c) each Eligible Securities Depository as defined in Rule 17f-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, identified to the Fund from time to time, and (d) the respective successors and nominees of the foregoing.

10. “Instructions shall mean communications actually received by Custodian by S.W.I.F.T., tested telex, letter, facsimile transmission, or other method or system specified by Custodian as available for use in connection with the services hereunder.

11. “Oral Instructions shall mean verbal instructions received Custodian from an Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by Custodian o be an Authorized Person.

12. “Series shall mean the various portfolios, if any, of the Fund listed on Schedule II hereto, and if none are listed references to Series shall be references to the Fund.

13. “Securities shall include, without limitation, any commercial or bank loans (including proceeds thereof), common stock and other equity securities, bonds, debentures and other debt securities, notes, mortgages or other obligations, and any instruments representing rights to receive, purchase, or subscribe for the same, or representing any other rights or interests therein (whether represented by a certificate or held in a Depository or by a Subcustodian).

14. “Subcustodian shall mean a bank (including any branch thereof) or other financial institution (other than a Foreign Depository) located outside the U.S. which is utilized by Custodian in connection with the purchase, sale or custody of Securities hereunder and identified to the Fund from time to time, and their respective successors and nominees.

ARTICLE II

APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN; ACCOUNTS;

REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS

1. (a) The Fund hereby appoints Custodian as custodian of all Securities and cash at any time delivered to Custodian during the term of this Agreement, and authorizes Custodian to hold Securities in registered form in its name or the name of its nominees. Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to establish and maintain one or more securities accounts and cash accounts for each Series in which Custodian will hold Securities and cash as provided herein. Custodian shall maintain books and records segregating the assets of each Series from the assets of any other Series. Such accounts (each, an “Account”; collectively, the “Accounts”) shall be in the name of the Fund.

 

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(b) Custodian may from time to time establish on its books and records such sub-accounts within each Account as the Fund and Custodian may agree upon (each a “Special Account”), and Custodian shall reflect therein such assets as the Fund may specify in a Certificate or Instructions.

(c) Custodian may from time to time establish pursuant to a written agreement with and for the benefit of a broker, dealer, future commission merchant or other third party identified in a Certificate or Instructions such accounts on such terms and conditions as the Fund and Custodian shall agree, and Custodian shall transfer to such account such Securities and money as the Fund may specify in a Certificate or Instructions.

2. The Fund hereby represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be continuing and shall be deemed to be reaffirmed upon each delivery of a Certificate or each giving of Oral Instructions or Instructions by the Fund, that:

(a) It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement, and to perform its obligations hereunder;

(b) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund, approved by a resolution of its board, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, and there is no statute, regulation, rule, order or judgment binding on it, and no provision of its charter or by-laws, r or of any mortgage, indenture, credit agreement or other contract binding on it or affecting its property, which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

(c) It is conducting its business in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and requirements, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory licenses, approvals and consents necessary to carry on its business as now conducted;

(d) It will not use the services provided by Custodian hereunder in any manner that is, or will result in, a violation of any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Fund;

(e) Except to the extent that Custodian is the foreign custody manager for the Fund, as defined in Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “40 Act”), the Fund’s board has determined that use of each Subcustodian (including any Replacement Custodian) which Custodian is authorized to utilize in accordance with Section 1(a) of Article III hereof satisfies the applicable requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder;

(f) In reliance on the analysis of custody risks provided by Custodian pursuant to paragraph 1(d) of Article III hereof, the Fund or its investment adviser has determined that the custody arrangements of each Foreign Depository provide reasonable safeguards against the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with such Foreign Depository within the meaning of Rule 17f-7 under the ‘40 Act;

 

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(g) It is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with various methods of transmitting Instructions and Oral Instructions and delivering Certificates to Custodian, shall, and shall cause each Authorized Person, to safeguard and treat with extreme care any user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, understands that there may be more secure methods of transmitting or delivering the sane than the methods selected by it, agrees that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection therewith provide a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances, and acknowledges and agrees that Instructions need not be reviewed by Custodian, may reasonably be presumed by Custodian to have been given by person(s) duly authorized, and may be acted upon as given;

(h) It shall manage its borrowings, including, without limitation, any advance or overdraft (including any day-light overdraft) in the Accounts, so that the aggregate of its total borrowings for each Series does not exceed the amount such Series is permitted to borrow under the ‘40 Act;

(i) Its transmission or giving of, and Custodian acting upon and in reliance on, Certificates, Instructions, or Oral Instructions pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times comply with the ‘40 Act;

(j) It shall impose and maintain restrictions on the destinations to which cash may be disbursed by Instructions to ensure that each disbursement is for a proper purpose; and

(k) It has the right to make the pledge and grant the securities, interest and security entitlement to Custodian contained in Section 1 of Article V hereof, free of any right of redemption or prior claim of any other person or entity, such pledge and such grants shall have a first priority subject to no setoffs, counterclaims, or other liens or grants prior to or on a parity therewith, and it shall take such additional steps as Custodian may reasonably require to assure such priority.

3. The Fund hereby covenants that it shall from time to time complete and execute and deliver to Custodian upon Custodian’s request a Form FR U-1 (or successor form) whenever the Fund borrows from Custodian any money to be used for the purchase or carrying of margin stock as defined in Federal Reserve Regulation U.

4. Custodian represents and warrants that (i) it has full authority to enter into this Agreement upon the terms and conditions hereof and that the individual executing this Agreement on its behalf has the requisite authority to bind Custodian to this. Agreement, and that this Agreement constitutes a binding obligation of Custodian, (ii) in performing its duties under this Agreement Custodian shall exercise the reasonable care and diligence of a professional custodian for hire and shall act in good faith in the performance of its duties hereunder and (iii) it meets the requirements of the ‘40 Act to serve as a custodian for an investment company and will not knowingly violate any provision of the ‘40 Act in connection with its performance under this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE III

CUSTODY AND RELATED SERVICES

1. (a) Subject to the terms hereof, the Fund hereby authorizes Custodian, and Custodian agrees, to hold any Securities received by it from time to time for the Fund’s account and to perform the duties of a professional custodian for hire to a registered investment company. Custodian shall be entitled to utilize, subject to subsection (b) of this Section 1, Subcustodians, subject to subsection (c) of this Section 1, Depositories, and, subject to subsection (d) of this Section 1, Foreign Depositories, to the extent necessary or advisable in connection with its performance hereunder. Securities and cash held in a Depository or Foreign Depository will be held subject to the rules, terms and conditions of such entity. Securities and cash held through Subcustodians shall be held subject to the terms and conditions of Custodian’s agreements with such Subcustodians. Subcustodians may be authorized to hold Securities in Foreign Depositories in which such Subcustodians participate. Unless otherwise required by local law or practice or a particular subcustodian agreement, Securities deposited with a Subcustodian, a Depository or a Foreign Depository will be held in a commingled account, in the name of Custodian, holding only Securities held by Custodian as custodian for its customers. Custodial shall identify on its books and records the Securities and cash belonging to the Fund, whether held directly or indirectly through Depositories, Foreign Depositories, or Subcustodian. Custodian shall, directly or indirectly through Subcustodians, Depositories, or Foreign Depositories, endeavor, to the extent feasible, to hold Securities in the country or other jurisdiction in which the principal trading market for such Securities is located, where such Securities are to be presented for cancellation and/or payment and/or registration, or where such Securities are acquired. Custodian at any time may cease utilizing any Subcustodian and/or may replace a Subcustodian with a different Subcustodian (the “Replacement Subcustodian”). In the event Custodian selects a Subcustodian or Replacement Subcustodian, Custodian shall not utilize such Subcustodian or Replacement Subcustodian until after the Fund’s board or foreign custody manager has determined that utilization of such Replacement Subcustodian satisfies the requirements of the ‘40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder.

(b) Unless Custodian has received a Certificate or Instructions to the contrary, Custodian shall hold Securities indirectly through a Subcustodian only if (i) the Securities are not subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of such Subcustodian or its creditors or operators, including a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or similar authority, except for a claim of payment for the safe custody or administration of Securities on behalf of the Fund by such Subcustodian, and (ii) beneficial ownership of title Securities is freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration.

(c) With respect to each Depository, Custodian (i) shall exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain Securities or financial assets deposited or held in such Depository, and (ii) will provide, promptly upon request by the Fund, such reports as are available concerning the internal accounting controls and financial strength of Custodian.

(d) With respect to each Foreign Depository, Custodian shall exercise reasonable care, prudence, and diligence (i) to provide the Fund with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Foreign Depository, and (ii) to monitor such custody risks on a continuing basis and promptly notify the Fund of any material change in such risks. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that such analysis and monitoring shall be made on the basis of, and limited by, information gathered from Subcustodians or through publicly available information otherwise obtained by Custodian, and shall not include any evaluation of Country Risks. As used herein the term “Country Risks” shall mean with respect to any Foreign Depository: (a) the financial infrastructure of the country in which it is organized, (b) such country’s prevailing custody and settlement practices, (c) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (d) such country’s regulation of the banking or securities industry, (e) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations, and (f) market conditions which affect the order execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities.

 

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(e) From time to time, the Fund may invest in Securities that do not have ownership interests as may be represented by certificate (whether registered or bearer), by entry in a securities depository or by book entry agent, registrar or similar agent for recoding ownership interests in the relevant Security. If the Fund shall at any time acquire such Securities, including without limitation deposit obligations, loan participations, repurchase agreements and derivative arrangements, the Custodian shall receive and retain, to the extent the same are provided to the Custodian, confirmations or other documents evidencing the arrangement. The Custodian shall have no responsibility for agreements running to the Fund as to which it is not a party other than to retain, to the extent the same are provided to the Custodian, documents or copies of documents evidencing the arrangement and, in accordance with a Certificate or Instructions, to include such arrangements in reports made to the Fund.

2. Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a report of daily transactions (including a confirmation of each transfer of Securities) and a monthly summary of all transfers to or from the Accounts.

3. With respect to all Securities held hereunder, Custodian shall, unless otherwise instructed to the contrary:

(a) Receive all income and other payments and advise the Fund as promptly as practicable of any such amounts due but not paid;

(b) Present for payment and receive the amount paid upon all Securities which may mature and advise the Fund as promptly as practicable of any such amounts due but not paid;

(c) Forward to the Fund copies of all information or documents that it may actually receive from an issuer or borrower of Securities which are intended for the beneficial owner of Securities;

(d) Forward to the Fund or its designee information or summaries of information that Custodian receives from Depositories or Subcustodians concerning Securities in the Account;

(e) Execute, as custodian, any certificates of ownership, affidavits, declarations or other certificates under any tax laws now or hereafter in effect in connection with the collection of bond and note coupons;

(f) Forward to the Fund or its designee any initial notice of bankruptcy cases relating to Securities held in the Account and any other related notices, provided the same are actually received by Custodian;

(g) Carry out any exchanges of Securities or other corporate actions not requiring any discretionary or elective decisions;

 

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(h) Facilitate access by the Fund or its designee to ballots or online systems to assist in the voting of proxies received for Securities held in the Account;

(i) Hold directly or through a Depository, a Foreign Depository, or a Subcustodian all rights and similar Securities issued with respect to any Securities credited to an Account hereunder;

(j) Endorse for collection checks, drafts or other negotiable instruments; and

(k) Execute, as custodian, any certificates of ownership affidavits, declarations or other certificates under any tax laws now or hereafter in effect in connection with the collection of bond and note coupons.

4. (a) Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund of rights or discretionary actions with respect to Securities held hereunder, and of the date or dates by when such rights must be exercised or such action must be taken, provided that Custodian has actually received, from the issuer or the relevant Depository (with respect to Securities issued in the United States) or from the relevant Subcustodian, Foreign Depository, or a nationally or internationally recognized bond or corporate action service to which Custodian subscribes, timely notice of such rights or discretionary corporate action or of the date or dates such rights must be exercised or such action must be taken. Absent actual receipt of such notice, Custodian shall have no liability for failing to so notify the Fund.

(b) Whenever Securities (including, but not limited to, warrants, options, tenders, options to tender or non-mandatory puts or calls) confer discretionary rights on the Fund or provide for discretionary action or alternative courses of action by the Fund, the Fund shall be responsible for making any decisions relating thereto and for directing Custodian to act. In order for Custodian to act, it must receive the Fund’s Certificate or Instructions et Custodian’s offices, addressed as Custodian may from time to time request, not later than noon (New York time) at least two (2) Business Days prior to the last scheduled date to act with respect to such Securities (or such earlier date or time as Custodian may specify to the Fund). Absent Custodian’s timely receipt of such Certificate or Instructions, Custodian shall not be liable for failure to take any action relating to or to exercise any rights conferred by such Securities.

5. All voting rights with respect to Securities, however registered shall be exercised by the Fund or its designee. Custodian will make available to the Fund proxy voting services upon the request of, and for the jurisdictions selected by, the Fund in accordance with terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon by Custodian and the Fund.

6. Custodian shall promptly advise the Fund upon Custodian’s actual receipt of notification of the partial redemption, partial payment or other action affecting less than all Securities of a relevant class of Securities held in the Account. If Custodian, any Subcustodian, any Depository, or any Foreign Depository holds any Securities in which the Fund has an interest as part of a fungible mass, Custodian, such Subcustodian, Depository, or Foreign Depository may select the Securities to participate in such partial redemption, partial payment or other action in any non-discriminatory manner that it customarily uses to make such selection.

 

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7. Custodian shall not under any circumstances accept bearer interest coupons which have been stripped from United States federal, state or local government or agency securities unless explicitly agreed to by Custodian in writing.

8. The Fund shall be liable for all taxes, assessments, duties and other governmental charges, including any interest or penalty with respect thereto (“Taxes”), with respect to any cash or Securities held on behalf of the Fund or any transaction related thereto. The Fund shall indemnify Custodian and each Subcustodian for the amount of any Tax that Custodian, any such Subcustodian or any other withholding agent is required under applicable laws (whether by assessment or otherwise) to pay on behalf of, or in respect of income earned by or payments or distributions made to or for the account of the Fund (including any payment of Tax required by reason of an earlier failure to withhold). Custodian shall, or shall instruct the applicable Subcustodian or other withholding agent to, withhold the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law upon collection of any dividend, interest or other distribution made with respect to any Security and any proceeds or income from tie sale, loan or other transfer of any Security. In the event that Custodian or any Subcustodian is required under applicable law to pay any Tax on behalf of the Fund, Custodian is hereby authorized without giving prior notice to the Fund to withdraw cash from any cash account in the amount required to pay such Tax and to use such cash, or to remit such cash to the appropriate Subcustodian or other withholding agent, for the timely payment of such Tax in the manner required by applicable law, and shall promptly advise the Fund of any such withdrawal. If the aggregate amount of cash in all cash accounts is not sufficient to pay such Tax, Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund of the additional amount of cash (in the appropriate currency) required, and the Fund shall directly deposit such additional amount in the appropriate cash account promptly after receipt of such notice, for use by Custodian as specified herein. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that Fund is eligible, pursuant to applicable law or to the provisions o f any tax treaty, for a reduced rate of, or exemption from, any Tax which is otherwise required to be withheld or paid on behalf of the Fund under any applicable law, Custodian shall, or shall instruct the applicable Subcustodian or withholding agent to, either withhold or pay such Tax at such reduced rate or refrain from withholding or paying such Tax, as appropriate; provided that Custodian shall have received from the Fund all documentary evidence of residence or other qualification for such reduced rate or exemption required to be received under such applicable law or treaty. In the event that Custodian reasonably believes that a reduced rate of, or exemption from, any Tax is obtainable only by means of an application for a refund, Custodian and the applicable Subcustodian shall make such application, but shall have no responsibility for the accuracy or validity of any forms or documentation provided by the Fund to Custodian hereunder. The Fund hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian and each Subcustodian in respect of any liability arising from any underwithholding or underpayment of any Tax which results from the inaccuracy or invalidity of any such forms or other documentation, and such obligation to indemnify shall be a continuing obligation of the Fund, its successors and assigns notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

9. (a) For the purpose of settling Securities and foreign exchange transactions, the Fund shall provide Custodian with sufficient immediately available funds for all transactions by such time and date as conditions in the relevant market dictate. As used herein, “sufficient immediately available funds” shall mean either (i) sufficient cash denominated in U.S. dollars to purchase the necessary foreign currency, or (ii) sufficient applicable foreign currency, to settle the transaction. Custodian shall provide the Fund with immediately available funds each day which result from the actual settlement of all sale transactions, based upon advices received by Custodian from Subcustodians, Depositories, and Foreign Depositories. Such funds shall be in U.S. dollars or such other currency as the Fund may specify to Custodian.

 

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(b) Any foreign exchange transaction effected by Custodian in connection with this Agreement may be entered with Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate acting as principal or otherwise through customary banking channels. The Fund may issue a standing Certificate or Instructions with respect to foreign exchange transactions, but Custodian may establish rules or limitations concerning any foreign exchange facility made available to the Fund. The Fund shall bear all risks of investing in Securities or holding cash denominated in a foreign currency.

(c) To the extent that Custodian has agreed to provide pricing or other information services in connection with this Agreement, Custodian is authorized to utilize any vendor (including brokers and dealers of Securities) reasonably believed by Custodian to be reliable to provide such information. The Fund understands that certain pricing information with respect to complex financial instruments (e.g., derivatives) may be based on calculated amounts rather than actual market transactions and may not reflect actual market values, and that the variance between such calculated amounts and actual market values may or may not be material. Where vendors do not provide information for particular Securities or other property, an Authorized Person may advise Custodian in a Certificate regarding the fair market value of, or provide other information with respect to, such Securities or property as determined by it in good faith. Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred as a result of errors or omissions with respect to any pricing or other information utilized by Custodian hereunder.

10. Until such time as Custodian receives a Certificate to the contrary with respect to a particular Security, Custodian may release the identity of the Fund to an issuer which requests such information pursuant to the Shareholder Communications Act of 1985 for the specific purpose of direct communications between such issuer and shareholder.

11. Custodian shall make available to the Fund a monthly report (or a report for such other time period to which the Fund and Custodian may agree to) of all transfers to and from the Account and a statement of all Securities and cash in the Accounts as of the last Business Day of each month (or such other time period to which the Fund and Custodian may agree). The Fund may elect to receive reports electronically by accessing a website maintained by Custodian subject to the terms and conditions applicable to such website access, and the Fund acknowledges that such website and any transmissions by the Fund thereto are not encrypted and therefore are not secure.

12. Custodian shall provide a daily cash activity report indicating the following information with respect to the Securities:

(a) transaction description (including name of security);

(b) dollar amount;

(c) date of transaction; and

(d) cash and/or cash investment balances.

 

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13. In addition to the foregoing, Custodian shall perform the functions with respect to the Securities consisting of commercial or bank loans, including the proceeds thereof (the “Loans”), set forth in Schedule III to this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

PURCHASE AND SALE OF SECURITIES;

CREDITS TO ACCOUNT

1. Promptly after each purchase or sale of Securities by the Fund, the Fund shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions, or with respect to a purchase or sale of a Security generally required to be settled on the same day the purchase or sale is made, Oral Instructions specifying all information Custodian may reasonably request to settle such purchase or sale. Custodian shall account for all purchases and sales of Securities on the actual settlement date unless otherwise agreed by Custodian and the Fund.

2. The Fund understands that when Custodian is instructed to deliver Securities against payment, delivery of such Securities and receipt of payment therefor may not be completed simultaneously. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, settlements, payments and deliveries of Securities may be effected by Custodian or any Subcustodian in accordance with the customary or established securities trading or securities processing practices and procedures in the jurisdiction in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivery to a purchaser or dealer therefor (or agent) against receipt with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Securities. The Fund assumes full responsibility for all risks, including, without limitation, credit risks, involved in connection with such deliveries of Securities, unless Custodian has not acted in accordance with industry practice and has been negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.

3. Custodian may, as a matter of bookkeeping convenience or by separate agreement with the Fund, credit the Account with the proceeds from the sale, redemption or other disposition of Securities or interest, dividends or other distributions payable on Securities prior to its actual receipt of final payment therefor. All such credits shall be conditional until Custodian’s actual receipt of final payment and may be reversed by Custodian to the extent that final payment is not received. Payment with respect to a transaction will not be “final” until Custodian shall have received immediately available funds which under applicable local law, rule and/or practice are irreversible and not subject to any security interest, levy or other encumbrance, and which are specifically applicable to such transaction.

ARTICLE V

OVERDRAFTS OR INDEBTEDNESS

1. If Custodian should in its sole discretion advance funds on behalf of any Series to make a payment permitted by this Agreement upon receipt of Instructions or other proper authorization which results in an overdraft (including, without limitation, any day-light overdraft) because the money held by Custodian in an Account for such Series shall be insufficient to pay the total amount payable upon a purchase of Securities specifically allocated to such Series, as set forth in a Certificate, Instructions or Oral Instructions, or if an overdraft arises in the separate account of a Series for some other reason, including, without limitation, because of a reversal of a

 

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conditional credit or the purchase of any currency, or if the Fund is for any other reason indebted to Custodian with respect to a Series (except a borrowing for investment or for temporary or emergency purposes using Securities as collateral pursuant to a separate agreement and subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Article), such overdraft or indebtedness shall be deemed to be a loan made by Custodian to the Fund for such Series payable on demand and shall bear interest from the date incurred at a rate per annum ordinarily charged by Custodian to its institutional customers, as such rate may be adjusted from time to time. In addition, the Fund hereby agrees that Custodian shall to the maximum extent permitted by law have a continuing lien, security interest, and security entitlement in and to any property, including, without limitation, any investment property or any financial asset, of such Series at any time held by Custodian for the benefit of such Series or in which such Series may have an interest which is then in Custodian’s possession or control or in possession or control of any third party acting in Custodian’s behalf. The Fund authorizes Custodian, in its sole discretion, at any time to charge any such overdraft or indebtedness together with interest due thereon against any balance of account standing to such Series’ credit on Custodian’s books.

2. If the Fund borrows money from any bank (including Custodian if the borrowing is pursuant to a separate agreement) for investment or for temporary or emergency purposes using Securities held by Custodian hereunder as collateral for such borrowings, the Fund shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate specifying with respect to each such borrowing: (a) the Series to which such borrowing relates; (b) the name of the bank, (c) the amount of the borrowing, (d) the time and date, if known, on which the loan is to be entered into, (e) the total amount payable to the Fund on the borrowing date, (f) the Securities to be used as collateral for such loan, including the name of the issuer, the title and the number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities, and (g) a statement specifying whether such loan is for investment purposes or for temporary or emergency purposes and that such loan is in conformance with the ‘40 Act and the Fund’s prospectus. Custodian shall take such actions on or before the borrowing date specified in a Certificate so as to create and perfect a security interest in the specified collateral upon payment by the lending bank of the total amount of the loan payable, provided that the same conforms to the total amount payable as set forth in the Certificate. Custodian will keep such collateral in its possession, but such collateral shall be subject to all rights therein given the lending bank by virtue of any promissory note, loan agreement or related collateral documents. Custodian shall hold such Securities as additional collateral as may be specified in a Certificate to collateralize further any transaction described in this Section. In the event that the Fund fails to specify in a Certificate the Series, the name of the issuer, the title and number of shares or the principal amount of any particular Securities to be delivered as collateral by Custodian, Custodian shall not be under any obligation to create and perfect a security interest in any Securities; provided that the Fund need not indicate the details of Securities if all Securities in the Account are to be pledged as collateral.

ARTICLE VI

SALE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

1. Whenever the Fund shall sell any shares issued by the Fund (“Shares”) it shall deliver to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions specifying the amount of money and/or Securities to be received by Custodian for the sale of such Shares and specifically allocated to an Account for such Series.

 

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2. Upon receipt of such money, Custodian shall credit the same to an Account in the name of the Series for which such money was received.

3. Except as provided hereunder, whenever the Fund desires Custodian to make a payment out of the money held by Custodian hereunder in connection with a redemption of any Shares, it shall furnish to Custodian (a) a resolution of the Fund’s board directing the Fund’s transfer agent to redeem the Shares, and (b) a Certificate or Instructions specifying the total amount to be paid for such Shares. Custodian shall make any such payment of such total amount to the transfer agent specified in such Certificate or Instructions out of the money held in an Account of the appropriate Series.

ARTICLE VII

PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS OR DISTRIBUTIONS

1. Whenever the Fund shall determine to pay a dividend or distribution on Shares it shall furnish to Custodian Instructions or a Certificate setting forth with respect to the Series specified therein the date of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, the total amount payable, and the payment date.

2. Upon the payment date specified in such Instructions or Certificate, Custodian shall pay out of the money held for the account of such Series the total amount payable to the dividend agent of the Fund specified therein and shall reflect such payment in the daily statement delivered to the Fund or otherwise give confirmation of such payment to the Fund.

ARTICLE VIII

CONCERNING CUSTODIAN

1. (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, Custodian shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims, including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees (collectively, “Losses”), incurred by or asserted against the Fund, except those Losses arising out of Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct. Custodian shall have no liability whatsoever for the action or inaction of any Depositories or of any Foreign Depositories, except in each case to the extent such action or inaction is a direct result of the Custodian’s failure to fulfill its duties hereunder. With respect to any Losses incurred by the Fund as a result of the acts or any failures to act by any Subcustodian (other than a Custodian Affiliate), Custodian shall take appropriate action to recover such Losses from such Subcustodian; and Custodian’s sole responsibility and liability to the Fund shall be limited to amounts so received from such Subcustodian (exclusive of costs and expenses incurred by Custodian). In no event shall Custodian be liable to the Fund or any third party for special, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits or loss of business, arising in connection with this Agreement, nor shall Custodian or any Subcustodian be liable: (i) for acting in accordance with any Certificate or Oral Instructions actually received by Custodian and reasonably believed by Custodian to be given by an Authorized Person; (ii ) for acting in accordance with Instructions without reviewing the same; (iii) for reasonably presuming that all Instructions are given only by person(s) duly authorized; (iv ) for conclusively presuming that all disbursements of cash directed by the Fund, whether by a Certificate, an Oral Instruction, or an Instruction, are in accordance with Section 2(i) of Article II hereof; (v) for holding property in any particular country, including, but not limited to, Losses resulting from nationalization,

 

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expropriation or other governmental actions; regulation of the banking or securities industry; exchange or currency controls or restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; availability of cash or Securities or market conditions which prevent the transfer of property or execution of Securities transactions or affect the value of property; (vi) for any Losses due to forces beyond the control of Custodian, including without limitation strikes, work stoppages, acts of war or terrorism, insurrection, revolution, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, or interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; (vii) for the insolvency of any Subcustodian (other than a Custodian Affiliate), any Depository, or, except to the extent such action or inaction is a direct result of the Custodian’s failure to fulfill its duties hereunder, any Foreign Depository; or (viii) for any Losses arising from the applicability of any law or regulation now or hereafter in effect, or from the occurrence of any event, including, without limitation, implementation or adoption of any rules or procedures of a Foreign Depository, which may affect, limit, prevent or impose costs or burdens on, the transferability, convertibility, or availability of any currency or Composite Currency Unit in any country or on the transfer of any Securities, and in no event shall Custodian be obligated to substitute another currency for a currency (including a currency that is a component of a Composite Currency Unit) whose transferability, convertibility or availability has been affected, limited, or prevented by such law, regulation or event, and to the extent that any such law, regulation or event imposes a cost or charge upon Custodian in relation to the transferability, convertibility, or availability of any cash currency or Composite Currency Unit, such cost or charge shall be for the account of the Fund, and Custodian may treat any account denominated in an affected currency as a group of separate accounts denominated in the relevant component currencies.

(b) Custodian may enter into subcontracts, agreements and understandings with any Custodian Affiliate, whenever and on such terms and conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to perform its services hereunder. No such subcontract, agreement or understanding shall discharge Custodian from its obligations hereunder.

(c) The Fund agrees to indemnify Custodian and hold Custodian harmless from and against any and all Losses sustained or incurred by or asserted against Custodian by reason of or as a result of any action or inaction, arising out of or related to Custodian’s performance hereunder, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel incurred by Custodian in a successful defense of claims by the Fund; provided however, that the Fund shall not indemnify Custodian for those Losses arising out of Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Fund, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.

2. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Custodian shall be under no obligation to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:

(a) Any Losses incurred by the Fund or any other person as a result of the receipt or acceptance of fraudulent, forged or invalid Securities, or Securities which are otherwise not freely transferable or deliverable without encumbrance in any relevant market;

(b) The validity of the issue of any Securities purchased, sold, or written by or for the Fund, the legality of the purchase, sale or writing thereof, or the propriety of the amount paid or received therefor;

 

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(c) The legality of the sale or redemption of any Shares, or the propriety of the amount to be received or paid therefor;

(d) The legality of the declaration or payment of any dividend or distribution by the Fund;

(e) The legality of any borrowing by the Fund;

(f) The legality of any loan of portfolio Securities, nor shall Custodian be under any duty or obligation to see to it that any cash or collateral delivered to it by a broker, dealer or financial institution or held by it at any time as a result of such loan of portfolio Securities is adequate security for the Fund against any loss it might sustain as a result of such loan, which duty or obligation shall be the sole responsibility of the Fund. In addition, Custodian shall be under no duty or obligation to see that any broker, dealer or financial institution to which portfolio Securities of the Fund are lent makes payment to it of any dividends or interest which are payable to or for the account of the Fund during the period of such loan or at the termination of such loan, provided, however that Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund in the event that such dividends or interest are not paid and received when due;

(g) The sufficiency or value of any amounts of money and/or Securities held in any Special Account in connection with transactions by the Fund; whether any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member makes payment to the fund of any variation margin payment or similar payment which the Fund may be entitled to receive from such broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member, or whether any payment received by Custodian from any broker, dealer, futures commission merchant or clearing member is the amount the Fund is entitled to receive, or to notify the Fund of Custodian’s receipt or non-receipt of any such payment; or

(h) Whether any Securities at any time delivered to, or held by it or by any Subcustodian, for the account of the Fund and specifically allocated to a Series are such as properly may be held by the Fund or such Series under the provision of its then current prospectus and statement of additional information, or to ascertain whether any transactions by the Fund, whether or not involving Custodian, are such transactions as may properly be engaged in by the Fund.

3. Custodian may, with respect to questions of law specifically regarding an Account, obtain the advice of counsel and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in good faith in conformity with such advice.

4. Custodian shall be under no obligation to take action to collect any amount payable on Securities in default, or if payment is refused after due demand and presentment.

5. Custodian shall have no duty or responsibility to inquire into, make recommendations, supervise, or determine the suitability of any transactions affecting any Account.

6. The Fund shall pay to Custodian the fees and charges as may be specifically agreed upon from time to time, with reasonable notice to and approval from the Fund, and such other fees and charges at Custodian’s standard rates for such services as may be applicable. The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for all costs associated with the conversion of the Fund’s Securities hereunder and the transfer of Securities and records kept in connection with this Agreement. The Fund shall also reimburse Custodian for out-of-pocket expenses which are a normal incident of the services provided hereunder.

 

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7. Custodian has the right to debit any cash account for any amount payable by the Fund in connection with any and all obligations of the Fund to Custodian. In addition to the rights of Custodian under applicable law and other agreements, at any time when the Fund shall not have honored any of its obligations to Custodian, Custodian shall have the right without prior notice to the Fund to retain or set-off, against such obligations of the Fund, any Securities or cash Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may directly or indirectly hold for the account of the Fund, and any obligations (whether matured or unmatured) that Custodian or a Custodian Affiliate may have to the Fund in any currency or Composite Currency Unit, provided that promptly after exercising such right, Custodian shall give notice of such exercise to the Fund. Any such asset of, or obligation to, the Fund may be transferred to Custodian and any Custodian Affiliate in order to effect the above rights.

8. The Fund agrees to forward to Custodian a Certificate or Instructions confirming Oral Instructions by the close of business of the same day that such Oral Instructions are given to Custodian. The Fund agrees that the fact that such confirming Certificate or Instructions are not received or that a contrary Certificate or contrary Instructions are received by Custodian shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of transactions authorized by such Oral Instructions and effected by Custodian. If the Fund elects to transmit Instruction through an on-line communications system offered by Custodian, the Fund’s use thereof shall be subject to the Terms and Conditions attached as Appendix 1 hereto. If Custodian receives Instructions which appear on their face to have been transmitted by an Authorized Person via ( i) computer facsimile, email, the Internet or other insecure electronic method, or (ii) secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys, the Fund understands and agrees that Custodian cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that Custodian shall conclusively presume that such Written Instructions have been sent by an Authorized Person, and the Fund shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Persons transmit such Instructions to Custodian. If the Fund elects (with Custodian’s prior consent) to transmit Instructions through an online communications service owned or operated by a third party, the Fund agrees that Custodian shall not be responsible or liable for the reliability or availability of any such service.

9. The books and records pertaining to the Fund which are in possession of Custodian shall be the property of the Fund. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained by Custodian as required by the ‘40 Act and the rules thereunder. The Fund, or its authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records during Custodian’s normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by Custodian to the Fund or its authorized representative. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained.

 

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10. It is understood that Custodian is authorized to supply any information regarding the Accounts which is required by any law, regulation or rule now or hereafter in effect. The Custodian shall promptly provide the Fund with any report obtained by the Custodian on the system of internal accounting control of a Depository, and with such reports on its own system of internal accounting control as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time.

11. Custodian shall have no duties or responsibilities whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth in this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied against Custodian in connection with this Agreement.

ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

1. Either of the parties hereto may terminate this Agreement by giving to the other party a notice in writing specifying the date of such termination, which shall be not less than ninety (90) days after the date of giving of such notice. In the event such notice is given by the Fund, it shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the board of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, electing to terminate this Agreement and designating a successor custodian or custodians, each of which shall be a bank or trust company eligible to serve as a custodian of a closed end investment company under the ‘40 Act. In the event such notice is given by Custodian, the Fund shall, on or before the termination date, deliver to Custodian a copy of a resolution of the board of the Fund, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, designating a successor custodian or custodians. In the absence of such designation by the Fund, Custodian may designate a successor custodian which shall be a bank or trust company eligible to serve as custodian for a closed end investment company under the ‘40 Act and having not less than $2 million aggregate capital and surplus. Upon the date set forth in such notice this Agreement shall terminate, and Custodian shall upon receipt of a notice of acceptance by the successor custodian on that date deliver directly to the successor custodian all Securities and money then owned by the Fund and held by it as Custodian, after deducting all fees, expenses and other amounts for the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled.

2. If a successor custodian is not designated by the Fund or Custodian in accordance with the preceding Section, the Fund shall upon the date specified in the notice of termination of this Agreement and upon the delivery by Custodian of all Securities (other than Securities which cannot be delivered to the Fund) and money then owned by the Fund be deemed to be its own custodian and Custodian shall thereby be relieved of all duties and responsibilities pursuant to this Agreement, other than the duty with respect to Securities which cannot be delivered to the Fund to hold such Securities hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

1. The Fund agrees to furnish to Custodian a new Certificate of Authorized Persons in the event of any change in the then present Authorized Persons. Until such new Certificate is received, Custodian shall be fully protected in acting upon Certificates or Oral Instructions of such present Authorized Persons.

 

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2. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to Custodian, shall be sufficiently given if addressed to Custodian and received by it at its offices at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, or at such other place as Custodian may from time to time designate in writing.

3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to the Fund shall be sufficiently given if addressed to the Fund and received by it at its offices at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, or at such other place as the Fund may from time to time designate in writing.

4. Each and every right granted to either party hereunder or under any other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, or allowed it by law or equity, shall be cumulative and may be exercised from time to time. No failure on the part of either party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right will operate as a waiver thereof, nor will any single or partial exercise by either party of any right preclude any other or future exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

5. In case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any exclusive jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected thereby. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties, except that any amendment to the Schedule I hereto need be signed only by the Fund and any amendment to Appendix I hereto need be signed only by Custodian. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by either party without the written consent of the other.

6. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof (other than the conflicts of law principles that permit the designation of New York law as the governing law of this Agreement). The Fund and Custodian hereby consent to the jurisdiction of a state or federal court situated in New York City, New York in connection with any dispute arising hereunder. The Fund and Custodian each hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Fund and Custodian each hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

7. Custodian shall at all times maintain such back-up facilities and such disaster recovery capabilities as are required by its regulators.

8. Custodian agrees to maintain all records of the Fund and information relating to the Fund, subject to its reasonably designed and implemented procedures intended to maintain the confidentiality of customer information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, disclosure of such records may be made (i) in connection with the services provided under this Agreement, (ii) at the written direction of the Fund, (iii) pursuant to law, regulatory authority or other legal process (including by oral question, interrogatories, request for information or documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process), (iv) as required by local market practice, (v) is otherwise consented to, in writing, by the Fund; or (vi) on a blind or aggregated basis. The Fund agrees that such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any

 

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information (i) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (ii) has been obtained rightfully by Custodian from third parties or (iii) that is independently derived by custodian without the use of any information derived in connection with the services provided under this Agreement.

Custodian acknowledges that any breach of this paragraph 8 may cause not only financial damage, but irreparable harm to the Fund, for which money damages may not provide an adequate remedy. Accordingly, in the event of a breach or threatened breach of this paragraph 8, the Fund may (in addition to all other rights and remedies they may have pursuant to this Agreement, including without limitation at law and in equity) be entitled Lo seek an injunction, without the necessity of posting any bond or surety, to restrain disclosure or misuse, in whole or in part, of any confidential information.

The provisions of this paragraph 8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

9. The Fund hereby acknowledges that Custodian is subject to federal laws, including the Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, pursuant to which Custodian must obtain, verify and record information that allows Custodian to identify the Fund. Accordingly, prior to opening an Account hereunder Custodian will ask the Fund to provide certain information including, but not limited to, the Fund’s name, physical address, tax identification number and other information that will help Custodian to identify and verify the Fund’s identity such as organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business, or other pertinent identifying information. The Fund agrees that Custodian cannot open an Account hereunder unless and until Custodian verifies the Fund’s identity in accordance with its CIP.

10. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that provides services to clients through its affiliates and subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). The BNY Mellon Group may centralize functions including audit, accounting, risk, legal, compliance, sales, administration, product communication, relationship management, storage, compilation and analysis of customer-related data, and other functions (the “Centralized Functions”) in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party service providers. Solely in connection with the Centralized Functions, (i) the Fund consents to the disclosure of and authorizes Custodian to disclose information regarding the Fund (“Customer-Related Data”) to the BNY Mellon Group and to its third-party service providers who are subject to confidentiality obligations with respect to such information and (ii) Custodian may store the names and business contact information of the Fund’s employees and representatives on the systems or in the records of the BNY Mellon Group or its service providers. The BNY Mellon Group may aggregate Customer-Related Data with other data collected and/or calculated by the BNY Mellon Group, and notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary the BNY Mellon Group will own all such aggregated data, provided that the BNY Mellon Group shall not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies Customer-Related Data with a particular customer. The Fund confirms that it is authorized to consent to the foregoing.

11. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute only one instrument.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fund and Custodian have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the latest date set forth below.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund By: GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, its Investment Advisor
By:   /s/ Marisa Beeney
Title:   Authorized Signatory
Tax Identification No:
Date
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /s/ John Kenyon
Title:   Managing Director
Date:   7/17/2014

 

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SCHEDULE I

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZED PERSONS

(The Fund—Oral and Written Instructions)

The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the duly elected and acting                                                       of Blackstone/GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (the “Fund”), and further certifies that the following officers or employees of the Fund have been duly authorized in conformity with the Fund’s Declaration of Fund and By-Laws to deliver Certificates and Oral Instructions to The Bank of New York Mellon (“Custodian”) pursuant to the Custody Agreement between the Fund and Custodian dated                                 , 20     and that the signatures appearing opposite their names are true and correct:

 

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

     

Name

  

     

Title

 

     

Signature

This certificate supersedes any certificate of Authorized Persons you may currently have on file.

 

[seal]       By:    
        Title:
Date:      


SCHEDULE II

SERIES


SCHEDULE III

(a) Enter into Custodian’s loan tracking system, and maintain a loan database containing, information provided to Custodian from time to time by the Fund or the Agent Banks for the Loans with respect to (i) the obligor name for each Loan, (ii) the principal and interest payments made or to be made on the Loans, (iii) the applicable interest rates, interest rate resets and interest accrual periods of each Loan, (iv) the principal balance and amortization schedule of each Loan and (v) the funded and commitment balances of, and the commitment fees for, each Loan;

(b) Forward to the Fund all notices received by Custodian with respect to the Loans:

(c) Reconcile the expected payments on the Loans to the cash payments actually received on the Loans; and

(d) Retain copies of the credit agreements for the Loans, and any amendments thereto, as such documentation is provided to Custodian from time to time by or on behalf of the Fund.


APPENDIX I

ELECTRONIC SERVICES TERMS AND CONDITIONS

These Electronic Access Terms and Conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”) set forth the terms and conditions under which The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and/or its subsidiaries or joint ventures (collectively, “BNY Mellon”) will provide the entities and its (their) affiliates listed on Schedule A (“You” and “Your”) with access to and use of BNY Mellon’s electronic information delivery site known as “BNY Mellon Connect” and/or other BNY Mellon-designated access portals (“Electronic Access”). Access to and use of Electronic Access by You is contingent upon and is in consideration for Your compliance with the terms and conditions set forth below. Electronic Access includes access to BNY Mellon websites accessible via BNY Mellon Connect and/or other BNY Mellon-designated access portals (“Sites”), pursuant to which You are able to access products and services provided by BNY Mellon as well as data regarding Your accounts. You may amend Schedule A by delivering a revised version to BNY Mellon.

Any particular product or service accessed by You through Electronic Access may be subject to a separate written agreement between You and BNY Mellon with respect to such products and services (each a “Services Agreement”). In addition, terms and conditions and restrictions with respect to any particular product or service accessed through Electronic Access (such as privacy and internet security matters), together with any disclaimers related to the specific products or services, may be set forth on the Sites (hereinafter referred to as “Terms of Use”) and are applicable to such products and services. You agree to the Terms and Conditions. By any of Your Users accessing the Sites, and the products and services available through Electronic Access, You agree to any Terms of Use and acknowledge and accept any disclaimers and disclosures included on the Sites and the restrictions concerning the use of proprietary data provided by Information Providers (as defined below) that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site (as defined below). For the avoidance of doubt, the execution of these Terms and Conditions will not alter or amend or otherwise affect any Services Agreement whether such Services Agreement is executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions.

1. Access Administration:

 

  a.

To facilitate access to Electronic Access, You will furnish BNY Mellon with a written list of the names, and the extent of authority or level of access, of persons You are authorizing to access the Sites, products and services and to use the Electronic Access (“Authorized Users) on a read-only basis. In addition, You may also designate Authorized Users who will have authority to enter transactions and provide instructions to BNY Mellon that cause a change in or have an impact on assets held by BNY Mellon for Your accounts (“Authorized Transactional Users”). Where appropriate, Authorized Users and Authorized Transactional Users are collectively referred to herein as “Users.” If You wish to allow any third party (such as an investment manager, consultant or third party service provider) or any employee of a third party to have access to Your account information through Electronic Access and be included as a “User” under these Terms and Conditions, You may designate a third party or employee of a third party as an Authorized User or Authorized Transactional User under these Terms and Conditions and any such third party or employee of a third party so designated by You (and, if a third party is so designated, any employee of such third party designated by such third party) will be included within the definition of Authorized User, Authorized Transactional User, and User as appropriate.


  b.

Upon BNY Mellon’s approval of Users (which approval will not be unreasonably withheld), BNY Mellon will send You a user-id, temporary password and, where applicable, a security identification device for each User. You will be responsible for providing to Users the user-ids, temporary passwords and, where applicable, secure identification devices. You will ensure that any User receiving a secure identification device returns such device immediately following the termination of the User’s authorization to access the products and services for which the secure identification device was provided to such User. You are solely responsible for Users’ access to Electronic Access, and You and Users are solely responsible for the confidentiality of the user-ids and passwords and secure identification devices that are provided to them and will remain responsible for each secure identification device until it is returned to BNY Mellon. You, on behalf of You and Your affiliates, acknowledge and agree that, BNY Mellon will have no duty or obligation to verify or confirm the actual identity of the person who accessed Electronic Access using a validly issued user-id and password (and, where applicable, security identification device) or that the person who accessed Electronic Access using such validly issued user-id and password (and, where applicable, security identification device) is, in fact, a User (whether an Authorized User or an Authorized Transactional User).

 

  c.

You shall not, and shall not permit any User or third party to, breach or attempt to breach any security measures used in connection with Electronic Access or Proprietary Software. Any attempt to circumvent or penetrate any application, network or other security measures used by BNY Mellon or its suppliers in connection with Electronic Access is strictly prohibited.

 

  d.

You are also solely responsible for ensuring that all Users comply with these Terms and Conditions and any Terms of Use included on the Sites, the Service Agreement for each product or services accessed through the Sites and their associated services and all applicable terms and conditions, restrictions on the use of such products and services and data obtained through the use of Electronic Access. BNY Mellon reserves the right to prohibit access or revoke the access of any User to Electronic Access whom BNY Mellon determines has violated or breached these terms and conditions or any Terms of Use on a Site accessed by the User, including the Data Terms Web Site (as defined below), or whose conduct BNY Mellon reasonably determines may constitute a criminal offense, violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law or constitute a security risk for BNY Mellon, a BNY Mellon’s third party supplier (“BNY Mellon’s Supplier”), BNY Mellon’s clients or any Users of Electronic Access. BNY Mellon may also terminate access to all Users following termination of all Services Agreements between You and BNY Mellon.

2. Proprietary Software: Depending upon the products and services You elect to access through Electronic Access, You may be provided software owned by BNY Mellon or licensed to BNY Mellon by a BNY Mellon Supplier (“Proprietary Software”). You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to install the Proprietary Software on Your authorized computer system (including mobile devices registered with BNY Mellon) and to use the Proprietary Software solely for Your own internal purposes in connection with Electronic Access and solely for the purposes for which it is provided to You. You and Your Users may make copies of the Proprietary Software for backup purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary


information included in the original copy of the Proprietary Software are reproduced in or on such backup copies. You shall not reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile or attempt to determine the source code for, any Proprietary Software. Any attempt to circumvent or penetrate security of Electronic Access is strictly prohibited.

3. Use of Data:

 

  a.

Electronic Access may include information and data that is proprietary to the providers of such information or data (“Information Providers”) or may be used to access Sites that include such information or data from Information Providers. This information and data may be subject to restrictions and requirements which are imposed on BNY Mellon by the Information Providers and which are posted on http://www.bnymellon.com/products/assetservicing/vendoragreement.pdf or any successor web site of which You are provided notice from time to time (the “Data Terms Web Site”). You will be solely responsible for ensuring that Users comply with the restrictions and requirements concerning the use of proprietary data that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site.

 

  b.

You consent to BNY Mellon, its affiliates and BNY Mellon’s Suppliers disclosing to each other and using data received from You and Users and, where applicable, Your third parties in connection with these Terms and Conditions (including, without limitation, client data and personal data of Users) (1) to the extent necessary for the provision of Electronic Access; (2) in order for BNY Mellon and its affiliates to meet any of their obligations under these Terms and Conditions to provide Electronic Access; or (3) to the extent necessary for Users to access Electronic Access.

 

  c.

In addition, You permit BNY Mellon to aggregate data concerning Your accounts with other data collected and/or calculated by BNY Mellon. BNY Mellon will own such aggregated data, but will not distribute the aggregated data in a format that identifies You or Your data.

4. Ownership and Rights:

 

  a.

Electronic Access, including any database, any software (including for the avoidance of doubt, Proprietary Software) and any proprietary data, processes, scripts, information, training materials, manuals or documentation made available as part of the Electronic Access (collectively, the “Information”), are the exclusive and confidential property of BNY Mellon and/or BNY Mellon’s suppliers. You may not use or disclose the Information except as expressly authorized by these Terms and Conditions. You will, and will cause Users and Your third parties and their users, to keep the Information confidential by using the same care and discretion that You use with respect to Your own confidential information, but in no event less than reasonable care.

 

  b.

The provisions of this paragraph will not affect the copyright status of any of the Information which may be copyrighted and will apply to all Information whether or not copyrighted.

 

  c.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions will be construed as giving You or Users any license or right to use the trade marks, logos and/or service marks of BNY Mellon, its affiliates, its Information Providers or BNY Mellon’s Suppliers.

 

  d.

Any Intellectual Property Rights and any other rights or title not expressly granted to You or Users under these Terms and Conditions are reserved to BNY Mellon, its Information Providers and BNY Mellon’s Suppliers. “Intellectual Property Rights” includes all copyright, patents, trademarks and service marks, rights in designs, moral rights, rights in computer software, rights in databases and other protectable lists of information, rights in


  confidential information, trade secrets, inventions and know-how, trade and business names, domain names (including all extensions, revivals and renewals, where relevant) in each case whether registered or unregistered and applications for any of them and the goodwill attaching to any of them and any rights or forms of protection of a similar nature and having equivalent or similar effect to any of them which may subsist anywhere in the world.

5. Reliance:

 

  a.

BNY Mellon will be entitled to rely on, and will be fully protected in acting upon, any actions or instructions associated with a user-id or a secure identification device issued to a User until such time BNY Mellon receives actual notice in writing from You of the change in status of the User and receipt of the secure identification device issued to such User. You acknowledge that all commands, directions and instructions, including commands, directions and instructions for transactions issued by a User are issued at Your sole risk. You agree to accept full and sole responsibility for all such commands, directions and instructions and that BNY Mellon, will have no liability for, and you hereby release BNY Mellon from, any losses, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses, claims, causes of action or judgments (including attorneys fees and expenses) (collectively “Losses”) incurred or sustained by you or any other party in connection with or as a result of BNY Mellon’s reliance upon or compliance with such commands, directions and instructions.

 

  b.

All commands, directions and instructions involving a transaction entered by Authorized Transactional User will be treated as an authorized instruction under the applicable Services Agreement(s) between You and BNY Mellon covering accounts, products and services and products provided by BNY Mellon with respect to which Electronic Access is being used whether such Services Agreement is executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions.

6. Disclaimers:

 

  a.

Although BNY Mellon uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information through Electronic Access, BNY Mellon, its Content Providers and Information Providers make no warranties or representations under these Terms and Conditions as to accuracy, reliability or comprehensiveness of the content, information or data accessed through Electronic Access. Without limiting the foregoing, some of the content on Electronic Access may be provided by sources unaffiliated with BNY Mellon (“Content Providers”) and by Information Providers. For that content BNY Mellon is a distributor and not a publisher of such content and has no control over it. Information provided by Information Providers has not been independently verified by BNY Mellon and BNY Mellon makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the content or information provided. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information given or provided by Content Providers and Information Providers (including merchants and licensors) are those of the respective authors of such content and not that of BNY Mellon. BNY Mellon will not be liable to You or Users for such content or information in any way nor for any action taken in reliance on such information nor for direct or indirect damages resulting from the use of such information. For purposes of these Terms and Conditions, all information and data, including all proprietary information and materials and all client data, provided to You through Electronic Access are provided on an “AS-IS”, “AS AVAILABLE” basis.


  b.

BNY Mellon makes no guarantee and does not warrant that Electronic Access or the information and data provided through the Electronic Access are or will be virus-free or will be free of viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other code with contaminating or destructive properties. BNY Mellon will employ commercially reasonable anti-virus software to its systems to protect its systems against viruses.

 

  c.

Some Sites accessed through the use of Electronic Access may include links to websites provided by parties that are not affiliated with BNY Mellon (“Third Party Websites”). BNY Mellon will not be liable to any person for the content found on such Third Party Websites. BNY Mellon will not be responsible for Third Party Websites that collect information from parties who visit their web sites through links on the Sites. BNY Mellon will not be liable or responsible for any loss suffered by any person as a result of their use of any Third Party Websites that are linked to the BNY Mellon Sites.

 

  d.

BNY Mellon retains complete discretion and authority to add, delete or revise in whole or in part Electronic Access, including its Sites, and to modify from time to time any Proprietary Software provided in conjunction with the use of Electronic Access and/or any of the Sites. To the extent reasonably possible, BNY Mellon will provide notice of such modifications. BNY Mellon may terminate, immediately and without advance notice, and without right of cure, any portion or component of Electronic Access or the Sites.

 

  e.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THERE IS NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NO WARRANTY OF QUALITY AND NO WARRANTY OF TITLE OR NONINFRINGEMENT. THERE IS NO OTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THE SITES, ANY PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE, INFORMATION, MATERIALS OR CLIENT DATA.

 

  f.

Notwithstanding the prior paragraph, The Bank of New York Mellon or an Affiliate designated by it will defend You and pay any amounts agreed to by BNY Mellon in a settlement and damages finally awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction, in an action or proceeding commenced against You based on a claim that Electronic Access or the Proprietary Software infringe plaintiff(s)’s patent, copyright, or trade secret, provided that You (i) notify BNY Mellon promptly of any such action or claim (except that the failure to so notify BNY Mellon will not limit BNY Mellon’s obligations hereunder except to the extent that such failure prejudices BNY Mellon); (ii) grant BNY Mellon or its designated Affiliate full and exclusive authority to defend, compromise or settle such claim or action; and (iii) provide BNY Mellon or its designated Affiliate all assistance reasonably necessary to so defend, compromise or settle. The foregoing obligations will not apply, however, to any claim or action arising from (i) use of the Proprietary Software Information or Electronic Access in a manner not authorized under these Terms and Conditions, the Terms of Use, or the Data Terms Web Site; or (ii) use of the Proprietary Software or Electronic Access in combination with other software or services not supplied by BNY Mellon.

7. Limitation of Liability:

 

  a.

IN NO EVENT WILL BNY MELLON, BNY MELLON’S SUPPLIERS OR ITS CONTENT PROVIDERS OR INFORMATION PROVIDERS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE UNDER THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ANY LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, COSTS OR EXPENSES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DIRECT DAMAGES, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, RELIANCE DAMAGES, EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SPECIAL


  DAMAGES, PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INDIRECT DAMAGES OR DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, USE, DATA, EQUIPMENT OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) THAT RESULT FROM (1) THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE ELECTRONIC ACCESS (2) THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION OR NON-ACTION TAKEN BY YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON, OR FOR ANY ERRORS BY YOU IN COMMUNICATING SUCH INFORMATION; (3) THE COST OF SUBSTITUTE ACCESS SERVICES; OR (4) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE CONTENT OR ACCESS THROUGH ELECTRONIC ACCESS. BNY MELLON WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ARISING FROM ANY USE OF ANY PRODUCT, INFORMATION, PROCEDURE, OR SERVICE OBTAINED THROUGH ELECTRONIC ACCESS. BNY MELLON WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY RESULTING FROM VOLUNTARY SHUTDOWN OF THE SERVER, ELECTRONIC ACCESS OR ANY OF THE SITES TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, COMPUTER VIRUSES, DENIAL-OF-SERVICE MESSAGES OR OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

 

  b.

BNY MELLON’S ENTIRE LIABILITY AND YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ANY DISPUTE OR CLAIM RELATED TO THESE TERMS OF USE, ELECTRONIC ACCESS OR SITES, IS AS FOLLOWS: IF YOU REPORT A MATERIAL MALFUNCTION IN ELECTRONIC ACCESS THAT BNY MELLON IS ABLE TO REPRODUCE, BNY MELLON WILL USE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION. IF BNY MELLON IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION, YOU MAY CEASE ALL USE OF ELECTRONIC ACCESS AND RECEIVE A REFUND OF ANY FEES PAID IN ADVANCE, SPECIFICALLY FOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS, APPLICABLE TO PERIODS AFTER CESSATION OF SUCH USE. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES, IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

  c.

The limitation of liability set forth in this Limitation of Liability section and in other provisions in these Terms and Conditions is in addition to any limitation of liability provisions contained in any Services Agreements and will not supersede or be superseded by limitation of liability provisions contained in such Services Agreements, whether executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions, except to the extent specifically set forth in such other Services Agreements containing a reference to these Terms and Conditions.

8. Indemnification:

 

  a.

You agree to indemnify, protect and hold BNY Mellon, BNY Mellon’s Suppliers, Content Providers and Information Providers harmless from and against all liability, claims damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, resulting from a claim that arises out of (i) any breach by You or Users of these Terms and Conditions, the Terms of Use or the Data Terms Web Site and (ii) any person obtaining access to Electronic Access through You or Users or through use of any password, user-id or secure identification device issued to a User, whether or not You or a User authorized such access. For the avoidance of doubt, and by way of illustration and not by way of


  limitation, the forgoing indemnity is applicable to disputes between the parties, including the enforcement of these Terms and Conditions. The rights and remedies conferred hereunder will be cumulative and the exercise or waiver of any such right or remedy will not preclude or inhibit the exercise of additional rights or remedies or the subsequent exercise of such right or remedy.

 

  b.

The indemnity provided in herein is in addition to any indemnity and other remedies contained in any Services Agreements and will not supersede or be superseded by such Services Agreements, whether executed prior to or after the execution of these Terms and Conditions, except to the extent specifically set forth in such other Services Agreements and expressly stating an intent to modify this Terms and Conditions. Nothing contained herein will, or be deemed to, alter or modify the rights and remedies of BNY Mellon as set forth in the Services Agreements.

9. Choice of Law and Forum: Unless otherwise agreed and specified herein, these Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law; You expressly and irrevocably agree that exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any claim or dispute with BNY Mellon, its employees, contractors, officers or directors or relating in any way to Your use of Electronic Access resides in the state or federal courts in New York City, New York; and You further irrevocably agree and expressly and irrevocably consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction in those courts over any action brought with respect to these Terms and Conditions. BNY Mellon and You hereby waive the right of trial by jury in any action arising out of or related to the BNY Mellon or those Terms and Conditions.

10. Term and Termination:

 

  a.

Either BNY Mellon or You may terminate these Terms and Conditions and the Electronic Access upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other party.

 

  b.

In the event of any breach of the provisions of these Terms and Conditions or a breach by any Authorized User of the Terms of Use or the restrictions and requirements concerning the use of Information Providers’ proprietary data that are posted on the Data Terms Web Site, the non-breaching party may terminate these Terms and Conditions and the Electronic Access immediately upon written notice to the breaching party if any breach remains uncured after ten (10) days’ written notice of the breach is sent to the breaching party.

 

  c.

BNY Mellon may immediately terminate access through an Authorized User’s user-id and password and may, at its discretion, also terminate access by an Authorized User, without right of cure, in the event of an unauthorized use of an Authorized User’s user-id or password, or where BNY Mellon believes there is a security risk created by such access.

 

  d.

BNY Mellon may terminate, without advance notice, Your access or the access of Users to any portion or component of Electronic Access or the Sites in the event a BNY Mellon Supplier, Content Provider or Information Provider prohibits BNY Mellon from permitting You or Users to have access to their information or services.

 

  e.

Promptly upon receiving or giving notice of termination, You will notify all Users of the effective date of the termination.

 

  f.

Upon termination of Your access to Electronic Access, You shall return of manuals, documentation, workflow descriptions and the like that are in Your possession or under Your control and all security identification devices.

 

  g.

The Reliance, Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability Indemnification and confidentiality provisions of the Terms and Conditions (and other provision of these Terms and Conditions containing disclaimers, limitation of liability and indemnification) shall survive the termination of these Terms and Conditions.


You represent and warrant to BNY Mellon that these Terms and Conditions and the indemnity contained herein have been duly authorized and accepted, that You have full authority to enter into these Terms and Conditions, both for the entities at Schedule A and for any affiliate with Electronic Access, and that these Terms and Conditions constitute a binding obligation enforceable in accordance with its terms.


SCHEDULE A to APPENDIX I

Affiliates of Client

Exhibit (j)(2)

SPECIAL CUSTODY and PLEDGE AGREEMENT

(Short Sales and Exchange-Listed Options)

THIS SPECIAL CUSTODY and PLEDGE AGREEMENT, (hereinafter, the “Agreement”) dated this _______ day of June, 2014 is made by and among BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND (the “Customer”), PERSHING LLC (“Broker”), GSO / BLACKSTONE DEBT FUNDS MANAGEMENT LLC (“Manager”) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON (“Custodian”).

WHEREAS, Broker is a member of several national securities exchanges and is a clearing member of The Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”); and

WHEREAS, Customer has opened a margin account (the “Margin Account”) with Broker in which Customer may effect Short Sales and transactions in exchange-listed options (“Options Transactions”), and for those purposes has executed an agreement with Broker (the “Margin Agreement”) and has entered into or may hereafter enter into one or more of Broker’s master agreements for exchange-listed options (such agreements, collectively, the “Options Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, Customer has entered into a Management Agreement with Manager to provide a comprehensive investment program for Customer on a discretionary basis, and Customer’s currently effective registration statement permits Customer to engage in Short Sales and Options Transactions and to pledge its assets to Broker to secure performance of Customer’s obligations with respect to Short Sales and Options Transactions effected for Customer’s account with Broker as described in the currently effective registration statement; and

WHEREAS, Broker is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations requiring the margining of Short Sales and Options Transactions, including the margin regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and of any relevant securities exchanges and other self-regulatory associations (the “Margin Rules”) and Broker’s internal policies; and

WHEREAS, to facilitate Short Sales and Options Transactions hereunder, Customer and Broker desire to establish procedures for compliance with the Margin Rules; and

WHEREAS, Custodian is prepared to act as custodian for Collateral pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,

NOW, THEREFORE, be it agreed as follows:

(1) As used herein, capitalized terms shall have the following meanings unless otherwise defined herein:

Adequate Performance Assurance” shall mean such Collateral placed in the Special Custody Account as is adequate under the Margin Rules and Broker’s internal policies as specified on Annex A or as otherwise agreed between the Customer and Broker from time to time.


Advice from Broker shall mean a notice sent by an authorized representative of Broker and delivered to Customer, Manager or Custodian, as applicable hereunder (i) in writing signed or authenticated by such authorized representative of Broker and transmitted by a facsimile- sending device or via such electronic or systemic method as agreed to by the parties; or (ii) in the case of a call for additional Collateral, a notice that an exercise notice filed with OCC has been assigned to Customer, a notice that Customer has failed to give notice of intent to make payment due upon exercise of a Put Option or has failed to make delivery of securities or currency required to be delivered upon exercise of a Call Option or has failed to pay an Exercise Settlement Amount, or notice referred to in Paragraph 7 hereof by telephone from an authorized representative of Broker to Customer or Manager, as applicable hereunder or to a person designated by Customer or Manager in writing (not to include Custodian) as authorized to receive such advice.

Business Day” means a day on which both Custodian and Broker are open for business.

Collateral means U.S. cash, U.S. Government securities, securities underlying a Call Option (as defined below) or other U S margin-eligible securities reasonably acceptable to Broker which are pledged to Broker as provided herein.

Custody Agreement shall mean that certain custodian services agreement dated as of June     , 2014, as amended, between Custodian and Customer whereby Custodian serves as custodian of Customer’s assets.

Exercise Settlement Amount means: (i) in the case of a Call Option on a market index, the amount by which the ‘aggregate exercise price’ of the Call Option contract is less than the ‘aggregate current index value’ of the underlying index (as those quoted terms are defined in Article XVII of the By-Laws of the OCC), plus all applicable commissions and other charges, or (ii) in the case of a Put Option on a market index, the amount by which the ‘aggregate exercise price’ of the Put Option contract is greater than the ‘aggregate current index value’ of the underlying index (as those quoted terms are defined in Article XVII of the By-Laws of the OCC), plus all applicable commissions and other charges.

Insolvency means that: (i) an order, judgment or decree has been entered under the bankruptcy, reorganization, compromise, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation or similar law (the “Bankruptcy Law”) of any jurisdiction adjudicating Customer insolvent, or (ii) Customer has petitioned or applied to any tribunal for, or consented to the appointment of or taking possession by, a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official, of Customer, or commenced a voluntary case under the Bankruptcy Law of the United States or any proceedings relating to Customer under the Bankruptcy Law of any other jurisdiction, whether now or hereinafter in effect; or (any such petition or application has been filed, or any such proceedings commenced, against Customer and Customer by any act has indicated its approval thereof, consent thereto or acquiescence therein, or an order for relief has been entered in an involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Law of the United States or any other jurisdiction, as now or hereinafter constituted, or an order, judgment or decree has been entered appointing any such trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official, or approving the petition in any such proceedings, and such order, judgment or decree remains unstayed and in effect for more than 30 days.

Instructions from Customer means a written request, direction or certification signed in the name of Customer by Manager and delivered to Custodian, except that instructions to pledge initial or additional Collateral may be given by telephone and thereafter confirmed in a writing signed in the name of Customer by Manager. An officer of Customer will certify in writing to Custodian the names and signatures of those persons authorized to provide Instructions from Customer, which certification may be amended in writing from time to time.

 

2


Option shall mean the right but not the obligation of Customer to, as issued by OCC and cleared by Broker, buy (“Call Option”) or sell (“Put Option”) a specific security, market index or foreign currency at a set price for a set period of time as described in the relevant option contract.

Same Day” shall mean no later than 2:00 p.m. on the same day that Broker notifies Customer that an exercise notice has been assigned to Customer but only if such notification has been given by Broker by 10:00 a.m. If such notification is given by Broker to Customer after 10:00 a.m., Same Day shall mean by 2:00 p.m. the following Business Day.

Short Sales shall mean the sale by the Customer of securities which Customer does not own, and which is consummated by the delivery of securities borrowed from or through the facilities of Broker, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Margin Rules, particularly Sections 220.10 and 220.12 of Regulation T of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Such Short Sales shall be made in compliance with Regulation SHO promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(2) (a) Custodian shall open a separate account on its books entitled “Special Custody Account for Pershing LLC, as Pledgee of [Name of Customer]” (the “Special Custody Account”) and shall hold therein for Broker as pledgee upon the terms of this Agreement all assets deposited therein by Customer and all monies or other property paid or distributed with respect thereto. The Custodian hereby agrees that any property held in the Special Custody Account (other than cash) shall be held by it as a securities intermediary as defined in Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York (“Article 8”) and shall be deemed to be a financial asset for purposes of Article 8 to the extent the same may be applicable. Manager agrees that it may instruct Custodian through Instructions from Customer as to the cash and specific securities which Custodian is to identify on its books and records as pledged to Broker as Collateral in the Special Custody Account.

(b) Manager agrees to cause Customer to provide and at all times maintain Adequate Performance Assurance in the Special Custody Account pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(c) Customer authorizes Broker to take such actions with respect to any assets (including without limitation the delivery or substitution thereof) in the Special Custody Account as Broker, in its commercially reasonable discretion, deems necessary to ensure Adequate Performance Assurance and compliance with the Margin Rules. In no event shall any consent of Customer be required for the taking of any such action by Broker.

(d) Customer authorizes Custodian to maintain the Special Custody Account in accordance with this Agreement. Customer, Broker and Custodian agree that assets will be held for Broker as pledgee in the Special Custody Account, in accordance with this Agreement, by Custodian as agent of Broker, that Custodian will take such actions with respect to any such assets (including without limitation the delivery thereof) as Broker shall direct in an Advice from Broker or other entitlement order (as defined in Article 8) and that in no event shall any consent of Customer be required for the taking of any such action by Custodian. Further, if the PrimeConnect 40 Addendum to this Agreement has been executed, Customer authorizes Custodian to accept other instructions from Broker as detailed therein.

 

3


(e) Customer hereby grants to Broker a continuing security interest: (i) in the Collateral in the Special Custody Account and any proceeds thereof, (ii) all other property in the Margin Account and the Special Custody Account; and (iii) in its accounts (including the Margin Account) with Broker and the Special Custody Account, to secure Customer’s obligations to Broker hereunder and under the Margin Agreement and the Options Agreement. Custodian shall have no responsibility for the creation, validity, priority or enforceability of such security interest.

(3) Custodian will make available to Broker and Customer by use of an on-line communications and reporting system that Custodian makes available to its customers and to which Customer subscribes, confirmation of all deliveries, releases or substitutions of assets effected hereunder within one Business Day of such delivery, release or substitution of assets and shall supply Broker, Manager and Customer with a monthly statement of assets in the Special Custody Account and transactions in the Special Custody Account during the preceding month. Customer and Broker agree that Manager shall be responsible as agent for Customer for ensuring that Customer maintains adequate Collateral required hereunder.

(4) Custodian agrees to release assets to Customer from the pledge hereunder only upon receipt of an Advice from Broker or other entitlement order from Broker. Broker agrees, upon request of Manager, to provide such an Advice from Broker with respect to Collateral selected by Manager: (i) if said Collateral represents an excess in value of the Collateral necessary to constitute Adequate Performance Assurance at that time; (ii) against receipt in the Special Custody Account of substitute Collateral having a value at least equal (with any remaining Collateral) to Adequate Performance Assurance; or (iii) upon termination of Customer’s accounts with Broker including the Margin Account (if any) and settlement in full of all transactions therein and any amounts owed to Broker with respect thereto. It is understood that Broker will be responsible for determining in good faith and a commercially reasonable manner and subject to Annex A whether the Collateral constitutes Adequate Performance Assurance. Custodian at no time has any responsibility for determining whether assets are eligible for deposit to the Special Custody Account or whether the value of Collateral is equal in value to Adequate Performance Assurance.

(5) Manager represents and warrants to Broker that securities pledged by Customer to Broker shall be in good deliverable form (or Custodian shall have the unrestricted power to put such securities into good deliverable form), and that Collateral will not be subject to any liens or encumbrances other than the lien in favor of Broker contemplated by this Agreement.

(6) (a) Collateral shall at all times remain the property of Customer subject only to the interest and rights therein of Broker as the pledgee and secured party thereof. Custodian represents that Collateral is not, to Custodian’s knowledge, subject to any other lien, charge, security interest or other right or claim of any person claiming through Custodian and Custodian hereby agrees to subordinate all liens, encumbrances, claims and rights of set off it may have now or hereafter acquire against the Collateral in the Special Custody Account and agrees that it will not assert any such lien, encumbrance, claim or right against the Collateral in the Special Custody Account. Custodian shall use its best reasonable efforts to notify Broker, Manager and Customer as soon as possible if Custodian receives any notice of levy, lien, court order or other process purporting to affect the Collateral.

 

4


(b) Customer hereby confirms that any advances by Custodian to purchase, or to make payment on or against delivery of any financial assets to be held in or credited to the Special Custody Account shall be secured by the lien, security interest and right of set off granted under the Custody Agreement solely with respect to Customer’s assets outside and apart from the Special Custody Account and not the Collateral.

(7) The occurrence of any of the following constitutes a Customer Default hereunder:

(a) failure by Manager on behalf of Customer to perform any obligation hereunder or under the Margin Agreement or Options Agreement including without limitation, its obligation to maintain Adequate Performance Assurance and its obligation, upon receiving notice from Broker that it can no longer protect Customer’s Short Sale, to make timely delivery to Broker in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, of securities identical to the securities sold short; in each case, which has not been cured within one (1) Business Day after such failure; or

(b) upon an Advice from Broker that an exercise notice filed with OCC in respect of one or more Call Options sold by Customer has been assigned to Customer through Broker and either: (i) Manager does not notify Broker by telephone on the Same Day of Customer’s intention to comply with the exercise notice by delivery of the underlying securities, currency or the Exercise Settlement Amount (as applicable); or (ii) Manager, on behalf of Customer, having given such notice, fails to cause delivery of such security or currency or cause such delivery to be made against receipt of payment against the gross exercise price for such securities or currency, less applicable commissions or other charges, or of the Exercise Settlement Amount on behalf of Customer to Broker; in each case, which has not been cured within one (1) Business Day after such failure; or

(c) upon an Advice from Broker that an exercise notice filed with OCC in respect of one or more Put Options sold by Customer has been assigned to Customer through Broker and either: (i) Manager does not notify Broker by telephone on the Same Day of Customer’s intention to comply with the exercise notice by making payment of the gross exercise price plus applicable commissions or other charges against Custodian’s receipt of securities underlying the put, or to pay the Exercise Settlement Amount (as applicable), or (ii) Manager, on behalf of Customer, having given such notice, fails to cause such payment to be made against receipt of securities underlying the Put Options, or payment of Exercise Settlement Amount; in each case, which has not been cured within one (1) Business Day after such failure; or

(d) Customer’s Insolvency.

 

5


Broker will immediately notify Customer and Manager in an Advice from Broker of such Customer Default. No sooner than 2:00 p.m. on the next Business Day after transmittal by Broker of such Advice from Broker, if the Customer Default continues at the end of such period, Broker may thereupon take any action permitted pursuant to the Margin Agreement or Options Agreement, including without limitation the conversion of any convertible securities or exercise of Customer’s rights in warrants (if any) held in the Margin Account and the Special Custody Account, the buy-in of any securities of which the Margin Account may be short, and the sale of any or all property or securities in the Margin Account and the Special Custody Account to the extent necessary to satisfy Customer’s obligations to Broker (in which event such assets shall be delivered to Broker as directed in an Advice from Broker or other entitlement order from Broker). Any sale of Collateral made hereunder shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in the principal market for the securities or, if such principal market is closed, such sale shall be made in a manner commercially reasonable for such Collateral. Customer shall be liable to Broker for any deficiency which may exist after the exercise by Broker of its Rights and remedies as aforesaid. Any surplus resulting from the sale of Collateral shall be identified as such and delivered by Broker to Custodian for deposit into an account of Customer at Custodian or as otherwise instructed in Instructions from Customer. Broker shall notify Customer and Manager of any sale of Collateral, and any deficiency remaining thereafter in an Advice from Broker. Custodian shall have no responsibility for or with respect to the provisions of this paragraph.

(8) Broker hereby covenants that Broker will not instruct Custodian to deliver Collateral free of payment with respect to any sale of Collateral pursuant to paragraph 7 until after the occurrence of the events and the expiration of the time periods set forth in paragraph 7. The foregoing covenant and the provisions of paragraph 7 shall in no way constitute a limitation on Broker right at any time to instruct Custodian pursuant to an Advice from Broker or other entitlement order from Broker and Custodian’s obligation to act upon such instructions. Custodian shall not be required to make any determination as to whether such delivery is made in accordance with any provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement between Broker and Customer. Broker will provide to an officer of Customer a copy of any such Advice or other notice to Custodian to deliver Collateral free of payment at the same time as Broker provides such Advice or other notice to Custodian.

(9) It is understood that all determinations and directions for Short Sales and Options Transactions for the account of Customer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Margin Agreement and the Options Agreement shall be made by Manager. Customer is not relying upon Broker to make recommendations with respect thereto. Customer is required hereunder to deliver to Broker a copy of its currently effective registration statement which authorize it to engage in Options Transactions.

(10) Custodian duties and responsibilities are only as set forth in this Agreement. Custodian shall act only upon receipt of an Advice from Broker or other entitlement order from Broker regarding release of assets, except as otherwise required by applicable law. Custodian shall not be liable or responsible for anything done or omitted to be done by it in good faith and in the absence of negligence or willful misconduct and may rely and shall be protected in acting upon any Advice from Broker or any other notice, instruction or communication from Broker which it reasonably believes to be genuine and authorized. Broker and Customer agree, severally but not jointly, to indemnify Custodian and hold Custodian harmless from and against any and all costs, expenses, damages, liabilities or claims, including reasonable external attorneys’ fees (“Losses”)

 

6


sustained or incurred by or asserted against Custodian by reason of or as a result of any action or inaction, or arising out of Custodian’s performance hereunder, including reasonable fees and expenses of external counsel incurred by Custodian in a successful defense of claims by Broker or Customer; provided, that Broker and Customer shall not indemnify Custodian for those Losses arising out of Custodian’s negligence or willful misconduct. This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of Broker and Customer, their respective successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement. In matters concerning or relating to this Agreement, Custodian shall not be liable for the acts or omissions of any of the other parties to this Agreement. In matters concerning or relating to this Agreement, Custodian shall not be responsible for compliance with any statute or regulation regarding the establishment or maintenance of margin credit, including but not limited to Regulations T or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the rules and regulations of the OCC or the Securities and Exchange Commission. Custodian shall have no duty to require any cash or securities to be delivered to it or to determine that the amount and form of assets deposited in the Special Custody Account comply with any applicable requirements. Custodian is not a party to, nor bound by, and shall be deemed to have no knowledge of the terms of, the Margin Agreement or the Options Agreement. Custodian may hold the securities in the Special Custody Account in bearer, nominee, book-entry, or other form and in any depository or clearing corporation (including omnibus accounts), with or without indicating that the securities are held hereunder; provided, however, that all securities held in the Special Custody Account shall be identified on Custodian’s records as subject to this Agreement and neither Custodian nor Broker shall have the right to borrow, pledge, repledge, hypothecate, rehypothecate, loan or invest such securities, and shall be in a form that permits transfer at the direction of Broker without additional authorization or consent of Customer. Neither Broker nor Custodian shall be responsible or liable for any losses resulting from nationalization, expropriation, devaluation, seizure, or similar action by any governmental authority, de facto or de jure; or enactment, promulgation, imposition or enforcement by any such governmental authority of currency restrictions, exchange controls, levies or other charges affecting the property in the Special Custody Account, or for the acts or omissions of any securities depositary, any third party, or the Federal Reserve/U S Treasury book-entry system for government securities, or acts of war, terrorism, insurrection or revolution, or acts of God, or any other similar event beyond the control of such party or its agents. None of Broker, Customer, or Custodian shall be liable for indirect, special or consequential damage even if advised of the possibility or likelihood thereof. This Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

This Paragraph 10 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

(11) All charges for Custodian’s services under this Agreement shall be paid by Customer, as agreed to from time to time between Customer and Custodian.

(12) Broker shall not be liable for any losses, costs, damages, liabilities or expenses suffered or incurred by Customer as a result of any transaction executed hereunder, or any other action taken or not taken by Broker hereunder for Customer’s account at Manager’s direction or otherwise, except to the extent that such loss, cost, damage, liability or expense is the result of Broker’s own gross negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct, material breach of this Agreement, or bad faith.

(13) No modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by an authorized officer of each of Broker, Customer, Manager and Custodian.

 

7


(14) Except as otherwise specifically provided for herein, written communications hereunder shall be telegraphed, sent by facsimile transmission, hand delivered, or mailed first class postage prepaid, except that written notice of termination shall be sent by certified mail, in any such case addressed (and oral communications shall be directed to the following telephone numbers):

 

(a) if to Custodian, to:

  

The Bank of New York Mellon

One Wall Street

New York, NY 10286

Attention: Global Client Services

Fax: 212-635-6343

(b) if to Customer, to:

  

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

c/o GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, New York 10154

Attn: Chief legal Officer

(c) if to Broker, to:

  

Pershing LLC

One Pershing Plaza

Attn: Peter Murphy

Jersey City, NJ 07399

(d) if to Manager, to:

  

GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, New York 10154

Attn: Chief Legal Officer

or, in the case of each party hereto, such other address as such party shall notify to the other parties hereto in accordance with this Paragraph 14.

(15) Any of the parties hereto may terminate this Agreement by notice in writing to the other parties hereto; provided however, Broker or Custodian must provide the Customer with not less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of the termination of this Agreement; provided, further, that the status of any assets pledged to Broker at the time of such notice shall not be affected by such termination until the release of such pledge pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Margin Agreement, the Options Agreement and any applicable law, including the applicable Margin Rules.

(16) Nothing in this Agreement prohibits Broker, Customer or Custodian from entering into similar agreements with others in order to facilitate option contract transactions.

(17) This Paragraph 17 shall apply to Broker, Manager and Customer only and shall in no way whatsoever apply to or limit Custodian.

 

8


This Agreement contains a predispute arbitration clause. By signing an arbitration agreement, Customer, Manager and Broker agree as follows:

(a) All parties to this Agreement are giving up the right to sue each other in court, including the right to a trial by jury, except as provided by the rules of the arbitration forum in which a claim is filed.

(b) Arbitration awards are generally final and binding; a party’s ability to have a court reverse or modify an arbitration award is very limited.

(c) The ability of the parties to obtain documents, witness statements and other discovery is generally more limited in arbitration than in court proceedings.

(d) The arbitrators do not have to explain the reason(s) for their award unless, in an eligible case, a joint request for an explained decision has been submitted by all parties to the panel at least 20 days prior to the first scheduled hearing date.

(e) The panel of arbitrators will typically include a minority of arbitrators who were or are affiliated with the securities industry.

(f) The rules of some arbitration forums may impose time limits for bringing a claim in arbitration. In some cases, a claim that is ineligible for arbitration may be brought in court.

(g) The rules of the arbitration forum in which the claim is filed, and any amendments thereto, shall be incorporated into this Agreement.

Customer agrees that any and all controversies that may arise between Customer and Pershing, including, but not limited to, those arising out of or relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Accounts established hereunder, any activity or claim related to Customer’s Accounts or the construction, performance, or breach of this Agreement shall be determined by arbitration conducted before The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), or, if FINRA declines to hear the matter, before the American Arbitration Association, in accordance with their arbitration rules then in force.

The arbitrator(s) may not grant an award of attorneys’ fees to or against any party, unless specifically agreed to in writing by the parties to the arbitration or as may be specifically permitted by applicable law or regulation.

The award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final, and judgment upon the award rendered may be entered in any court, state or federal, having jurisdiction.

No person shall bring a putative or certified class action to arbitration, nor seek to enforce any pre-dispute arbitration agreement against any person who has initiated in court a putative class action or who is a member of a putative class who has not opted out of the class with respect to any claims encompassed by the putative class action until:

 

  (i)

the class certification is denied;

 

  (ii)

the class is decertified; or

 

  (iii)

the Customer is excluded from the class by the court.

 

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Such forbearance to enforce an agreement to arbitrate shall not constitute a waiver of any rights under this Agreement except to the extent stated herein.

(18) If any provision or condition of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court, or regulatory or self-regulatory agency or body, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision or condition. The validity of the remaining provisions and conditions shall not be affected thereby and this Agreement shall be carried out as if any such invalid or unenforceable provision or condition were not contained herein, provided that the essential provisions of this Agreement for each party remain valid, binding and enforceable.

(19) All references herein to times of day shall mean the time in New York, New York, USA.

(20) This Agreement and its enforcement (including, without limitation, the establishment and maintenance of the Special Custody Account and all interests, duties and obligations related thereto) shall be governed by the laws of The State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. This Agreement shall be binding on the parties and any successor organizations thereof irrespective of any change or changes in personnel thereof.

(21) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

(22) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall Custodian be required to arbitrate any dispute which may arise hereunder. As between Custodian and any other party to this Agreement all disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts situated in New York City, New York, and Custodian, Broker, Customer and Manager each hereby consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and that such proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum. In connection with any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and involving any of Custodian, Broker, Customer and Manager each hereby irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury.

This Agreement contains a pre-dispute arbitration clause in Paragraph 17 applicable to Broker, Manager and Customer.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representatives of the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date and year first written above.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

    PERSHING LLC
By:         By:    
  Name:       Name:
  Title:       Title:

 

MANAGER

    CUSTOMER
By:   /s/ Marisa Beeney     By:   /s/ Marisa Beeney
  Name: Marisa Beeney       Name: Marisa Beeney
  Title: Authorized Signatory       Title: Authorized Signatory


APPENDIX A

TO

SPECIAL CUSTODY AND PLEDGE AGREEMENT

AMONG ________________ (CLIENT),

_________________ (MANAGER),

PERSHING LLC (PERSHING),

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON (CUSTODIAN)

Dated: ______________

AUTHORIZED PERSONS FOR PERSHING LLC

Custodian is directed to accept and act upon instructions received from any one of the following persons at Pershing LLC.

 

Name    Telephone/Fax Number       Signature
1. Brian Stagg    1. 201-413-4035    1.     
       201-395-1299      
2. Niamh Clinton    2. 201-413-4989    2.     
       201-395-1299      
3. Keith Slevin    3. 201-413-3658    3.     
       201-395-1299      
4. Matthew Ventura    4. 201-413-3173    4.     
       407-833-2388      
5. John Seyda    5. 201-413-2237    5.     
       201-395-1299      
6. Gregory Cowley    6. 201-413-3823    6.     
       201-395-1299      
7. Philip LoGiudice    7. 201-413-2452    7.     
       201-395-1299      
8. Peter Murphy    8. 201-413-2637    8.     
       201-395-1299      

Authorized by: ___________________, as authorized agent of Pershing

Name:

Title:


APPENDIX B

TO

SPECIAL CUSTODY AND PLEDGE AGREEMENT

AMONG ________________ (CLIENT),

_________________ (MANAGER),

PERSHING LLC (PERSHING),

AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON (CUSTODIAN)

Dated: ______________

AUTHORIZED PERSONS FOR ___________________

Custodian is directed to accept and act upon instructions received from any one of the following persons.

 

Name    Telephone/Fax Number    Signature
1. Name    1. Number    1.    see attached document
2. Name    2. Number    2.     
3. Name    3. Number    3.     
4. Name    4. Number    4.     

Authorized by: ___________________, Client

Name:

Title:

Exhibit (k)(1)

SERVICE AGREEMENT

FOR

TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES

TO

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

Rev. December 2009


THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES (this “Agreement”) between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (“Client”) and Mellon Investor Services LLC (operating with the service name BNY Mellon Shareowner Services), a New Jersey limited liability company (“Agent”), is dated as of January 26, 2011.

1. AppointmentClient appoints Agent as its transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent and Agent accepts such appointment in accordance with and subject to the following terms and conditions for all authorized shares of each class of stock listed in Exhibit A hereto (the “Shares”).

2. Term of Agreement. Agent’s appointment hereunder shall commence on the next business day after the later of (i) the date hereof, or (ii) the date Agent has confirmed that Client’s records have been converted to Agent’s system (the “Effective Date”), and shall continue for three years thereafter (the “Initial Term”). Unless either party gives written notice of termination of this Agreement at least 60 days prior to the end of the Initial Term, or any successive three-year term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive additional three-year terms; provided, however, that this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the dissolution of the client.

3. Duties of Agent. Commencing on the Effective Date, Agent shall provide the services listed in Exhibit B hereto, in the performance of its duties hereunder.

 

4.

Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Client. Client represents, warrants and covenants to Agent that:

(a) it is a statutory trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its state of incorporation;

(b) the Shares issued and outstanding on the date hereof have been duly authorized, validly issued and are fully paid and are non-assessable; and any Shares to be issued hereafter, when issued, shall have been duly authorized, validly issued and fully paid and will be non-assessable;

(c) the Shares issued and outstanding will be duly registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and such registration will have become effective, or are exempt from such registration; and will be duly registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or are exempt from such registration;

(d) any Shares to be issued hereafter, when issued, shall have been duly registered under the Securities Act, and such registration shall have become effective, or shall be exempt from such registration; and shall have been duly registered under the Exchange Act, or shall be exempt from such registration;


(e) Client has paid or caused to be paid all taxes, if any, that were payable upon or in respect of the original issuance of the Shares issued and outstanding on the date hereof;

(f) the use of facsimile signatures by Agent in connection with the countersigning and registering of Share certificates of Client has been duly authorized by Client and is valid and effective;

(g) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, and the issuance and any subsequent transfer of the Shares in accordance with this Agreement, do not and will not conflict with, violate, or result in a breach of, the terms, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Amended and Restated Agreement Declaration of Trust or the by-laws of Client, any law or regulation, any order or decree of any court or public authority having jurisdiction, or any mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement or undertaking to which Client is a party or by which it is bound, except where such contravention does or would not have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to carry out its obligations hereunder. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Client and is enforceable against Client in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally; and

(h) Client agrees to provide to Agent the documentation and notifications listed in Exhibit C hereto according to the requirements set forth therein.

5. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Agent. Agent represents, warrants and covenants to Client that:

(a) Agent is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its state of organization;

(b) Agent is, and for the term of this Agreement shall remain, duly registered as a transfer agent under the Exchange Act;

(c) subject to Section 7 hereof, during the term of this Agreement, Agent shall comply with its obligations as a transfer agent under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and

(d) assuming the accuracy of Client’s representations and warranties and compliance by Client with its covenants hereunder, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, and the performance by Agent of its obligations in accordance with this Agreement, do not and will not conflict with, violate, or result in a breach of, the terms, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the organizational documents of Agent, any law or regulation, any order or decree of any court or public authority having jurisdiction, or any mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement or undertaking to which Agent is a party or by which it is bound. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Agent and is enforceable against Agent in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.


6. Scope of Agency.

(a) Agent shall act solely as agent for Client under this Agreement and owes no duties hereunder to any other person. Agent undertakes to perform the duties and only the duties that are specifically set forth in this Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against Agent.

(b) Agent may rely upon, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon, (i) any communication from Client, any predecessor Transfer Agent or co-Transfer Agent or any Registrar (other than Agent), predecessor Registrar or co-Registrar; (ii) any instruction, notice, request, direction, consent, report, certificate, opinion or other instrument, paper, document or electronic transmission believed by Agent to be genuine and to have been signed or given by the proper party or parties; (iii) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee program” or insurance program in addition to, or in substitution for, the foregoing; (iv) any instructions received through Direct Registration System/Profile; or (v) any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the same even though such law, act, or regulation may thereafter have been altered, changed, amended or repealed. In addition, Agent is authorized to refuse to make any transfer that it determines in good faith not to be in good order.

(c) In connection with any question of law arising in the course of Agent performing its duties hereunder, Agent may consult with legal counsel (including internal counsel) whose advice shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by Agent hereunder in good faith and in reasonable reliance thereon.

(d) Any instructions given by Client to Agent orally shall be confirmed in writing by Client as soon as practicable. Agent shall not be liable or responsible and shall be fully authorized and protected for acting, or failing to act, in good faith reliance upon any oral instructions that do not conform with the written confirmation received in accordance with this Section 6(d).

7. Indemnification. Client shall indemnify Agent for, and hold it harmless from and against, any loss, liability, claim (whether with or without basis in fact or law), demand, cost or expense (collectively, “Loss”) arising out of or in connection with Agent’s duties under this Agreement or this appointment, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any Loss or enforcing this Agreement, except to the extent that such Loss shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a result of Agent’s gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

8. Limitation of Liability.

(a) In the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on its part, Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it or for any error of judgment made by it in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. In no


event will Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if Agent has been advised of the possibility of such losses or damages and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of Agent will be limited in the aggregate to an amount equal to twenty four (24) times the monthly administrative fee to be paid by Client as set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

(b) If any question or dispute arises with respect to the proper interpretation of this Agreement or Agent’s duties hereunder, Agent shall not be required to act or be held liable or responsible for its failure or refusal to act until the question or dispute has been (i) judicially settled (and Agent may, if it deems it advisable, but shall not be obligated to, file a suit in interpleader or for a declaratory judgment for such purpose) by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that is binding on all parties interested in the matter and is no longer subject to review or appeal, or (ii) settled by a written document in form and substance satisfactory to Agent and executed by Client. For such purpose, Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, require the execution of such a document.

9. Force Majeure. Agent shall not be liable for any failures, delays or losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, work stoppages or labor disputes, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, electrical or mechanical failure, computer hardware or software failure, communications facilities failures including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection, fires, earthquakes, storms, floods, acts of God or similar occurrences.

10. Market Data. Client acknowledges that Agent may provide real-time or delayed quotations and other market information and messages (“Market Data”), which Market Data is provided to Agent by certain national securities exchanges and associations who assert a proprietary interest in Market Data disseminated by them but do not guarantee the timeliness, sequence, accuracy or completeness thereof. Client agrees and acknowledges that Agent shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage arising from or occasioned by any inaccuracy, error, delay in, omission of, or interruption in any Market Data or the transmission thereof.

11. Termination.

(a) Client may terminate this Agreement if (i) Agent defaults on any of its material obligations hereunder and such default remains uncured thirty (30) days after Agent’s receipt of notice of such default from Client; or (ii) any proceeding in bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or insolvency is commenced by or against Agent, Agent shall become insolvent or shall cease paying its obligations as they become due or makes any assignment for the benefit of its creditors.

(b) Agent may suspend providing services hereunder or terminate this Agreement if (i) Client fails to pay amounts due hereunder or defaults on any of its material obligations hereunder and such failure or default remains uncured thirty (30)


days after Client’s receipt of notice of such failure or default from Agent; (ii) any proceeding in bankruptcy, reorganization, receivership or insolvency is commenced by or against Client, Client shall become insolvent, or shall cease paying its obligations as they become due or makes any assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (iii) Client is acquired by or is merged with or into another entity where Client is not the surviving company.

(c) Upon termination of this Agreement, all fees earned and expenses incurred by Agent up to and including the date of such termination shall be immediately due and payable to Agent on or before the effective date of such termination. In addition to the payments required in this section, if this Agreement is terminated by Client for any reason other than pursuant to Section 2 or Section 11(a) above or by Agent pursuant to Section 11(b) above, then Client shall pay a termination fee, due and payable to Agent on or before the effective date of such termination, calculated as follows: (i) if the termination occurs prior to the first anniversary of the commencement date of the current term (the “Commencement Date”), then the termination fee shall equal twelve (12) times the average monthly invoice charged to Client by Agent hereunder, (ii) if the termination occurs on or after the first anniversary of the Commencement Date but prior to the second anniversary of the Commencement Date, then the termination fee shall equal nine (9) times the average monthly invoice charged to Client by Agent hereunder, and (iii) if the termination occurs on or after the second anniversary of the Commencement Date, then the termination fee shall equal six (6) times the average monthly invoice charged to Client by Agent hereunder. For purposes of this paragraph, fees for non-recurring events shall be excluded when calculating the average monthly invoice charged to Client by Agent

(d) Prior to termination of this Agreement, Client shall provide Agent with written instructions as to the disposition of records, as well as any additional documentation reasonably requested by Agent. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, the respective rights and duties of Client and Agent under this Agreement shall cease upon termination of this Agreement.

12. Lost Certificates. Agent shall not be obligated to issue a replacement share certificate for any share certificate reported to have been lost, destroyed or stolen unless Agent shall have received: (a) an affidavit of such loss, destruction or theft; (b) a bond of indemnity in form and substance satisfactory to Agent; and (c) payment of all applicable fees. Shareholders may obtain such a bond of indemnity from a surety company of the shareholder’s choice, provided the surety company satisfies Agent’s minimum requirements.

13. Confidentiality.

(a) In connection with Agent’s appointment hereunder, each party shall obtain confidential information related to the other party or its stockholders that is not available to the general public (“Confidential Information”), which Confidential Information shall include the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the exhibits attached hereto. Each party agrees that the Confidential Information shall be held and treated by it, its


directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents, investment advisors, accountants and subcontractors (collectively, “Representatives”) in confidence and, except as hereinafter provided, shall not be disclosed in any manner whatsoever except as otherwise required by law, regulation, subpoena or governmental authority. Confidential Information shall be used by each party and its Representatives only for the purposes for which provided and shall be disclosed by such party only to those Representatives who have a need to know in order to accomplish the business purpose in connection with which the Confidential Information has been provided. Confidential Information does not include information that (i) is now or subsequently becomes generally available to the public through no fault or breach on the part of the receiving party; (ii) the receiving party had rightfully in its possession prior to disclosure to it by the disclosing party; (iii) is independently developed by the receiving party without the use of or reference to any Confidential Information; (iv) the receiving party rightfully obtains on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the disclosing party who the receiving party has the reasonable belief has the right to transfer or disclose it or (v) required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process or required by operation of law or regulation.

(b) In connection with the provision of services under this Agreement, Client may direct Agent to release information, including non-public personal information (“NPPI”), as defined in Title V of the Gramm Leach Bliley Act and the regulations issued thereunder (including but not limited to Regulation P of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve) to Client’s agents or other third party service providers, including, without limitation, broker/dealers, custodians and depositories. In addition, Client consents to the release of information, including NPPI, (i) to any of Agent’s Representatives in connection with the services provided hereunder and (ii) as required by law, regulation, subpoena or governmental authority. Agent shall not be liable for the release of information in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

14. Publicity. Neither party will issue a news release, public announcement, advertisement, or other form of publicity concerning the existence of this Agreement or the Services to be provided hereunder without obtaining the prior written approval of the other party, which may be withheld in the other party’s sole discretion; provided that Agent may use Client’s name in its customer lists with the prior written approval of Client.

 

15.

Lost Stockholders; In-Depth Stockholder Search.

(a) Agent shall conduct such database searches to locate lost stockholders as are required by Rule 17Ad-17 under the Exchange Act, without charge to the stockholder. If a new address is so obtained in a database search for a lost stockholder, Agent shall conduct a verification mailing and update its records for such stockholder accordingly.

(b) Agent may conduct a more in-depth search for the purpose of (i) locating lost stockholders for whom a new address is not obtained in accordance with clause (a) above, (ii) identifying stockholders who are deceased (or locating their next of kin) and


(iii) locating stockholders whose accounts contain two or more consecutive uncashed checks, in each case using the services of a locating service provider selected by Agent. Such provider may compensate Agent for processing and other services that Agent provides in connection with such in-depth search.

(c) Upon locating any stockholder (or next of kin) pursuant to clause (b) above, the locating service provider shall clearly identify to such stockholder (or next of kin) all assets held in such stockholder’s account. Such provider shall inform any such located stockholders (or next of kin) that they may choose either (i) to contact Agent directly to obtain the assets in such account, at no charge other than any applicable fees to replace lost certificates, or (ii) to use the services of such provider for a fee, which may not exceed (A) 10% of the asset value of such stockholder’s property where the registered stockholder is a living person or (B) 20% of the asset value of such stockholder’s property where the registered stockholder is deceased or is not a natural person; provided that in no case shall such fee exceed the maximum statutory fee permitted by the applicable state jurisdiction. If Client selects a locating service provider other than one selected by Agent, then Agent shall not be responsible for the terms of any agreement with such provider and additional fees may apply.

 

16.

Compensation and Expenses.

(a) Commencing on the Effective Date, Client shall compensate Agent for its services hereunder in accordance with the fee schedules listed in Exhibit B hereto.

(b) All amounts owed to Agent hereunder are due within thirty (30) days of the invoice date. Delinquent payments are subject to a late payment charge of one and one half percent (1.5%) per month commencing sixty (60) days from the invoice date. Client agrees to reimburse Agent for any attorney’s fees and any other costs associated with collecting delinquent payments.

(c) Client shall be charged for certain reasonable expenses advanced or incurred by Agent in connection with Agent’s performance of its duties hereunder. Such charges include, but are not limited to, stationery and supplies, such as transfer sheets, dividend checks, envelopes, and paper stock, as well as any disbursements for telephone, mail insurance, electronic document creation and delivery, travel expenses for annual meetings, link-up charges from Automatic Data Processing Inc. and tape charges from The Depository Trust Company. While Agent endeavors to maintain such charges (both internal and external) at competitive rates, these charges will not, in all instances, reflect actual out-of-pocket costs, and in some instances may include handling charges to cover internal processing and use of Agent’s billing systems.

(d) With respect to any shareholder mailings processed by Agent, Client shall be charged postage as an out-of-pocket expense at postage rates that may not reflect all available or utilized postal discounts, such as presort or NCOA discounts. Client shall, at least one business day prior to mail date, provide immediately available funds sufficient to cover all postage due on such mailing. Any material shareholder mailing schedule


changes, including, but not limited to, delays in delivering materials to Agent or changes in a mailing commencement date, may result in additional fees and/or expenses.

17. Notices. All notices, demands and other communications given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing, shall be deemed effective on the date of receipt, and may be sent by overnight delivery service, or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested to:

 

If to Client:    with an additional copy to:

Blackstone/ Long-Short Credit Income Fund

280 Park Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10017

Attn: Marisa Beeney

  

GSO/ Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

280 Park Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, New York 1001

 

If to Agent:    with an additional copy to:

Mellon Investor Services LLC

480 Washington Blvd

Jersey City, NJ 07310

Attn: Kevin Shinkunas

  

Mellon Investor Services LLC

Newport Office Center VII

480 Washington Blvd.

Jersey City, NJ 07310

Attn: Legal Department

18. Submission to Jurisdiction; Foreign Law.

(a) The parties irrevocably (i) submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court sitting in New York City or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, (ii) waive, to the fullest extent they may effectively do so, any defense based on inconvenient forum, improper venue or lack of jurisdiction to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding, and (iii) waive all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(b) Agent shall not be required hereunder to comply with the laws or regulations of any country other than the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof. Agent may consult with foreign counsel, at Client’s expense, to resolve any foreign law issues that may arise as a result of Client or any other party being subject to the laws or regulations of any foreign jurisdiction.


19. Miscellaneous. 

(a) Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement signed by both Client and Agent.

(b) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law.

(c) Survival of Terms. Sections 7, 8, 13 and 16 hereof shall survive termination of this Agreement and Agent’s appointment hereunder.

(d) Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided that this Agreement may not be assigned, or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part, by either party without the prior written consent of the other party, which the other party will not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay; and provided further that (i) consent is not required for an assignment to an affiliate of Agent and (ii) any reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other form of business combination by Agent shall not be deemed to constitute an assignment of this Agreement. Any attempted assignment in violation of the foregoing will be void. The Agent agrees to provide notices of such successor Agent to the other party.

(e) Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for the purposes of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit the contents of this Agreement.

(f) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is found to violate a law, it will be severed from the rest of the Agreement and ignored.

(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed manually in any number of counterparts, each of which such counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original, and all such counterparts when taken together shall constitute one and the same original instrument.

(h) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supercedes all prior written or oral communications, understandings, and agreements with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. The parties acknowledge that the Exhibits hereto are an integral part of this Agreement.

(i) Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give any person or entity other than Agent and Client any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of Agent and Client.


(j) Customer Identification Program. Client acknowledges that Agent is subject to the customer identification program (“Customer Identification Program”) requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, and that Agent must obtain, verify and record information that allows Agent to identify Client. Accordingly, prior to accepting an appointment hereunder, Agent may request information from Client that will help Agent to identify Client, including without limitation Client’s physical address, tax identification number, organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business, or any other information that Agent deems necessary. Client agrees that Agent cannot accept an appointment hereunder unless and until Agent verifies Client’s identity in accordance with the Customer Identification Program requirements.

(k) Contingency Facilities. In order to minimize the disruption of the services provided under this Agreement or any exhibit, schedule, appendix or annex hereto, theAgent shall implement and maintain directly or through third parties contingency facilities and procedures reasonably designed to provide for periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Client and emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement. In the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Agent’s control, the Agent shall, at no additional expense to the Client, take commercially reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions.

[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement by their duly authorized officers as of the day and year above written.

BLACKSTONE/ GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

 

By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

Name:   Marisa J. Beeney
Title:   Authorized Signatory

MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC

 

By:  

/s/ Kevin Shinkunas

Name:   Kevin Shinkunas
Title:   Vice President


Exhibit A

STOCK SUBJECT TO THE AGREEMENT

 



Class of Stock

    

Number of

Authorized

Shares

    

Number of

Authorized

Shares Issued

and Outstanding

(including

Treasury Shares)

    

Number of

Authorized

Shares Reserved

for Future

Issuance Under

Existing

Agreements

 

A-1


Exhibit B

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED AND SCHEDULE OF FEES

 

Issues Covered:

(additional issues are subject to additional fees.)

   Common (1)

 

IPO Services

 

Full Fast Closing (one-time)/Conversion

   $ 2,500.00  

 

Administration & Account Maintenance

 

                 

Stock Transfer Administration (Annual Fee, payable monthly)

 

 

     $            18,000.00  

Account Maintenance Services

 

       

Security Issuance Services

 

       

Dividend Disbursement Services (Quarterly)

 

       

Escheatment Services

 

       

Direct Registration System/Profile Services

       

Web Services and System Access

       

Proxy and Annual Meeting Services (1 Common file)

       

Investment Plan Services

 

     Per Separate Plan Agreement  
Out-of-Pocket Expenses

 

     Billed as Incurred  

 

Additional fees will apply if the annual allowances below are exceeded

 

Account Administration      Allowance        Fee  

Number of active accounts maintained

     1,000      $ 4.00  

Number of inactive accounts maintained

     1,000      $ 1.00  

Number of Restricted transactions

     500      $ 50.00  

Number of Option transactions

     500      $ 25.00  

Number of electronic DWAC transactions

     N/A        Charged to broker  

Number of mailings per year (including one enclosure)

     4        See Below  

Number of reports or analyses

     4        See Below  

Number of lists or labels

     4        See Below  

 

B-1


Escheatment Services

Annual Compliance Services

     Included  

SEC mandated electronic database and new address retrieval mailing

   $

($

3.75 per account

500.00 minimum

 

Each state mandated due diligence mailing

   $

($

3.50 per account

500.00 minimum

 

 

Direct Registration System / Profile     

Annual Surety Fee

   Waived upon Enrollment

Customization of advices and statements (if requested)

   $500.00

Stock Distribution Event – full, full and fractional shares

   $3.50

DRS/Profile statement, Advices, Annual Account Statement

   $0.25

DRS/Profile investor originated reject fee, each occurrence

   Charged to broker

 

Additional Lists & Mailings Upon Request

Shareholder Lists and Analysis

(Minimum charge for each of the below services)

   $500.00

Lists, per name listed

   $0.05

Labels, per label printed

   $0.05

Analysis, per name passed on database

   $0.02

Analysis, per name listed in report

   $0.05

Custom Lists or Analyses

   By Appraisal

Standard Mailing Services

(Minimum charge for each of the below services)

   $500.00

Addressing mailing medium, per name

   $0.05

Affixing labels, per label

   $0.05

Machine Inserting
1st Enclosure, per piece
2nd Enclosure, per piece
Each Enclosure thereafter, per piece

  

$0.05

$0.04

$0.03

Manual Inserting

   By Appraisal

 

B-2


BNY Mellon Shareowner Services

Notice & Access Pricing/Services

 

Notice & Access Web Presentation—Event Fee

Includes:

•  Web site setup

•  Conversion and formatting of documents into Web site format

•  Presentation and maintenance of proxy materials on web site for 12 months

•  Establishment and maintenance of Web site that does not track cookies or shareowner data

•  Maintenance and support for Web hosting servers

   $5,000.00
   

Annual Account Administration Fee (for Notice recipients)

Includes:

•  Processing of requests for materials via phone or Internet

•  Systems setup for fulfillment

•  Storage of physical proxy compliance materials (for fulfillment purposes)

•  Maintenance and storage of shareowner access preference flags

•  File transmissions

•  Mail processing of Notice & Access letter

  

$1,500.00

(waived with web hosting)

plus $0.20 per shareowner

   
Notice Card OOP (Postage, Stationery, Imprinting)   

As incurred

(estimated $0.68 each)

   
Fulfillment Services     

Pick-and-Pack Fulfillment Services

(hard copy compliance materials provided by client)

Includes: pre-insertion of printed materials

   $1.70 per opt-out shareowner

Fulfillment postage

   As incurred

Proxy Card out-of-pocket expenses

Includes: Stationery, Imprinting

  

As incurred

(est. $0.68 each) per opt-out shareowner

   
Additional Web Hosting Services    Included
 
Additional Web hosting of materials for outside vendor (e.g. hosting of Web site for street shareowner base in lieu of using Broadridge’s Web site) includes site setup, presentation, document conversion, maintenance of proxy materials on cookie-free Web site for 12 months; to be used in conjunction with the Web hosting for registered base.

 

B-3


SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

Account Maintenance Functions

   

Opening new accounts

   

Posting debits and credits

   

Maintaining certificate history

   

Placing and releasing stop transfer notations

   

Consolidating accounts

   

Coding accounts requiring special handling (e.g. “bad address,” “do not mail,” “VIP,” etc.)

   

Processing address changes

   

Responding to shareholder correspondence (includes address changes, coding changes, W8/W9 Inquiries, 1099 duplicate requests, statement inquiries, check replacements, and other routine transactions)

   

Providing a toll-free phone number for shareholder inquiries

   

Obtaining and posting Taxpayer Identification Number certifications pursuant to IDTCA regulations

   

Maintaining inactive accounts for the purpose of research and tax reporting

   

Closing (purging) inactive accounts that meet selected criteria

   

Maintaining shareholder consents to electronic delivery of materials

   

Review and reporting of information required by the Office of Foreign Asset Control

Security Issuance Functions

   

Qualifying under the rules of the NYSE and NASDAQ/AMEX to act in the dual capacity as transfer agent and registrar

   

Maintaining mail and window facilities for the receipt of transfer requests

   

Maintaining and securing unissued certificate inventory and supporting documents

   

Establishing procedures designed to verify that surrendered certificates are genuine and have not been altered

   

Obtaining a legal opinion and/or other documentation to the effect that original issuances are properly authorized and have been registered under federal securities laws or are exempt from such registration

   

In connection with requests for transfer, verifying that Shares issued equal the number surrendered

   

Place and remove stop orders on Shares

   

Verifying that Agent has not received any active stop orders against Shares submitted for transfer

   

Issuing and registering new securities

   

Recording canceled and issued securities

   

Canceling surrendered certificates

   

Delivering completed transfers

   

Processing restricted and legal transfers upon presentment of appropriate supporting documentation

   

Providing online access to daily transfer or management summary journals

   

Providing delivery and receipt of DWAC transfers

 

B-4


   

Provide and process safekeeping requests

   

Replacing lost, destroyed or stolen certificates (charge imposed on shareholder)

   

Supporting custodial arrangements for selling stockholders or otherwise as requested by Client in connection with public offerings

Dividend Disbursement Services

   

Preparing and mailing checks

   

ACH/Direct Deposit file transmission

   

Reconciling checks

   

Preparing payment register in list form

   

Withholding and filing taxes for non-resident aliens and others

   

Filing federal tax information returns

   

Processing “B” and “C” notices received from the IRS

   

Mailing required statements (Form 1099DIV or Form 1042)

   

Maintaining stop payment files and issuing replacement checks

   

Maintaining separate dividend addresses

   

Receiving, verifying and posting dividend payment funds

Investment Plan Services (per separate Plan agreement)

   

Opening and maintaining participant accounts

   

Processing reinvestment and optional cash payments

   

Preparing participant statement of accounts, after each transaction, showing activity for current period

   

Processing liquidations and terminations according to plan specifications

   

Providing periodic investment reports to Client

   

Preparing Form 1099B to report sale proceeds

   

Issuing replacement checks

   

Mail authorization material as requested either separately or part of new account mailing

Escheatment Functions

   

Assist in establishing compliance with the unclaimed property requirements of all jurisdictions that may have a claim on escheatable property held by Agent on behalf of Client.

   

Processing records and property subject to reporting based upon current state statutes, rules, and regulations

   

Identifying property that has become escheatable since the last filing date

   

Assist in reviewing state regulations to determine if there have been any changes in reporting procedures

   

Reporting and remitting property to states

Proxy and Annual Meeting Functions

   

Assisting in Annual Meeting planning

   

Processing and mailing Annual Meeting materials

   

Provide eKit interactive Annual Meeting materials integrated with Internet Proxy Voting

 

B-5


   

Tabulating physical (both scanner and manual) proxies returned by shareholders

   

Soliciting registered shareholders for their consent to receive electronic meeting materials

   

Collecting, processing and archiving electronic consents and revocations

   

Tabulating telephone and Internet proxies returned by shareholders

   

Identifying shareholders who will attend the Annual Meeting

   

Providing Inspector(s) of Election for the Annual Meeting

   

Maintaining an automated link with (i) DTC to redistribute record date Cede & Co. share positions to participants and (ii) ADP to receive transmissions of broker votes

   

Providing certified list of record date holders

   

Processing omnibus proxies for respondent banks

   

Providing report of final vote

   

Providing remote access to proxy tabulation system

Web Services and System Access

   

Providing Client access to Agent’s mainframe inquiry and internet via Client ServiceDirect

   

Providing daily data on registered shareholders

   

Providing daily access to proxy tabulation file during proxy season

   

Providing Shareholder access to their account via Investor ServiceDirect

   

Providing on-line access to shareholder statements and tax forms via MLink

 

B-6


OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES

Shareholder Plan Enrollment: If Client has appointed a banking affiliate of Agent to administer a direct stock purchase and/or dividend reinvestment plan, Agent (on behalf of such affiliate) shall accept requests by Client’s shareholders to enroll Shares in such plan via paper enrollment form, in the case of certificated securities, and via paper enrollment form, Internet enrollment and telephonic enrollment, in the case of book-entry (i.e., Direct Registration System) securities. If Client has not appointed a banking affiliate of Agent to administer a direct stock purchase or dividend reinvestment plan, then Client hereby appoints and directs a banking affiliate of Agent to implement and administer a share selling program (“Program”) pursuant to which shareholders may enroll book-entry Shares in the Program in order to liquidate them under the following terms and conditions. The Program transaction fee for each such sale shall be $15.00 plus $0.12 per Share. Under the Program, upon receipt of a sale request by a registered shareholder, Agent (on behalf of such banking affiliate) will process the request through an affiliated registered broker/dealer. Proceeds of each sale under the Program will be sent to the shareholder in the form of a check (less the transaction fee). Sale requests under the Program will typically be combined with other sale requests received from Client shareholders and Shares will be submitted in bulk to an affiliated registered broker/dealer for sale. Shares will be sold under the Program generally within one business day of Agent’s receipt (on behalf of such banking affiliate) of the sale request, but in no event more than five business days (except where deferral is necessary under state or federal regulations). The price per Share received by the selling shareholder under the Program will equal the market price Agent (on behalf of such banking affiliate) receives for the Shares (or, if more than one bulk trade is executed on the day the Shares are sold, then the price per Share shall equal the weighted average market price received for all Shares sold that day).

Prior Agent Out-of-Proof Conditions: If an out-of-proof condition exists on the Effective Date, and such condition is not resolved within 90 calendar days thereafter, Client agrees to provide Agent with funds or shares sufficient to resolve the out-of-proof condition promptly upon the expiration of such 90 day period.

Lost Certificates: Agent shall charge shareholders an administrative fee for replacement of lost certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates. Agent may receive compensation from surety companies or surety agents for administrative services provided to them.

Legal Expenses, System Modifications: Certain expenses may be incurred in resolving legal matters, including receiving and responding to routine subpoenas that arise in the course of performing services hereunder. This may result in a separate charge to cover Agent’s expenses (including the cost of external or internal counsel) in resolving such matters; provided that any legal expenses charged to the Client shall be reasonable.

In the event any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations are enacted that require Agent to (i) make any adjustments and/or modifications to its current system, or (ii)

 

B-7


provide additional services to Client for which Agent is not being compensated hereunder, then Client shall compensate Agent (a) on a pro rata basis proportionate to the Client’s registered shareholder base, for the costs associated with making such required adjustments and/or modifications, or (b) according to Agent’s standard fees established, in good faith, with respect to such additional services.

Initial Compliance Escheatment Services: If, at the time escheat services are commenced for any asset type, Client is not in compliance with applicable state unclaimed property regulations with respect to that asset type, then Agent shall provide initial compliance services, which shall include working with one or more state unclaimed property clearinghouses to identify specific reportable records and property, and organizing and formatting such records and property for remittance to the applicable states, as required. Where applicable, in concert with state clearinghouses, Agent shall also attempt to obtain releases and indemnification agreements protecting Client from interest and penalties that may be assessable against Client by the states for prior non-compliance. If a release or indemnification agreement is not so obtained from a state, Client may be responsible for interest and/or penalties from such state for prior non-compliance. Agent may receive compensation from state clearinghouses for the processing and support services it provides to them in connection with initial compliance services.

Cash Dividends and Distributions: For any dividend mailing, Client shall, no later than 10 am Eastern Time on the mail date for the dividend, provide to Agent immediately available funds sufficient to pay the aggregate amount of cash dividends to be paid. Upon receipt of any such funds, Agent shall (a) in the case of registered shareholders who are participants in a dividend reinvestment plan of Client as of the record date, reinvest such funds in accordance with the terms of such plan, and (b) in the case of registered shareholders who are not participants in any such plan as of the record date, make payment of such funds to such shareholders by mailing a check, payable to the registered shareholder, to the address of record or, if different, dividend mailing address. If Agent has not timely received sufficient funds to make payments of any dividend or distribution pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above to all registered shareholders of Client as of the record date, Agent shall notify Client and withhold all payments until Client has provided sufficient funds to Agent.

Other Services: Fees, out of pocket expenses and disbursements for any services, including, but not limited to, down posting for odd lots, provided to Client or any of its agents or representatives by or on behalf of Agent hereunder that are not set forth above will be based on Agent’s standard fees at the time such services are provided or, if no standard fees have been established, an appraisal of the work to be performed.

 

B-8


Exhibit C

DOCUMENTS AND NOTIFICATIONS TO BE DELIVERED TO AGENT

Prior to the Effective Date, to the extent not previously provided by Client to Agent, Client shall provide Agent with the following:

 

1.

An adequate supply of Share certificates (including new Share certificates and specimens whenever the form thereof shall change), properly signed, by facsimile or otherwise, by officers of Client authorized by law or by Client’s By-Laws to sign Share certificates, and, if required, bearing the corporate seal or a facsimile thereof.

 

2.

A copy of the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of Client appointing or authorizing the appointment of Agent as Transfer Agent and/or Registrar and Dividend Disbursing Agent, as the case may be, duly certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of Client under the corporate seal.

 

3.

A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of Client, and all amendments thereto, certified by the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation.

 

4.

A copy of the By-laws of Client as amended to date, duly certified by the Secretary of Client under the corporate seal.

 

5.

A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of Client, under its corporate seal, stating as follows:

a) this Agreement has been executed and delivered pursuant to the authority of Client’s Board of Directors;

b) the attached specimen Share certificate(s) are in substantially the form submitted to and approved by Client’s Board of Directors for current use, and the attached specimen Share certificates for each Class of Stock with issued and outstanding Shares are in the form previously submitted to and approved by Client’s Board of Directors for past use;

c) no shares have been reserved for future issuance except as set forth on the attached list of existing agreements pursuant to which Shares have been reserved for future issuance, which list specifies the number of reserved Shares subject to each such existing agreement and the substantive provisions thereof.

d) each shareholder list provided to Agent is true and complete; or no Shares are outstanding;

e) the name of each stock exchange upon which any of the Shares are listed and the number and identity of the Shares so listed;

 

C-1


f) the name and address of each co-Transfer Agent, Registrar (other than Agent) or co-Registrar for any of the Shares and the extent of its appointment, or there are no co-Transfer Agents, Registrars (other than Agent) or co-Registrars for any of the Shares; and

g) the officer(s) of Client, who executed this Agreement as well as any certificates or papers delivered to Agent pursuant to this Agreement (including without limitation any Share certificates, as such certificates may be amended from time to time), were validly elected or appointed to, and are the incumbents of, the offices they purported to hold at the time of such execution and delivery, are authorized to execute this Agreement as well as all other certificates or papers delivered hereunder, and that their signatures on all such documentation are genuine.

Such Secretary’s certificate shall contain a certificate of an officer of Client, other than the officer executing the Secretary’s certificate, stating that the person executing the Secretary’s certificate was validly elected to, and is the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of Client and that his signature on the certificate is genuine.

 

6.

A shareholder list, preferably in machine readable format, certified as true and complete by the person preparing the list, for the issued and outstanding Shares, setting forth as to each holder, his/her name and address, tax identification number certified by the shareholder pursuant to requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and applicable regulations, the number of Shares held, the Share certificate numbers and the existence of any stop orders or other transfer restrictions.

 

7.

Opinion of counsel for Client, addressed to Agent, to the effect that:

a) the Shares issued and outstanding on the date hereof have been duly authorized, validly issued and are fully paid and are non-assessable;

b) the Shares issued and outstanding on the date hereof have been duly registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such registration has become effective, or are exempt from such registration; and have been duly registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or are exempt from such registration;

c) the use of facsimile signatures by Agent in connection with the countersigning and registering of Share certificates of Client has been duly authorized by Client and is valid and effective; and

d) the execution and delivery of this Agreement do not and will not conflict with, violate, or result in a breach of, the terms, conditions or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the charter or the by-laws of Client, any law or regulation, any order or decree of any court or public authority having jurisdiction, or any mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement or undertaking to which Client is a party or by which it is bound and this Agreement is enforceable

 

C-2


against Client in accordance with it terms, except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.

 

8.

A completed Internal Revenue Service Form 2678.

 

9.

A completed Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable.

Client further agrees to deliver an opinion of counsel as provided in this Exhibit C, Section 7(a) and (b) upon any future original issuance of Shares for which Agent will act as transfer agent hereunder.

 

C-3


NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES

Client shall promptly notify Agent of the following:

 

1.

Any change in the name of Client, amendment of its certificate of incorporation or its by-laws;

 

2.

Any change in the title of a Class of Stock from that set forth in the first column of Exhibit A;

 

3.

Any change in the Number of Authorized Shares from that set forth in the second column of Exhibit A;

 

4.

Any change in existing agreements or any entry into new agreements changing the Number of Authorized Shares Reserved for Future Issuance Under Existing Agreements from that listed in the fourth column of Exhibit A hereto;

 

5.

Any change in the number of outstanding Shares subject to stop orders or other transfer limitations;

 

6.

The listing or delisting of any Shares on any stock exchange;

 

7.

The appointment after the date hereof of any co-Transfer Agent, Registrar (other than Agent) or any co-Registrar for any of the Shares;

 

8.

The merger of Client into, or the consolidation of Client with, or the sale or other transfer of the assets of Client substantially as an entirety to, another person; or the merger or consolidation of another person into or with Client; and

 

9.

Any other change in the affairs of Client of which Agent must have knowledge to perform properly its duties under this Agreement.

 

C-4

Exhibit (k)(2)

AGREEMENT FOR PRIME BROKERAGE

 

Office:

Account(s):

 

 

 

Pershing LLC (“Pershing”) and the undersigned or its Agent (in either case, the “Customer”) have entered into this Agreement For Prime Brokerage, Electronic Services and Margin Financing Services as set forth herein (the “Agreement”).

 

I.

PRIME BROKERAGE SERVICES

In addition to maintaining an account or accounts (“Account”) with Pershing and executing transactions therein, Customer maintains brokerage accounts with a number of other brokers and may, from time to time, place orders to be executed by one or more of these brokers designating Pershing as Customer’s prime broker in accordance with the letter dated January 25, 1994 from the Division of Market Regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (or, if applicable, any subsequent amending or superseding letter or order, rule or regulation) (the “No-Action Letter”). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, Pershing agrees to act as prime broker for Customer and to perform certain settlement and clearance services in connection with such transactions (“Prime Brokerage Transactions”).

1. Applicable Transactions; Limitations. The terms of this Section I shall apply only to Prime Brokerage Transactions executed by Customer with such brokers as Customer may designate to Pershing. Such brokers will either be self-clearing executing brokers or introducing executing brokers. If the latter, Customer will provide to Pershing the name of the firm clearing for Customer’s introducing broker. In either case, the self-clearing executing broker and the clearing firm of the executing introducing broker is referred to herein as the “Executing Broker”. Customer and Pershing may each add to or delete from the list of Executing Brokers by not less than one (1) Business Day’s prior notice to the other party, provided that no addition may be made without Pershing’s consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) nor will any addition be effective until all documentation required or deemed necessary or appropriate by Pershing in its reasonable discretion has been completed. Notwithstanding the forgoing, Pershing may delete an Executing Broker from the list immediately upon prompt notice if in Pershing’s commercially reasonable discretion Pershing deems it

advisable for its protection or if it is required to do so by Applicable Law.

The terms as set forth in this Agreement shall apply only to Prime Brokerage Transactions in debt and equity securities cleared and settled through United States clearance and settlement systems and in such other securities and instruments as are otherwise specifically approved by Pershing for clearance for the purposes of being governed by the terms as set forth in this Section I and identified to Customer from time to time (all such securities and instruments, being “Covered Securities”). It is expressly understood and agreed that, with respect to Prime Brokerage Transactions in non-Covered Securities, Pershing shall have no obligation to Customer or to any third party to clear or settle trades executed by Customer, and Customer shall inform its Executing Brokers that the Executing Broker may look only to Customer for the settlement of such Prime Brokerage Transactions and the resolution of any claim or dispute relating thereto.

2. Customer Acknowledgement. Customer acknowledges that Prime Brokerage Transactions are subject to applicable laws and regulations and to the requirements of the No-Action Letter. Customer further acknowledges that Pershing will, as required by the No-Action Letter and applicable law, enter into contractual arrangements pertaining to Prime Brokerage Transactions for Customer’s account (“Contractual Arrangements”) with the Executing Brokers identified on the list described above. Customer acknowledges and agrees that Pershing shall have no suitability obligation to Customer in connection with trades placed by Customer or for Customer by an investment adviser or other agent.

3. Accounts with Executing Brokers. Customer shall not begin to effect Prime Brokerage Transactions with an Executing Broker until Customer advises Pershing of its intent to do so and Pershing thereafter advises Customer that Pershing and the Executing Broker have executed the appropriate Contractual Arrangements with respect thereto. Customer understands and agrees that the Contractual Arrangements may affect Pershing’s dealings with Customer accordance with Pershing’s normal

 

 

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procedures. Customer agrees to accept any restrictions or limitations affecting its Account with Pershing that may result from such Contractual Arrangements and Pershing’s dealings with Executing Brokers. Pershing reserves the right at any time but with prior notice to Customer, where practicable, to place a limit on the type or size of Prime Brokerage Transactions which may be effected by Customer with Executing Brokers generally or with any particular Executing Broker, provided no limit shall be effective with respect to transactions which Pershing has affirmed, or otherwise agreed to clear or settle prior to placing such limits. Pershing shall endeavor to provide reasonable notice to customer prior to placing any such limits. However, such notice shall not be a condition precedent to taking such action. Customer acknowledges that Pershing has not recommended or endorsed any Executing Brokers and Pershing shall not be responsible or liable for any acts or omissions of any Executing Broker or its employees. Customer agrees that, as between Pershing and Customer, any Losses resulting from any action or failure to take action by an Executing Broker or its agents or other third party with respect to Customer or its Accounts, including, without limitation, the insolvency of any such party or the failure of any such party to fulfill its settlement obligations, will be borne solely by Customer and Customer agrees to indemnify Pershing, and to hold Pershing harmless, in connection therewith, unless such Losses are a result of Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

4. Communications with Executing Brokers. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may be required by the No-Action Letter, applicable law or by the Contractual Arrangements, or that Pershing may otherwise reasonably deem it necessary or appropriate, to communicate information concerning Customer and the Account to Executing Brokers. Such information may include: (i) whether the net equity in the Account falls below certain minimums set forth in the No-Action Letter; (ii) information regarding the allocation of Prime Brokerage Transactions to sub-accounts, if applicable; and (iii) other matters requested by Executing Brokers, after consultation with Customer; and (iv) such other information as Pershing may reasonably deem necessary for Pershing’s own protection, provided the release of such information is in accordance with applicable law, rule or regulation and Pershing’s Privacy Policy. Customer hereby consents to, and agrees to hold Pershing harmless with respect to, the release to Executing Brokers of any and all information regarding Customer and the Account in accordance with the foregoing absent the gross negligence,

material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct of Pershing.

5. Reporting of Trade Information; Affirmation and Settlement. Customer agrees to notify Pershing (or cause Pershing to be notified by persons it has authorized in writing to do so) by 5:30 P.M. (Eastern Time) on any trade date of the details of all Prime Brokerage Transactions effected by or on behalf of Customer through Executing Brokers for such date. Customer will supply Pershing with the following information to the extent known for each transaction: (a) Account Name; (b) Name of Executing Broker (and clearing broker, if different); (c) Security name, quantity and security symbol (or CUSIP number if no security symbol exists or is known); (d) Whether transaction is a buy, buy to cover, sell or sell short transaction; (e) Price per share or other unit (if a trade is to be reported on an average price basis, Customer must compute the average price to four decimal places); (f) Exchange or other market where executed; (g) Commission rate; (h) Total execution and commission costs; (i) If an options transaction is involved, whether the transaction is an opening or closing transaction; (j) The trade date and settlement date; (k) For trades in non-U.S. markets, all other information required for Pershing to settle such trades and as notified to Customer from time to time; and (1) Settlement instructions.

Customer understands and agrees that, subject to the provisions of this Agreement and Pershing’s internal policies and procedures, Pershing will affirm and settle transactions with an Executing Broker only to the extent that the information provided by such Executing Broker matches the trade information submitted to Pershing by Customer. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may “DK” or otherwise decline to affirm and settle any and all trades as to which Customer has not timely provided the foregoing information. If Customer has provided information to Pershing that does not match the information provided to Pershing by the Executing Broker, and if time permits, Pershing will reasonably attempt to contact Customer so that Customer can reconcile the differences in the reported information. If such contact and reconciliation is not made, Pershing may, in Pershing’s commercially reasonable discretion: (i) settle such Prime Brokerage Transactions on Customer’s behalf if, in Pershing’s commercially reasonable judgment, the differences between Customer’s report and the Executing Broker’s report are not material; or (ii) “DK” or otherwise decline to affirm and settle any such Prime Brokerage Transactions.

 

 

©2014 Pershing LLC. Member FIN RA, NYSE, SIPC, is a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.
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Customer further understands and agrees that if Pershing is responsible for settling a short sale on behalf of Customer, or if Customer fails to deliver any securities it has sold in a long sale, Pershing is authorized to borrow or obtain the securities necessary to enable Pershing to make delivery. Customer agrees to be responsible for any actual cost or loss Pershing incurs in sourcing and maintaining the borrow, or the actual cost Pershing incurs in obtaining the securities if Pershing is unable to borrow such securities.

Customer expressly acknowledges and agrees that Pershing shall have no responsibility or liability with respect to trade data that is not received by Pershing in the manner provided above. Customer further acknowledges that, under any of the circumstances described in Section I, Paragraph 12 of this Agreement, Pershing may decline to settle Customer’s Prime Brokerage Transactions. In any such case, Pershing will use reasonable efforts to so advise Customer promptly and Pershing will “DK” or disaffirm such transaction or transactions in accordance with the terms of the No-Action Letter, the Contractual Arrangements, and applicable rules and procedures of any clearing agency registered pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) that Pershing has agreed to use with Customer and its Executing Brokers. Under such circumstances, Customer acknowledges that it will be obligated to settle the Prime Brokerage Transactions directly with the Executing Broker. Customer understands that the Contractual Arrangements may limit Pershing’s discretion and require Pershing to disaffirm certain Prime Brokerage Transactions that Pershing would have otherwise agreed to effect, and Customer agrees that Pershing shall be held harmless for reasonably complying with such Contractual Arrangements; provided Customer has received notice of any such need to comply with such Contractual Arrangements.

6. Confirmations. If Customer has instructed Executing Brokers to send trade confirmations to Customer in care of Pershing, Pershing agrees that such confirmations will be made available to Customer, without charge, upon its request. On the day following Pershing’s receipt of information from Customer regarding any Prime Brokerage Transaction, Pershing agrees to send to Customer a notification of each such trade based on the information supplied to Pershing by Customer. Any trade notifications issued by Pershing as prime broker shall indicate the name of the Executing Broker involved and the other information required by the No-Action Letter, provided that Pershing shall have received such information in the manner and to the

extent provided herein from Customer. Customer acknowledges that Pershing has requested that Customer supply Pershing with all information required by Rule 10b-10 under the Exchange Act with respect to each Prime Brokerage Transaction. Customer understands and agrees that the notifications sent by Pershing will be based solely upon the information supplied by Customer and that Pershing assumes no responsibility, and Customer will hold Pershing harmless in connection therewith absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

7. Status of Customer. Customer represents and warrants to Pershing that no one except Customer has a direct beneficial interest in the Account. In the event that Customer is represented by an investment advisor or other agent, Customer acknowledges and agrees that such agent is authorized to instruct Pershing with respect to Customer’s Prime Brokerage Transactions and shall have all powers necessary in connection therewith, including, without limitation, full access, personally or through its agents, to Customer’s Account information through whatever medium Pershing may reasonably choose for transmitting such information pursuant to Pershing’s agreement with such agent. Customer further acknowledges that Prime Brokerage Transactions authorized by such an agent may, at such agent’s instruction, be commingled with those of other customers of the agent for settlement as a single bulk trade with Pershing, may be reported on an average price basis, and may later be allocated by such agent among such customers. Customer agrees that Pershing shall in no event be responsible for making any determination relating to the suitability of any transaction for Customer’s Account.

8. Minimum Net Equity. Customer shall, at all times, maintain in the Account a minimum net equity with Pershing of that required in the No-Action Letter. Customer shall maintain such minimum net equity in cash or securities with a ready market and shall, upon Pershing’s request, promptly (but no later than within five (5) business days) restore such net equity if it should fall below such minimum. Customer understands and agrees that failure to maintain a minimum net equity at least equal to that required by the No-Action Letter, after giving effect to any applicable grace period, will require Pershing promptly to inform Executing Brokers that Pershing is no longer acting as prime broker for Customer and that Pershing will “DK” or disaffirm any Prime Brokerage Transactions commenced thereafter by or on behalf of Customer. In addition, Customer acknowledges that failure to maintain a minimum net equity at least equal to that established by Pershing, will permit Pershing,

 

 

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in its sole discretion, to “DK” or disaffirm Prime Brokerage Transactions by or on behalf of Customer in accordance with the No-Action Letter.

9. Restricted Securities. Prior to instructing the delivery into Customer’s Account (by purchase or otherwise) of Restricted Securities, (as defined in Section V, Paragraph 6 of this Agreement), Customer agrees that it is responsible for ensuring that Customer’s Account is eligible to receive such Restricted Securities. Additionally, prior to placing an order for the sale or transfer of any Restricted Securities, Customer agrees that it will advise the relevant Executing Broker of the status of the securities and furnish such Executing Broker with the necessary documents to satisfy legal transfer requirements. These securities may not be sold or transferred until they satisfy legal transfer requirements. Customer agrees that even if the necessary documents are furnished by it in a timely manner, there may be delays in the delivery of securities and the subsequent crediting of cash by Pershing to Customer’s Account. Customer is responsible for any delays, reasonable expenses, and losses associated with compliance or failure to comply with any and all of the requirements and rules relating to Restricted Securities and agrees to hold Pershing harmless in connection therewith absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

10. Timely Settlement. Customer agrees that it is responsible to Pershing for timely payment and delivery in connection with the settlement of all Prime Brokerage Transactions for which Pershing becomes responsible pursuant to the Contractual Arrangements. Customer agrees to cooperate with Pershing in resolving disputes with Executing Brokers related to settlement of Prime Brokerage Transactions. Customer will be responsible for any losses, claims and reasonable expenses, including those resulting from buy-ins or sell-outs of securities, resulting from failure to timely settle such transactions and will hold Pershing harmless in connection therewith, absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

11. Provisional Credits. Customer understands and agrees that although Pershing may credit or debit Customer’s account on or about the settlement date with respect to a transaction executed by an Executing Broker, such credit is conditional and may be reversed upon the failure of the Executing Broker’s delivery against payment or payment against delivery, as applicable. Any losses resulting from the Executing Broker’s failure to consummate any such transaction

will, as between Pershing and Customer, be borne solely by Customer and Pershing shall have no responsibility or liability to Customer or any third party with respect thereto, absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

12. Prime Broker Ceasing to Act. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may, (a) at any time, cease to act as prime broker for Customer’s Account or maintain direct customer accounts in response to or due to any action taken by any regulatory authority, law enforcement agency or other governmental entity, (b) decline to affirm, clear and settle any Prime Brokerage Transaction to the extent permissible by the No-Action Letter, or upon the occurrence of a Close-Out Event as defined in Section V, paragraph 4, or (c)at any time decline to affirm, clear and settle any transactions effected by an Executing Broker other than a Prime Brokerage Transaction. Pershing will endeavor to provide reasonable notice prior to taking any of the foregoing actions. If Pershing does cease to act or so declines pursuant to clause (b) above, Pershing will make reasonable efforts to provide prior notice to Customer, but such notice shall not be a condition to Pershing’s right to cease to act as prime broker or to decline to affirm, clear or settle Prime Brokerage Transactions and Pershing shall incur no liability to Customer or any third party for exercising such right unless exercised in bad faith. In any such case and in the case of any termination of this Agreement, Customer understands and agrees that Customer must settle outstanding trades that have been “DK’d” or disaffirmed and all future trades (in the event this Agreement is terminated) directly with the Executing Broker.

13. Security. Customer shall be responsible for safeguarding any testkeys, identification codes or other security devices which Pershing shall make available to Customer, including any of the foregoing used to transmit instructions, and Pershing shall have no liability for any loss incurred by Customer arising out of any failure or misuse of SWIFT, tested telex or any “on- line” system used to transmit instructions.

14. Capital Introduction and Consulting Services. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may provide capital introduction services and consulting services to Customer’s Investment Advisor and/or Sub-Advisor (the “Agent”). Capital introduction services involve Pershing introducing potential investors to Agent.

 

 

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Consulting services may take the form of, but are not limited in scope to, assistance with identifying technology and design and build professional service providers, assistance with facilities management requirements, applications and business processes and service providers, property searches, information technology project management and office design and build project management.

By executing this Agreement and continuing to receive prime brokerage services from Pershing, you are acknowledging that from time to time Pershing may be subject to actual or potential conflicts of interest arising out of the provision of these services to Agent, including, for example, that the fees, commissions and other revenues Pershing earns or expects to earn through an Account may be a significant factor in Pershing’s determining whether Agent receives capital introduction services or receives consulting services from Pershing.

You also acknowledge that in the event that Pershing has provided or provides consulting services to Agent, Pershing has or may develop business relationships with, and earn fees, commissions and other revenues from, third party service providers brought to the attention of Agent by Pershing. Such relationships with third party service providers may conflict with any relationship Pershing has or may develop with Customer or Agent.

In the event Pershing provides capital introduction or consulting services to Agent, such services will be in complement to, and not in place of, the services provided by Agent’s independent professional advisors and service providers. The capital introduction or consulting services that may be provided by Pershing to your Agent do not form any part of the prime brokerage services provided to Customer by Pershing and no fees are payable by Customer or Agent in respect of such services.

Customer should not construe Agent’s receipt of capital introduction services or consulting services as an approval or endorsement of Agent or any of its advisory customers. Pershing shall be under no obligation to disclose to Customer any information it obtains in the course of providing capital introduction or consulting services to Agent.

 

II.

ELECTRONIC SERVICES

Pursuant to the following terms and conditions of this Agreement, Pershing (a) will allow access to its website(s) to allow Customer to view and/or download information about Customer’s Account with Pershing

and, if applicable, (b) will deliver prospectuses, disclosure documents, monthly account statements, confirmations and other communications electronically, via e-mail, file protocol transfer, or any other similar method when such delivery is available (the “Electronic Services”).

1. Access to the Electronic Services. Customer acknowledges and agrees that the Electronic Services may only be used by a User to whom Pershing has issued a User ID and authorized a Password, as these terms are defined below. Pershing reserves the right to terminate, suspend or change any User ID or Password and to limit or restrict, in its sole discretion, the Electronic Services offered to Customer or User. Unless authorized by Pershing, the Electronic Services may only be used by Users who reside within the United States. A “User” is Customer and any person whom Customer has authorized, in a manner designated by Pershing, to access Customer’s Account with Pershing through the Electronic Services. “User ID” means an alpha-numeric code that uniquely identifies a User for purposes of the Electronic Services, and “Password” means any authentication device (including alpha-numeric codes) associated with a User ID that Pershing may now or in the future require for access to Customer’s Account through the Electronic Services.

2. Customer’s Responsibilities. Customer is fully responsible for all acts and omissions relating to the use of the Electronic Services for its Account and the use of information regarding Customer’s Account, by any person who uses the User ID and Password of any of Customer’s Users absent Pershing’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Customer may not, and shall ensure that its Users do not, share its User IDs or Passwords with others, and must notify Pershing immediately if it knows or suspects that the confidentiality of the Password of any of its Users has been compromised. Only persons to whom Pershing has issued a User ID may use the Electronic Services under that User ID. Customer further agrees to notify Pershing of the names of any Users whom it wishes to have view-only access, if such access is available, or any other type of authority relating to its Account or User ID. If Pershing grants such access or authority, Customer agrees to be bound by any transactions in Customer’s Account or any agreements that these persons enter into with Pershing on Customer’s behalf. Customer further agrees to abide by all other rules and procedures regarding the use of the Electronic Services that Pershing may establish from time to time.

 

 

©2014 Pershing LLC. Member FIN RA, NYSE, SIPC, is a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.
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3. Information Made Available Through The Electronic Services.

a. The documents and other information delivered electronically may be formatted in Adobe Acrobat’s portable document format (“PDF”), hypertext mark-up language (“HTML”) or other file formats Pershing deems appropriate. In order to view or print documents provided in PDF, Customer will have to obtain the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free of charge at Adobe’s website (located at www.adobe.com) and install it on Customer’s computer. If Pershing changes to a format other than HTML or PDF, Pershing will provide Customer with a statement of any new hardware and software requirements for accessing and retaining the information, and access to appropriate software and technical assistance if necessary. Customer is responsible for having any necessary hardware, software or other technology to access the Electronic Services and any information sent electronically, including a printer or other device to download and save any information that Customer may wish to retain.

b. Customer is permitted to store, display, analyze, modify, reformat and print the information made available to Customer via the Electronic Services only for its own use. Customer agrees not to publish, transmit or otherwise reproduce this information, in whole or in part, in any format to any third party without the express written consent of Pershing or its third party providers. Customer further agrees not to alter, obscure or remove any copyright, trademark or any other notices that are provided to Customer in connection with the information. Pershing reserves the right, at any time and from time to time, in the interests of its own editorial discretion and reasonable business judgment to add, modify or remove any of the information and to terminate or restrict Customer’s access to the information. Pershing will make reasonable efforts to notify customer prior to taking such actions if practical under the circumstances. However, such notice is not a condition precedent to taking such actions. The terms of this Section II of the Agreement are not intended and will not transfer or grant any rights in or to the information other than those which are specifically described in this Section II of the Agreement, and all rights not expressly granted in this Section II of the Agreement are reserved by Pershing or the third party providers from whom Pershing has obtained the information.

4. Representation and Warranties. Customer represents and warrants that: (a) Customer will not use the Electronic Services in contravention of the terms

of this Agreement and any applicable rules and regulations, (b) Customer will use the Electronic Services only for the benefit of Customer’s Account and not on behalf of any other party, (c) with the exception of Web browser software and other applications specifically approved by Pershing in writing, Customer agrees not to use (or allow another person to use) any software, program, application or other device, directly or indirectly, to access or obtain information though the Electronic Services or to automate the process of accessing or obtaining such information, and (d) any information that Customer provides to Pershing will be accurate and complete in all material respects. Neither Pershing nor any third party provider make any warranty whatsoever, express or implied, to Customer or to any other persons as to the Electronic Services. Customer expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Electronic Services are provided by Pershing and its third party providers on an “as is” basis at Customer’s sole risk and that Pershing and its third party providers expressly disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, including any warranty regarding the use or the results of the use of the services with respect to their correctness, completeness, quality, reliability and performance. Neither Pershing, nor any third party contributing in any manner to the Electronic Services will have any responsibility to maintain the Electronic Services or to provide any corrections, updates or releases in connection with them.

5. Limitation of Liability; Indemnity.

a. Except as otherwise provided by law, Pershing shall not be liable for any Losses by or with respect to any matters pertaining to the Electronic Services, except to the extent that such Losses are actual Losses have resulted from Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

b. Customer agrees that Pershing will have no liability absent Pershing’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, contingent or otherwise, to Customer or any of Customer’s Users: (i) for the correctness, completeness, quality, reliability, performance or continued availability of the Electronic Services, (ii) for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages that may be incurred or experienced on account of Customer’s use or attempted use of the Electronic Services even if Pershing has been advised of the possibility of such damages, (iii) for any failure to inform Customer of difficulties (including systems delays) experienced by Pershing or third party providers with respect to the use of the Electronic

 

 

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Services, (iv) to verify, correct, complete or update any information made available via the Electronic Services, or (v) for the failure of any connection to the Electronic Services to provide or maintain Customer’s access to the Electronic Services, or for any interruption or disruption of such access or any erroneous communications between Pershing and Customer, regardless of whether the connection or communication service is provided by Pershing or a third party. For the avoidance of doubt, Pershing shall not in any event, including but not limited to Pershing’s gross negligence, be liable for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages.

c. Customer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Pershing from and against any and all Losses, as incurred, arising from Customer’s or any of Customer’s Users’ actions: (i) alleging a false or misleading statement in any of the representations and warranties provided by Customer in this Section II of the Agreement or (ii) arising out of a material violation of this Section II of the Agreement; in each case, absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or wilful misconduct. As used in this Paragraph 5, the term Pershing includes all of the third party providers who provide Pershing with or otherwise assist it with any portion of the Electronic Services. Such third party providers will have no liability to Customer for monetary damages on account of the Electronic Services provided to Customer under this Section II of the Agreement.

d. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Pershing’s liability shall be limited to actual and direct damages. Pershing shall, in no way, be liable for special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages even if it has been informed of such damages.

6. Internet Communications. Pershing will take commercially reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of information that it transmits to Customer over the Internet. Customer acknowledges, however, that the Internet is not a secure network and that communications transmitted over the Internet may be accessed by unauthorized or unintended third parties. Customer further acknowledges that Pershing may be unable to assist with problems that result from difficulties that Customer may encounter while logging on to or accessing the Electronic Services.

7. Consent to Delivery of Confirmations, Account Statements and Other Information via Electronic Media. If Customer is not a natural person, both Customer and Pershing hereby consent to receiving all notices, communications and other information from each other electronically. This information may be

provided via an online posting on Pershing’s website, email, file transfer protocol, CD-ROM or otherwise through the Electronic Services. Furthermore, Customer authorizes Pershing to deliver or to have Pershing deliver information to Customer by sending Customer a notice that directs Customer to a website that contains the information and from which it can be read and printed. Customer agrees that the sending of the notice by Pershing or by Pershing through a third party will constitute good and effective delivery of the information to Customer, regardless of whether Customer actually accesses the website containing the information. Customer acknowledges that Customer may incur expenses (such as online service provider charges) associated with Customer’s use of the Electronic Services and the electronic delivery of information to it and agrees that Customer will be solely responsible for all such expenses. In addition, Customer acknowledges and agrees that:

a. Pershing may, but is not required to, send Customer paper copies of any information that it is entitled to deliver to Customer electronically. Furthermore, at Customer’s request, Pershing will send or will have a third party send paper copies of any information that the law requires Pershing to provide. Customer may request paper copies of information by contacting Pershing. However, Pershing may charge a reasonable service charge for the delivery of paper copies of any information provided to Customer electronically pursuant to this Section II of the Agreement. Customer agrees, however, that neither Customer’s request for, nor Pershing’s delivery of, a paper copy will imply that the previous electronic delivery of the information did not constitute good and effective delivery.

b. Customer may revoke this consent to electronic delivery at any time by giving Pershing written notice of such revocation. Such revocation shall include the address that Customer desires all information to be sent to and will be effective after Pershing has had reasonable time to act on such notice. Until Pershing has received and had a reasonable time to act on any notice of a change, Pershing may continue to send information to Customer’s previous e-mail address, IP address, facsimile number or other electronic address, and any such information will be deemed to have been delivered to Customer, whether or not Customer has actually received it. Customer agrees, however, that if Customer revokes its consent to electronic delivery, Pershing may restrict or terminate Customer’s access to the Electronic Services, or eliminate product features of Customer’s Account.

 

 

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c. The scope of this consent to electronic delivery includes, but is not limited to, prospectuses and other disclosure documents, confirmations, Account statements, margin and maintenance calls, and any other information delivered or provided to Customer by Pershing or by a third party on behalf of Pershing, the issuers of the securities in which Customer invests and other parties in connection with Customer’s Account when such electronic delivery is available.

d. Customer will promptly notify Pershing in writing of any change in Customer’s e-mail address, IP address, facsimile number or any other electronic delivery address agreed between Customer and Pershing. Customer may provide notice of a change in its electronic delivery address by giving written notice to Pershing. Until Pershing has received and had a reasonable time to act on any notice of a change (but no longer than 2 Business Days), Pershing may continue to send or have a third party send information to Customer’s previous email address, IP address, facsimile number or other electronic address, and any such information will be deemed to have been delivered to Customer, whether or not Customer has actually received it unless Pershing has actual knowledge to the contrary.

 

III.

MARGIN FINANCING

When Customer purchases securities, Customer may pay for the securities in full or Customer may borrow part of the purchase price from Pershing. If Customer intends to borrow funds in connection with Customer’s Account, Customer must open a margin account, which will be carried by Pershing. Customer acknowledges that securities not fully paid for by the undersigned may be loaned to Pershing or loaned out to others, and as permitted by law, certain securities in the undersigned’s account, may be used for, among other things, settling short sales and lending the securities for short sales, and as a result Pershing may receive compensation in connection therewith. Pershing does not lend fully paid for securities without your prior written permission. Fully paid for securities held in a cash account (unless otherwise agreed in a separate written agreement) and fully paid for securities held in a margin account in which there is no debit balance are not loaned.

1. Risk Factors. By applying for a margin account or placing an order on margin, Customer acknowledges receipt of Pershing’s Margin Risk Disclosure Statement. Customer further acknowledges that it has carefully considered all of the factors set forth in this paragraph as well as the terms set forth in this Section III and, has thereupon, decided that margin financing is appropriate for Customer.

Margin transactions involve the possibility of greater loss than transactions for which Customer is not borrowing money. If the value of the securities in Customer’s Account falls, Customer may be required to deposit additional assets to secure Customer’s loan On Demand (as defined below). To the extent Customer fails to deposit such assets On Demand, Pershing may sell Customer’s securities solely to the extent necessary to pay down or pay off the loan without prior notice to Customer and at a loss or at lower prices than under other circumstances. Customer remains solely liable for any deficiencies arising from such sales, absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct.

Customer agrees to carefully consider Customer’s own financial condition, tolerance for risk and investment objectives, as well as market conditions, before Customer decides to use margin credit or short selling strategies. Customer acknowledges that Pershing has made available to Customer certain information relating to margin trading and that before submitting Customer’s application for a margin account, Customer represents and warrants to Pershing that Customer has had an opportunity to discuss with Pershing the risks associated with the use of margin and that the use of margin is consistent with Customer’s investment objectives as provided to Pershing.

2. Margin Account Operation. Customer agrees to maintain margin for Customer’s Account as Pershing may reasonably require from time to time, which may exceed those required by applicable rules and regulations. Customer agrees to promptly satisfy On Demand all margin and maintenance calls, pay reasonable interest charges which are imposed, in accordance with Pershing’s usual custom, with respect to Customer’s Account and to pay On Demand any debit balance owing with respect to Customer’s Account. For the purposes of this Agreement, “On Demand” shall mean (l) if demand is made by 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, payment shall be made by 5:00 p.m. that Business Day; and (2) if demand is made after 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, payment shall be made by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the following Business Day. Customer agrees that securities in Customer’s Account may be carried in Pershing’s general loans and may be pledged, repledged, hypothecated, rehypothecated, sold, lent or otherwise transferred (together, “Use”) separately or in common with other securities for the sums due to

 

 

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Pershing thereon or for a greater sum; provided, however, that, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall be deemed to grant authority to Pershing to loan, pledge, hypothecate, re-hypothecate, sell or re-register “fully paid securities” or “excess margin securities”, as such terms are defined in Rule 15c3-3; provided further, Pershing hereby agrees to limit its right of Use hereunder to 140% of the Customer’s indebtedness to Pershing under this Agreement in connection with the purchase and sale of securities unless Customer agrees to sign a Fully Paid Lending Agreement giving Pershing the right to use excess margin. Customer understands (i) that Pershing might not retain, in its possession or control for delivery a like amount of similar securities; (ii) that certain rights of ownership, including the right to vote such securities, may be transferred to Pershing or by Pershing to others and that, as a consequence, Customer may not be eligible for certain dividend tax benefits based on current tax laws. Customer agrees that Pershing may, in its reasonable discretion, transfer securities held in Customer’s Account, including Customer’s cash account, to Customer’s margin account. Any securities so transferred may be pledged or rehypothecated by Pershing as provided in the Agreement. Although there may be circumstances where Pershing may liquidate securities in the Account without notice to Customer following Customer’s failure to pay or deliver any amount hereunder On Demand, in connection with Pershing’s general policy of giving its customers notice of a margin deficiency, Pershing will endeavor to provide notice to Customer wherever practicable under the circumstances.

Pershing may, in its reasonable discretion, require Customer to deliver collateral to maintain margin as required by Pershing On Demand to secure Customer’s performance of any obligations due to Pershing hereunder or pay On Demand any amount that may become due in order to meet requests for additional deposits or “marks to market” for any transactions under this Agreement.

The parties acknowledge that the cash loans provided hereunder are each a “margin loan” as used in the definition of “securities contract” in the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. Section 741).

 

IV.

INTEREST CHARGES DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

1. Interest Rates. Interest charged on any debit balances in cash accounts or credit extended in margin accounts may be up to 1.00 percentage points above the Pershing Base Lending Rate for that currency. The

Pershing Base Lending Rate for each currency will be set with reference to commercially recognized interest rates, industry conditions relating to the extension of credit, and general credit market conditions. For a loan in a currency other than U.S. dollars, the Pershing Base Lending Rate will be set based on the above-referenced criteria in the country whose currency is the basis of the loan. The Pershing Base Lending Rate for each currency may change without prior notice. When the Pershing Base Lending Rate for a particular currency changes during an interest period, interest will be calculated according to the number of days each rate is in effect during that period. If the rate of interest charged to Customer is changed for any other reason, Customer will be notified at least 30 days in advance.

2. Interest Period. The interest period begins on the 20th of each month and ends on the 19th of the following month. Accordingly, the interest charges for the period as shown on Customer’s monthly statement are based only on the daily net debit and credit balances for the interest period.

3. Method of Interest Computation. At the close of each interest period during which credit was extended to Customer, an interest charge is computed by multiplying the average daily debit balance for that currency by the applicable schedule rate and by the number of days during which a debit balance was outstanding and then dividing by 360. If there has been a change in the rate agreed upon between Pershing and Customer for that currency, separate computations will be made with respect to each rate of charge for the appropriate number of days at each rate during the interest period. If not paid, the interest charge for credit extended to Customer’s account at the close of the interest period is added to the opening debit balance for that currency for the next interest period.

With the exception of credit balances in Customer’s short account, all other credit and debit balances in the same currency will be combined daily and interest will be charged on the resulting average daily net debit balances for that currency for the interest period. Credit balances in one currency will not be combined or netted with debit balances in a different currency. If there is a debit in Customer’s cash account and Customer holds a margin account, interest will be calculated on the combined debit balance for that currency and charged to the margin account. Any credit balance in Customer’s short account is disregarded because such credit collateralizes the stock borrowed for delivery against the short sale. Such credit is disregarded even if Customer should be long the same position in Customer’s margin account

 

 

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(for instance, short sale against the box). If the security that Customer sold short (or sold short against the box) appreciates in market price over the selling price, interest will be charged in U.S. dollars or any other currency on the appreciation in value.

Correspondingly, if the security that Customer sold short depreciates in market price, the interest charged will be reduced since Customer’s average debit balance will decline. This practice is known as “marking-to-the-market.” A closing price is issued weekly to determine any appreciation or deprecation in the security sold short.

If Customer’s account is short shares of stock on the record date of a dividend or other distribution, however such short position occurs, on the following business day, Customer’s account will be charged the amount of the dividend or other distribution.

 

V.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

The provisions of this Section V shall apply to Customer’s Account(s) at Pershing in connection with prime brokerage and non-prime brokerage transactions.

1. Information Sharing. Customer understands that The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial organization that operates in and provides services and products to clients through affiliates and subsidiaries located in multiple jurisdictions (the “BNY Mellon Group”). Customer also understands that the BNY Mellon Group may centralize in one or more affiliates, subsidiaries or unaffiliated service providers certain activities, including audit, accounting, administration, risk management, legal, compliance, sales, marketing, relationship management, and the storage, maintenance, aggregation, processing and analysis of information and data regarding Customer and the Account(s). Consequently, Customer hereby consents and authorizes Pershing to disclose to other members of the BNY Mellon Group (and their respective officers, directors and employees) information and data regarding Customer, its employees and representatives, and the Account(s) established pursuant to this Agreement in connection with the foregoing activities. To the extent that information and data includes personal data encompassed by relevant data protection legislation applicable to Customer, Customer represents and warrants that it is authorized to provide the foregoing consents and authorizations and that the disclosure to Pershing will comply with the relevant data protection legislation. Customer acknowledges and agrees that information concerning

Customer may be disclosed to unaffiliated service providers who are required to maintain the confidentiality of such information, to governmental and regulatory authorities in jurisdictions where the BNY Mellon Group operates, and otherwise as required by law.

2. Exchange or Market. Customer’s Account and transactions effected and/or executed through the Account will be subject to and shall be in accordance with the rules and customs of any applicable national securities exchange, electronic communication network, national securities association, alternative trading system, contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility or other exchange or market (domestic or foreign) (each an “Exchange” and collectively “Exchanges”) and their respective clearing houses, as well as any applicable self-regulatory organization, if any, where the transactions are executed, or that otherwise apply to Customer’s Account or transactions, and in conformity with applicable law and regulations of governmental authorities and future amendments or supplements thereto, and Customer agrees to use the Accounts only in accordance with such rules, customs, laws and regulations. Customer understands that the Exchanges have the right to break any executed transaction on various grounds, including if the executed transaction was, in their opinion, “clearly erroneous,” and Pershing will not be liable for such broken transactions unless such broken transactions are caused in whole or part by Pershing’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

3. General Lien; Delivery of Collateral. Customer hereby grants a first priority perfected security interest in, and following the occurrence of a Close-Out Event a and right of setoff against, all securities and other property, and the proceeds thereof, and all obligations, whether or not due, which are held, carried or maintained by Pershing or in the possession or control of Pershing or which are, or may become, due to Customer (either individually or jointly with others or in which Customer has any interest) and all rights Customer may have against Pershing (including all Customer’s rights, title or interest in, to or under, any agreement or contract with Pershing) as security for the performance of all of Customer’s obligations to Pershing. Customer shall execute such documents and take such other action as Pershing shall reasonably request in order to perfect Pershing’s rights with respect to any such securities and other property. In addition, Customer appoints Pershing as Customer’s attorney-in-fact to act on Customer’s behalf to sign, seal, execute and deliver all documents, and do all acts, as may be required, or as Pershing shall determine to

 

 

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be advisable, to perfect the security interests created hereunder in, to provide for Pershing control of, or to realize upon any rights of Pershing in, any or all of the securities and other property. Customer further agrees that Pershing may, in its reasonable discretion at any time and from time to time, require Customer to deliver collateral to margin and secure Customer’s performance of any obligations to Pershing. Such collateral shall be delivered, On Demand, in such amount and form and to such account or recipient as Pershing shall specify. After the occurrence of a Close-Out Event with respect to Customer, as defined below, Pershing may, in its reasonable discretion and without notice to Customer, deduct any amounts from Customer’s Account and apply or transfer any of Customer’s securities and other property interchangeably between any accounts in which Customer has an interest, each of which constitutes unconditional security for all obligations of Customer. With respect to securities and other property pledged principally to secure obligations under an agreement with Pershing, Pershing shall have the right, but in no event the obligation, to apply all or any portion of such securities or other property to secure Customer’s obligations to Pershing under any other agreement with Customer. Under no circumstances shall any securities or other property pledged principally to secure obligations to Pershing under an agreement with Customer be required to be applied or transferred to secure other obligations to Pershing or to be released if Pershing determines that subsequent to such transfer Pershing would be undersecured with respect to any obligations of Customer (whether or not contingent or matured). Customer acknowledges that Pershing and its present and future affiliates act as agents for each other in respect of the assets subject to the security interest as described above and that Pershing and each such affiliate shall comply with any entitlement orders or instructions originated by any of them with respect to such assets or distribute any value in respect of any such assets at the direction of any of them, in each case without any further consent of Customer only (i) to the extent reasonably necessary to satisfy an obligation due and owing to it, and (ii) upon the occurrence of a Close-Out Event as defined below with respect to Customer. For purposes of Articles 8 and 9 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”), to the extent that Customer has any control with respect to any such assets, upon the occurrence of a Close-Out Event as defined below, Customer shall no longer have any control over such assets. Pershing and each such affiliate and Customer agree that all such assets credited to any securities account maintained on the books of Pershing or any such affiliate shall be treated as a financial asset for purposes of the UCC. Pershing

and each such affiliate hereby notify each other of, and each of them acknowledges, the first priority perfected security interest granted by Customer hereunder.

4. Default. If either party (i) defaults in the performance of any payment or delivery obligation under this Agreement and such failure is caused by an administrative or clerical error and has not been cured by the end of the first business day following the day of such failure; (ii) defaults in the performance of any material obligation under this Agreement (other than a default specified in (i) above) and such default has not been cured by the end of the first business day following such failure; (iii) becomes bankrupt, insolvent or subject to any voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency or similar proceeding; if the security interest hereunder is not or ceases to be a first priority perfected security interest (“Security Interest Failure”) and such Security Interest Failure did not result from Pershing’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or material breach of this Agreement; (each a “Close-Out Event”), then the non-defaulting party will make reasonable efforts to notify the other party prior to taking such actions if practical under the circumstances. However, such notice is not a condition precedent to taking such actions and the non-defaulting party may cancel, terminate, accelerate, liquidate and/or close-out any or all transactions and agreements between Customer and Pershing, sell or otherwise transfer any securities or other property which Pershing may hold for Customer or which is due to Customer (either individually or jointly with others) and apply the proceeds to the discharge of Customer’s obligations, set-off, net and recoup any obligations (whether physical or financial and whether or not then due) to Customer against any obligations (whether physical or financial and whether or not then due) to Pershing, exercise all rights and remedies in respect of all collateral under the UCC (whether or not the UCC is otherwise applicable in the relevant jurisdiction) or right of set-off, cover any open positions of Customer (by buying in or borrowing securities or otherwise) and take such other actions as the non-defaulting party deems reasonably appropriate in its commercially reasonable discretion, provided that if applicable law would stay or otherwise impair the ability of the non-defaulting party to take any such action upon any such bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency or similar proceeding, the non-defaulting party will be deemed to have taken such action with respect to the cancellation, termination, acceleration, liquidation and/or close-out of transactions, and the application of appropriate set-offs, and if and to the extent the non-defaulting party deems it appropriate in its commercially reasonable discretion, the sale or disposition of securities or other

 

 

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property of Customer, the exercise of rights of a secured creditor, and the application of proceeds immediately prior to such bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency or similar proceeding. The defaulting party shall remain liable for any directly related deficiency and shall promptly reimburse the non-defaulting party for any commercially reasonable, directly related loss or commercially reasonable expense incurred thereby including losses sustained by reason of an inability to borrow any securities or other property sold for Customer’s Account. The parties agree to promptly notify each other upon the occurrence of a Close-Out Event, but the failure to provide such notice shall not prejudice a party’s right to determine that a Close-Out Event has occurred.

5. Interest, Fees. Customer agrees to pay reasonable interest charges which may be imposed by Pershing in accordance with the terms of the “Interest Charges Disclosure Statement” section in conjunction with any transaction, including for securities purchased, in Customer’s Account and prepayments in Customer’s Account (i.e., the crediting of the proceeds of sale prior to settlement date or prior to receipt by Pershing of the item sold in good deliverable form). Customer acknowledges review of the terms of the “Interest Charges Disclosure Statement” and agrees to be bound thereby. Customer agrees to pay within one (1) Business Day any amount which may become due in order to meet requests for additional deposits or marks to market with respect to any transactions including unissued securities purchased or sold by Customer. Customer agrees to pay within one (1) business day any custody or other fees which may be imposed by Pershing with respect to the Account. Customer authorizes Pershing to automatically debit Customer’s Account in payment of any charges posted to the Account. Except as required by applicable law, each payment by Customer, and all deliveries of margin or collateral, under this Agreement shall be made, and the value of any margin or collateral shall be calculated, without withholding or deducting any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, assessments or fees of any nature, including interest, penalties and additions thereto that are imposed by any taxing authority (“Taxes”). If any Taxes are required to be withheld or deducted, Customer shall pay such additional amounts as necessary to ensure that the actual net amount received by Pershing is equal to the amount that Pershing would have received had no such withholding or deduction been required. With respect to payments by Pershing to Customer under this Agreement, Customer will provide Pershing with any forms or documentation reasonably requested by Pershing in order to reduce or eliminate withholding tax thereon. Pershing is hereby authorized to withhold

Taxes from any payment made hereunder and remit such Taxes to the relevant taxing authorities to the extent required by applicable law.

6. Orders. Except as provided in the next sentence, the giving of each sell order by Customer shall constitute a designation of the sale as “long” and a certification that the securities to be sold are owned by Customer and, if such securities are not in Pershing’s possession, the placing of such order shall constitute a warranty and covenant by Customer that Customer shall deliver such securities to Pershing on or before settlement date. If Customer maintains a margin account, Customer agrees to designate all sell orders as “long”, “short”, or “short exempt”. Customer agrees that Pershing may cancel or “buy-in” any sell order, if such securities are not in the Account, are not timely delivered or are not in “good deliverable form.” In a “buy-in,” the party that failed to deliver the securities, or failed to deliver the securities in good deliverable form, is accountable for any resulting losses or expenses. Prior to placing an order for the sale or transfer of any securities subject to Rule 144 or Rule 145(d) or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933 or any other rule relating to restricted or control securities or securities that are otherwise contractually restricted (“Restricted Securities”), Customer agrees that it will advise Pershing of the status of the securities and furnish Pershing with the necessary documents to satisfy legal transfer requirements. Restricted Securities may not be sold or transferred until they satisfy legal transfer requirements. Customer agrees that even if the necessary documents are furnished in a timely manner, there may be delays in the processing of Restricted Securities, which may result in delays in the delivery of securities and the crediting of cash to Customer’s Account. Customer is responsible for any delays, expenses and losses associated with compliance or failure to comply with all of the requirements and rules relating to Restricted Securities, and agrees to hold Pershing harmless in connection therewith absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement, or willful misconduct.

Customer acknowledges that when Customer or Pershing sends an order for Customer’s Account to an Exchange for execution, such order may be matched with a bid or offer by affiliated entities of Pershing that are specialists, market-makers and traders of these products on exchanges and in other marketplaces. Customer hereby consents to the execution of all or part of Customer’s orders with such entities.

7. Orders, Average Price Trades. Customer acknowledges that Pershing may, in its reasonable

 

 

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discretion and without prior notice to Customer, refuse to accept or execute or clear or settle any order from Customer and, in such case, Pershing shall endeavor to give Customer prior notice of such refusal. However, prior notice is not a condition precedent to taking such actions. Customer agrees that Pershing, in its reasonable discretion, may, but is not required to combine or “bunch” orders for Customer’s account with orders for other customers’ accounts or accounts in which Pershing has beneficial interest and allocate the securities as proceeds acquired among the participating accounts in a manner that Pershing believes is fair and equitable, and in accordance with directions of Customer’s agents, if applicable. In addition, there may be circumstances in which Pershing does not obtain the same price or execution for all of Customer’s order or for the bunched order described above. In either event, Customer will receive an average price for these transactions, unless Customer’s agent otherwise instructs. Customer agrees that the Pershing confirmation price for such transactions will reference an average price execution and that details will be furnished upon request.

Customer acknowledges that, unless Pershing has expressly agreed in writing otherwise, Pershing is acting in the capacity of Customer’s broker or dealer in connection with any transaction executed for or with Customer’s Account and not as a financial adviser or a fiduciary, and no advice provided by Pershing has formed or shall form a primary basis for any investment decision by or on behalf of Customer. Pershing may make available certain information about securities and investment strategies, including its own research reports and market commentaries as well as materials prepared by others. None of this information is personalized or in any way tailored to reflect C:ustomer’s personal financial circumstances or investment objectives and the securities or investment strategies discussed might not be suitable for Customer. Therefore, Customer should not view the fact that Pershing is making this information available as a recommendation to Customer of any particular security or investment strategy. To the extent that Customer’s transactions differ from a specific recommendation made by Pershing, if any, to C:!ustomer with respect to the security, size, price and timing of a recommended transaction, or to the extern there have been variations in the facts relevant to the transaction, Customer agrees that Pershing has no responsibility for determining the suitability of these transactions to Customer.

8. Information, Reports, Statements, Communications. Upon Pershing’s reasonable request, Customer will promptly furnish to Pershing

any information that is reasonably accessible to Customer about Customer (including financial information) Pershing believes necessary to evaluating Pershing’s relationship with Customer. Customer represents (which representation shall be deemed repeated on each day on which this Agreement is in effect) that Customer’s financial statements or similar documents previously or hereafter provided to Pershing (i) do or will fairly present the financial condition of Customer as of the date of such financial statements and the results of its operations for the period for which such financial statements are applicable, (ii) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted account principles consistently applied and, (iii) if audited, have been certified without reservation by a firm of independent public accountants.

Reports or confirmations of the execution of orders and statements of Customer’s Account shall be conclusive if not objected to in writing within ten (10) business days after forwarding by Pershing to Customer by mail, web-reporting or otherwise.

Communications mailed, electronically transmitted or otherwise sent to Customer at the address specified in Pershing’s records shall, until Pershing has received notice in writing of a different address and has updated its records (which update may take up to three (3) business days after receipt), be deemed to have been forwarded by Pershing when sent.

9. Custodial Arrangements. If Pershing acts as custodian for the securities and other property in Customer’s Account, Pershing is authorized to register such securities and other property in the name of Pershing, or any nominee, including sub-custodians, or cause such securities and other property to be registered in the name of, or in the name of the nominee of, a recognized depository or clearing organization. Customer understands that when Pershing holds on Customer’s behalf bonds or preferred stocks that are callable in part by the issuer, such securities will be subject to an impartial lottery allocation system in which the probability of Customer’s securities being selected as called is proportional to the holdings of all customers of such securities held in bulk by or for Pershing. Customer further understands that Pershing will withdraw such securities from any depository prior to the first date on which such securities may be called unless such depository has adopted an impartial lottery system which is applicable to all participants. Pershing is authorized to withdraw securities sold or otherwise disposed of, and to credit Customer’s Account with the proceeds thereof or make such other disposition

 

 

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thereof as Customer may direct. Pershing is further authorized to collect all income and other payments which may become due on Customer’s securities, to surrender for payment maturing obligations and those called for redemption and to exchange certificates in temporary form for like certificates in definitive form, or, if the par value of any shares is changed, to effect the exchange for new certificates. It is understood and agreed by Customer that although Pershing will use reasonable efforts to effect the authorization set forth in the preceding sentence, Pershing will incur no liability absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement, or willful misconduct for its failure to do so. Pershing is subject to Exchange rules and regulations that may require it to forward to its customers certain written materials relating to the securities and other property in such customer’s account (including proxy materials). Except as otherwise required by these rules and regulations, Pershing is not otherwise responsible for obtaining, notifying Customer of its receipt of, or forwarding to Customer, any written materials relating to the securities and other property in Customer’s Account.

Under Rule 15c3-3 of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Rule 15c3-3”), Pershing is required to obtain and, thereafter, to maintain possession or control of customer fully-paid securities and excess margin securities, as such terms are defined in that rule. If Pershing determines that it does not have sufficient securities under its possession or control as required (such a condition is referred to as a segregation deficiency), it is required by Rule 15c3-3 to take certain steps to obtain possession or control, including, without limitation, recalling securities from loans, and is permitted the period of time set forth in the rule in which to obtain possession or control. To the extent that Pershing has a segregation deficiency in shares over a record date for a vote, dividend or other corporate action or distribution, Pershing will allocate such deficiency to either (a) the customer(s) to whom such a deficiency is attributed (if any); or (b) if the deficiency cannot practically be attributed to any particular customer, Pershing will allocate such deficiency to its customers using a random impartial lottery. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may change its allocation method at any time. The customers to whom such deficiency is allocated will be unable to vote or give consent in respect of such corporate action.

10. Short Sales and Locates of Borrowable Securities. Customer agrees that any order to sell short will be designated as such by Customer at the time the order is placed. Short sales are sales of a security that Customer does not own, or any sale completed by the

delivery of a security borrowed by the seller, usually from a broker. Thus, if Customer either does not own the security being sold or owns the security but does not believe the security will be in the physical possession or control of Pershing prior to settlement date, Customer must so inform Pershing, who will mark such sales “short.” Short sales are authorized only in margin accounts, and only where Pershing can make arrangements to borrow the security. In order to complete a short sale, Pershing must be able to borrow any security that Customer does not own.

Any interest or rebate of interest or other benefit Pershing may receive in connection with the loan of Customer’s securities or in connection with Customer’s short sale shall be exclusively for the account of Pershing.

Customer agrees that no short sales will be effected by it through an Executing Broker as part of a Prime Brokerage Transaction or through Pershing in a non-Prime Brokerage Transaction unless a “locate” or “pre-borrow”, as applicable, for such security has been obtained. If Customer has arranged for Pershing to obtain such locate, Pershing shall have reasonable discretion in the selection of sources to cover any short sales, including sourcing the securities from any other department within Pershing or from any affiliate. All short positions in Customer’s Account will be marked-to-market daily. Subject to certain limited exceptions, before executing a short sale, a broker-dealer is required to make an “affirmative determination” as to whether the broker-dealer will receive delivery of the security from the customer or the securities can be borrowed by the settlement date. This process is commonly referred to as “obtaining a locate.” If a sufficient quantity of securities is not available from the broker-dealer’s inventory, the broker-dealer may, among other things, contact third-party lenders to ascertain whether they have securities available for lending. If a sufficient quantity of securities appears borrowable, the broker-dealer may proceed to execute the short sale on behalf of its customer. A locate is simply an indication that, as of the time the locate is obtained, it appears that securities will be available for borrowing on the settlement date. A locate is not a guarantee that securities will actually be available for lending and delivery on the settlement date or that the lender will not thereafter require the return of the borrowed securities at any time. If the securities are not available for borrowing for any reason by the settlement date, Customer, as the seller, will “fail to deliver” to the purchaser. A purchaser or securities lender may, in addition to other remedies and at any time after the giving of any required notice, buy-in the securities that were not timely delivered and Customer

 

 

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will be responsible for all losses and costs of the buy-in. If Pershing (i) executes a short sale of any securities on behalf of Customer, (ii) is responsible for settling a short sale on behalf of Customer that was executed at an Executing Broker, or (iii) if Customer fails to deliver any securities it has sold in a long sale, Pershing is authorized to borrow the securities necessary to enable Pershing to make delivery. Customer agrees to be responsible for any cost or loss Pershing may reasonably incur in sourcing and maintaining the borrow, or the cost Pershing may incur in obtaining the securities if Pershing is unable to borrow such securities. Customer hereby authorizes Pershing to complete all such transactions and authorizes Pershing to make advances and expend monies as are required. In respect of short positions maintained by Customer over a corporate action record date, Pershing will, on the relevant payment date for such corporate action, if any, charge Customer’s Account for money or property equal in value to the cost of such corporate action attributable to Customer’s short position, including the costs of any lost tax benefits for the lenders. Customer acknowledges that Pershing may source a borrow of securities from its own proprietary accounts or from customer margin shares. Customer is ultimately responsible for the delivery of securities on the settlement date, the consequences of a failure to deliver, the timely return of securities borrowed on Customer’s behalf, and all costs associated with such borrowings, including costs relating to any corporate actions.

11. Close-Out or Liquidation of Listed Option Positions. In addition to the rights granted to Pershing under this Agreement with Customer and any other agreement between Pershing and Customer, Customer expressly authorizes Pershing to liquidate or close-out any of Customer’s listed option positions, but will make reasonable efforts to notify Customer prior to taking such actions if practical under the circumstances. However, such notice is not a condition precedent to taking such actions. Said close-out of Customer’s listed option positions will take place, in Pershing’s sole but commercially reasonable discretion, (i) if and when Customer’s open positions exceed applicable position limits so as to reduce such open positions to a level that is in compliance with such limits, or (ii) upon the occurrence of a Close-Out Event. Customer will bear and be solely responsible for any losses associated with such a reduction or liquidation, absent Pershing’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

12. Buy-in of Government Securities. Regulations issued under the Government Securities Act of 1986

require Pershing to initiate buy-in procedures for mortgage-backed securities that have been purchased for Customer and that remain in a fail-to-receive status for more than 60 calendar days (referred to below as “fully paid fails”). Mandatory buy-ins are also required to complete a sale by Customer (referred to below as “sell order fails”) of government securities which have not been received from Customer within 30 calendar days after the settlement date (or in the case of mortgage-backed securities, 60 calendar days after settlement date). The Bond Market Association Buy-in Procedures for Mortgage Backed Securities and the Bond Market Association Buy-in Procedures for Government Securities permit the use of alternatives other than purchasing securities (e.g., securities may be borrowed, substituted or bought back) in closing out fully paid fails and sell order fails and also provide an exemption for short sales.

13. Additional Listed Options Provisions; Options “Style,” Exercise Assignment Notices. If Customer trades listed option contracts, Customer is aware of and agrees to be bound by all laws and rules applicable to the trading of option contracts. In particular, Customer, either acting alone or in concert with others, agrees not to violate directly or indirectly (through Pershing as broker or otherwise), or contribute to the violation of the position or exercise limits of the Exchanges, which limits can be obtained by contacting a Pershing sales representative. Customer acknowledges that the “style” of an option refers generally to when that option is exercisable. Specifically, (i) an “American-style” option is an option that may be exercised at any time (i.e., on a business day in which the option Exchange on which the option trades is open for trading) prior to its expiration, (ii) a “European-style” option is an option that may be exercised only on a specified exercise date (or expiration date) or during a specified time period before the option expires, and (iii) a “capped” option is an option that is automatically exercised prior to expiration if the market or Exchange on which the option trades determines that the value of the underlying interest at a specified time has reached the “cap price” for the option. Customer understands that exercise assignment notices for option contracts are allocated among customer short positions pursuant to an automated procedure that randomly selects from among all customer short option positions, including positions established on the day of assignment, those contracts which are subject to exercise. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing may change its allocation method at any time. Customer further understands that all short positions in “American-style” options are liable for assignment at any time. A more detailed description of this random allocation procedure is available upon request.

 

 

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14. Notice of Bankruptcy, Insolvency, Reorganization, Dissolution, Termination, Incompetence & Death. In the event of any change which affects the manner in which the securities and other property in the Account is held (including, as applicable and without limitation, the death, resignation or incompetence of a joint owner or general partner or the bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or dissolution of Customer or other similar event that affects Customer’s legal standing), Customer shall promptly give Pershing written notice thereof and, in addition to the actions permitted under this Account Agreement and any other agreements relating to Customer’s Account, Pershing is authorized to take such action, require such documents and tax waivers, and retain such portion of or restrict transactions in the Account, all as Pershing may reasonably deem advisable.

15. Use of Name. Each party agrees not to use the other’s name for any purpose without prior written consent, including, but not limited to, in any advertisement, publication or offering material; provided, however, that Pershing consents to Customer’s stating in its offering documents that Pershing is its prime broker so long as such statement is factually accurate at the time the statement is made and it is made clear in such disclosure that Pershing has no responsibility for the preparation and accuracy of such offering documents.

16. Background Check. Customer authorizes Pershing and any agent or service provider to use, verify and confirm any of the information that Customer or its agent provides, including obtaining reports concerning Customer’s (and its principals’) background, credit standing and business conduct and to share all such information with their successors, assigns, agents and service providers to determine Customer’s eligibility for an Account or any feature or otherwise. Upon Customer’s written request, Pershing will inform Customer whether Pershing has obtained credit reports, and, if so, Pershing will provide Customer with the name and address of the reporting agency that furnished the reports. Customer agrees that, without notifying Customer, Pershing may request a new credit report in connection with any review, extension, or renewal of the Account. Customer further agrees that Pershing may submit information reflecting on Customer’s credit record to a credit reporting agency. Customer authorizes Pershing to share with its affiliates credit bureau information, information contained in Customer’s

application to open an Account, information obtained from third parties and similar information, or to use such information consistent with Pershing’s privacy policy.

17. Confidential Information. “Confidential Information” of a party shall mean all data and information submitted to the other party or obtained by the other party in connection with the services, including information relating to a party’s customers (which includes, without limitation, Non-Public Personal Information as that term is defined in Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-P), technology, operations, facilities, consumer markets, products, capacities, systems, procedures, security practices, research, development, business affairs, ideas, concepts, innovations, inventions, designs, business methodologies, improvements, trade secrets, copyrightable subject matter and other proprietary information.

All Confidential Information relating to a party shall be held in confidence by the other party to the same extent and in at least the same manner as such party protects its own confidential or proprietary information. Neither party shall disclose, publish, release, transfer or otherwise make available Confidential Information of the other party in any form to, or for the use or benefit of, any person or entity without the other party’s consent. Each party shall, however, be permitted to disclose relevant aspects of the other party’s Confidential Information to its officers, agents, subcontractors, partners, advisors, counsel, financial advisors and employees to the extent such disclosure is required for the: performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement and such disclosure is not prohibited by Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (“GLBA”), which amends the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time, the regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder or other applicable law; provided, however, that such party shall take all reasonable measures to ensure that Confidential Information of the other party is not disclosed or duplicated in contravention of the provisions of this Agreement by such officers, agents, subcontractors and employees. The obligations in this Paragraph (“Confidential Information”) shall not restrict any disclosure by either party pursuant to any applicable law, or by order of any court or government agency (provided that the disclosing party shall give prompt notice to the non-disclosing party of such order) and shall not apply with respect to information which (i) is developed by the other party without violating the disclosing party’s proprietary rights; (ii) is or becomes

 

 

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publicly known (other than through unauthorized disclosure); (iii) is disclosed by the owner of such information to a third party free of any obligation of confidentiality; (iv) is already known by such party without an obligation of confidentiality other than pursuant to this Agreement or any confidentiality agreements entered into between the parties before the effective date of this Agreement; or (v) is rightfully received by a party free of any obligation of confidentiality. If the GLBA, the regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder or other applicable law now or hereafter in effect imposes a higher standard of confidentiality to the Confidential Information, such standard shall prevail over the provisions of this Paragraph (“Confidential Information”).

Pershing will take commercially reasonable steps to protect Confidential Information of Customer in Pershing’s possession from unauthorized use, access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. Pershing will promptly notify Customer of any known security breach that may result in the unauthorized use, access, disclosure, alteration or destruction of Confidential Information.

Customer acknowledges that the services Pershing provides hereunder involve Customer access to proprietary technology, trading and other systems, and that techniques, algorithms and processes contained in such systems constitute trade secrets and shall be safeguarded by Customer, and that Customer shall exercise reasonable care to protect Pershing’s interest in such trade secrets. Customer agrees to make the proprietary nature of such systems known to those of its consultants, staff, agents or customers who may reasonably be expected to come into contact with such systems. Customer agrees that any breach of this confidentiality provision may result in its being liable for damages as provided by law.

This Paragraph shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

18. Disclaimer of Liability; Indemnification. Except as otherwise provided by law or otherwise provided herein, Pershing shall not be liable for any expense, losses, damages, liabilities, demands, charges, claims, penalties, fines and excise taxes of any kind or nature (including legal expenses and reasonable external attorneys’ fees) (“Losses”) by or with respect to any matters pertaining to the Account, except to the extent that such Losses are actual Losses and have resulted from Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct. In addition, Customer agrees that

Pershing shall have no liability for, and agrees to indemnify and hold Pershing harmless from, all Losses that result in connection with or related to the Account, this Agreement, any other Agreement between Pershing and Customer or from: (a) Customer’s or its agent’s misrepresentation, act or omission or alleged misrepresentation, act or omission in connection with this Agreement, (b) Pershing following Customer’s or its agent’s directions or failing to follow Customer’s or its agent’s unlawful or unreasonable directions pursuant to this Agreement, (c) any activities or services of Pershing in connection with the Account (including, without limitation, any technology services, reporting, trading, research or capital introduction services; in each case, in connection with this Agreement) and (d) the failure by any person not controlled by Pershing to perform any obligations to Customer in connection with this Agreement; in each case, absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or wilful misconduct.

Customer consents to the use of automated systems or service bureaus by Pershing in conjunction with Customer’s Account, including, but not limited to, automated order entry and execution, recordkeeping, reporting and account reconciliation and risk management systems (collectively “Automated Systems”). Customer understands that the use of Automated Systems entails risks, such as interruption or delays of service, system failure and errors in the design or functioning of such Automated Systems (collectively, a “System Failure”) that could cause substantial damage, expense or liability to Customer. Customer understands and agrees that Pershing will have no liability whatsoever for any claim, loss, cost, expense, damage or liability of Customer arising out of or relating to a System Failure absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct. Customer also agrees that Pershing will have no responsibility or liability to Customer in connection with the performance or nonperformance by any Exchange, market, clearing organization, clearing firm or other third party (including banks and sub-custodians) of its or their obligations relative to any securities or other property of Customer absent Pershing’s gross negligence, material breach of this Agreement or willful misconduct. Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, Customer agrees that Pershing will have no liability to Customer or to third parties, or responsibility whatsoever, for: (a) Losses resulting from a cause over which Pershing does not have direct control, including the failure of mechanical equipment, unauthorized access, theft, operator errors, government restrictions, force majeure (i.e.,

 

 

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earthquake, flood, severe or extraordinary weather conditions, or other act of God, fire, war, insurrection, riot, labor dispute, strike, or similar problems, accident, action of government, communications, power failure or equipment or software malfunction), Exchange or market rulings or suspension of trading, (b) any special, indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages (including lost profits, trading losses and damages) that Customer may incur in connection with Customer’s use of the brokerage and other services provided by Pershing under this Agreement.

Pershing agrees that Customer will have no liability to Pershing or to third parties or responsibility whatsoever, for: (a) Losses resulting from a cause over which Customer does not have control, including government restrictions, force majeure (i.e., earthquake, flood, severe or extraordinary weather conditions, or other act of God, fire, war, insurrection, riot, labor dispute, strike, or similar problems, accident, action of government, communications, power failure or equipment or software malfunction), Exchange or market rulings or suspension of trading, (b) any special, indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages (including lost profits, trading losses and damages) that Pershing may incur in connection with Customer’s use of the brokerage and other services provided by Pershing under this Agreement.

19. ERISA. If part or all of the assets of Customer constitute the assets of an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) or of a “plan” subject to the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 4975 of the Code by reason of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise, Customer represents and warrants on each day during the life of this Account Agreement and any transactions entered into hereunder, both in its individual and fiduciary capacities that: (i) no transaction engaged in by Customer will constitute a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA and Customer shall enter into any transaction hereunder solely on the basis of determining that Customer (and each employee benefit plan which constitutes the assets of Customer) will receive no less and pay no more than “adequate consideration” (within the meaning of Section 408(b)(17)(B) of ERISA); (ii) Customer’s investment manager will be eligible to act as a “qualified professional asset manager” within the meaning of Department of Labor Prohibited Transaction Class

Exemption 84-14 with respect to Customer and each employee benefit plan the assets of which constitute the assets of Customer; (iii) Customer’s investment manager will at all times meet the requirements of Section 412 of ERISA; (iv) neither this Agreement nor any transaction entered into or contemplated hereunder will violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or constitutional provision applicable to Customer, and (v) Pershing has not provided nor will provide any advice that has constituted or will constitute a primary basis of any investment decision by or on behalf of Customer, and Pershing is not nor shall Pershing become a fiduciary with respect to Customer by reason of its services provided hereunder. Each of Pershing and Customer (and each person acting on Customer’s behalf) agrees that they shall not treat the assets pledged as collateral by Customer in connection with any transaction entered into under this Agreement as “plan assets” under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.

20. Power and Authority. Customer (and each person acting on Customer’s behalf) represents and warrants that it has all necessary power and authority to execute and perform this; Agreement and that the execution and performance of this Agreement will not cause it to violate any provisions in its charter, by-laws, partnership agreement, , trust agreement or other constituent agreement or instrument, and that neither this Agreement nor any transaction entered into or contemplated hereunder will violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or constitutional provision (including, without limitation, any provision of ERISA, Section 4975 of Code or any tax “qualification” rule under the Code). Customer further represents and warrants that this Agreement, as amended from time to time, is a legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against Customer in accordance with its terms. Each of the persons executing this Agreement on Customer’s behalf represents that he or she acting alone has full power and authority to deal with Pershing on Customer’s behalf without notice to Customer or any other undersigned person. Customer agrees that Pershing will be entitled to act upon the instructions of any officer, director or employee of Customer having actual or apparent authority to act on behalf of Customer.

21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and all related documentation hereto constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements, understandings and negotiations, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. No

 

 

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representation, inducement, promise, understanding, condition or warranty not set forth herein has been made or relied upon by either party hereto. The rights and remedies set forth in this Agreement are intended to be cumulative and not exclusive. Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof is intended to confer upon any person other than the parties hereto any rights or remedies hereunder. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, void or unenforceable by reason of any law or legal process, that determination will not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement. The fulfillment of any and all obligations of Pershing to Customer hereunder is contingent upon there being no breach, repudiation, misrepresentation or default or potential default (however characterized) by Customer under this Agreement.

22. Governing Law, Successor and Assigns, Waiver. This Agreement end its enforcement, and each transaction entered into hereunder and all matters arising in connection with this Agreement and transactions hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its choice of law doctrine, and its provisions shall cover individually and collectively all Accounts which Customer may maintain with Pershing, provided, however, this shall not otherwise limit Pershing from exercising rights available under any other agreement or by operation of law or otherwise. As between Customer and Pershing, both agree that the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction, within the meaning of Section 8-110(e) of the UCC, in respect of the Account is the State of New York and the law applicable to all the issues specified in Article 2(1) of the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in Respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary (“Hague Securities Convention”) is the law in force in the State of New York and agree that none of them has or will enter into any agreement to the contrary. Customer understands that federal and state laws, and the rules and regulations of Exchanges and self-regulatory organizations, are subject to change, and therefore Pershing may be required to change its procedures to conform to applicable law. This Agreement is binding upon and inures to the benefit of Pershing, Customer and our respective legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns. Neither Pershing nor Customer may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the other party, except for an assignment and delegation by Pershing of all of Pershing’s rights and obligations hereunder to any affiliate or successor, which may be undertaken by giving prior written notice to Customer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any actions taken by or authorized to be taken by Pershing under this Agreement may be taken by or through the use of agents of Pershing. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of any other provision, or a continuing waiver of the provision or provisions so waived. All waivers and modifications must be in writing. Any purported assignment in violation of this Paragraph will be void.

23. Termination. Each party agrees that the Accounts maintained hereunder may be terminated by Customer at any time effective upon the giving of notice of such termination to Pershing or by Pershing by giving 30 days prior written notice to Customer. All applicable provisions will survive the termination of the Accounts and this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, upon any such termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect with respect to all securities and other property then held in such Accounts, all assets subject to the security interest hereunder, and all transactions and agreements then outstanding between Customer and Pershing.

24. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable, the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions and conditions shall not be affected thereby.

25. Captions. Captions herein are for convenience only and are not of substantive effect.

26. Non-Exclusivity of Remedies. The enumeration herein of specific remedies shall not be exclusive of any other remedies. Any delay or failure by a party to this Agreement to exercise any right, power, remedy, or privilege herein contained, or now or hereafter existing under any applicable statute or law, shall not be construed to be a waiver of such right, power, remedy, or privilege.

No single, partial, or other exercise of any such right, power, remedy, or privilege shall preclude the further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power, remedy, or privilege.

27. Arbitration. This Agreement contains a predispute arbitration clause. By signing an arbitration agreement, the parties agree as follows:

(a) All parties to this Agreement are giving up the right to sue each other in court, including the right to a trial by jury, except as provided by the rules of the arbitration forum in which a claim is filed.

 

 

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(b) Arbitration awards are generally final and binding; a party’s ability to have a court reverse or modify an arbitration award is very limited.

(c) The ability of the parties to obtain documents, witness statements and other discovery is generally more limited in arbitration than in court proceedings.

(d) The arbitrators do not have to explain the reason(s) for their award unless, in an eligible case, a joint request for an explained decision has been submitted by all parties to the panel at least 20 days prior to the first scheduled hearing date.

(e) The panel of arbitrators will typically include a minority of arbitrators who were or are affiliated with the securities industry.

(f) The rules of some arbitration forums may impose time limits for bringing a claim in arbitration. In some cases, a claim that is ineligible for arbitration may be brought in court.

(g) The rules of the arbitration forum in which the claim is filed, and any amendments thereto, shall be incorporated into this Agreement.

Customer agrees that any and all controversies that may arise between Customer and Pershing, including, but not limited to, those arising out of or relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Accounts established hereunder, any activity or claim related to Customer’s Accounts or the construction, performance, or breach of this Agreement shall be determined by arbitration

conducted before The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), or, if FINRA declines to hear the matter, before the American Arbitration Association, in accordance with their arbitration rules then in force.

The arbitrator(s) may not grant an award of attorneys’ fees to or against any party, unless specifically agreed to in writing by the parties to the arbitration or as may be specifically permitted by applicable law or regulation.

The award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final, and judgment upon the award rendered may be entered in any court, state or federal, having jurisdiction.

No person shall bring a putative or certified class action to arbitration, nor seek to enforce any pre-dispute arbitration agreement against any person who has initiated in court a putative class action or who is a member of a putative class who has not opted out of the class with respect to any claims encompassed by the putative class action until:

 

  (i)

the class certification is denied;

 

  (ii)

the class is decertified; or

 

  (iii)

the Customer is excluded from the class by the court.

Such forbearance to enforce an agreement to arbitrate shall not constitute a waiver of any rights under this Agreement except to the extent stated herein.

 

 

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VI.

SIGNATURE PAGE

Terms and Conditions

By signing below, the Customer, or its Agent on behalf of the Customer, pursuant to a certain Third-Party Authorization, agrees to the terms and conditions set forth herein, including the following:

1. THE SECURITIES IN YOUR MARGIN ACCOUNT(S) AND ANY SECURITIES FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT FULLY PAID, TOGETHER WITH ALL ATTENDANT OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, MAY BE LOANED TO PERSHING OR LOANED OUT TO OTHERS; AND

2. THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A PRE-DISPUTE ARBITRATION CLAUSE AT PARAGRAPH 27 BEGINNING ON PAGE 17 OF THIS AGREEMENT.

 

CUSTOMER    
By:   Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund      
 

By: GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management
LLC, its Investment Advisor

 

      6/17/2014
  Printed Name of Customer       Date
Marisa J. Beeney       Authorized Signatory
Printed Name of Authorized Signer for Customer       Printed Title of Authorized Signer for Customer
/s/ Marisa J. Beeney      
Signature      
AGENT (if applicable)    
By:            
  Printed Name of Agent       Printed Name of Customer’s Agent
         
Printed Name of Authorized Signer for Agent       Printed Title of Authorized Signer for Agent
       
Signature      

 

 

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PRIME BROKER    
By:            
  Printed Name of Prime Broker       Date
         
Printed Name of Authorized Signer for Prime Broker       Printed Title of Authorized Signer for Prime Broker
       
Signature      

 

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Exhibit (k)(3)

ADMINISTRATION, BOOKKEEPING AND

PRICING SERVICES AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of January 26, 2011, between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund (the “Fund”), a Delaware statutory trust, and ALPS Fund Services, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“ALPS”).

WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) as a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company.

WHEREAS, GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC (the “Adviser”) is the Fund’s investment adviser and is responsible for overall investment management services to the Fund.

WHEREAS, ALPS provides certain public relations, administrative, bookkeeping and pricing services to investment companies; and

WHEREAS, the Fund seeks to appoint ALPS to perform certain public relations, administrative, bookkeeping and pricing services for the Fund, and ALPS has indicated its willingness to so act, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

ALPS Appointment and Duties.

 

  (a)

The Fund hereby appoints ALPS to provide administrative, bookkeeping and pricing services as are set forth in Appendix A, as amended from time to time, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. ALPS hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish such specified services. ALPS shall for all purposes be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as otherwise expressly authorized in this Agreement, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

  (b)

ALPS may employ or associate itself with a person or persons or organizations as ALPS believes to be desirable in the performance of its duties hereunder; provided that, in such event, the compensation of such person or persons or organizations shall be paid by and be the sole responsibility of ALPS and the Fund shall not bear any cost or obligation with respect thereto; and provided further that ALPS shall not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement in such event and shall be responsible for all acts of any such person or persons or organizations taken in furtherance of this Agreement to the same extent it would be for its own acts.

 

2.

ALPS Compensation; Expenses.

 

  (a)

In consideration for the services to be performed hereunder by ALPS, the Fund shall pay ALPS the fees listed in Appendix B hereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, fees billed for the services to be performed by ALPS under this Agreement are based on information provided by the Fund and such fees are subject to renegotiation between the parties to the extent such information is determined to be materially different from what the Fund originally provided to ALPS.


  (b)

ALPS will bear all expenses in connection with the performance of its services under this Agreement, except as otherwise provided herein. ALPS will NOT bear any of the costs of Fund personnel. Other Fund expenses incurred shall be borne by the Fund including, but not limited to, initial organization and offering expenses; litigation expenses; taxes; costs of preferred shares; expenses of conducting repurchase offers for the purpose of repurchasing Fund shares; transfer agency and custodial expenses; taxes; interest; Fund trustees’ fees; brokerage fees and commissions; state and federal registration fees; advisory fees; insurance premiums; fidelity bond premiums; Fund and investment advisory related legal expenses; costs of maintenance of Fund existence; printing and delivery of materials in connection with meetings of the Fund trustees; printing and mailing shareholder reports, offering documents, and proxy materials and other communications to shareholders; securities pricing data services; and expenses in connection with electronic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

3.

Right to Receive Advice.

 

  (a)

Advice of the Fund. If ALPS is in doubt as to any action it should or should not take, ALPS shall request directions, advice or instructions from the Fund, Adviser or, as applicable, the Fund’s custodian or other service providers.

 

  (b)

Advice of Counsel. If ALPS is in doubt as to any question of law pertaining to any action it should or should not take, ALPS may request advice from counsel of its own choosing (who may be counsel for the Fund, or ALPS, at the option of ALPS, at its own cost).

 

  (c)

Conflicting Advice. In the event of a conflict between directions, advice or instructions ALPS receives from the Fund or any service provider and the advice ALPS receives from counsel, ALPS may with prior written consent of the Fund, which may not be unreasonably withheld, rely upon and follow the advice of counsel. ALPS will provide the Fund with prior written notice of its intent to follow advice of counsel that is materially inconsistent with directions, advice or instructions from the Fund. Upon request, ALPS will provide the Fund with a copy of such written advice of counsel.

 

4.

Standard of Care; Limitation of Liability; Indemnification.

 

  (a)

ALPS shall be obligated to act in good faith and to exercise reasonable care and diligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.

 

  (b)

In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard by ALPS in the performance of its duties, obligations or responsibilities set forth in this Agreement, ALPS and its affiliates, including their respective officers, directors, agents, principals, partners, shareholders (“Indemnified Parties”) and employees, shall not be liable for, and the Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless

 

-2-


  such Indemnified Parties from, all taxes, charges, expenses, disbursements, assessments, claims, losses, damages, penalties, actions, suits, judgments and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements and liabilities arising under applicable federal and state laws) arising directly or indirectly from the following:

 

  (i)

the inaccuracy of factual information furnished to ALPS by the Fund or the Adviser;

 

  (ii)

any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except for such actions taken pursuant to Section 3(c) above;

 

  (iii)

losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, acts of God, action or inaction of civil or military authority, war, terrorism, riot, fire, flood, sabotage, labor disputes, elements of nature;

 

  (iv)

ALPS’ reliance on any instruction, direction, notice, instrument or other information that ALPS reasonably believes to be genuine; or

 

  (v)

loss of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure.

 

  (c)

ALPS shall indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and its respective Indemnified Parties from and against any and all taxes, charges, expenses, disbursements, assessments, claims, losses, damages, penalties, actions, suits, judgments and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements and liabilities arising under applicable federal and state laws) arising directly or indirectly from ALPS’ willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard in the performance of its duties, obligations or responsibilities set forth in this Agreement.

 

  (d)

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither party shall be liable under this Agreement to the other party hereto for any punitive, consequential, special or indirect losses or damages. Any indemnification payable by a party to this Agreement shall be net of insurance maintained by the indemnified party as of the time the claim giving rise to indemnity hereunder is alleged to have arisen to the extent it covers such claim.

 

5.

Activities of ALPS. The services of ALPS under this Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive, and ALPS shall be free to render similar services to others. The Fund recognizes that from time to time directors, officers and employees of ALPS may serve as directors, officers and employees of other corporations or businesses (including other investment companies) and that such other corporations and funds may include ALPS as part of their name and that ALPS or its affiliates may enter into administrative, bookkeeping, pricing agreements or other agreements with such other corporations and funds.

 

-3-


6.

Accounts and Records. The accounts and records maintained by ALPS shall be the property of the Fund. Such accounts and records shall be prepared, maintained and preserved as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable securities laws, rules and regulations. Such accounts and records shall be surrendered to the Fund promptly upon receipt of instructions from the Fund in the form in which such accounts and records have been maintained or preserved. The Fund shall have access to such accounts and records at all times during ALPS’ normal business hours. Upon the request of the Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by ALPS to the Fund at the Fund’s expense. ALPS shall assist the Fund, the Fund’s independent auditors, or, upon approval of the Fund, any regulatory body, in any requested review of the Fund’s accounts and records, and reports by ALPS or its independent accountants concerning its accounting system and internal auditing controls will be open to such entities for audit or inspection upon reasonable request.

 

7.

Confidential and Proprietary Information. ALPS agrees that it will, on behalf of itself and its officers and employees, treat all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and all records and information relative to the Adviser, the Fund, and its shareholders and affiliates (past, present and future) and other information germane thereto, as confidential and as proprietary information of the Fund and not to use, sell, transfer or divulge such information or records to any person for any purpose other than performance of its duties hereunder, except after prior notification to and approval in writing from the Fund. It may not be withheld where ALPS may be exposed to civil, regulatory or criminal proceedings for failure to comply, when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or when so requested by the Fund. ALPS shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of records and information relating to the Fund and its past, present and future shareholders, consumers and customers.

 

8.

Compliance with Rules and Regulations. ALPS shall comply — and to the extent ALPS takes or is required to take action on behalf of the Fund hereunder shall cause the Fund to comply — with all applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders and code of ethics, as well as all investment restrictions, policies and procedures adopted by the Fund of which ALPS has knowledge, including, but not limited to, those investment restrictions, policies, and procedures described in the Fund’s registration statement on Form N-2. Except as specifically set forth herein, ALPS assumes no responsibility for such compliance by the Fund under this Agreement.

 

9.

Representations and Warranties of ALPS. ALPS represents and warrants to the Fund that:

 

  (a)

It is duly organized and existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Colorado.

 

  (b)

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Articles of Incorporation and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (c)

All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

-4-


  (d)

There is no administrative, civil or criminal proceeding pending or threatened that would impair its ability to perform its duties or obligations under this Agreement.

 

  (e)

It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment, including, but not limited to, appropriate disaster recover, and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement in accordance with industry standards.

 

10.

Representations and Warranties of the Fund. The Fund represents and warrants to ALPS that:

 

  (a)

It is a Delaware statutory trust duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware and is registered with the SEC as a closed-end investment company.

 

  (b)

It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  (c)

The Board of Trustees has duly authorized it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

11.

Documents. The Fund has furnished or will furnish, upon request, ALPS with copies of the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, advisory agreement, custodian agreement, transfer agency agreement, administration agreement, current prospectus, statement of additional information, periodic Fund reports and all forms relating to any plan, program or service offered by the Fund. The Fund shall furnish, within a reasonable time period, to ALPS a copy of any amendment or supplement to any of the above-mentioned documents. Upon request, the Fund shall furnish promptly to ALPS any additional documents necessary or advisable to perform its functions hereunder. As used in this Agreement the terms “registration statement,” “prospectus” and “statement of additional information” shall mean any registration statement, prospectus and statement of additional information filed by the Fund with the SEC and any amendments and supplements thereto that are filed with the SEC.

 

12.

Consultation Between the Parties. ALPS and the Fund shall regularly consult with each other regarding ALPS’ performance of its obligations under this Agreement. In connection therewith, the Fund shall submit to ALPS at a reasonable time in advance of filing with the SEC reasonably final copies of any amended or supplemented registration statement (including exhibits) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the 1940 Act; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Fund’s right to file at any time such amendments to any registration statement and/or supplements to any prospectus or statement of additional information, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional.

 

13.

Liaison with Accountants and Custodian. ALPS shall act as liaison with the Fund’s independent public accountants and custodian, and shall provide account analysis, fiscal year summaries, and other audit-related schedules or other correspondence, reports, reconciliations, valuations or other documents as the Fund may reasonably request with respect to the services provided to the Fund. ALPS shall take all reasonable action in the performance of its duties under this Agreement to assure that the necessary information in ALPS’ control is made available to such accountants, custodian, or the Fund for the expression of their opinion, or as required by the Fund.

 

-5-


14.

Business Interruption Plan. ALPS shall maintain in effect a business interruption plan, and enter into any agreements necessary with appropriate parties making reasonable provisions for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment customary in the industry. In the event of equipment failures, ALPS shall, at no additional expense to the Fund, take commercially reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions. ALPS shall have no liability with respect to the loss of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure provided such loss or interruption is not caused by ALPS’ own willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of its duties or obligations under this Agreement.

 

15.

Duration and Termination of this Agreement.

 

  (a)

Initial Term. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above (the “Start Date”) and shall continue thereafter throughout the period which ends five (5) years after the Start Date (the “Initial Term”). Until the end of the Initial Term, this Agreement may be terminated without penalty only by agreement of the parties upon not less than sixty (60) days’ written notice or for cause pursuant to Section 15(c) hereof.

 

  (b)

Renewal Term. If not sooner terminated, this Agreement shall renew at the end of the Initial Term and shall thereafter continue for successive annual periods until terminated by the Fund or by ALPS, without penalty, upon not less than 90 days’ written notice to the other party.

 

  (c)

Cause. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Fund may terminate this Agreement for cause immediately at any time, without penalty, without default and without the payment of any Default Payment or other liquidated damages. Termination for “cause” hereunder shall mean:

 

  (i)

willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard on the part of ALPS in the performance of or with respect to its obligations and duties hereunder;

 

  (ii)

regulatory, administrative, or judicial proceedings against ALPS which result in a determination that, in rendering its services hereunder, ALPS has violated – or has caused the Fund to violate – any applicable law, rule, regulation, order or code of ethics, or any investment restriction, policy or procedure adopted by the Fund of which ALPS had knowledge;

 

  (iii)

financial difficulties on the part of ALPS which are evidenced by the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent, or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under Title 11 of the United States Code, as from time to time in effect, or any applicable law other than said Title 11, of any jurisdiction relating to the liquidation or reorganization of debtors or to the modification or alteration of the rights of creditors: or

 

-6-


  (iv)

failure by ALPS to meet its obligations hereunder or a breach of ALPS’ representations and warranties hereunder if such failure or breach goes uncured for a period of 30 days after written notice to ALPS of such failure or breach.

 

  (d)

Deliveries Upon Termination. Upon termination of this Agreement, ALPS shall deliver to the Fund or as otherwise directed by the Fund (at the expense of the Fund, unless such termination is for “cause”) all records and other documents made or accumulated in the performance of its duties for the Fund hereunder.

 

  (e)

Fees and Expenses Upon Termination. Should either party exercise its right to terminate, all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses or costs associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by the Fund up to the date of termination. Additionally, ALPS reserves the right to charge a reasonable fee for its de-conversion services after 60 days.

 

16.

Assignment. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Fund without the prior written consent of ALPS, or by ALPS without the prior written consent of the Fund.

 

17.

Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, and the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. To the extent that the laws of the State of New York conflict with the 1940 Act or such rules, the latter shall control.

 

18.

Names. The obligations of the “Fund” entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any director, representative or agent thereof are made not individually, but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the directors, shareholders, representatives or agents of the Fund personally, but bind only the property of the Fund, and all persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund.

 

19.

Amendments to this Agreement. This Agreement may only be amended by the parties in writing.

 

20.

Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing, shall be deemed to have been given when received or when sent by telex or facsimile, and shall be given to the following addresses (or such other addresses as to which notice is given):

To ALPS:

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

1290 Broadway, Suite 1100

Denver, Colorado 80203

Attn: General Counsel

Fax: 303.623.7850

 

-7-


To the Fund:

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

c/o GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

280 Park Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Daniel H. Smith, Jr. and Marisa Beeney

Fax: 212.503.6924

With copies of any notice to the Fund to:

Sarah E. Cogan

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Fax: 212.455.2502

 

21.

Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

22.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding among the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that ALPS may embody in one or more separate documents its agreement, if any, with respect to delegated duties and oral instructions.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

-8-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

 

By:   /s/ Marisa J. Beeney
Name:   Marisa J. Beeney
Title:   Authorized Signatory

ALPS FUND SERVICES, INC.

 

By:   /s/ Jeremy O. May
Name:   Jeremy O. May
Title:   President

 

-9-


APPENDIX A

SERVICES

Fund Administration

 

   

Prepare annual and semi-annual financial statements

   

Coordinate layout and printing of annual and semi-annual reports

   

Prepare and file Forms N-SAR, N-CSR and N-Q

   

Assist with filing of Form N-PX (ALPS assumes no responsibility for compiling or maintaining the proxy voting record of the Fund, if any, but will work with the Adviser and custodian in preparing the record in the proper format for filing on Form N-PX, and assist with filing the Form on EDGAR, if required.)

   

Host annual audits and SEC exams

   

Perform monthly prospectus compliance and SEC diversification tests

   

Calculate monthly SEC standardized total return performance figures

   

Prepare required reports for quarterly Board meetings

   

Monitor expense ratios

   

Maintain budget vs. actual expenses

   

Manage fund invoice approval and bill payment process

   

Assist with placement of Fidelity Bond and T&O insurance

   

Coordinate reporting to outside agencies including Morningstar, etc.

   

Coordinate with custodian and other outside service providers of the Fund

Fund Accounting

 

   

Calculate daily NAVs

   

Transmit daily NAVs to NASDAQ, Transfer Agent and other third parties

   

Compute yields, expense ratios, portfolio turnover rates, etc.

   

Calculate income dividend rates and coordinate with the Fund’s custodian on payment of dividends

   

Reconcile cash and investment balances with the custodian

   

Support preparation of financial statements

   

Prepare required Fund Accounting records in accordance with the 1940 Act

Legal

 

   

Provide legal review of SEC financial filings

   

Coordinate EDGARization and filing of documents

   

Prepare, compile and mail board materials

   

Attend board meetings and prepare minutes

   

Review legal contracts

   

Oversee Fund’s Code of Ethics reporting

   

Conduct the Annual Meeting and issue proxies therefore, if required by exchange listing requirements or state law.1

 

1 

The parties specifically agree that the services provided by ALPS are limited to routine items normally contained in the annual meeting proxy statement for closed-end investment companies, e.g. election of directors and approval of the Fund’s public auditing firm. The Fund will be subject to additional charges for preparation of proxy materials that contain “special” or non-routine items to be voted on at an annual meeting or preparation of proxy materials associated with any special meeting. ALPS, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes a “special” or non-routine item to be contained in any annual meeting proxy materials. The parties further agree that the Fund is responsible for the costs of tabulating the results of any shareholder meeting, and the costs of engaging a proxy solicitor for any shareholder meeting.

 

-10-


Tax

 

   

Calculate dividend and capital gain distribution rates, including distributions necessary to avoid excise tax*

   

Calculate tax disclosure information (ROCSOP) for the audited financial statements

   

Prepare and file federal and state income and excise tax returns (and appropriate extensions)*

   

Monitor on a quarterly basis the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended

   

Calculate and monitor applicable book-to-tax differences and assist in identifying securities that give rise to book-to-tax differences**

   

Calculate year-end tax characterization for distributions paid during the calendar year

*Fund’s independent auditors provide review & sign-off on excise distributions and income and excise tax returns. ALPS shall not analyze or investigate information or returns for foreign tax filings. State income or franchise tax return preparation is limited to the initial state of nexus and does not include additional state filing requirements that may be triggered by underlying investments of the Fund.

**Security classifications to be identified include but are not limited to passive foreign investment company, real estate investment trust, master limited partnership, contingent debt obligations, trust preferred, grantor trust, and stapled security. The ultimate determination of the classification of securities will be the responsibility of Fund management.

Creative Services

   

Financial regulatory reports

   

Proxy statements (creation and printing)

   

Public relations pieces (including fact sheets, slicks and brochures)

   

Collateral

   

Presentations

   

Print Vendor Management: bids, vendor communications and report mailings

   

Creation of web architecture, design, layout and maintenance

Public Relations Support

   

Investor support from wholesaling team

   

800 phone line with registered reps

 

-11-


APPENDIX B

FEES

Fees paid to ALPS shall be calculated and accrued daily and payable monthly by the Fund at a rate equal to the greater of 18 basis points annually on net assets of the Fund (as that term is defined in the Investment Advisory Agreement between Fund and Adviser) or, a minimum annual fee of $350,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. Out-of-pocket expenses include, but are not limited to, third party security pricing and data fees, Bloomberg fees, Gainskeeper fees, SAS 70 control review report, travel expenses to board meetings and on-sight reviews, proxy service fees, printing and mailing fees, fulfillment costs, customized programming/enhancements, calls, webinars, roadshow expenses, and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by ALPS in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement. ALPS agrees to pay up to $20,000 per year for out-of-pocket expenses associated with public relations services, such as calls, webinars, and other communication services and fees in excess of $20,000 per year will be billed to the Fund as out-of-pocket expenses.

LATE CHARGES: All invoices are due and payable within 30 days upon receipt.

 

-12-

Exhibit (k)(4)

AMENDMENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION, BOOKKEEPING AND

PRICING SERVICES AGREEMENT

This Amendment (“Amendment”) is made as of October 1, 2015, by and between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (“ALPS”).

WHEREAS, the Fund and ALPS previously entered into an Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement, dated January 26, 2011 (as amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Fund and ALPS wish to amend Section 15 of the Agreement and Appendix B to the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, all capitalized terms used in the Amendment and not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises set forth below, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree that the Agreement shall be amended as follows:

 

  1.

The Initial Term of the Agreement as set forth in Section 15(a) shall be extended to end five (5) years after October 1, 2015.

 

  2.

Appendix B is deleted and replaced in its entirety with the following:

Fees paid to ALPS shall be calculated and accrued daily and payable monthly by the Fund at a rate equal to the greater of (i) 12 basis points annually on net assets of the Fund (as that term is defined in the Investment Advisory Agreement between Fund and Adviser), and (ii) a minimum annual fee of $215,000, in each case plus out-of-pocket expenses. Out-of-pocket expenses include, but are not limited to: third-party security pricing and data fees, Bloomberg fees, Gainskeeper fees, SSAE 16 control review reports, travel expenses to Board meetings and on-site supervisory reviews, proxy service fees, fulfillment costs, printing and mailing fees, customized programming/enhancements, calls, webinars, roadshow expenses, and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by ALPS in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement. ALPS agrees to pay up to $20,000 per year for out-of-pocket expenses associated with public relations support services, such as calls, webinars, and other communication services and fees in excess of $20,000 per year will be billed to the Fund as out-of-pocket expenses.

LATE CHARGES: All invoices are due and payable upon receipt. Any invoices not paid within thirty (30) days of the invoice date are subject to a one percent (1%) per month financing charge on any unpaid balance but only to the extent permitted by law.


Other than as amended hereby, all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain unchanged and remain in full force and effect. This Amendment shall be deemed to be an amendment to the Agreement and shall be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, and the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. To the extent that the laws of the State of New York conflict with the 1940 Act or such rules, the latter shall control.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund              

ALPS Fund Services, Inc.

By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

     By:  

/s/ Jeremy O. May

Name:  

Marisa J. Beeney

     Name:  

Jeremy O. May

Title:  

Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary

     Title:  

President

Exhibit (k)(5)

REPORT MODERNIZATION ADDENDUM

to Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement

This Report Modernization Addendum (this “Addendum”) to the Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement, as amended, is dated as of May 1, 2018 and entered into by and between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, organized as a statutory trust under the laws of Delaware (the “Fund”), and ALPS Fund Services, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“ALPS”).

WHEREAS, the Fund and ALPS have previously entered into an Administration, Bookkeeping and Pricing Services Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2011 (as restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Agreement”), pursuant to which ALPS provides the Fund with certain administrative, bookkeeping and pricing services; and

WHEREAS, the Fund and ALPS wish to supplement the Agreement to provide for additional services to be performed by ALPS and to set forth the fees for those additional services.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

  1.

Services. ALPS will provide the Fund with the additional services (the “Additional Services”) described in Appendix I, attached hereto. Except as otherwise set forth herein, the provision of the Additional Services and duties of each party in connection therewith will be governed under the terms and conditions of the Agreement.

 

  2.

Compensation. In consideration of the Additional Services performed under this Addendum, the Fund shall pay ALPS the fees listed in Appendix II, attached hereto. The imposition of such fees will commence beginning May 1, 2018.

 

  3.

Terms Applicable to the Additional Services. As applicable to the Additional Services provided under this Addendum, the parties are further subject to the additional terms and conditions set forth in Appendix III, attached hereto.

 

  4.

Term, Termination and Modification. This Addendum shall become effective as of the date first written above and shall continue thereafter until the termination of the Agreement. This Addendum cannot be modified except by a written agreement signed by both parties.

 

  5.

Survival. The provisions of Section 3 of this Addendum shall survive termination of the Agreement and/or this Addendum.

 

  6.

Miscellaneous. Except to the extent expressly amended or supplemented hereby, the provisions of the Agreement remain in full force and effect. All capitalized terms used in this Addendum and not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement. This Addendum may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

1


  7.

Governing Law. The provisions of this Addendum shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the rules thereunder. To the extent that the laws of the State of New York conflict with the 1940 Act or such rules, the latter shall control.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Addendum as of the day and year first above written.

 

BLACKSTONE/GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND
By:  

/s/ Doris Lee-Silvestri

Name:   Doris Lee-Silvestri
Title:   Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

ALPS FUND SERVICES, INC.

By:  

/s/ Jeremy O. May

Name:   Jeremy O. May
Title:   President

 

2


APPENDIX I

Additional Services

The following Additional Services are to be performed by ALPS for the compensation noted in Appendix II.

Fund Administration

 

   

Coordinate the preparation and filing of Forms N-PORT and N-CEN with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the compilation and maintenance of the information required to be included in Form N-PORT beginning no later than July 30, 2018.1

Revisions to, or the addition of new services to the services listed above (including but not limited to new or revised services related to regulatory changes or special projects) shall be subject to additional fees as determined by ALPS.

 

1 

NTD: The Fund will be required to file monthly portfolio holdings reports on Form N-PORT beginning April 30, 2019. Until then, the Fund is required to maintain in its records the information that is required to be included in Form N-PORT beginning no later than July 30, 2018.

 

3


APPENDIX II

Compensation

Fees for the Additional Services:

For the Additional Services, the Fund will pay to ALPS, on a monthly basis, a fee equal to $11,000 annually.

The above fees are based on assumptions derived from the Fund’s historical portfolio information and/or information provided by the Fund. ALPS’ fees are subject to revision by ALPS, upon prior notice to the Fund, if ALPS determines that the Fund’s portfolio composition changes or additional work is required by ALPS as it originally contemplated for its provision of the Additional Services. The Fund’s use of alternative data suppliers may result in additional fees as determined by ALPS.

Third Party Expenses:

All third party expenses incurred in providing the Additional Services will be billed to the Fund, including, but not limited to, expenses related to security reference data, portfolio risk metrics, valuation leveling and/or similar data provided by third party suppliers. For third party suppliers from which the Fund receives services as part of an existing ALPS relationship or agreement, the Fund will be billed the amount attributable to the services it received, calculated before application of any discount that ALPS may receive as part of its overall relationship with the supplier (if applicable). All expenses in which a third party supplier does not have an established relationship with ALPS will be billed to the Fund as incurred.

 

4


APPENDIX III

Additional Terms

In addition to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the following terms and conditions apply to the provision of the Additional Services under this Addendum:

 

  1.

Provision of Services.

 

  i.

ALPS may engage persons or organizations (referred to as a “supplier”) to assist in the provision of, or to perform any of its duties of providing the Additional Services; provided that, in such event, ALPS shall not be relieved of any of its obligations otherwise applicable under the Agreement and Addendum. All uses of the term “supplier” in Section 2 of this Appendix III shall include any third party otherwise selected by the Fund, if applicable.

 

  2.

Use of Data; No Warranty; Termination of Rights.

 

  ii.

As part of the provision of the Additional Services, ALPS may provide valuation information and other data or evaluations to the Fund (collectively, the “Data”) that may be supplied by ALPS or one of its suppliers, or a supplier selected by the Fund. Any Data being provided to the Fund by ALPS or its suppliers pursuant hereto are being supplied to the Fund for the sole purpose of completion of the Additional Services. The Fund may use the Data only for purposes necessary for the Additional Services described in this Addendum. The Fund does not have any license nor right to use the Data for purposes beyond the Additional Services described in this Addendum including, but not limited to, resale to other users or use to create any type of historical database. Data cannot be passed to or shared with any other non-affiliated entity.

The Fund acknowledges the proprietary rights that ALPS and its suppliers have in the Data.

 

  iii.

ALPS and its suppliers shall have no liability to the Fund, or a third party, for errors, omissions or malfunctions in the Data or related services, other than the obligation of ALPS to endeavor, upon receipt of notice from the Fund, to correct a malfunction, error, or omission in any Data or related services.

 

  iv.

The Fund acknowledges that the Data and related services are intended for use as an aid to institutional investors, registered brokers or professionals of similar sophistication in making informed judgments concerning securities, in connection to the Additional Services. The Fund accepts responsibility for, and acknowledges it exercises its own independent judgment in, its selection of the Data and related services, its selection of the use or intended use of such, and any results obtained. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a waiver of any rights existing under applicable law for the protection of investors.

 

5


  v.

The Fund shall indemnify ALPS and its suppliers against and hold ALPS harmless from any and all losses, damages, liability, costs, including attorney’s fees, resulting directly or indirectly from any claim or demand against ALPS or its suppliers by a third party arising out of or related to the accuracy or completeness of any Data or related services received by the Fund, or any data, information, service, report, analysis or publication derived therefrom. Neither ALPS or its suppliers shall be liable for any claim or demand against the Fund by a third party.

 

  vi.

ALPS and its suppliers, nor the Fund shall be liable for (i) any special, indirect or consequential damages (even if advised of the possibility of such), (ii) any delay by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, mechanical breakdown, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, or failure beyond its control of transportation or power supply, or (iii) any claim that arose more than one year prior to the institution of suit therefor.

 

  vii.

THE FUND HEREBY ACCEPTS THE DATA AS IS, WHERE IS, ALPS AND ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS OR ANY OTHER MATTER.

 

6

Exhibit (k)(6)

 

LOGO    MASTER REPURCHASE AGREEMENT   

 

 

September 1996 Version

Dated as of January 22, 2015

Between: EACH ENTITY LISTED ON EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERETO, SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY

and

PERSHING LLC

 

1.

Applicability

From time to time the parties hereto may enter into transactions in which one party (“Seller”) agrees to transfer to the other (“Buyer”) securities or other assets (“Securities”) against the transfer of funds by Buyer, with a simultaneous agreement by Buyer to transfer to Seller such Securities at a date certain or on demand, against the transfer of funds by Seller. Each such transaction shall be referred to herein as a “Transaction” and, unless otherwise agreed in writing, shall be governed by this Agreement, including any supplemental terms or conditions contained in Annex I hereto and in any other annexes identified herein or therein as applicable hereunder.

 

2.

Definitions

 

  (a)

“Act of Insolvency”, with respect to any party, (i) the commencement by such party as debtor of any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium, dissolution, delinquency or similar law, or such party seeking the appointment or election of a receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for such party or any substantial part of its property, or the convening of any meeting of creditors for purposes of commencing any such case or proceeding or seeking such an appointment or election, (ii) the commencement of any such case or proceeding against such party, or another seeking such an appointment or election, or the filing against a party of an application for a protective decree under the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, which (A) is consented to or not timely contested by such party, (B) results in the entry of an order for relied such an appointment or election, the issuance of such a protective decree or the entry of an order having a similar effect, or (C) is not dismissed within 15 days, (iii) the making by such party of a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (iv) the admission in writing by such party of such party’s inability to pay such party’s debts as they become due;

 

  (b)

“Additional Purchased Securities”, Securities provided by Seller to Buyer pursuant to Paragraph 4(a) hereof;


  (c)

“Buyer’s Margin Amount”, with respect to any Transaction as of any date, the amount obtained by application of the Buyer’s Margin Percentage to the Repurchase Price for such Transaction as of such date;

 

  (d)

“Buyer’s Margin Percentage”, with respect to any Transaction as of any date, a percentage (which may be equal to the Seller’s Margin Percentage) agreed to by Buyer and Seller or, in the absence of any such agreement, the percentage obtained by dividing the Market Value of the Purchased Securities on the Purchase Date by the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date for such Transaction;

 

  (e)

“Confirmation”, the meaning specified in Paragraph 3(b) hereof;

 

  (f)

“Income”, with respect to any Security at any time, any principal thereof and all interest, dividends or other distributions thereon;

 

  (g)

“Margin Deficit”, the meaning specified in Paragraph 4(a) hereof;

 

  (h)

“Margin Excess”, the meaning specified in Paragraph 4(b) hereof;

 

  (i)

“Margin Notice Deadline”; the time agreed to by the parties in the relevant Confirmation, Annex I hereto or otherwise as the deadline for giving notice requiring same day satisfaction of margin maintenance obligations as provided in Paragraph 4 hereof (or, in the absence of any such agreement, the deadline for such purposes established in accordance with market practice);

 

  (j)

“Market Value”, with respect to any Securities as of any date, the price for such Securities on such date obtained from a generally recognized source agreed to by the parties or the most recent closing bid quotation from such a source, plus accrued Income to the extent not included therein (other than any Income credited or transferred to, or applied to the obligations of Seller pursuant to Paragraph 5 hereof) as of such date (unless contrary to market practice for such Securities);

 

  (k)

“Price Differential”, with respect to any Transaction as of any date, the aggregate amount obtained by daily application of the Pricing Rate for such Transaction to the Purchase Price for such Transaction on a 360 day per year basis for the actual number of days during the period commencing on (and including) the Purchase Date for such Transaction and ending on (but excluding) the date of determination (reduced by any amount of such Price Differential previously paid by Seller to Buyer with respect to such Transaction);

 

  (l)

“Pricing Rate”, the per annum percentage rate for determination of the Price Differential;

 

  (m)

“Prime Rate”, the prime rate of U.S. commercial banks as published in The Wall Street Journal (or, if more than one such rate is published, the average of such rates);

 

  (n)

“Purchase Date”, the date on which Purchased Securities are to be transferred by Seller to Buyer;

 

  (o)

“Purchase Price”, (i) on the Purchase Date, the price at which Purchased Securities are transferred by Seller to Buyer, and (ii) thereafter, except where Buyer and Seller agree otherwise, such price increased by the amount of any cash transferred by Buyer to Seller pursuant to Paragraph 4(b) hereof and decreased by the amount of any cash transferred by Seller to Buyer pursuant to Paragraph 4(a) hereof or applied to reduce Seller’s obligations under clause (ii) of Paragraph 5 hereof,

 

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  (p)

“Purchased Securities”, the Securities transferred by Seller to Buyer in a Transaction hereunder, and any Securities substituted therefor in accordance with Paragraph 9 hereof. The term “Purchased Securities” with respect to any Transaction at any time also shall include Additional Purchased Securities delivered pursuant to Paragraph 4(a) hereof and shall exclude Securities returned pursuant to Paragraph 4(b) hereof,

 

  (q)

“Repurchase Date”, the date on which Seller is to repurchase the Purchased Securities from Buyer, including any date determined by application of the provisions of Paragraph 3(c) or 11 hereof,

 

  (r)

“Repurchase Price”, the price at which Purchased Securities are to be transferred from Buyer to Seller upon termination of a Transaction, which will be determined in each case (including Transactions terminable upon demand) as the sum of the Purchase Price and the Price Differential as of the date of such determination;

 

  (s)

“Seller’s Margin Amount”; with respect to any Transaction as of any date, the amount obtained by application of the Seller’s Margin Percentage to the Repurchase Price for such Transaction as of such date;

 

  (t)

“Seller’s Margin Percentage”, with respect to any Transaction as of any date, a percentage (which may be equal to the Buyer’s Margin Percentage) agreed to by Buyer and Seller or, in the absence of any such agreement, the percentage obtained by dividing the Market Value of the Purchased Securities on the Purchase Date by the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date for such Transaction.

 

3.

Initiation; Confirmation; Termination

 

  (a)

An agreement to enter into a Transaction may be made orally or in writing at the initiation of either Buyer or Seller. On the Purchase Date for the Transaction, the Purchased Securities shall be transferred to Buyer or its agent against the transfer of the Purchase Price to an account of Seller.

 

  (b)

Upon agreeing to enter into a Transaction hereunder, Buyer or Seller (or both), as shall be agreed, shall promptly deliver to the other party a written confirmation of each Transaction (a “Confirmation”). The Confirmation shall describe the Purchased Securities (including CUSIP number, if any), identify Buyer and Seller and set forth (i) the Purchase Date, (ii) the Purchase Price, (iii) the Repurchase Date, unless the Transaction is to be terminable on demand, (iv) the Pricing Rate or Repurchase Price applicable to the Transaction, and (v) any additional terms or conditions of the Transaction not inconsistent with this Agreement. The Confirmation, together with this Agreement, shall constitute conclusive evidence of the terms agreed between Buyer and Seller with respect to the Transaction to which the Confirmation relates, unless with respect to the Confirmation specific objection is made promptly after receipt thereof. In the event of any conflict between the terms of such Confirmation and this Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail.

 

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  (c)

In the case of Transactions terminable upon demand, such demand shall be made by Buyer or Seller, no later than such time as is customary in accordance with market practice, by telephone or otherwise on or prior to the Business Day on which such termination will be effective. On the date specified in such demand, or on the date fixed for termination in the case of Transactions having a fixed term, termination of the Transaction will be effected by transfer to Seller or its agent of the Purchased Securities and any Income in respect thereof received by Buyer (and not previously credited or transferred to, or applied to the obligations of, Seller pursuant to Paragraph 5 hereof) against the transfer of the Repurchase Price to an account of Buyer.

 

4.

Margin Maintenance

 

  (a)

If at any time the aggregate Market Value of all Purchased Securities subject to all Transactions in which a particular party hereto is acting as Buyer is less than the aggregate Buyer’s Margin Amount for all such Transactions (a “Margin Deficit”), then Buyer may by notice to Seller require Seller in such Transactions, at Seller’s option, to transfer to Buyer cash or additional Securities reasonably acceptable to Buyer (“Additional Purchased Securities”), so that the cash and aggregate Market Value of the Purchased Securities, including any such Additional Purchased Securities, will thereupon equal or exceed such aggregate Buyer’s Margin Amount (decreased by the amount of any Margin Deficit as of such date arising from any Transactions in which such Buyer is acting as Seller).

 

  (b)

If at any time the aggregate Market Value of all Purchased Securities subject to all Transactions in which a particular party hereto is acting as Seller exceeds the aggregate Seller’s Margin Amount for all such Transactions at such time (a “Margin Excess”), then Seller may by notice to Buyer require Buyer in such Transactions, at Buyer’s option, to transfer cash or Purchased Securities to Seller, so that the aggregate Market Value of the Purchased Securities, after deduction of any such cash or any Purchased Securities so transferred, will thereupon not exceed such aggregate Seller’s Margin Amount (increased by the amount of any Margin Excess as of such date arising from any Transactions in which such Seller is acting as Buyer).

 

  (c)

If any notice is given by Buyer or Seller under subparagraph (a) or (b) of this Paragraph at or before the Margin Notice Deadline on any Business Day, the party receiving such notice shall transfer cash or Additional Purchased Securities as provided in such subparagraph no later than the close of business in the relevant market on such day. If any such notice is given after the Margin Notice Deadline, the party receiving such notice shall transfer such cash or Securities no later than the close of business in the relevant market on the next Business Day following such notice.

 

  (d)

Any cash transferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be attributed to such Transactions as shall be agreed upon by Buyer and Seller.

 

  (e)

Seller and Buyer may agree, with respect to any or all Transactions hereunder, that the respective rights of Buyer or Seller (or both) under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Paragraph may be exercised only where a Margin Deficit or Margin Excess, as the case may be, exceeds a specified dollar amount or a specified percentage of the Repurchase Prices for such Transactions (which amount or percentage shall be agreed to by Buyer and Seller prior to entering into any such Transactions).

 

  (f)

Seller and Buyer may agree, with respect to any or all Transactions hereunder, that the respective rights of Buyer and Seller under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Paragraph to require the elimination of a Margin Deficit or a Margin Excess, as the case may be, may be exercised whenever such a Margin Deficit or Margin Excess exists with respect to any single Transaction hereunder (calculated without regard to any other Transaction outstanding under this Agreement).

 

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5.

Income Payments

Seller shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to all Income paid or distributed on or in respect of the Securities that is not otherwise received by Seller, to the full extent it would be so entitled if the Securities had not been sold to Buyer. Buyer shall, as the parties may agree with respect to any Transaction (or, in the absence of any such agreement, as Buyer shall reasonably determine in its discretion), on the date such Income is paid or distributed either (i) transfer to or credit to the account of Seller such Income with respect to any Purchased Securities subject to such Transaction or (ii) with respect to Income paid in cash, apply the Income payment or payments to reduce the amount, if any, to be transferred to Buyer by Seller upon termination of such Transaction. Buyer shall not be obligated to take any action pursuant to the preceding sentence (A) to the extent that such action would result in the creation of a Margin Deficit, unless prior thereto or simultaneously therewith Seller transfers to Buyer cash or Additional Purchased Securities sufficient to eliminate such Margin Deficit,

or

(B) if an Event of Default with respect to Seller has occurred and is then continuing at the time such Income is paid or distributed.

 

6.

Security Interest

Although the parties intend that all Transactions hereunder be sales and purchases and not loans, in the event any such Transactions are deemed to be loans, Seller shall be deemed to have pledged to Buyer as security for the performance by Seller of its obligations under each such Transaction, and shall be deemed to have granted to Buyer a security interest in, all of the Purchased Securities with respect to all Transactions hereunder and all Income thereon and other proceeds thereof.

 

7.

Payment and Transfer

Unless otherwise mutually agreed, all transfers of funds hereunder shall be in immediately available funds. All Securities transferred by one party hereto to the other party (i) shall be in suitable form for transfer or shall be accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank and such other documentation as the party receiving possession may reasonably request, (ii) shall be transferred on the book-entry system of a Federal Reserve Bank, or (iii) shall be transferred by any other method mutually acceptable to Seller and Buyer.

 

8.

Segregation of Purchased Securities

To the extent required by applicable law, all Purchased Securities in the possession of Seller shall be segregated from other securities in its possession and shall be identified as subject to this Agreement. Segregation may be accomplished by appropriate identification on the books and records of the holder, including a financial or securities intermediary or a clearing corporation. All of Seller’s interest in the Purchased Securities shall pass to Buyer on the Purchase Date and, unless otherwise agreed by Buyer and Seller, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Buyer from engaging in repurchase transactions with the Purchased Securities or otherwise selling, transferring, pledging or hypothecating the Purchased Securities, but no such transaction shall relieve Buyer of its obligations to transfer Purchased Securities to Seller pursuant to Paragraph 3, 4 or 11 hereof, or of Buyer’s obligation to credit or pay Income to, or apply Income to the obligations of, Seller pursuant to Paragraph 5 hereof.

 

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Required Disclosure for Transactions in Which the Seller Retains Custody of the Purchased Securities

 

Seller is not permitted to substitute other securities for those subject to this Agreement and therefore must keep Buyer’s securities segregated at all times, unless in this Agreement Buyer grants Seller the right to substitute other securities. If Buyer grants the right to substitute, this means that Buyer’s securities will likely be commingled with Seller’s own securities during the trading day. Buyer is advised that, during any trading day that Buyer’s securities are commingled with Seller’s securities, they [will]* [may]** be subject to liens granted by Seller to [its clearing bank]* [third parties]** and may be used by Seller for deliveries on other securities transactions. Whenever the securities are commingled, Seller’s ability to resegregate substitute securities for Buyer will be subject to Seller’s ability to satisfy [the clearing]* [any] ** lien or to obtain substitute securities.

 

*   Language to be used under 17 C.F.R. ß403.4(e) if Seller is a government securities broker or dealer other than a financial institution.

**   Language to be used under 17 C.F.R. ß403.5(d) if Seller is a financial institution.

 

9.

Substitution

 

  (a)

Seller may, subject to agreement with and acceptance by Buyer, substitute other Securities for any Purchased Securities. Such substitution shall be made by transfer to Buyer of such other Securities and transfer to Seller of such Purchased Securities. After substitution, the substituted Securities shall be deemed to be Purchased Securities.

 

  (b)

In Transactions in which Seller retains custody of Purchased Securities, the parties expressly agree that Buyer shall be deemed, for purposes of subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, to have agreed to and accepted in this Agreement substitution by Seller of other Securities for Purchased Securities; provided, however, that such other Securities shall have a Market Value at least equal to the Market Value of the Purchased Securities for which they are substituted.

 

10.

Representations

Each of Buyer and Seller represents and warrants to the other that (i) it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement, to enter into Transactions contemplated hereunder and to perform its obligations hereunder and has taken all necessary action to authorize such execution, delivery and performance, (ii) it will engage in such Transactions as principal (or, if agreed in writing, in the form of an annex hereto or otherwise, in advance of any Transaction by the other party hereto, as agent for a disclosed principal), (iii) the person signing this Agreement on its behalf is duly authorized to do so on its behalf (or on behalf of any such disclosed principal), (iv) it has obtained all authorizations of any governmental body required in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions hereunder and such authorizations are in full force and effect and (v) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Transactions hereunder will not violate any law, ordinance, charter, by law or rule applicable to it or any agreement by which it is bound or by which any of its assets are affected. On the Purchase Date for any Transaction Buyer and Seller shall each be deemed to repeat all the foregoing representations made by it.

 

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11.

Events of Default

In the event that (i) Seller fails to transfer or Buyer fails to purchase Purchased Securities upon the applicable Purchase Date, (ii) Seller fails to repurchase or Buyer fails to transfer Purchased Securities upon the applicable Repurchase Date, (iii) Seller or Buyer fails to comply with Paragraph 4 hereof, (iv) Buyer fails, after one Business Days’ notice, to comply with Paragraph 5 hereof, (v) an Act of Insolvency occurs with respect to Seller or Buyer, (vi) any representation made by Seller or Buyer shall have been incorrect or untrue in any material respect when made or repeated or deemed to have been made or repeated, or (vii) Seller or Buyer shall admit to the other its inability to, or its intention not to, perform any of its obligations hereunder (each an “Event of Default”):

 

  (a)

The nondefaulting party may, at its option (which option shall be deemed to have been exercised immediately upon the occurrence of an Act of Insolvency), declare an Event of Default to have occurred hereunder and, upon the exercise or deemed exercise of such option, the Repurchase Date for each Transaction hereunder shall, if it has not already occurred, be deemed immediately to occur (except that, in the event that the Purchase Date for any Transaction has not yet occurred as of the date of such exercise or deemed exercise, such Transaction shall be deemed immediately canceled). The nondefaulting party shall (except upon the occurrence of an Act of Insolvency) give notice to the defaulting party of the exercise of such option as promptly as practicable.

 

  (b)

In all Transactions in which the defaulting party is acting as Seller, if the nondefaulting party exercises or is deemed to have exercised the option referred to in subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, (i) the defaulting party’s obligations in such Transactions to repurchase all Purchased Securities, at the Repurchase Price therefor on the Repurchase Date determined in accordance with subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, shall thereupon become immediately due and payable, (ii) all Income paid after such exercise or deemed exercise shall be retained by the nondefaulting party and applied to the aggregate unpaid Repurchase Prices and any other amounts owing by the defaulting party hereunder, and (iii) the defaulting party shall immediately deliver to the nondefaulting party any Purchased Securities subject to such Transactions then in the defaulting party’s possession or control.

 

  (c)

In all Transactions in which the defaulting party is acting as Buyer, upon tender by the nondefaulting party of payment of the aggregate Repurchase Prices for all such Transactions, all right, title and interest in and entitlement to all Purchased Securities subject to such Transactions shall be deemed transferred to the nondefaulting party, and the defaulting party shall deliver all such Purchased Securities to the nondefaulting party.

 

  (d)

If the nondefaulting party exercises or is deemed to have exercised the option referred to in subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, the nondefaulting party, without prior notice to the defaulting party, may:

 

  (i)

as to Transactions in which the defaulting party is acting as Seller, (A) immediately sell, in a recognized market (or otherwise in a commercially reasonable manner) at such price or prices as the nondefaulting party may reasonably deem satisfactory, any or all Purchased Securities subject to such Transactions and apply the proceeds thereof to the aggregate unpaid Repurchase Prices and any other

 

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  amounts owing by the defaulting party hereunder or (B) in its sole discretion elect, in lieu of selling all or a portion of such Purchased Securities, to give the defaulting party credit for such Purchased Securities in an amount equal to the price therefor on such date, obtained from a generally recognized source or the most recent closing bid quotation from such a source, against the aggregate unpaid Repurchase Prices and any other amounts owing by the defaulting party hereunder; and

 

  (ii)

as to Transactions in which the defaulting party is acting as Buyer, (A) immediately purchase, in a recognized market (or otherwise in a commercially reasonable manner) at such price or prices as the nondefaulting party may reasonably deem satisfactory, securities (“Replacement Securities”) of the same class and amount as any Purchased Securities that are not delivered by the defaulting party to the nondefaulting party as required hereunder or (B) in its sole discretion elect, in lieu of purchasing Replacement Securities, to be deemed to have purchased Replacement Securities at the price therefor on such date, obtained from a generally recognized source or the most recent closing offer quotation from such a source.

Unless otherwise provided in Annex I, the parties acknowledge and agree that (1) the Securities subject to any Transaction hereunder are instruments traded in a recognized market, (2) in the absence of a generally recognized source for prices or bid or offer quotations for any Security, the nondefaulting party may establish the source therefor in its sole discretion and (3) all prices, bids and offers shall be determined together with accrued Income (except to the extent contrary to market practice with respect to the relevant Securities).

 

  (e)

As to Transactions in which the defaulting party is acting as Buyer, the defaulting party shall be liable to the nondefaulting party for any excess of the price paid (or deemed paid) by the nondefaulting party for Replacement Securities over the Repurchase Price for the Purchased Securities replaced thereby and for any amounts payable by the defaulting party under Paragraph 5 hereof or otherwise hereunder.

 

  (f)

For purposes of this Paragraph 11, the Repurchase Price for each Transaction hereunder in respect of which the defaulting party is acting as Buyer shall not increase above the amount of such Repurchase Price for such Transaction determined as of the date of the exercise or deemed exercise by the nondefaulting party of the option referred to in subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.

 

  (g)

The defaulting party shall be liable to the nondefaulting party for (i) the amount of all reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by the nondefaulting party in connection with or as a result of an Event of Default, (ii) damages in an amount equal to the cost (including all fees, expenses and commissions) of entering into replacement transactions and entering into or terminating hedge transactions in connection with or as a result of an Event of Default, and (iii) any other loss, damage, cost or expense directly arising or resulting from the occurrence of an Event of Default in respect of a Transaction.

 

  (h)

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the defaulting party shall be liable to the nondefaulting party for interest on any amounts owing by the defaulting party hereunder, from the date the defaulting party becomes liable for such amounts hereunder until such amounts are (i) paid in full by the defaulting party or (ii) satisfied in full by the exercise of the nondefaulting party’s rights hereunder. Interest on any sum payable by the defaulting party to the nondefaulting party under this Paragraph 11(h) shall be at a rate equal to the greater of the Pricing Rate for the relevant Transaction or the Prime Rate.

 

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  (i)

The nondefaulting party shall have, in addition to its rights hereunder, any rights otherwise available to it under any other agreement or applicable law.

 

12.

Single Agreement

Buyer and Seller acknowledge that, and have entered hereinto and will enter into each Transaction hereunder in consideration of and in reliance upon the fact that, all Transactions hereunder constitute a single business and contractual relationship and have been made in consideration of each other. Accordingly, each of Buyer and Seller agrees (i) to perform all of its obligations in respect of each Transaction hereunder, and that a default in the performance of any such obligations shall constitute a default by it in respect of all Transactions hereunder, (ii) that each of them shall be entitled to set off claims and apply property held by them in respect of any Transaction against obligations owing to them in respect of any other Transactions hereunder and (iii) that payments, deliveries and other transfers made by either of them in respect of any Transaction shall be deemed to have been made in consideration of payments, deliveries and other transfers in respect of any other Transactions hereunder, and the obligations to make any such payments, deliveries and other transfers may be applied against each other and netted.

 

13.

Notices and Other Communications

Any and all notices, statements, demands or other communications hereunder may be given by a party to the other by mail, facsimile, telegraph, messenger or otherwise to the address specified in Annex II hereto, or so sent to such party at any other place specified in a notice of change of address hereafter received by the other. All notices, demands and requests hereunder may be made orally, to be confirmed promptly in writing, or by other communication as specified in the preceding sentence.

 

14.

Entire Agreement; Severability

This Agreement shall supersede any existing agreements between the parties containing general terms and conditions for repurchase transactions. Each provision and agreement herein shall be treated as separate and independent from any other provision or agreement herein and shall be enforceable notwithstanding the unenforceability of any such other provision or agreement.

 

15.

Non-assignability; Termination

 

  (a)

The rights and obligations of the parties under this Agreement and under any Transaction shall not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party, and any such assignment without the prior written consent of the other party shall be null and void. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement and any Transactions shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon giving written notice to the other, except that this Agreement shall, notwithstanding such notice, remain applicable to any Transactions then outstanding.

 

  (b)

Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph 15 shall not preclude a party from assigning, charging or otherwise dealing with all or any part of its interest in any sum payable to it under Paragraph 11 hereof.

 

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16.

Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof.

 

17.

No Waivers, Etc.

No express or implied waiver of any Event of Default by either party shall constitute a waiver of any other Event of Default and no exercise of any remedy hereunder by any party shall constitute a waiver of its right to exercise any other remedy hereunder. No modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement and no consent by any party to a departure herefrom shall be effective unless and until such shall be in writing and duty executed by both of the parties hereto. Without limitation on any of the foregoing, the failure to give a notice pursuant to Paragraph 4(a) or 4(b) hereof will not constitute a waiver of any right to do so at a later date.

 

18.

Use of Employee Plan Assets

 

  (a)

If assets of an employee benefit plan subject to any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) are intended to be used by either party hereto (the “Plan Party”) in a Transaction, the Plan Party shall so notify the other party prior to the Transaction. The Plan Party shall represent in writing to the other party that the Transaction does not constitute a prohibited transaction under ERISA or is otherwise exempt therefrom, and the other party may proceed in reliance thereon but shall not be required so to proceed.

 

  (b)

Subject to the last sentence of subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, any such Transaction shall proceed only if Seller furnishes or has furnished to Buyer its most recent available audited statement of its financial condition and its most recent subsequent unaudited statement of its financial condition.

 

  (c)

By entering into a Transaction pursuant to this Paragraph, Seller shall be deemed (i) to represent to Buyer that since the date of Seller’s latest such financial statements, there has been no material adverse change in Seller’s financial condition which Seller has not disclosed to Buyer, and (ii) to agree to provide Buyer with future audited and unaudited statements of its financial condition as they are issued, so long as it is a Seller in any outstanding Transaction involving a Plan Party.

 

19.

Intent

 

  (a)

The parties recognize that each Transaction is a “repurchase agreement” as that term is defined in Section 101 of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended (except insofar as the type of Securities subject to such Transaction or the term of such Transaction would render such definition inapplicable), and a “securities contract” as that term is defined in Section 741 of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended (except insofar as the type of assets subject to such Transaction would render such definition inapplicable).

 

  (b)

It is understood that either party’s right to liquidate Securities delivered to it in connection with Transactions hereunder or to exercise any other remedies pursuant to Paragraph 11 hereof is a contractual right to liquidate such Transaction as described in Sections 555 and 559 of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

 

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  (c)

The parties agree and acknowledge that if a party hereto is an “insured depository institution,” as such term is defined in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended (“FDIA’), then each Transaction hereunder is a “qualified financial contract;’ as that term is defined in FDIA and any rules, orders or policy statements thereunder (except insofar as the type of assets subject to such Transaction would render such definition inapplicable).

 

  (d)

It is understood that this Agreement constitutes a “netting contract” as defined in and subject to Title IV of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA’) and each payment entitlement and payment obligation under any Transaction hereunder shall constitute a “covered contractual payment entitlement” or “covered contractual payment obligation’: respectively, as defined in and subject to FDICIA (except insofar as one or both of the parties is not a “financial institution” as that term is defined in FDICIA).

 

20.

Disclosure Relating to Certain Federal Protections

The parties acknowledge that they have been advised that:

 

  (a)

in the case of Transactions in which one of the parties is a broker or dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under Section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“1934 Act”), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation has taken the position that the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 (“SIPA’) do not protect the other part with respect to any Transaction hereunder;

 

  (b)

in the case of Transactions in which one of the parties is a government securities broker or a government securities dealer registered with the SEC under Section 15C of the 1934 Act, SIPA will not provide protection to the other party with respect to any Transaction hereunder; and

 

  (c)

in the case of Transactions in which one of the parties is a financial institution, funds held by the financial institution pursuant to a Transaction hereunder are not a deposit and therefore are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, as applicable.

 

PERSHING LLC     GSO Capital Partners LP on behalf of each entity listed in Exhibit Al attached hereto, severally not jointly
By:   /s/ Gary Schetelich     By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

Title:   Director     Title:  

Authorized Signatory

Date:   February 3, 2015     Date:  

 

 

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GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC on behalf of each entity listed in Exhibit Al attached hereto, severally not jointly
By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

Title:  

Authorized Signatory

Date:  

 

 

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Annex II

Names and Addresses for Communications Between Parties

With Respect to Pershing LLC:

For all legal notices under this Agreement:

Pershing LLC

One Pershing Plaza

Jersey City, NJ 07399

Attn: CAO, Collateral Funding & Trading

Phone: 201-413-2574

E-mail: repo.desk@bnymellon.com

With Copy to:

Pershing LLC

One Pershing Plaza

Jersey City, NJ 07399

Attn: Chief Legal Officer

Phone: 201-413-3330

For operational questions or problems:

Pershing LLC

One Pershing Plaza

Jersey City, NJ 07399

Attn: Collateral Funding & Trading

Phone: 201-4134066

E-Mail: repo.desk@bnymellon.com

With Respect to each Entity Listed in Exhibit Al hereto:

c/o GSO Capital Partners LP

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10154

Attn: Legal Department

Telephone: 212-503-2100

Email: GSOLegal@Blackstone.com

With Respect to each Entity Listed in Exhibit A2 hereto:

c/o GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10154

Attn: Legal Department

Telephone: 212-503-2100

Email: GSOLegal@Blackstone.com


Annex VII

Transactions Involving Registered Investment Companies

This Annex VII (including any Schedules hereto) forms a part of the Master Repurchase Agreement dated as of January 22, 2015 (the “Agreement”) between Pershing LLC (“Counterparty”) and each investment company identified on Schedule ‘VII.A hereto (as such schedule may be amended from time to time) acting on behalf of its respective series or portfolios identified on such Schedule VII.A, or in the case of those investment companies for which no separate series or portfolios are identified on such Schedule VII.A, acting for and on behalf of itself (each such series, portfolio or investment company, as the case may be, hereinafter referred to as a “Fund”). In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Annex VII and any other term of the Agreement, the terms of this Annex VII shall prevail. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Annex VII shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

 

1.

Multiple Funds. For any Transaction in which a Fund is acting as Buyer (or Seller, as the case may be), each reference in the Agreement and this Annex VII to Buyer (or Seller, as the case may be) shall be deemed a reference solely to the particular Fund to which such Transaction relates, as identified to Seller (or Buyer, as the case may be) by the Fund and as may be specified in the Confirmation therefor. In no circumstances shall the rights, obligations or remedies of either party with respect to a particular Fund constitute a right, obligation or remedy applicable to any other Fund. Specifically, and without otherwise limiting the scope of this Paragraph: (a) the margin maintenance obligations of Buyer and Seller specified in Paragraph 4 or any other provisions of the Agreement and the single agreement provisions of Paragraph 12 of the Agreement shall be applied based solely upon Transactions entered into by a particular Fund, (b) Buyer’s and Seller’s remedies under the Agreement upon the occurrence of an Event of Default shall be determined as if each Fund had entered into a separate Agreement with Counterparty, and (c) Seller and Buyer shall have no right to set off claims related to Transactions entered into by a particular Fund against claims related to Transactions entered into by any other Fund.

 

2.

Margin Percentage. For any Transaction in which a Fund is acting as Buyer, the Buyer’s Margin Percentage shall always be equal to at least 105%, or such other percentage as the parties hereto may from time to time mutually determine; provided, that in no event shall such percentage be less than 100%. For any Transaction in which a Fund is acting as Seller, the Buyer’s Margin Percentage shall be such percentage as the parties hereto may from time to time mutually determine; provided, that in no event shall such percentage be less than 100%.

 

3.

Confirmations. Unless otherwise agreed, Counterparty shall promptly issue a Confirmation to the Fund pursuant to Paragraph 3 of the Agreement. Upon the transfer of substituted or Additional Purchased Securities by either party, Counterparty shall promptly provide notice to the Fund confirming such transfer.

 

4.

Financial Condition. Each party represents that it has delivered the following financial information to the other party to the Agreement: in the case of a party that is a registered broker-dealer, its most recent statements required to be furnished to customers by Rule 17a-5(c) under the 1934 Act; in the case of a party that is a Fund, its most recent audited or unaudited financial statements required to be furnished to its shareholders by Rule 30d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940; in the cast- of any other party, its most recent audited or unaudited statements of financial condition or other comparable information concerning its financial condition.

 

14


Each party represents that the financial statements or information so delivered fairly reflect its financial condition and, if applicable, its net capital ratio, on the date as of which such financial statements or information were prepared. Each party agrees that it will make available and deliver to the other party, promptly upon request, all such financial statements that subsequently are required to be delivered to its customers or shareholders pursuant to Rule 17a-5(c) or Rule 30d-1, as the case may be, or, in the case of a party that is neither a registered broker-dealer nor a Fund, all such financial information that subsequently becomes available to the public.

Each Fund acknowledges and agrees that it has made an independent evaluation of the creditworthiness of the other party that is required pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 or the regulations thereunder. Each Fund agrees that its agreement to enter into each Transaction hereunder shall constitute an acknowledgment and agreement that it has made such an evaluation.

 

5.

Segregation of Purchased Securities. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, any transfer of Purchased Securities to a Fund shall be effected by delivery or other transfer (in the manner agreed upon pursuant to Paragraph 7 of the Agreement) to the custodian or subcustodian designated for such Fund in Schedule VII.A hereto (“Custodian”) for credit to the Fund’s custodial account with such Custodian. If the party effecting such transfer is the Fund’s Custodian, such party shall, unless otherwise directed by the Fund, (a) transfer and maintain such Purchased Securities to and in the Fund’s custodial account with such party and (b) so indicate in a notice to the Fund.

 

15


Schedule VII.A

Supplemental Terms and Conditions of Transactions

Involving Registered Investment Companies

This Schedule VII.A forms a part of Annex VII to the Master Repurchase Agreement dated as of January 22, 2015 (the “Agreement”) between each entity listed on Exhibit A to the Agreement, severally but not jointly and Pershing LLC. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Schedule VILA shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Annex VII.

 

1.

This Agreement is entered into by or on behalf of the following Funds, and unless otherwise indicated by the appropriate Fund in connection with a Transaction, the following Custodians are designated to receive transfers of Purchased Securities on behalf of such Funds for credit to the appropriate Fund’s custodial account:

 

Name of Fund

  

Custodian

Blackstone GSO Strategic Credit Fund    The Bank of New York Mellon
Blackstone GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund    The Bank of New York Mellon

 

16


Exhibit A

Exhibit Al

Name of Funds

 

1.    GSO Aiguille des Grands Montets Fund I LP
2.    GSO Aiguille des Grands Montets Fund II LP
3.    GSO Aiguille des Grands Montets Fund III LP
4.    FS Global Credit Opportunities Fund
5.    GSO Cactus Credit Opportunities Fund LP
6.    GSO Cactus Credit Opportunities Fund (Cayman) LP
7.    GSO Oasis Credit Partners LP
8.    GSO Oasis Credit Partners (Cayman) LP
9.    GSO Special Situations Fund LP
10.    Securities Holdings Cayman LP
11.    GSO Special Situations Overseas Fund Ltd.
12.    GSO Special Situations Master Fund LP
13.    GSO Palmetto Opportunistic Investment Partners LP
14.    GSO Palmetto Opportunistic Investment Partners (Cayman) LP
15.    GSO Credit-A Partners LP
16.    GSO Credit-A Partners LP (Cayman) LP
17.    GSO Coastline Credit Partners LP
18.    GSO Coastline Credit Partners LP (Cayman) LP
19.    GSO Churchill Partners LP
20.    Steamboat Credit Opportunities Master Fund LP

Exhibit A2

Name of Funds

 

1.    Blackstone GSO Strategic Credit Fund
2.    Blackstone GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

 

17

Exhibit (k)(7)

EXECUTION COPY

ANNEX I

Supplemental Terms and Conditions

This Annex I forms a part of the Master Repurchase Agreement dated as of January 22, 2015 between the parties thereto (the “Agreement”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Annex I shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

1. Definitions. For purposes of the Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

“Prime Rate” shall mean the rate publicly announced from time to time by The Bank of New York Mellon as its prime commercial lending rate.

“Business Day” shall mean, with respect to any Transaction hereunder, a day on which regular trading may occur in the principal market for the Purchased Securities subject to such Transaction, provided that in no event shall a Saturday or Sunday be considered a Business Day.

“Margin Notice Deadline” shall mean 10:00 a.m. New York City time.

2. Absent manifest error objections by either party hereto relating to the content of Confirmations must be made within one (1) Business Day after receipt.

3. In the case of Transactions terminable upon demand, such demand shall be made no later than 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the Business Day on which such termination will be effective.

4. Each of Paragraph 4(a) and 4(b) shall be amended by adding the following sentence at the end thereof:

“The parties hereby agree, with respect to any and all Transactions hereunder, that the right of a party under this Paragraph to require the transfer of cash or Securities may be exercised only if no Event of Default, or event or circumstance which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute an Event of Default in respect of the party exercising such right, has occurred and is then continuing.”

5. Margin Maintenance. The Margin Maintenance provisions of Paragraph 4(c) of the Agreement will operate only where a Margin Deficit or Margin Excess exceeds USD 200,000.

6. The following two subparagraphs shall be added to Paragraph 9 of the Agreement:

 

  “(c)

In the case of any Transaction for which the Repurchase Date is other than the Business Day immediately following the Purchase Date and with respect to which Seller does not have any existing right to substitute substantially the same Securities for the Purchased Securities, Seller shall have the right, subject to the proviso to this sentence, upon notice to Buyer, which notice shall be given at or prior to 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on such Business Day, to substitute substantially the same Securities for any Purchased Securities; provided, however, that Buyer may elect, by the close of business on the Business Day notice is received, or by the close of the next Business Day if notice is given after 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, not to accept such substitution. In the event such substitution is accepted by Buyer, such substitution shall be made by Seller’s transfer to Buyer of such other Securities and Buyer’s transfer to Seller of such Purchased Securities, and after substitution, the substituted Securities shall be deemed to be Purchased Securities. In the event Buyer elects not to accept such substitution, Buyer shall offer Seller the right to terminate the Transaction.


  (d)

In the event Seller exercises its right to substitute or terminate under subparagraph (c), Seller shall be obligated to pay Buyer, by the close of the Business Day of such substitution or termination, as the case may be, an amount equal to (A) Buyer’s actual cost (including all fees, expenses and commissions) of (i) entering into replacement transactions; (ii) entering into or terminating hedge transactions; and/or (iii) terminating transactions or substituting securities in like transactions with third parties in connection with or as a result of such substitution or termination, and (B) to the extent Buyer determines not to enter into replacement transactions, the loss incurred by Buyer directly arising or resulting from such substitution or termination. The foregoing amounts shall be solely determined and calculated by Buyer in good faith.”

7. Paragraph 11(g)(iii) shall be deleted and replaced with the following:

(iii) provided, that under no circumstances shall the defaulting party be responsible or liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive loss, damage, cost or expense arising or resulting from the occurrence of an Event of Default in respect of a Transaction

8. Mini Close-Out. Paragraph 11 shall be further amended by adding at the end thereof the following subparagraph:

 

  “(j)

Notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii) of the introductory paragraph of Paragraph 11 of the Agreement, if a delivery failure as described in (a) or (b) below occurs, at the option of the non-defaulting party, an Event of Default shall not be deemed to occur by reason of such event unless and until the defaulting party either (x) fails to repay any Purchase Price or Repurchase Price which had been previously paid by the non-defaulting party with respect to such non-delivered Purchased Security, as the case may be, or (y) fails to fulfill any applicable Margin Deficit or Margin Excess if and when due (each as set forth below), in each case, if applicable:

(a) If Seller fails to deliver Purchased Securities to Buyer on the applicable Purchase Date, Buyer may:

(i) if it has paid the Purchase Price to Seller, require Seller immediately to repay the sum so paid; and

(ii) if there exists a Margin Deficit in respect of the relevant Transaction, require Seller to pay (in accordance with the notice and delivery requirements of Paragraph 4 of the Agreement as amended by this Annex) margin in an amount at least equal to such Margin Deficit.

Until such time as the Seller delivers the Purchased Securities, for purposes of determining the Price Differential, the Purchase Price shall be determined as if Seller had not failed to deliver such Purchased Securities (the “Purchase Date Purchase Price”). At any time after the Purchase Date, Seller may deliver to Buyer Purchased Securities having a Market Value equal to the Purchase Date Purchase Price multiplied by the Buyer’s Margin Percentage against payment by Buyer to Seller of the Purchase Date Purchase Price, in which case the Purchase Price shall be calculated as if Seller had not failed to deliver the Purchased Securities, for all purposes.

 

2


Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the Purchase Date, while such failure continues, Buyer by written notice to Seller may declare that that Transaction (but only that Transaction) shall be terminated immediately in accordance with subparagraphs (b), (d)(i) and (g)-(i) of Paragraph 11 as if references to the Repurchase Date were to the date on which notice was given under this sub-paragraph).

(b) If Buyer fails to deliver Purchased Securities to Seller on the applicable Repurchase Date, Seller may:

(i) if it has paid the Repurchase Price to Buyer, require Buyer immediately to repay the sum so paid;

(ii) if there exists a Margin Excess in respect of the relevant Transaction, require Buyer to pay (in accordance with the notice and delivery requirements of Paragraph 4 of the Agreement as amended by this Annex) margin in an amount at least equal to such Margin Excess; and

(iii) at any time while such failure continues, by written notice to Buyer declare that that Transaction (but only that Transaction) shall be terminated immediately in accordance with subparagraphs (c), (d)(ii) and (e)-(i) of Paragraph 11 as if references to the Repurchase Date were to the date on which notice was given under this sub-paragraph).”

9. Set-Off. Paragraph 11 shall further be amended by adding at the end thereof the following two subparagraphs:

 

  “(j)

Any amount payable to one party (“the Payee”) by the other party (“the Payer”) under Paragraph 11 of the Agreement (the “Early Termination Amount”) will, at the option of the non-defaulting party (and without prior notice to the defaulting party), be reduced by its set-off against any amount(s) payable (whether at such time or in the future or upon the occurrence of a contingency) by the Payee to the Payer (irrespective of the currency, place of payment or booking office of the obligation) under any other provision of this Agreement or under any other agreement(s) between the Payee and the Payer or instrument(s) or undertaking(s) issued or executed by one party to, or in favour of, the other party (such amount(s) being the “Other Amount”), and the Other Amount will be discharged promptly and in all respects to the extent it is so set-off. The non-defaulting party will give notice to the defaulting party of any set-off effected pursuant to the terms hereof. For this purpose, either the Early Termination Amount or the Other Amount (or the relevant portion of such amounts) may be converted by the non-defaulting party into the currency in which the other is denominated at the rate of exchange at which such party is able, acting in a commercially reasonable manner and in good faith, to purchase the relevant amount of such currency. If an obligation is unascertained, the non-defaulting party may in good faith estimate that obligation and set-off in respect of the estimate, subject to the relevant party accounting to the other when the obligation is ascertained. Nothing in this paragraph shall be effective to create a charge or other security interest. The provisions of this paragraph shall be without prejudice and in addition to any right of set-off, combination of accounts, lien or other right to which any party is at any time otherwise entitled (whether by operation of law, contract or otherwise).”

 

3


10. Cure Period. Paragraph 11 shall further be amended by adding the following language to the end of sub-paragraphs (i), (ii), and (iii): “and such failure continues for one (1) Business Day after notice of such failure”.

11. The following Paragraphs shall be added to the Agreement:

 

  21.

No Reliance

Buyer and Seller each hereby represents and warrants to the other that in connection with the negotiation of, the entering into, and the performance under the Agreement and each Transaction:

 

  (A)

It is not relying (for purposes of making any investment decision or otherwise) upon any advice, counsel or representations (whether written or oral) of the other party to the Agreement, other than the representations expressly set forth in the Agreement and any Confirmation delivered thereunder.

 

  (B)

It has consulted with its own legal, regulatory, tax, business, investment, financial and accounting advisors to the extent it has deemed necessary, and it has made its own investment, hedging and trading decisions (including decisions regarding the suitability of any Transaction) based upon its own judgment and upon any advice from such advisors as it has deemed necessary and not upon any view expressed by the other party to the Agreement.

 

  (C)

It is a sophisticated and informed institution that has a full understanding of all the terms, conditions and risks (economic and otherwise) of the Agreement and each Transaction and is capable of assuming and willing to assume (financially and otherwise) those risks; and

 

  (D)

It is not acting as a fiduciary or financial, investment or commodity trading advisor for the other party to the Agreement, and has not given to the other party to the Agreement (directly or indirectly through any other person) any assurance, guaranty or representation whatsoever as to the merits (whether legal, regulatory, tax, business, investment, financial, accounting or otherwise) of the Agreement or any Transaction.

 

  22.

Purchase Price Maintenance

The parties agree that in any Transaction hereunder whose term extends over an Income payment date for the Securities subject to such Transaction, Buyer shall on the date such Income is paid transfer to or credit to the account of Seller an amount equal to such Income payment or payments pursuant to Paragraph 5(i) and shall not apply the Income payment or payments to reduce the amount to be transferred to Buyer or Seller upon termination of the Transaction pursuant to Paragraph 5(ii) of the Agreement.

 

  23.

Jurisdiction; Jury Trial Waiver; Waiver of Immunity

 

  (a)

Each party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) submits to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court located in New York City, New York for the purpose of any suit, action or proceeding relating to the enforcement of any rights or obligations or any dispute arising hereunder and (ii) waives, to the fullest extent it may effectively do so, any defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court and any right of jurisdiction on account of its place or residence or domicile.

 

4


  (b)

Each party hereby irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any proceedings in connection with the Agreement.

 

  (c)

To the extent that either party has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (sovereign or otherwise) from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from jurisdiction of any court or from set off or any legal process (whether service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) with respect to itself or any of its property, such party hereby irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim such immunity in respect of any action brought to enforce its obligations under the Agreement or relating in any way to the Agreement or any Transaction under the Agreement.

 

  24.

Limited Recourse.

No recourse shall be had for any payment or delivery obligation under the Agreement, or for any claim based on the Agreement, or otherwise in respect of the Agreement, to or against any Other Party B Entity (as defined below) or any incorporator, subscriber, promoter, stockholder, partner, member, director, officer or employee, past, present or future, as such, of Party B or any Other Party B Entity or of any predecessor or successor to any of the foregoing, either directly or through Party B or any Other Party B Entity or any such predecessor or successor, under and by virtue of any constitution or statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty, or otherwise, all such liability of any Other Party B Entity or any such incorporator, subscriber, promoter, stockholder, partner, member, director, officer or employee being waived and released by Party A. As used in this paragraph, “Other Party B Entity” means (i) Party B and any Affiliate thereof, in each case, together with its successors, and (ii) any corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership or other entity, and any fund, whose investment activities are conducted based on investment advice or management services provided by any entity referred to in the foregoing clause (i); provided that in no event shall Party B be an “Other Party B Entity”.

 

5


PERSHING LLC     GSO Capital Partners LP, on behalf of each entity listed in Exhibit A1 attached hereto, severally but not jointly
By:   /s/ Gary Schetelich     By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

Title:   February 3, 2015     Title:  

Authorized Signatory

    GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, on behalf of each entity listed in Exhibit A2 attached hereto, severally but not jointly
      By:  

/s/ Marisa J. Beeney

      Title:  

Authorized Signatory

 

6

Exhibit (k)(8)

EXECUTION VERSION

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of July 25, 2019

between

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

and

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

 

 

Prepared by:

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

1290 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10104 3300


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

             Page  
ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS      1  
 

Section 1.1

 

Defined Terms

     1  
 

Section 1.2

 

Terms Generally

     20  
 

Section 1.3

 

Accounting Terms

     20  
 

Section 1.4

 

Non-Recourse Persons

     21  
ARTICLE 2. THE CREDITS      21  
 

Section 2.1

 

Commitments

     21  
 

Section 2.2

 

Loans

     21  
 

Section 2.3

 

Termination, Reduction and Extension of Commitment

     23  
 

Section 2.4

 

Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

     24  
 

Section 2.5

 

Voluntary Prepayments

     25  
 

Section 2.6

 

Payments Generally

     25  
ARTICLE 3. INTEREST, FEES, YIELD PROTECTION, ETC.      25  
 

Section 3.1

 

Interest

     25  
 

Section 3.2

 

Fees

     26  
 

Section 3.3

 

Increased Costs

     26  
 

Section 3.4

 

Taxes

     27  
 

Section 3.5

 

Alternate Rate of Interest

     29  
 

Section 3.6

 

Other LIBOR Provisions

     30  
 

Section 3.7

 

Break Funding Payments

     30  
ARTICLE 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      31  
 

Section 4.1

 

Organization and Power

     31  
 

Section 4.2

 

Authority and Execution

     31  
 

Section 4.3

 

Binding Agreement

     31  
 

Section 4.4

 

Litigation

     31  
 

Section 4.5

 

Approvals and Consents

     32  
 

Section 4.6

 

No Conflict

     32  
 

Section 4.7

 

Taxes

     32  
 

Section 4.8

 

Compliance

     33  
 

Section 4.9

 

Property

     33  
 

Section 4.10

 

Federal Reserve Regulations; Use of Loan Proceeds

     33  
 

Section 4.11

 

No Material Adverse Effect

     33  
 

Section 4.12

 

Material Agreements

     33  
 

Section 4.13

 

Financial Condition

     33  
 

Section 4.14

 

No Misrepresentation

     33  
 

Section 4.15

 

Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption

     34  
 

Section 4.16

 

Investment Company Status

     34  
 

Section 4.17

 

ERISA

     35  

 

(i)


ARTICLE 5. CONDITIONS      35  
 

Section 5.1

 

Effective Date

     35  
 

Section 5.2

 

Each Credit Event

     36  
ARTICLE 6. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS      37  
 

Section 6.1

 

Financial Statements and Other Information

     37  
 

Section 6.2

 

Notice of Material Events

     38  
 

Section 6.3

 

Legal Existence

     38  
 

Section 6.4

 

Insurance

     38  
 

Section 6.5

 

Payment of Indebtedness and Performance of Obligations

     39  
 

Section 6.6

 

Observance of Legal Requirements

     39  
 

Section 6.7

 

Books and Records; Visitation

     39  
 

Section 6.8

 

Purpose of Loans

     39  
 

Section 6.9

 

Maintenance of Status

     40  
ARTICLE 7. NEGATIVE COVENANTS      40  
 

Section 7.1

 

Indebtedness; Senior Securities

     40  
 

Section 7.2

 

Liens

     41  
 

Section 7.3

 

Fundamental Changes

     41  
 

Section 7.4

 

Restricted Payments

     41  
 

Section 7.5

 

Fundamental Policies; Valuation

     42  
 

Section 7.6

 

Amendments and Changes

     42  
 

Section 7.7

 

Financial Covenants

     42  
 

Section 7.8

 

Investment

     42  
 

Section 7.9

 

Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption

     43  
ARTICLE 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT      43  
 

Section 8.1

 

Events of Default

     43  
 

Section 8.2

 

Remedies

     46  
ARTICLE 9. MISCELLANEOUS      46  
 

Section 9.1

 

Notices

     46  
 

Section 9.2

 

Waivers; Amendments

     47  
 

Section 9.3

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     47  
 

Section 9.4

 

Successors and Assigns

     48  
 

Section 9.5

 

Survival

     49  
 

Section 9.6

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

     49  
 

Section 9.7

 

Severability

     49  
 

Section 9.8

 

Right of Setoff

     49  
 

Section 9.9

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     50  
 

Section 9.10

  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      50  
 

Section 9.11

 

Headings

     51  
 

Section 9.12

 

Interest Rate Limitation

     51  
 

Section 9.13

 

Treatment of Certain Information

     51  
 

Section 9.14

 

USA Patriot Act Notice

     52  
 

Section 9.15

 

Amendment and Restatement; No Novation

     52  

 

(ii)


EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Written Borrowing Request
Exhibit C    Form of Closing Certificate
Exhibit D    Form of Federal Reserve Form FR U-1
Exhibit E    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit F    Form of Borrowing Base Report

 

(iii)


SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of July 25, 2019, between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust, and The Bank of Nova Scotia.

WHEREAS, reference is made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 20, 2018 (the “Existing Effective Date”), between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust, and The Bank of Nova Scotia (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time to but excluding the Existing Effective Date, the “Existing Credit Agreement”);

WHEREAS, on the Effective Date (as hereinafter defined), the outstanding principal balance of the Loans is $110,500,000 (the “Effective Date Loan Balance”); and

WHEREAS, the Borrower and the Bank (in each case under and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) wish to amend, restate, replace and supersede, in its entirety, without a breach in continuity and without constituting a novation, the Existing Credit Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in furtherance of the foregoing, and in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements of the parties which are set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree, subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions set forth herein, that the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE 1.

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1    Defined Terms

As used in this Credit Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABR Loan” means a Loan (or any portion thereof) bearing interest based on the Alternate Base Rate.

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any LIBOR Loan for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

Adverse Claim” means any Lien in favor of any Person other than, in the case of the Borrower, Liens permitted under Section 7.2 (other than Section 7.2(f)).

Affected Loan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5(a).

Affected Person” means the Borrower or any officer, director, trustee or employee of the Borrower, or any agent of the Borrower that will act in any capacity with respect to this Agreement.

Affiliate” of a Person means (a) any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling, or holding with power to vote, greater than 50% of the outstanding voting securities


of such Person, (b) any other Person greater than 50% of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, by such Person, or (c) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such other Person. For purposes of this defined term, “control” means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, and “controlling” and “controlled” shall have correlative meanings.

Aggregate Loan Balance” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of the Tranche A Loan Balance and the Tranche B Loan Balance.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (i) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (ii) 1.00% plus the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day, and (iii) 1.00% plus the Overnight Eurodollar Rate in effect on such day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, or the Overnight Eurodollar Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, or the Overnight Eurodollar Rate.

Anti-Corruption Law” means, with respect to any Affected Person, the FCPA and any law, rule or regulation of any jurisdiction concerning or relating to bribery or corruption that are applicable to such Affected Person.

Anti-Terrorism Law” means, with respect to any Person, any applicable law, rule or regulation related to financing terrorism including (a) the Patriot Act, (b) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, (31 U.S.C. §§ 5311-5330) (also known as the “Bank Secrecy Act”), (c) the Trading With the Enemy Act, (50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), (d) Executive Order 13224 (effective September 24, 2001), and (e) the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, (15 U.S.C. § 1701 et seq.).

Applicable Accounting Principles” means, with respect to the Borrower, those accounting principles required by the ICA and prescribed by the SEC for the Borrower and, to the extent not so required or prescribed, GAAP.

Applicable Margin” means, as applicable:

(a)    prior to the Effective Date, as to all Loans, the rate per annum specified from time to time in the Existing Credit Agreement as the interest rate spread;

(b)    on and after the Effective Date:

(i)     in the case of Tranche A Loans, 0.85%; and

(ii)     in the case of Tranche B Loans consisting of (x) Short Term LIBOR Loans, 1.15%, or (y) Long Term LIBOR Loans, 1.00%.

Applicable Maturity Date” means, in the case of (i) the Tranche A Loans, the Tranche A Maturity Date, and (ii) the Tranche B Loans, the Tranche B Maturity Date.

Applicable Money Market” means any money market applicable to LIBOR Loans.

 

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Applicable Rate” means, with respect to each (a) LIBOR Loan, the Adjusted LIBO Rate plus the Applicable Margin, and (b) ABR Loan, the Alternate Base Rate.

Approved Amount” means (a) in connection with any borrowing, conversion, continuation or prepayment of a LIBOR Loan, $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof, or (b) in connection with any borrowing or prepayment of any other Loan, $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof.

Asset-backed Security” means a type of bond or note that is based on one or more pools of assets, or collateralized by the cash flows from one or more pools of underlying assets, and includes collateralized bond obligations, collateralized loan obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, and credit linked notes.

Bank” means The Bank of Nova Scotia.

Bank Loan” means a debt obligation, other than a Security or a participation in such debt obligation, customarily referred to by investors as a “bank loan”.

Bank Loan Participation” means a participation interest in a Bank Loan.

Basel III” means, collectively, those certain agreements on capital and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: A Global Regulatory Framework for More Resilient Banks and Banking Systems,” “Basel III: International Framework for Liquidity Risk Measurement, Standards and Monitoring,” and “Guidance for National Authorities Operating the Countercyclical Capital Buffer,” each as published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in December 2010 (as revised from time to time), and “Basel III: The Liquidity Coverage Ratio and Liquidity Risk Monitoring Tools,” as published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in January 2013 (as revised from time to time), and, in each case, as implemented by the Bank’s primary United States bank regulatory authority.

Board” means the Borrower’s board of trustees.

Board of Governors” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Borrower” means Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust.

Borrowing Base” means, at the relevant time of reference thereto, an amount equal to the sum of the following items to the extent that (a) they are unrestricted as to sale (Rule 144A Securities that are freely traded among “qualified Institutional buyers” (within the meaning of Rule 144A) shall not be deemed to be restricted as to sale solely as a result of the restrictions and other limitations on transfer and offers to transfer contained in the Securities Act), (b) they are free and clear of any Adverse Claim, (c) the Bank has a first priority (subject to Permitted Charges (as defined in the Security Agreement)) perfected security interest pursuant to

 

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the Security Documents, (d) they are permitted to be purchased and held by the Borrower in accordance with the ICA, the Prospectus and the Fundamental Policies, and (e) they are classified as “assets” on the balance sheet of the Borrower in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles:

 

  (i)

100% of the aggregate Value of all Cash Equivalents;

 

  (ii)

95% of the aggregate Value of all U.S. Government Securities other than Cash Equivalents;

 

  (iii)

90% of the aggregate Value of all Eligible Commercial Paper;

 

  (iv)

75% of the aggregate Value of all Class A1 Loans, Class A2 Loans, and Tier 1 Bonds;

 

  (v)

60% of the aggregate Value of all Class B1 Loans, Class B2 Loans, and Tier 2 Bonds;

 

  (vi)

50% of the aggregate Value of all Eligible Equity Securities and all Tier 3 Bonds; and

 

  (vii)

20% of the aggregate Value of all Tier 4 Bonds;

provided, however, that

(1) if, but for this clause (1), in excess of 7.5% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to any single Issuer, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(2) if, but for this clause (2), in excess of 5.0% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to any single Issuer (excluding up to three (3) separate Issuers), the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(3) if, but for this clause (3), in excess of 25% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to any single industry using the Bloomberg industry group classifications set forth on Bloomberg page “Bloomberg Industry Group Classification Systems,” the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(4) if, but for this clause (4), in excess of 20% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to any single industry using the Bloomberg industry group classifications set forth on Bloomberg page “Bloomberg Industry Group Classification Systems” (excluding up to two (2) such separate industries), the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(5) if, but for this clause (5), in excess of 20% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to one or more Issuers that are not U.S. Issuers, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(6) if, but for this clause (6), in excess of 20% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to one or more investments denominated or otherwise priced in any currency other than Dollars, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

 

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(7) if, but for this clause (7), in excess of 10% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to Class A1 Loans and Class B1 Loans that, in either case, are unrated by both S&P and Moody’s, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(8) if, but for this clause (8), in excess of 25% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to Class A1 Loans and Class B1 Loans that, in either case are rated CCC+ or lower by S&P or Caa1 or lower by Moody’s, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(9) if, but for this clause (9), in excess of 20% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to Class A2 Loans and Class B2 Loans, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base;

(10) if, but for this clause (10), in excess of 5% of the Borrowing Base would be attributable to Tier 4 Bonds, the amount of such excess shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base; and

(11) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this defined term, the Value of all investments in the sovereign debt of each Restricted Nation (and each political subdivision thereof) shall not be included in the calculation of the Borrowing Base.

Borrowing Base Report” means a Borrowing Base Report of the Borrower signed by an authorized signatory thereof and in substantially the form of Exhibit F attached hereto.

Borrowing Request” means a request in accordance with Section 2.2 for a Loan or a conversion or continuation of a Loan and, if required in writing, in the form of Exhibit B.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed, provided that, when used in connection with a LIBOR Loan or the determination of the Overnight Eurodollar Rate, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

Cash Equivalents” means, as of any date, (a) U.S. Government Securities maturing within 180 days from such date, (b) demand deposits in the Custody Account (as defined in the Security Agreement), (c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from such date issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any Eligible Bank, and (d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a) of this definition and entered into with an Eligible Bank.

Change in Circumstance” means any Change in Law that shall (a) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, the Bank or (b) impose on the Bank or any Applicable Money Market any other condition affecting this Credit Agreement or any Loan.

 

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Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date hereof, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date hereof or (c) compliance by the Bank (or, for purposes of Section 3.3(b), by any lending office of the Bank or by the Bank’s holding company) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date hereof; provided that for purposes of this Credit Agreement, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, all requests, rules, guidelines or directives in connection therewith and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives concerning capital adequacy promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States financial regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall be deemed to have been adopted and become effective after the date hereof.

Class A1 Loan” means, at any time, (a) an Eligible Bank Loan that (i) is a first lien loan, and (ii) has a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 90% of the par value thereof, or (b) an Eligible Bank Loan Participation in any Eligible Bank Loan that meets all of the criteria in clause (a) immediately above.

Class A2 Loan” means, at any time, (a) an Eligible Bank Loan that (i) is unsecured, (ii) has a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 90% of the par value thereof, and (iii) is Rated BBB- or better by S&P or Baa3 or better by Moody’s, or (b) an Eligible Bank Loan Participation in any Eligible Bank Loan that meets all of the criteria in clause (a) immediately above.

Class B1 Loan” means, at any time, (a) an Eligible Bank Loan (other than a Class A1 Loan) that (i) is a first lien loan, and (ii) has a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 60% of the par value thereof, or (b) an Eligible Bank Loan Participation in any Eligible Bank Loan that meets all of the criteria in clause (a) immediately above.

Class B2 Loan” means, at any time, (a) an Eligible Bank Loan (other than a Class A2 Loan) that (i) is unsecured, (ii) has a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 60% of the par value thereof, and (iii) is Rated BBB- or better by S&P or Baa3 or better by Moody’s, or (b) an Eligible Bank Loan Participation in any Eligible Bank Loan that meets all of the criteria in clause (a) immediately above.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Commitments” means, collectively, the Tranche A Commitment and the Tranche B Commitment.

Control Agreement” means the Collateral Account Control Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2014, among the Borrower, the Bank and The Bank of New York Mellon.

 

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Convertible Security” means any debt security issued by a Person that is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, into common equity of such Person or any other Person.

Credit Agreement” means this Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

Custodian” means The Bank of New York Mellon, in its capacity as custodian under the Custody Agreement.

Custody Agreement” means the Custody Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2014, by and between the Borrower and The Bank of New York Mellon, in its capacity as custodian thereunder.

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

Effective Date Loan Balance” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Credit Agreement.

Eligible Bank” means, as of any date, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $25 billion.

Eligible Bank Loan” means, as of any date, a Bank Loan (a) with an initial tranche size of at least $250,000,000 or the Dollar equivalent, (b) with a remaining maturity of eight years or less, (c) other than a loan to a debtor-in-possession, (d) that does not contain any PIK interest or PIK interest option, (e) that is either (i) a first lien loan or (ii) an unsecured loan Rated BBB- or higher by S&P or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s, (f) that is not in default (i) with respect to any payment of principal or interest, or (ii) for any other default, for over sixty (60) days, (g) having a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 60% of the par value thereof, (h) that is a floating rate loan, and (i) in respect of which the Borrower’s interest is not in excess of 20% of the tranche thereof of which it is a part.

Eligible Bank Loan Participation” means, as of any date, a Bank Loan Participation (a) in an Eligible Bank Loan, (b) that is not a sub-participation, and (c) with respect to which the counterparty thereto is an Eligible Bank.

Eligible Bond” means, as of any date, an Eligible Security (a) that is a debt obligation, (b) that was part of an initial issuance of at least $250,000,000 or the Dollar equivalent, (c) with a remaining maturity of ten years or less, (d) that was not issued by a debtor-in-possession, (d) that does not contain any PIK interest or PIK interest option, (e) that is not in default (i) with respect to any payment of principal or interest, or (ii) for any other default, for over sixty (60) days, and (f) having a market value, as determined by at least one Pricing Service, of at least 60% of the par value thereof.

 

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Eligible Commercial Paper” means a note (a) other than (i) an Asset-backed Security, (ii) a note issued in connection with a Bank Loan or a Bank Loan Participation, or (iii) a Convertible Security, (b) issued by a U.S. Issuer, (c) having a maturity of 270 days or less, and (d) Rated A2 or better by S&P or P2 or better by Moody’s.

Eligible Equity Security” means, as of any date, an Eligible Security (a) that is not an Eligible Bond, (b) that is a common or preferred equity security, (c) listed on a nationally-recognized securities exchange, (d) the issuer of which has a market capitalization of not less than $250,000,000, and (e) that has a minimum share price of at least $1.00 or the Dollar equivalent thereof.

Eligible Security” means a Security other than (a) an Asset-backed Security, (b) a Bank Loan, (c) a Bank Loan Participation, or (d) a Convertible Security.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or any successor statute.

ERISA Group” means, with respect to any Person, such Person and all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together with such Person, are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.1.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document, (a) income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income and branch profits Taxes, in each case, imposed (i) by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of the Bank, in which its applicable lending office is located, or (ii) as a result of a present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such recipient’s having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document), (b) U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of the Bank (or any of its successors or assigns) with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such recipient acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment or (ii) such recipient changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.4, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such recipient’s assignor immediately before such recipient acquired the applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or to such recipient immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) any U.S. federal backup withholding Tax and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Credit Agreement.

Existing Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Credit Agreement.

 

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FATCA” means Section 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Credit Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the higher of (a) 0.00% and (b) a rate per annum (expressed as a decimal, rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that (a) if the day for which such rate is to be determined is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the Business Day succeeding such next preceding Business Day, and (b) if such rate is not so published for any day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day shall be the average of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Bank.

Federal Reserve Form” means a Form FR U-1 duly completed by the Bank and executed by the Borrower, the statements made in which shall, in the reasonable opinion of the Bank, permit the transactions contemplated hereby in compliance with Regulation U, together with all documents attached thereto.

Financial Contract Liabilities” means, as of any date, the market value of the liabilities of the Borrower in respect of all Financial Contracts determined on a mark-to-market basis.

Financial Contracts” means (a) any rate, basis, commodity, currency, debt, equity or other swap or swaption, (b) any put, cap, collar or floor agreement, (c) any rate, basis, commodity, currency, debt, equity or other futures or forward agreement, (d) any rate, basis, commodity, currency, debt, equity or other option, (e) any derivative, (f) any financial instrument whose value is derived from the value of something else, (g) any contract under which the parties agree to payments between or among them based upon the value of an underlying asset or other data at a particular point or points in time, (h) any “swap agreement” within the meaning of Section 101(53B) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, (i) any foreign currency contract, repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase agreement, dollar roll, credit-linked note, indexed security, collateralized debt obligation, firm or standby commitment agreement, securities lending agreement, or when-issued contract, (j) any other arrangement similar to any of the foregoing, and (k) any other obligations that would be, but for the segregation of assets, Senior Securities Representing Indebtedness.

Foreign Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(g).

Fundamental Policies” means, collectively, (i) the policies and objectives for, and limits and restrictions on, investing by the Borrower set forth in its Prospectus as in effect on the Existing Effective Date and which may be changed only by a vote of a majority of the Borrower’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the ICA), and (ii) all policies limiting the incurrence of Indebtedness by the Borrower set forth in its Prospectus as in effect on the Existing Effective Date.

 

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GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, arbitrator, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation, provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guaranteed” has a meaning correlative thereto.

ICA” means the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by or otherwise in respect of bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of investments, property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (i) all Financial Contract Liabilities of such Person, (j) all obligations of such Person in respect of Senior Securities Representing Indebtedness, and (k) all Guarantees by such Person of any of the foregoing. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

- 10 -


Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.3(b).

Indirect Fund” means an investment company (the “acquiring company”) that beneficially owns (a) in excess of 3.0% of the voting stock of any other investment company (other than a money market fund), (b) one or more securities, issued by another investment company (other than a money market fund), the aggregate value of which exceed 5.0% of the total assets of the acquiring company, or (c) one or more securities, issued by other investment companies (other than money market funds), the aggregate value of which exceed 10.0% of the total assets of the acquiring company.

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to each ABR Loan, the last Business Day of each calendar quarter, (b) with respect to each LIBOR Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such LIBOR Loan and, in the case of a LIBOR Loan with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, (c) with respect to all Tranche A Loans, the Tranche A Maturity Date, and (d) with respect to all Tranche B Loans, the Tranche B Maturity Date.

Interest Period” means, with respect to any LIBOR Loan, the period commencing on the date of the making of such LIBOR Loan (or the last date upon which any other Loan was converted to, or continued as, such LIBOR Loan) and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one (1), three (3), six (6) or nine (9) months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect, or such other period as the Bank may agree in its sole and absolute discretion, provided that, (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, and (b) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.

Investment” means, with respect to any Person, any direct or indirect portfolio investment by such Person in, or portfolio exposure (including through Financial Contracts) of such Person to (a) currencies, commodities, loans or securities, or any indexes on currencies, commodities, loans, securities, interest rates, or indexes, (b) any Financial Contract, or (c) any other medium for investment.

Investment Adviser” means, with respect to the Borrower, the investment adviser or investment manager therefor.

Issuer” means, with respect to any investment, (a) in the event such investment is a Security or commercial paper, the issuer thereof, (b) in the event such investment is a Bank Loan, the borrower thereunder, and (c) in the event such investment is a Bank Loan Participation, both the counterparty thereto and the borrower under the Bank Loan subject to such Bank Loan Participation.

 

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Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest Applicable Maturity Date at such time, in each case as extended in accordance with this Credit Agreement from time to time.

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any LIBOR Loan for any Interest Period, the higher of (a) (i) 0.0% or (ii) the Screen Rate, provided that in the absence of the availability of the Screen Rate, the “LIBO Rate” shall be determined by reference to the rate at which Dollar deposits of $1,000,000 in immediately available funds for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal office of the Bank to leading banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, provided further that in the event the principal office of the Bank is not making such offers, “LIBO Rate” shall mean such other rate reflecting the Bank’s cost of funds as determined by the Bank using any reasonable or prevailing method.

LIBOR Loan” means a Loan (or any portion thereof) bearing interest based on the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Lien” means, with respect to (a) any asset, (i) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, and (ii) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement relating to such asset, and (b) any securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party.

Loan” means a Tranche A Loan or a Tranche B Loan and “Loans” means, collectively, the Tranche A Loans and the Tranche B Loans.

Loan Documents” means this Credit Agreement, the Security Documents, the Note and all other agreements, and other documents evidencing or securing the Loans that are required to be executed and delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Credit Agreement or the Security Documents, together with all amendments, supplements or other modifications thereto.

Long Term LIBOR Loan” means a LIBOR Loan with an Interest Period of three (3), six (6) or nine (9) months.

Margin Stock” has the meaning assigned to such term in Regulation U.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the property, assets, income or financial condition of the Borrower, (b) the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its monetary or other material obligations under any Loan Document or (c) the rights of, or benefits available to, the Bank under any Loan Document.

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Borrower (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents) in an aggregate principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount.

 

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Maximum Borrowing Value” means, at any time with respect to the Borrower’s assets constituting (a) Margin Stock, the “current market value” (within the meaning of Regulation U) thereof at such time, and (b) Non-Margin Assets, the “good faith loan value” (within the meaning of Regulation U) thereof at such time.

Measurement Date” means (a) except as otherwise provided in clause (b) below, the date of the most recent audited financial statements of the Borrower which were delivered to the Bank prior to the date of this Credit Agreement, or (b) in the event that the Scheduled Commitment Termination Date shall have been extended pursuant to Section 2.3(d) or otherwise, the date of the most recent annual audited financial statements of the Borrower which were delivered to the Bank as of the date the Scheduled Commitment Termination Date was most recently so extended.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Multiemployer Plan” means at any time an employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA that is subject to ERISA and to which any member of an ERISA Group is then making or accruing an obligation to make contributions.

Net Asset Value” means, at any time of determination, an amount equal to Total Net Assets minus Senior Debt.

Non-Margin Assets” means assets of the Borrower which do not constitute Margin Stock, provided, that, for purposes of this definition, “Non-Margin Assets” shall not include “puts, calls or combinations thereof” within the meaning of Regulation U.

Non-Recourse Person” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.4.

Note” means the promissory note, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, payable to the Bank and dated the Effective Date, including all replacements thereof and substitutions therefor.

Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Ordinary Liabilities” means, with respect to the Borrower as of any date, “all liabilities and indebtedness” (within the meaning of the first sentence of Section 18(h) of the ICA) of the Borrower other than (i) Senior Debt and (ii) the liquidation preference of preferred securities.

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, its certificate of incorporation or charter, and by-laws, (b) with respect to any partnership, its partnership agreement, (c) with respect to any limited liability company, its certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement, (d) with respect to any business trust or statutory trust, its certificate of trust, if any, and declaration of trust, and (e) with respect to any other Person, the counterpart documents thereof.

 

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Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, other than excise taxes or charges or levies arising from the use of Plan Assets to fund all or any portion of any Loan.

Overnight Eurodollar Rate” means, with respect to any ABR Loan as of any date, the higher of (a) 0.0%, and (b) the Screen Rate, provided that in the absence of the availability of the Screen Rate, the “Overnight Eurodollar Rate” shall be determined by reference to the rate at which one Business Day Dollar deposits of $1,000,000 in immediately available funds are offered by the principal office of the Bank to leading banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day), provided further that in the event the principal office of the Bank is not making such offers, “Overnight Eurodollar Rate” shall mean such other rate reflecting the Bank’s cost of funds as reasonably determined by the Bank using any reasonable or prevailing method.

Patriot Act” means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).

Permitted Investments” means all Investments of the Borrower, in each case (a) to the extent that the Borrower has the power and authority under its Organization Documents to invest therein, and (b) to the extent the investment therein, ownership thereof, or exposure thereto, by the Borrower is not prohibited by the Prospectus.

Permitted Liens” means Liens permitted by Section 7.2.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

PIK” means payable-in-kind.

Plan” means at any time an employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) which is covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code and is maintained, or contributed to, by any member of an ERISA Group for employees of any member of an ERISA Group.

Plan Assets” means the assets of any “benefit plan investor” within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Preferred Asset Coverage” means, as of any date, the ratio on such date of (a) Total Net Assets to (b) the greater of (i) the Senior Securities of the Borrower, and (ii) one Dollar ($1).

Preferred Stock” means Senior Securities (other than Senior Securities Representing Indebtedness) issued by the Borrower.

 

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Pricing Service” means Thompson Reuters LPC, Bloomberg L.P., ICE Data Services or IHS Markit Ltd.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Bank as its prime commercial lending rate; each change in the Prime Rate being effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective. The Prime Rate is not intended to be the lowest rate of interest charged by the Bank in connection with extensions of credit to borrowers.

Prospectus” means the Borrower’s prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated January 26, 2011 and filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act, as in effect on the Effective Date.

Rated” means, with respect to any investment that is required to have a rating by S&P or Moody’s for purposes of determining the Borrowing Base or other eligibility hereunder, that such investment has the rating required, provided that in the event any such investment is rated by both S&P and Moody’s and such ratings are split, then for purposes of the Borrowing Base such investment shall be deemed to be rated (a) in the event the split is by one level, at the higher rating, or (b) in the event the split is by more than one level, at one level below the higher rating.

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.4(d).

Regulated Investment Company” has the meaning set forth in Section 851 of the Code.

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation T” means Regulation T of the Board of Governors as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board of Governors as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Board of Governors as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Requirements of Law” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(g)

Restricted Nation” means Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution by the Borrower (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any shares, units or other equity interests issued by the Borrower, and (b) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, by the Borrower on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such shares, units or other equity interests.

 

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Rule 144A” means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A Securities” means Securities issued in reliance on Rule 144A.

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a business unit of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global, Inc., and any successor thereto.

Sanctioned Jurisdiction” means, at any time, a country, region or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject or target of comprehensive country-based or region-based (not individual- or entity-based) Sanctions, which, on the date hereof, are, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea and Syria.

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, any Person that is the subject or target of any Sanction.

Sanctions” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(a).

Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date” means July 23, 2020, or such later date to which the Scheduled Commitment Termination Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.3(d).

Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date” means July 25, 2021, or such later date to which the Scheduled Commitment Termination Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.3(d).

Screen Rate” means with respect to:

(a)    any LIBOR Loan for any Interest Period, the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited LIBOR Rate (or such successor thereto if the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited is no longer making such a rate available) appearing on the applicable Bloomberg screen (or other commercially available source as reasonably designated by the Bank from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to Dollar deposits in the London interbank market) displaying interest rates for U.S. Dollar deposits in the London interbank market (or on any successor or substitute page on such screen) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for U.S. Dollar deposits in the London interbank market with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period, provided that in the event such rate does not appear on such screen (or on any successor or substitute page on such screen or otherwise on such screen), the “Screen Rate” with respect to such LIBOR Loan during such Interest Period shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying interest rates applicable to U.S. Dollar deposits in the London interbank market as may be selected by the Bank; and

(b)    with respect to any ABR Loan to the extent based on the Overnight Eurodollar Rate as of any date, the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited LIBOR Rate (or such

 

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successor thereto if the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited is no longer making such a rate available) appearing on the applicable Bloomberg screen (or other commercially available source as reasonably designated by the Bank from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to Dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on such date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) as the rate for one Business Day Dollar deposits in the London interbank market, provided that in the event such rate does not appear on such screen (or on any successor or substitute page on such screen or otherwise on such screen), the “Overnight Eurodollar Rate” shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying overnight interest rates applicable to Dollar deposits in the London interbank market as may be selected by the Bank.

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and/or any other Governmental Authority succeeding to the functions thereof with respect to the ICA and the Securities Act.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

Security” means a “security” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

Security Agreement” means the Security Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2014, by and between the Borrower and the Bank.

Security Documents” means the Security Agreement, the Control Agreement and each other document hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower to the Bank granting or perfecting a lien on any property of the Borrower to secure the obligations and liabilities of the Borrower under any Loan Document.

Senior Debt” means, as of any date, the aggregate amount of Senior Securities Representing Indebtedness of the Borrower.

Senior Debt Asset Coverage” means, as of any date, the ratio on such date of (a) Total Net Assets to (b) the greater of (i) Senior Debt, and (ii) one Dollar ($1).

Senior Security” has the meaning set forth in the first sentence of Section 18(g) of the ICA and related SEC guidance.

Senior Security Representing Indebtedness” has the meaning set forth in the first sentence of Section 18(g) of the ICA and related SEC guidance.

Short Term LIBOR Loan” means a LIBOR Loan with an Interest Period of one (1) month.

Status” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.16.

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental

 

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reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board of Governors to which the Bank is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. LIBOR Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to the Bank under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the applicable Borrower; provided that “Subsidiary” shall not include any portfolio company of a Borrower.

Taxes” means any and all current or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

Threshold Amount” means the lesser of (a) 1.0% of the aggregate Net Asset Value of the Borrower, and (b) $5,000,000.

Tier 1 Bond” means, at any time, an Eligible Bond Rated at least BBB- or better by S&P or Baa3 or better by Moody’s.

Tier 2 Bond” means, at any time, an Eligible Bond (other than a Tier 1 Bond) Rated at least BB- or better by S&P or Ba3 or better by Moody’s.

Tier 3 Bond” means, at any time, an Eligible Bond (other than a Tier 1 Bond or a Tier 2 Bond) Rated at least B- or better by S&P or B3 or better by Moody’s.

Tier 4 Bond” means, at any time, an Eligible Bond (other than a Tier 1 Bond or a Tier 2 Bond) Rated at least CCC+ or better by S&P or Caa1 or better by Moody’s.

Total Net Assets” means, as of any date, (a) the “value of the total assets” (within the meaning of the first sentence of Section 18(h) of the ICA) of the Borrower less (b) the Ordinary Liabilities of the Borrower.

Tranche A Commitment” means the commitment of the Bank hereunder to make Tranche A Loans to the Borrower in an aggregate amount not exceeding $41,000,000 at any one time outstanding, as such commitment may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.3.

Tranche A Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any date, a rate per annum equal to (a) during the period to but excluding the Effective Date, the rate per annum set forth from time to time in the Existing Credit Agreement at which the commitment fee payable thereunder accrued, and (b) at all other times (i) in the event that the Tranche A Loan Balance equals or exceeds 75% of the Tranche A Commitment, 0.15%, and (ii) in all other events, 0.25%.

 

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Tranche A Commitment Termination Date” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date or (b) such earlier date on which the Bank’s obligations to make Tranche A Loans shall have otherwise terminated or been terminated in accordance herewith.

Tranche A Loan” means a loan made pursuant to Section 2.1(a).

Tranche A Loan Balance” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Tranche A Loans.

Tranche A Maturity Date” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date, and (b) the date on which the outstanding principal balance of the Tranche A Loans shall become due and payable in accordance herewith.

Tranche B Commitment” means the commitment of the Bank hereunder to make Tranche B Loans to the Borrower in an aggregate amount not exceeding $81,000,000 at any one time outstanding, as such commitment may be reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.3.

Tranche B Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any date, a rate per annum equal to (a) during the period to but excluding the Effective Date, the rate per annum set forth from time to time in the Existing Credit Agreement at which the commitment fee payable thereunder accrued, and (b) at all other times (i) in the event that the Tranche B Loan Balance equals or exceeds 75% of the Tranche B Commitment, 0.15%, and (ii) in all other events, 0.25%.

Tranche B Commitment Termination Date” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date or (b) such earlier date on which the Bank’s obligations to make Tranche B Loans shall have otherwise terminated or been terminated in accordance herewith.

Tranche B Loan” means a loan made pursuant to Section 2.1(b).

Tranche B Loan Balance” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Tranche B Loans.

Tranche B Maturity Date” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date, and (b) the date on which the outstanding principal balance of the Tranche B Loans shall become due and payable in accordance herewith.

Transactions” means the (a) execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which it is a party, (b) borrowing of the Loans and (c) use of the proceeds of the Loans.

U.S. Government Security” means any debt obligation, other than an Asset-backed Security, with respect to which the timely repayment of the principal thereof, and interest thereon, is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America.

 

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U.S. Issuer” means an Issuer formed under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof.

Value” means, as of any day of determination in respect of any Investment of the Borrower, the value of such Investment computed in the manner such value is required to be computed by the Borrower in accordance with the Borrower’s internal policies and applicable law (including the ICA).

Section 1.2    Terms Generally

The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any law, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring to such law, rule or regulation as from time to time amended and any successor thereto and in the case of such law, the rules and regulations promulgated from time to time thereunder, (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (d) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Credit Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, and (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Credit Agreement.

Section 1.3    Accounting Terms

As used in the Loan Documents and in any certificate, opinion or other document made or delivered pursuant thereto, accounting terms not defined in Section 1.1, and accounting terms partly defined in Section 1.1, to the extent not defined, shall have the respective meanings given to them under Applicable Accounting Principles. If at any time any change in Applicable Accounting Principles would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in this Credit Agreement and (a) the Borrower notifies the Bank that the Borrower objects to determining compliance with such financial ratio or requirement on the basis of Applicable Accounting Principles in effect immediately after such change becomes effective or (b) the Bank so objects, then the Borrower’s compliance with such ratio or requirement shall be determined on the basis of Applicable Accounting Principles in effect immediately before such change becomes effective, until either such notice is withdrawn by the Borrower or the Bank, as the case may be, or the Borrower and the Bank otherwise agree. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the computation of financial ratios and requirements set forth in this Credit Agreement shall be consistent with the Borrower’s financial statements required to be delivered hereunder.

 

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Section 1.4    Non-Recourse Persons

The Bank hereby agrees for the benefit of each and every trustee, director, and officer of, and each record owner of any outstanding shares of, the Borrower (each a “Non-Recourse Person”) that (a) no Non-Recourse Person shall have any personal liability for any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document or other instrument or document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto; and (b) no claim against any Non-Recourse Person or any property thereof may be made for any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document or other instrument or document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, whether for the payment of principal of, or interest on, the Loans or for any fees, expenses or other amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder or thereunder.

ARTICLE 2.

THE CREDITS

Section 2.1    Commitments

(a)    Tranche A Commitment. The Borrower hereby designates $41,000,000 of the Effective Date Loan Balance to be Tranche A Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Bank agrees to make additional Tranche A Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the period from the Effective Date through the Business Day immediately preceding the Tranche A Commitment Termination Date, provided that immediately after giving effect thereto, (i) the Senior Debt Asset Coverage would not be less than 3.00:1.00, (ii) the Preferred Asset Coverage would not be less than 2.25:1.00, (iii) the Tranche A Loan Balance would not exceed the Tranche A Commitment and (iv) the Aggregate Loan Balance would not exceed the lesser of (x) the aggregate amount of the Commitments or (y) the Borrowing Base. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Tranche A Loans.

(b)    Tranche B Commitment. The Borrower hereby designates $69,500,000 of the Effective Date Loan Balance to be Tranche B Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Bank agrees to make additional Tranche B Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the period from the Effective Date through the Business Day immediately preceding the Tranche B Commitment Termination Date, provided that immediately after giving effect thereto, (i) the Senior Debt Asset Coverage would not be less than 3.00:1.00, (ii) the Preferred Asset Coverage would not be less than 2.25:1.00, (iii) the Tranche B Loan Balance would not exceed the Tranche B Commitment, and (iv) the Aggregate Loan Balance would not exceed the lesser of (x) the aggregate amount of the Commitments or (y) the Borrowing Base. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Tranche B Loans.

Section 2.2    Loans

(a)    General Provisions. To request a Loan, the Borrower shall make a telephonic Borrowing Request to the Bank, not later than (i) in the case of an ABR Loan, 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day of the proposed Loan, and (ii) in the case of a LIBOR Loan, 12:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the

 

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proposed Loan. Such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Bank of a Borrowing Request and a Borrowing Base Report, each duly signed by or on behalf of the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify: (A) the requested date for such Loan (which shall be a Business Day), (B) whether such Loan is to be a Tranche A Loan or a Tranche B Loan, (C) whether such Loan is to be an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Loan, (D) the amount of such Loan, which shall be an Approved Amount, and (E) with respect to each LIBOR Loan, the Interest Period therefor, provided that, if either (x) the Borrower shall fail to specify whether such requested Loan is to be an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Loan, or (y) immediately after giving effect to the making of such requested Loan, there would be Loans outstanding with in excess of six (6) different Interest Periods, then such requested Loan shall be made as an ABR Loan.

(b)    Optional Conversion or Continuation of Certain Loans. Subject to Section 2.2(c), prior to the Applicable Maturity Date, the Borrower may elect to (i) convert all or any portion of any ABR Loan to a LIBOR Loan, (ii) convert all or any portion of any LIBOR Loan to an ABR Loan, or (iii) continue all or any portion of a LIBOR Loan as a LIBOR Loan having an additional Interest Period, provided that, in each such case, the principal amount to be converted to or continued as a LIBOR Loan shall be in an Approved Amount. Each such election shall be made by the Borrower by a telephonic Borrowing Request to the Bank, shall be irrevocable and shall (A) be made not later than (x) in the case of a conversion of a Loan to, or the continuation of a Loan as, a LIBOR Loan, 12:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed conversion or continuation, or (y) in all other cases not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day of the proposed conversion or continuation, (B) specify the following information (w) the amount of the Loan requested to be converted or continued, (x) the requested date for such conversion or continuation, which shall be a Business Day, (y) whether such Loan is to be converted into an ABR Loan or a LIBOR Loan, or continued as a LIBOR Loan, and (z) in the case of a Loan being converted into or continued as a LIBOR Loan, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto, and (C) be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Bank of a duly executed Borrowing Request signed by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that, if (x) prior to the expiration of the Interest Period applicable to an existing LIBOR Loan, the Borrower shall fail to timely elect to continue or convert such LIBOR Loan in accordance herewith, such LIBOR Loan shall, on the last day of such Interest Period, be automatically continued as a LIBOR Loan having an Interest Period of one (1) month, and (y) if immediately after giving effect to any such requested conversion or continuation of any Loan, there would be Loans outstanding with in excess of six (6) different Interest Periods, then such Loan shall be converted to an ABR Loan.

(c)    Suspension of Right to Make Elections. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Borrower’s right to make elections pursuant to Section 2.2(b) shall cease (i) upon notice by the Bank to the Borrower upon the occurrence or during the continuance of an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default under Section 8.1(h) or (i)) that the Borrower’s right to make elections pursuant to Section 2.2(b) has been terminated, and (ii) automatically and without notice upon the occurrence or during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 8.1(h) or (i).

 

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Section 2.3    Termination, Reduction and Extension of Commitment

(a)    Unless previously terminated, (i) the Tranche A Commitment shall terminate on the Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date and (ii) the Tranche B Commitment shall terminate on the Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date.

(b)    The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, without premium or penalty, the Tranche A Commitment or the Tranche B Commitment, provided that (i) the Borrower may not terminate or reduce the Tranche A Commitment if, immediately after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent repayment of the Tranche A Loans in accordance with Section 2.4 or 2.5, the outstanding principal balance of the Tranche A Loans would exceed the Tranche A Commitment, (ii) the Borrower may not terminate or reduce the Tranche B Commitment if, immediately after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent repayment of the Tranche B Loans in accordance with Section 2.4 or 2.5, the outstanding principal balance of the Tranche B Loans would exceed the Tranche B Commitment and (iii) each such reduction shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in an integral multiple of $1,000,000.

(c)    The Borrower shall notify the Bank of any election to terminate or reduce the Tranche A Commitment or the Tranche B Commitment, as applicable, under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be irrevocable and any termination or reduction of the Tranche A Commitment and/or the Tranche B Commitment, as applicable, hereunder shall be permanent, provided that any such notice of termination may be revoked without penalty or premium if such termination is contingent on a refinancing and such refinancing does not occur for any reason. Each termination or reduction of the Tranche A Commitment and/or the Tranche B Commitment, as applicable, shall be accompanied by the payment of accrued and unpaid commitment fees to the extent required by Section 3.2.

(d)    (i) The Borrower may at any time and from time to time (but not more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days prior to the then existing Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date, request in writing that the Bank agree (the decision so to agree to be within the sole and absolute discretion of the Bank) to extend the Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date by 364 days per each such request. In the event that prior to the then existing Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date the Bank shall have consented to such extension request and all conditions precedent, if any, to such extension shall have been satisfied, the Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date shall, subject to Section 8.2, be extended to the day which is 364 days (or such fewer number of days as the Borrower and the Bank shall mutually agree) following the then existing Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the Business Day immediately preceding such day). In all other events (including in the event that the Bank fails to respond to such request), the then existing Scheduled Tranche A Commitment Termination Date shall not be extended.

(ii)    The Borrower may at any time and from time to time (but not more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days prior to the then existing Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date, request in writing that the Bank agree (the decision so to agree to be within the sole and absolute discretion of the Bank) to extend the Scheduled Tranche B

 

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Commitment Termination Date by 364 days per each such request. In the event that prior to the then existing Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date the Bank shall have consented to such extension request and all conditions precedent, if any, to such extension shall have been satisfied, the Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date shall, subject to Section 8.2, be extended to the day which is 364 days (or such fewer number of days as the Borrower and the Bank shall mutually agree) following the then existing Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the Business Day immediately preceding such day). In all other events (including in the event that the Bank fails to respond to such request), the then existing Scheduled Tranche B Commitment Termination Date shall not be extended.

Section 2.4    Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

(a)    The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Bank the then unpaid principal amount of each (i) Tranche A Loan on the Tranche A Maturity Date and (ii) Tranche B Loan on the Tranche B Maturity Date.

(b)    In the event that (i) the Aggregate Loan Balance shall exceed the lesser of the Commitments or the Borrowing Base for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Borrower shall immediately repay the Loans and take such other actions as may be necessary such that, immediately after giving effect to such repayment and other actions, the Aggregate Loan Balance does not exceed the lesser of the Commitments or the Borrowing Base, (ii) the Tranche A Loan Balance shall exceed the Tranche A Commitment for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Borrower shall immediately repay the Tranche A Loans and take such other actions as may be necessary such that, immediately after giving effect to such repayment and other actions, the Tranche A Loan Balance does not exceed the Tranche A Commitment and (iii) the Tranche B Loan Balance shall exceed the Tranche B Commitment for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Borrower shall immediately repay the Tranche B Loans and take such other actions as may be necessary such that, immediately after giving effect to such repayment and other actions, the Tranche B Loan Balance does not exceed the Tranche B Commitment.

(c)    In the event that on any date, the Borrower shall fail to be in compliance with Section 7.7, the Borrower shall immediately repay the Loans and take such other actions as may be necessary such that, (i) immediately after giving effect to such repayment and other actions, the Senior Debt Asset Coverage would not be less than 3.00:1.00, (ii) immediately after giving effect to such repayment and other actions, the Preferred Asset Coverage would not be less than 2.25:1.00 and (iii) the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 7.7(b).

(d)    The Bank, acting solely for this purpose as agent of the Borrower, shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the outstanding principal of and accrued interest on each Loan at one of its offices in the United States of America (the “Register”). The entries made in such account or accounts shall, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein, provided that the failure of the Bank to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans (and interest thereon) in accordance with the terms of this Credit Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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Section 2.5    Voluntary Prepayments

The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time, without premium or penalty (but subject to Section 3.7), to prepay any Loan in whole or in part. The Borrower shall notify the Bank by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of any prepayment hereunder not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days prior to date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Tranche A Loan, Tranche B Loan or portion thereof to be prepaid, provided that any such notice of prepayment may be revoked without penalty or premium if such prepayment is contingent on a refinancing and such refinancing does not occur for any reason. Each partial prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be in an Approved Amount. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest to the extent required by Section 3.1.

Section 2.6    Payments Generally

The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document (whether of principal of Loans, interest, fees, or otherwise) prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without setoff or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Bank at its office at 40 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 1H1, or such other office as to which the Bank may notify the Borrower. Except as may be otherwise provided in the defined term “Interest Period”, if any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars. If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Bank from the Borrower to pay fully all amounts of principal of Loans, interest, fees and other amounts then due under the Loan Documents, such funds shall be applied to the obligations owing to the Bank: (i) first, to payment of such amounts (excluding principal, interest and fees), in such order as the Bank may choose, (ii) second, to such interest and fees then due, and (iii) third, to such principal of the Loans then due. All amounts paid under the Loan Documents shall not be refundable under any circumstances, absent manifest error.

ARTICLE 3.

INTEREST, FEES, YIELD PROTECTION, ETC.

Section 3.1    Interest

(a)    Each Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Rate, provided that if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, then, so long as such Event of Default is continuing, the principal balance of such Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2.00%.

(b)    Accrued and unpaid interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto, provided that (1) interest accrued and unpaid

 

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pursuant to each of clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section shall be payable on demand, and (2) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan, other than any ABR Loan, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment. All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days (provided that interest computed by reference to the Prime Rate shall be on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable) for the actual number of days elapsed (including the day a Loan is made but excluding the date of repayment). The Alternate Base Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, the LIBO Rate, the Overnight Eurodollar Rate and the Prime Rate shall each be determined by the Bank in accordance with the provisions of this Credit Agreement, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

Section 3.2    Fees

(a)    The Borrower shall pay to the Bank a commitment fee, at a rate per annum equal to the Tranche A Commitment Fee Rate during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Tranche A Commitment Termination Date, on the daily amount of the excess of the Tranche A Commitment over the Tranche A Loan Balance.

(b)    The Borrower shall pay to the Bank a commitment fee, at a rate per annum equal to the Tranche B Commitment Fee Rate during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Tranche B Commitment Termination Date, on the daily amount of the excess of the Tranche B Commitment over the Tranche B Loan Balance.

(c)    Accrued and unpaid commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last Business Day of March, June, September and December of each year, ten (10) days following each date on which the Commitment is reduced and on the date on which the Commitment terminates, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

Section 3.3    Increased Costs

(a)    If there shall occur any Change in Circumstance (other than the imposition or change in the rate of any Taxes, which shall be governed exclusively by Section 3.4) and the result thereof shall be to increase the cost to the Bank of making or maintaining any Loan, to increase the cost to the Bank of maintaining the Commitments, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by the Bank from the Borrower under the Loan Documents (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), in each case by an amount deemed by the Bank to be material, then promptly upon demand by the Bank (and in any event within thirty (30) days following such demand) and delivery to the Borrower of the certificate required by clause (c) hereof, the Borrower will pay to the Bank such amount as will compensate the Bank for such increased costs or reduced amount.

(b)    If the Bank determines in good faith that any Change in Law regarding liquidity or capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on the Bank’s capital or on the capital of the Bank’s holding company, as a consequence of this Credit Agreement or any Loan made by the Bank hereunder to a level below that which the Bank or the

 

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Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration the Bank’s policies and the policies of the Bank’s holding company with respect to liquidity or capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to the Bank such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Bank or the Bank’s holding company for (i) any such reduction suffered as a consequence of such Loan, and (ii) any other such reduction.

(c)    Upon the request of the Borrower the Bank will designate a different lending office if such designation will avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any compensation payable by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.3 and will not, in the judgment of the Bank, be otherwise disadvantageous to the Bank. A certificate of the Bank setting forth in reasonable detail the Bank’s reasonable good faith determination of the additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate the Bank or its holding company, as applicable, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, and the calculations used in determining such additional amount or amounts, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The amount shown as payable on any such certificate shall be due within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof. In determining such additional amounts of compensation, the Bank will act reasonably and in good faith.

(d)    Failure or delay on the part of the Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall not constitute a waiver of the Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate the Bank pursuant to this Section 3.3 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than ninety (90) days prior to the date that the Bank notifies the Borrower of the Change in Circumstance or Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of the Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; and provided further that, if the Change in Circumstance or Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 90 day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

Section 3.4    Taxes

(a)    Each payment by the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes, provided that, if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that, after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.4), the Bank receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b)    In addition, the Borrower shall pay all Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c)    The Borrower shall indemnify the Bank, within thirty (30) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Bank on or with respect to any payment under the Loan Documents (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.4) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by the Bank shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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(d)    As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Bank the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Bank.

(e)    If the Bank determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 3.4 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.4), it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 3.4 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of the Bank and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). The Borrower, upon the request of the Bank, shall repay to the Bank the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (e) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that the Bank is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This paragraph (e) shall not be construed to require the Bank to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(f)    In the event that the Bank (or any successor or assign) shall be a Foreign Lender, such Person shall, to the extent it may lawfully do so, deliver to the Borrower on or prior to the date on which it extends credit under this Credit Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower, but only if such Person is legally entitled to do so), any form prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if a payment made to the Bank under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if the Bank were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), the Bank shall deliver to the Borrower at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower as may be necessary for the Borrower to comply with its obligations under FATCA and to determine that the Bank has complied with its obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph (f), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Credit Agreement. If any form or certification previously delivered by the Bank expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, the Bank shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

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(g)    For purposes of this Section 3.4, (i) “Foreign Lender” shall mean any Person that is not, for United States federal income tax purposes, (A) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (B) a corporation, partnership or other entity treated as a corporation or partnership created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (C) an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (D) a trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust, or the trust has a valid election in effect to be treated as a United States person (as defined in the Code) and (ii) “Requirements of Law” shall mean, collectively, any and all requirements of any Governmental Authority including any and all laws, judgments, orders, decrees, ordinances, rules, regulations, statutes or case law. The Borrower shall not be obligated to indemnify or pay any additional amount with respect to Indemnified Taxes under this Section 3.4 to the extent such Indemnified Taxes are imposed because the Bank fails to timely provide the forms or certificates required under this Section 3.4.

Section 3.5    Alternate Rate of Interest

(a). If (i) the Bank determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that, with respect to any existing or requested Loan the pricing of which is determined by reference to an Applicable Money Market, by reason of one or more circumstances arising after the date hereof affecting such Applicable Money Market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the rate of interest applicable to such Affected Loan, or (ii) the Bank makes a good faith determination (which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower) that the applicable LIBO Rate will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Bank of maintaining or funding loans bearing interest based on such LIBO Rate with respect to any portion of the Loans that the Borrower has requested be made as a LIBOR Loan or any LIBOR Loan that will result from the requested conversion of any portion of the Loans into LIBOR Loans (each an “Affected Loan”), the Bank shall promptly notify the Borrower (by telephone or otherwise, to be promptly confirmed in writing) of such determination on or, to the extent practicable, prior to the requested borrowing date or conversion date for such Affected Loan. If the Bank shall give such notice, (A) any Affected Loans shall be made as ABR Loans, (B) the Loans (or any portion thereof) that were to have been converted to Affected Loans shall be converted to or continued as ABR Loans, and (C) any outstanding Affected Loans shall be converted, on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto, to ABR Loans. Until any such notice under this Section 3.5 has been withdrawn by the Bank (by notice to the Borrower) promptly upon either (x) the Bank having determined that such circumstances affecting the relevant market no longer exist and that adequate and reasonable means do exist for determining the LIBO Rate, or (y) the Bank determines that circumstances no longer render the Loans (or any portion thereof) Affected Loans, no further LIBOR Loans shall be required to be made by the Bank nor shall the Borrower have the right to convert all or any portion of the Loans to LIBOR Loans.

(b)    If at any time the Bank shall have determined in good faith (which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Borrower absent manifest error) that (i) the circumstances under clause (i) of Section 3.5(a) or under Section 3.5(b)(i) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary, or (ii) the circumstances set forth in clause (i) of this Section 3.5(b) have not arisen but the supervisor for the administrator of any Screen Rate or a

 

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Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Bank has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which such Screen Rate shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, or (iii)(x) with respect to LIBOR Loans, the LIBO Rate is no longer a widely recognized benchmark rate for newly originated loans in the U.S. syndicated loan market in the applicable currency, or (y) with respect to ABR Loans, the Overnight Eurodollar Rate is no longer a widely recognized benchmark rate for newly originated loans in the U.S. syndicated loan market, then the Bank and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBO Rate and the Overnight Eurodollar Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining rates of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment to this Credit Agreement to reflect such alternate rates of interest and such other related changes to this Credit Agreement as may be applicable (but, for the avoidance of doubt, such related changes shall not include a reduction of the Applicable Margin); provided that, if any such alternate rate of interest shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Credit Agreement; provided, further, that after the occurrence of the circumstances described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing, conversion or continuation of LIBOR Loans (to the extent of the affected LIBOR Loan or Interest Period).

Section 3.6    Other LIBOR Provisions

Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, if any Change in Law shall make it unlawful for the Bank to make, continue or maintain any LIBOR Loan, to convert any ABR Loan to a LIBOR Loan, or to give effect to its obligations as contemplated hereby with respect to any LIBOR Loan, then, by written notice to the Borrower:

(a)    the Bank may, if such Change in Law makes it unlawful to make, continue or maintain, or convert any Loan to, a LIBOR Loan, declare that thereafter (for the duration of such unlawfulness) LIBOR Loans will not be made or continued, and Loans will not be converted into LIBOR Loans; and

(b)    the Bank may, if such Change in Law makes it unlawful to maintain LIBOR Loans, require that all outstanding LIBOR Loans be converted to ABR Loans, in which event all such LIBOR Loans shall be automatically converted to ABR Loans on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto or such earlier date if required by any Change in Law.

Section 3.7    Break Funding Payments

In the event of (a) the payment or prepayment (voluntary or otherwise) of any principal of any LIBOR Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the failure to borrow or continue any LIBOR Loan, or convert any Loan to a LIBOR Loan, on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, or (c) the conversion of any LIBOR Loan to an ABR Loan pursuant to Section 3.6(b), then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate the Bank for the loss, cost and expense (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the margin) attributable to such event. Such loss, cost or expense shall be deemed to include an amount determined by the Bank to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such LIBOR Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such

 

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LIBOR Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate that the Bank would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in Dollars of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurocurrency market. A certificate of the Bank setting forth any amount or amounts that the Bank is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 3.7 and the calculation thereof in reasonable detail shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay the Bank the amount shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.

ARTICLE 4.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

In order to induce the Bank to enter into this Credit Agreement and make the Loans, the Borrower makes the following representations and warranties to the Bank:

Section 4.1    Organization and Power

The Borrower (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) is duly qualified to do business and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to be so qualified could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower has all requisite power and authority to own its property and to carry on its business as now conducted. The Borrower is in compliance with its Organizational Documents in all material respects.

Section 4.2    Authority and Execution

The Borrower has full legal power and authority to enter into, execute, deliver and perform the terms of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, all of which (a) have been duly authorized by all proper and necessary action, and (b) do not conflict with the Borrower’s Organization Documents. The Borrower has duly executed and delivered the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

Section 4.3    Binding Agreement

The Loan Documents constitute the valid and legally binding obligations of the Borrower to the extent it is a party thereto, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or law).

Section 4.4    Litigation

There are no actions, suits or proceedings at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority (whether purportedly on behalf of the Borrower) pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against it or maintained by it that could reasonably be expected to affect the property or rights of the Borrower, which (a) call into question the validity or enforceability of, or otherwise seek to invalidate, any Loan Document, or (b) would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 4.5    Approvals and Consents

No consent, authorization or approval of, filing (other than (x) approvals that have been obtained, and (y) the filing of each financing statement in connection with the Liens created by the Security Agreement) with, notice to, or exemption by, the holders of any securities issued by the Borrower, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required to authorize, or is required in connection with, the execution and delivery by the Borrower of, and the performance by the Borrower of its obligations under, the Loan Documents to which it is a party or is required as a condition to the validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents to which it is a party with respect to or against the Borrower or its property or assets.

Section 4.6    No Conflict

The Borrower is not in default under any mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, judgment, decree or order to which it is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound, which defaults, taken as a whole, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery or carrying out by the Borrower of the terms of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, the Loans hereunder and the use by the Borrower of the proceeds thereof (a) will not (i) violate any treaty, statutes, law (including any applicable usury or similar law), rule or regulations, including the ICA, of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Borrower or (ii) constitute a default under, conflict with, require any consent under (other than consents which have been obtained), or result in the creation or imposition of, or obligation to create, any Lien (other than pursuant to the Loan Documents) upon the property of the Borrower pursuant to the terms of any such mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, judgment, decree or order, which defaults, conflicts and consents, if not obtained, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) are not inconsistent with the Fundamental Policies.

Section 4.7    Taxes

The Borrower has filed or caused to be filed all tax returns required to be filed and has paid, or has made adequate provision for the payment of, all Taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or in any assessments made against it (other than those being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, and for which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles) which, if not so filed or paid, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and no tax Liens have been filed and are in effect against the Borrower or any of its property. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Borrower with respect to all federal, state, local and other Taxes are adequate, and the Borrower knows of no unpaid assessment which is due and payable against or any claims being asserted against it which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except such thereof as are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, and for which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles.

 

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Section 4.8    Compliance

The Borrower is not in default with respect to any judgment, order, writ, injunction, decree or decision of any Governmental Authority, which default could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower is complying with all applicable statutes and regulations, including the ICA and the Securities Act, and of all Governmental Authorities, a violation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 4.9    Property

The Borrower has good and marketable title to all of its property with respect to which the absence of such marketable title could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens.

Section 4.10    Federal Reserve Regulations; Use of Loan Proceeds

Except for the Federal Reserve Form to be executed and delivered by the Borrower, no filing or other action is required under the provisions of Regulations T, U or X in connection with the execution and delivery by the Borrower of this Credit Agreement and neither the making of any Loan in accordance with this Credit Agreement nor the use of the proceeds thereof, will violate the provisions of Regulations T, U or X.

Section 4.11    No Material Adverse Effect

Since the Measurement Date, if any, there has been no event or occurrence that has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect (other than to the extent caused solely by a drop in the value of the Borrower’s investments).

Section 4.12    Material Agreements

Each agreement between the Borrower and the Investment Adviser is in full force and effect, except to the extent that failure of any such agreement, individually or in the aggregate, to be in full force and effect could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Custody Agreement is in full force and effect in all material respects.

Section 4.13    Financial Condition

The statement of assets and liabilities of the Borrower as of the Measurement Date, if any, and the related statements of operations and changes in net assets for the fiscal year then ended, copies of which, certified by independent public accountants, have heretofore been delivered to the Bank, fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position of the Borrower as of such date and the results of its operations for such period in conformity with Applicable Accounting Principles.

Section 4.14    No Misrepresentation

No representation or warranty contained in any Loan Document and no certificate or report from time to time furnished by the Borrower to the Bank in connection with the

 

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transactions contemplated thereby, contains or will contain, when delivered, when taken as a whole, a misstatement of material fact, or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, omits or will omit, when delivered, when taken as a whole, to state a material fact required to be stated in order to make the statements therein contained not misleading in any material respect in the light of the circumstances under which made.

Section 4.15    Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption

(a)    No Affected Person is, or is individually or in the aggregate owned 50% or more by Persons that are: (i) the subject or target of any economic sanctions administered or enforced by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Jurisdiction.

(b)    Except as permitted by applicable law, no Affected Person or any Person that owns 50% or more (directly or indirectly) of the Borrower or receives (directly or indirectly) any proceeds of any Loan (i) conducts any business or engages in making or receiving any contribution of goods, services or money to or for the benefit of any Sanctioned Person or in any Sanctioned Jurisdiction or (ii) has violated any Sanctions.

(c)    No Affected Person or any Person that owns 50% or more (directly or indirectly) of the Borrower or receives (directly or indirectly) any proceeds of any Loan (i) has engaged in any transaction, investment, undertaking or activity that conceals the identity, source or destination of the proceeds from any category of prohibited offenses designated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, or (ii) otherwise violated any applicable law regarding money laundering.

(d)    The Borrower is in material compliance with the FCPA and each relevant foreign counterpart thereof, and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the Borrower has not made a payment, offering, or promise to pay, or authorized the payment of, money or anything of value in violation of the FCPA (i) in order to assist in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any foreign official, foreign political party, party official or candidate for foreign political office, (ii) to a foreign official, foreign political party or party official or any candidate for foreign political office, and (iii) with the intent to induce the recipient to misuse his or her official position to direct business wrongfully to the Borrower or any other Person.

(e)    The Borrower has implemented and maintains, and is in material compliance with, policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by each Affected Person with all applicable laws regarding Sanctions, money laundering and Anti Corruption Laws.

Section 4.16    Investment Company Status

(a)    The Borrower has the following status (“Status”): (i) it qualifies as a Regulated Investment Company, (ii) it is a “registered investment company” within the meaning of Section 8 of the ICA, (iii) it is a “closed-end company” within the meaning of Section 5 of the ICA, (iv) it is not a “business development company” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(48) of the ICA, (v) it is neither an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended) of, nor an “affiliated person” (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the ICA) of, the

 

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Bank, (vi) it is not an Indirect Fund, (vii) it has only one series of capital stock, (viii) it is in compliance with the Fundamental Policies, and (ix) it is not a party to any inter-fund lending arrangement between or among the Borrower and one or more other investment companies pursuant to which the Borrower may make loans to any such investment company, or any such investment company may make loans to the Borrower.

(b)    The Borrower is not subject to any statute, rule, regulation or organizational or offering document which prohibits or limits the incurrence of Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, except for the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the ICA, state securities laws to the extent applicable, and the Fundamental Policies.

(c)    The Borrower has not issued any of its securities in violation of any Federal or State securities laws applicable thereto, except to the extent that any such violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 4.17    ERISA

Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower (a) is not, and has not been in the last five (5) years, a member of an ERISA Group, and (b) has no liability in respect of any Plan or Multiemployer Plan subject to ERISA. Assuming that no portion of the assets used to fund any Loan constitute Plan Assets, none of the following (individually or collectively) constitute a “prohibited transaction” within the meaning of Section 406(a) of ERISA or Section 4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code for which an exemption is not available: (i) the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, (ii) the incurrence of any obligation under the Loan Documents, (iii) the making of any Loan, (iv) the payment by the Borrower of any principal, interest, fee or other sum owing under the Loan Documents, or (v) the consummation of any other transaction contemplated by the Loan Documents.

ARTICLE 5.

CONDITIONS

Section 5.1    Effective Date

The obligation of the Bank to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective, and the Existing Credit Agreement shall (subject to the terms and conditions thereof) remain effective, until the date (the “Effective Date”) on which each of the following conditions is satisfied, or waived in accordance with Section 9.2 (and, upon such satisfaction or waiver, the Bank shall notify the Borrower of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding):

(a)    The Bank shall have received either (i) a counterpart of this Credit Agreement signed on behalf of the Borrower or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Bank (which may include facsimile or electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Credit Agreement) that the Borrower has signed a counterpart of this Credit Agreement.

(b)    The Bank shall have received a Note, dated the Effective Date, executed on behalf of the Borrower.

 

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(c)    The Bank shall have received favorable written opinions (addressed to the Bank and dated the Effective Date) reasonably acceptable to the Bank from (i) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and (ii) Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., each respectively counsel to the Borrower. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinions.

(d)    The Bank shall have received a closing certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by authorized representatives of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, and in all other respects reasonably satisfactory to the Bank.

(e)    The Bank shall have received a copy of an initial Federal Reserve Form, substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Borrower, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Bank.

(f)    The Bank shall have received such documents and information as it may have requested in order to comply with “know-your-customer” and anti-terrorism, anti-money laundering and similar rules and regulations and related policies.

(g)    The Bank shall have received all reasonable and documented fees and other amounts due and payable by the Borrower on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

(h)    The Bank shall have received satisfactory lien search reports.

Section 5.2    Each Credit Event

The obligation of the Bank to make each Loan is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a)    The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in each Loan Document to which it is a party shall be true and correct in all respects on and as of the date of such Loan (or, if any such representation and warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific earlier date, as of such specific date), and immediately before and after giving effect to such Loan no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b)    The Bank shall have received (i) a written Borrowing Request setting forth the information required by Section 2.2(a) and (ii) a Borrowing Base Report setting forth the Borrowing Base, in each case signed by a duly authorized representative of the Borrower.

(c)    To the extent required by Regulation U, the Bank shall have received (i) a copy of a Federal Reserve Form, delivered by the Borrower to the Bank, in form reasonably acceptable to the Bank, or (ii) a current list of Margin Stock and Non-Margin Assets of the Borrower, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Bank and in all respects in compliance with Regulation U, including Section 221.3(c)(2)(iv) thereof.

 

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(d)    After giving effect to the requested Loan or Loans, (i) the Senior Debt Asset Coverage would not be less than 3.00:1.00, (ii) the Preferred Asset Coverage would not be less than 2.25:1.00, and (iii) the Aggregate Loan Balance would not exceed the Borrowing Base.

Each request for a Loan by the Borrower shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraph (a) of this Section.

ARTICLE 6.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees and other amounts payable by the Borrower under the Loan Documents (other than unasserted contingent indemnification obligations) shall have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Bank that:

Section 6.1    Financial Statements and Other Information

The Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Bank:

(a)    as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of its statement of assets and liabilities as at the end of such fiscal year, together with the related schedule of investments and statements of operations and changes in net assets as of and through the end of such fiscal year; each such statement of assets and liabilities and the related schedule of investments and statements of operations and changes in net assets shall be accompanied by an audit report from independent public accountants;

(b)    as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of the first semiannual accounting period in each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the Borrower’s statement of assets and liabilities as at the end of such semiannual period, together with the related schedule of investments and statements of operations and changes in net assets for such period;

(c)    [Reserved];

(d)    as soon as available, but in any event not later than ten (10) Business Days after the end of each calendar month, (i) a duly completed compliance certificate of a duly authorized representative of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto and (ii) a duly completed Borrowing Base Report signed by a duly authorized representative of the Borrower;

(e)    promptly after (but in no event later than five (5) Business Days after) each request by the Bank therefor, a duly completed Borrowing Base Report as of the close of business on the date of such request, signed by a duly authorized representative of the Borrower, provided that, unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Bank may not request a Borrowing Base Report under this Section 6.1(e) more than two (2) times per calendar month;

(f)    prompt written notice of any contest referred to in Section 6.5 or 6.6;

 

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(g)    promptly after the execution thereof, copies of all material amendments or other material changes to the Fundamental Policies, all investment advisory contracts, and any new investment advisory contracts entered into after the Effective Date;

(h)    prompt written notice in the event that the Borrower decides to seek the approval of the Board or, if necessary, its shareholders to effect a change in any of its Fundamental Policies;

(i)    prompt written notice in the event that the Senior Debt Asset Coverage is less than 3.00:1.00 or the Preferred Asset Coverage is below 2.25:1.00; and

(j)    promptly after request therefor, such (y) other information as the Bank may reasonably request from time to time and (z) additional documents and information requested by the Bank from time to time in order to comply with “know-your-customer” and other anti-money laundering and similar rules and regulations and related policies.

Section 6.2    Notice of Material Events

The Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Bank prompt written notice after any officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge of the following, together with a statement of a duly authorized representative (who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Bank) of the Borrower setting forth in reasonable detail the event or development requiring such notice and, if applicable, any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto:

(a)    the occurrence of any Default;

(b)    the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower that could, in the good faith opinion of the Borrower, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c)    the occurrence of any other development that has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.3    Legal Existence

The Borrower shall maintain its legal existence in good standing in the jurisdiction of its organization and shall maintain its qualification to do business in each other jurisdiction in which the failure so to do could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.4    Insurance

The Borrower shall maintain insurance with financially sound insurance carriers in at least such amounts and against at least such risks as are customarily insured against by entities engaged in the same or a similar business or as may otherwise be required by the ICA or the SEC (including such fidelity bond coverage as shall be required by Rule 17g 1 promulgated under the ICA or any successor provision and errors and omissions insurance); and furnish to the Bank, promptly following written request therefor, information as to the insurance carried as is reasonably requested by the Bank.

 

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Section 6.5    Payment of Indebtedness and Performance of Obligations

The Borrower shall pay and discharge when due all lawful Indebtedness, obligations and claims for labor, materials and supplies or otherwise which, if unpaid, could reasonably be expected to (a) have a Material Adverse Effect on the Borrower or (b) give rise to the imposition of a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) upon any property of the Borrower having a value either individually or in the aggregate in excess of $5,000,000, unless and to the extent only that the validity of such Indebtedness, obligation or claim shall be contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted by or on behalf of the Borrower, and provided that such reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles shall have been made therefor.

Section 6.6    Observance of Legal Requirements

The Borrower shall observe and comply in all material respects with all laws (including the ICA and the Code), ordinances, orders, judgments, rules, regulations, certifications, franchises, permits, licenses, directions and requirements of all Governmental Authorities, which may then be applicable to the Borrower, a violation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except such thereof as shall be contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that such reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles shall have been made therefor.

Section 6.7    Books and Records; Visitation

The Borrower shall (a) keep proper books of record and account in which entries that are complete, true and correct in all material respects in conformity with Applicable Accounting Principles and all material requirements of law shall be made of all material dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities, (b) upon reasonable prior notice (which shall in no event be required to be more than (i) one (1) Business Day prior, at any time that a Default has occurred and is continuing, or (ii) five (5) Business Days prior, at all other times) permit representatives of the Bank to visit the offices of the Borrower and to discuss the properties, assets, income and financial condition of the Borrower with the duly authorized representatives thereof and to inspect the books, property and records of the Borrower (which visits shall be limited to once in any calendar year except during the continuance of an Event of Default), and (c) upon the reasonable request of the Bank, deliver to the Bank a detailed list of assets of the Borrower.

Section 6.8    Purpose of Loans

The Borrower shall use the proceeds of each Loan to make additional investments, including the purchase of investment securities, to leverage its investment portfolio, including the purchase of investment securities, to redeem any Preferred Stock and for temporary liquidity needs and for general working capital needs, provided that (a) in no event shall the proceeds of any Loan be used for purposes which would violate any provision of any applicable statute, rule, regulation, order or restriction applicable to the Borrower or Regulation U or (b) anything other than the Borrower’s general business or working capital purposes, which for the avoidance of doubt, shall permit the redemption of any Preferred Stock.

 

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Section 6.9    Maintenance of Status

The Borrower will maintain at all times its Status.

ARTICLE 7.

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees and other amounts payable by the Borrower under the Loan Documents (other than unasserted contingent indemnification obligations) shall have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Bank that:

Section 7.1    Indebtedness; Senior Securities

(a)    The Borrower will not create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any liability for Indebtedness, except:

(i)    Indebtedness under the Loan Documents,

(ii)    Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money) constituting Financial Contract Liabilities (1) incurred in the ordinary course of business, including for investment purposes, (2) permitted to be incurred in accordance with the Fundamental Policies, and (3) which, immediately after giving effect thereto and any simultaneous repayment of any other Indebtedness, would not cause (x) the Senior Debt Asset Coverage to be less than 3.00:1.00, (y) the Preferred Asset Coverage to be less than 2.25:1.00, or (z) the Borrower to fail to be in compliance with Section 7.7(b), and

(iii)    Indebtedness to the Custodian (1) incurred for the purposes of clearing and settling purchases and sales of securities, or (2) up to an aggregate amount not to exceed $3,000,000 at any one time outstanding under this clause (2), (A) for temporary or emergency purposes, or (B) related to any foreign exchange transactions, and

(iv)    Indebtedness in respect of judgments or awards that do not constitute an Event of Default, including any unsecured performance bond in respect of such judgments or awards.

(b)    The Borrower will not issue, sell, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Senior Security, except:

(i)    Senior Securities Representing Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.1(a), and

(ii)    Preferred Stock, provided that (x) the terms and conditions of such Preferred Stock are in all respects reasonably satisfactory to the Bank, and (y) immediately after giving effect thereto and to any simultaneous repayment of any Indebtedness (A) the Preferred Asset Coverage is not less than 2.25:1.00, and (B) no Default shall exist or would occur under Sections 8.1(a), (b), (h) or (i).

 

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Section 7.2    Liens

The Borrower will not create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:

(a)    Liens for Taxes, assessments or similar charges for which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles and which (i) are not delinquent, or (ii) are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, provided that enforcement of such Liens is stayed pending such contest;

(b)    Liens imposed by law for which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles (i) securing amounts not yet due, or (ii) which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, provided that enforcement of such Liens is stayed pending such contest;

(c)    Liens arising out of judgments or decrees affecting the property attributable to the Borrower for which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with Applicable Accounting Principles and which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, provided that enforcement thereof is stayed pending such contest;

(d)    Liens created or arising under the Loan Documents;

(e)    (i) Liens arising under the Custody Agreement and securing obligations (other than Indebtedness) of the Borrower thereunder, to the extent such obligations arose in the ordinary course of business and are permitted by the Control Agreement, and (ii) Liens arising under the Custody Agreement and securing Indebtedness of the Borrower thereunder to the extent such Indebtedness is permitted by Section 7.1 and by the Control Agreement; and

(f)    Liens in respect of obligations arising from any Financial Contract, provided that each such obligation is incurred in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with the Fundamental Policies.

Section 7.3    Fundamental Changes

The Borrower will not (a) consolidate or merge into or with any Person, or (b) in any single transaction or series of related transactions, sell, lease or otherwise transfer, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of its property, except that the Borrower may sell Investments in the ordinary course of business.

Section 7.4    Restricted Payments

The Borrower will not declare or make, or allow to be declared or made, any Restricted Payment, except:

(a)    the Borrower may declare or make any Restricted Payment payable solely in shares of the common stock of the Borrower, and

 

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(b)    the Borrower may declare or make any Restricted Payment if, immediately before and after giving effect thereto, either (i) no Event of Default shall exist or would occur, or (ii) no principal of any Loan shall or would be outstanding.

Section 7.5    Fundamental Policies; Valuation

The Borrower will not (a) make or maintain any Investment other than as permitted by the ICA and the Fundamental Policies, (b) amend or otherwise modify the Fundamental Policies, or (c) for purposes of the Loan Documents or financial reporting, value any Investment or other property thereof other than in accordance with GAAP, applicable law (including the ICA) and the Fund’s valuation procedures.

Section 7.6    Amendments and Changes

(a)    The Borrower will not amend or otherwise modify its Organization Documents or the Custody Agreement, in each case in any way which would adversely affect the rights or remedies of the Bank under the Loan Documents.

(b)    The Borrower will not change its fiscal year if such change would have a Material Adverse Effect. Subject to Section 1.3, the Borrower will not change or permit any change in the accounting principles applied to it, except as required by Applicable Accounting Principles, if such change would have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.7    Financial Covenants

(a)    The Borrower will not permit the Senior Debt Asset Coverage to be less than (i) 3.00:1.00 for more than fourteen (14) consecutive Business Days, or (ii) 2.50:1.00 at any time.

(b)    The Borrower shall not at any time permit its Indebtedness to exceed the sum of (A) 50% of (x) the Maximum Borrowing Value of the Borrower’s Margin Stock minus (y) all Ordinary Liabilities to the extent not in excess of the amount determined under clause (x) immediately above, plus (B) the excess, if any, of (x) the Maximum Borrowing Value of the Borrower’s Non-Margin Assets over (y) all Ordinary Liabilities to the extent in excess of the amount determined under clause (A)(x) immediately above.

(c)    The Borrower will not permit the Preferred Asset Coverage to be less than (i) 2.25:1.00 for more than fourteen (14) consecutive Business Days, or (ii) 2.00:1.00 at any time.

Section 7.8    Investment

(a)    The Borrower will not purchase, acquire, or otherwise have exposure to, any Investment, other than Permitted Investments.

(b)    The Borrower will not enter into or otherwise acquire any Financial Contract (i) unless each counterparty thereto or issuer thereof has a minimum senior unsecured unenhanced long term debt rating of at least A- by S&P (or the equivalent rating of another independent rating agency (other than Moody’s) if not so rated by S&P) and at least A3 by Moody’s (or the equivalent rating of another independent rating agency (other than S&P) if not so rated by Moody’s), or (ii) in any case if the Borrower’s liabilities (contingent or otherwise) thereunder would, assuming that the Borrower had segregated assets in an amount necessary to satisfy such liabilities, constitute a Senior Security Representing Indebtedness.

 

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Section 7.9    Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Corruption

(a)    The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Loans, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person, (i) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country, region or territory, that, at the time of such funding, financing or facilitating, is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions, or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the Loans, whether as underwriter, lender, advisor, investor, or otherwise).

(b)    The Borrower will not, and will not cause or permit any Subsidiary thereof to, violate any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding Sanctions or money laundering, or any Anti-Terrorism Law or Anti-Corruption Law.

(c)    The Borrower and each Subsidiary thereof shall at all times maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance by each Affected Person with all applicable laws, rules and regulations regarding Sanctions and money laundering, Anti-Terrorism Laws and Anti-Corruption Laws.

ARTICLE 8.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

Section 8.1    Events of Default

Each of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a)    any principal of any Loan shall not be paid when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

(b)    any interest on any Loan or any fee, commission or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 8.1) payable under any Loan Document shall not be paid when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;

(c)    any representation, warranty or certification made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any officer, director or other authorized representative thereof in any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

 

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(d)    the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Sections 6.3, 6.8 or 6.9 or in Article 7, provided that if any such Event of Default shall result solely from the Borrower’s failure to comply with Section 7.7(a) such Event of Default shall be deemed to be cured if, at any time subsequent to the occurrence of such Event of Default (i) the Borrower has made all payments, and taken all action, in each case, required under Section 2.4(c), and (ii) the Senior Debt Asset Coverage shall be equal to or greater than 3.00:1.00, provided further that if any such Event of Default shall result solely from the Borrower’s failure to comply with Section 7.7(c), such Event of Default shall be deemed to be cured if, at any time subsequent to the occurrence of such Event of Default (i) the Borrower has made all payments, and taken all action, in each case, required under Section 2.4(c), and (ii) the Preferred Asset Coverage shall be equal to or greater than 2.25:1.00;

(e)    the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Credit Agreement (other than those specified in paragraphs (a), (b) or (d) of this Section 8.1), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after the Borrower shall have obtained knowledge thereof;

(f)    the Borrower shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period or notice requirement);

(g)    any event or condition occurs that results in (x) any Preferred Stock becoming subject to any mandatory redemption or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any such Preferred Stock or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to require the repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof prior to the Latest Maturity Date, or (y) any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any such Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any such Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity, provided that this paragraph (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due solely as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

(h)    an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower, or the debts of the Borrower, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or for a substantial part of the assets of the Borrower; and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i)    the Borrower shall (i) voluntarily commence (directly or on its behalf) any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to (directly or on its behalf) the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in paragraph (h) of this Section 8.1, (iii) apply for or

 

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consent to (in either case, directly or on its behalf) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

(j)    the Borrower shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(k)    (i) the Investment Adviser shall fail to be GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, or an Affiliate thereof, (ii) the custodian for all of the assets of the Borrower shall fail to be The Bank of New York Mellon, or an Affiliate or a successor-in-interest thereof, (iii) the sole administrator for the Borrower shall fail to be ALPS Funds Services, Inc., or an Affiliate or a successor-in-interest thereof, or (iv) the independent auditors for the Borrower shall fail to be Deloitte & Touche LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, KPMG LLP, or PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or any successor-in-interest to each of the foregoing;

(l)    (i) GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, shall fail to be an Affiliate of The Blackstone Group L.P., or (ii) there shall occur any assignment (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(4) of the ICA) of the Borrower’s investment advisory agreement;

(m)    one or more judgments for the payment of money (not paid or covered by insurance or other indemnity from a financially sound third party fully capable of honoring such indemnity) in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount shall be rendered against the Borrower and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, vacated or bonded or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower to enforce any such judgment;

(n)    any Loan Document shall cease, for any reason other than pursuant to its terms, to be in full force and effect, or with respect to the Borrower, the Borrower shall so assert in writing or shall disavow any of its obligations thereunder;

(o)    the suspension of registration of the Borrower’s shares or the commencement of any proceeding for such purpose;

(p)    the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform (i) any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 4(a) or Section 4(h) of the Security Agreement or (ii) any other covenant, condition or agreement contained in any Security Document and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after the Borrower shall have obtained knowledge thereof;

(q)    except as a result of any sale or other transfer of any asset in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, any Lien purported to be created under the Security Agreement shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by the Borrower not to be, a valid and perfected Lien on any Collateral (as defined in the Security Agreement) having a value, either individually or in the aggregate, of $2,000,000 or more, with the priority required by the applicable Security Document; or

 

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(r)    the Borrower’s shares shall be suspended from trading on The New York Stock Exchange for more than two (2) consecutive days upon which trading in shares generally occurs on such exchange, or shall be delisted.

Section 8.2    Remedies

If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing then, and in every such event (other than an event described in paragraph (h) or (i) of Section 8.1), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Bank may, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (a) declare the Commitments terminated, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately and/or (b) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of such Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued and unpaid under the Loan Documents, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in the case of any event described in paragraph (h) or (i) of Section 8.1, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued and unpaid under the Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

ARTICLE 9.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9.1    Notices

Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, or sent by electronic transmission in “portable document format”, as follows:

(a)    if to the Borrower, to it at 345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10154, Attention: GSO Legal (Telephone: (212) 503-2000; e-mail address: gsolegal@gsocap.com) and John Schmidt (Telephone (212) 503-2177; e-mail address: john.schmidt@gsocap.com); or

(b)    if to the Bank, to it at, (i) in all cases, 40 King Street West, 55th Floor, Toronto, ON Canada M5H 1H1, Attention: Eli Mou (Telephone: (416) 350-1178; Facsimile: (416) 350-1161; e-mail address: eli.mou@scotiabank.com); and (ii) in the case of all notices and other communications pursuant to Article 2, with a copy to 720 King Street, Toronto, Canada M5V2T3, Attention: Mona Nagpaul (Telephone: (416) 649-4066; Facsimile: (416) 350-5725) and Rodel Meneses (Telephone: (416) 645-7167; Facsimile: (416) 350-5725).

 

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Any party hereto may change its address, e-mail address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Credit Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt (or, if received after 5 p.m. (New York City time) on any Business Day or on a day that is not a Business Day, then on the following Business Day).

Section 9.2    Waivers; Amendments

(a)    No failure or delay by the Bank in exercising any right or power under any Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Bank under the Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that the Bank would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the Bank shall have consented thereto in writing, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b)    Neither this Credit Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Bank.

Section 9.3    Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

(a)    The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out of pocket expenses incurred by the Bank and its Affiliates, including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Bank, in connection with the preparation, negotiation, closing and administration of this Credit Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of any Loan Document (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all reasonable and documented out of pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Bank, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Bank, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights under the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 9.3, or in connection with the Loans, including all such out of pocket costs and expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations, provided that the Borrower will not be liable for the fees, charges and disbursements of more than one separate counsel firm of attorneys and local or regulatory counsel in each applicable jurisdiction.

(b)    The Borrower shall indemnify the Bank and each Related Party thereof (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (collectively, “Losses”), including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of or as a result of (i) the execution or

 

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delivery by the Borrower of any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the Borrower of its obligations under the Loan Documents or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof, or (iii) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto. Subject to Section 9.3(c), nothing herein contained shall prevent or prohibit the Borrower from bringing any action against the Bank to recover any Losses suffered by the Borrower to the extent caused by the Bank’s failure to exercise due care in the performance of its obligations under the Loan Documents. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith, actual fraud or willful misconduct on the part of the Bank (as found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction), the Bank shall be deemed to have exercised due care.

(c)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower agrees that it shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, any Loan Document or any agreement, instrument or other document contemplated thereby, the Transactions or any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(d)    All amounts due under this Section 9.3 shall be payable promptly but in no event later than ten (10) days after written demand therefor.

Section 9.4    Successors and Assigns

The provisions of this Credit Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (a) the Borrower shall not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Bank (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void), (b) the Bank shall not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Borrower, such consent not to be (i) required during the continuance of any Event of Default under Section 8.1(a), (h) or (i), or (ii) unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, and (c) in the event of any assignment hereunder, such assignment shall not be effective unless and until such assignment is recorded in the Register. Nothing in this Credit Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of the Bank) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of any Loan Document. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Bank may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under the Loan Documents to secure obligations of the Bank, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release the Bank from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for the Bank as a party hereto.

 

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Section 9.5    Survival

All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Credit Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Credit Agreement and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Bank may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under the Loan Documents is outstanding and unpaid and so long as the Commitments has not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 3.3, 3.7 and 9.3 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans and the termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Credit Agreement or any provision hereof.

Section 9.6    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

This Credit Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute but one contract. This Credit Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Bank constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 5.1, this Credit Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Bank and when the Bank shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Credit Agreement by facsimile transmission or electronic transmission in “portable document format” shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Credit Agreement.

Section 9.7    Severability

In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this Credit Agreement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby (it being understood that the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not in and of itself affect the validity of such provision in any other jurisdiction). The parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the legal and economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

Section 9.8    Right of Setoff

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Bank and its Affiliates are hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted

 

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by applicable law, to set-off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by it to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter owing under the Loan Documents, irrespective of whether or not it shall have made any demand under any Loan Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of the Bank under this Section 9.8 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that it may have.

Section 9.9    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

(a)    THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b)    The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or Federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Credit Agreement shall affect any right that the Bank may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Credit Agreement or the other Loan Documents against the Borrower, or any of its property, in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c)    The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Loan Documents in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(d)    Each party to this Credit Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.1. Nothing in this Credit Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Credit Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

Section 9.10    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR

 

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OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

Section 9.11    Headings

Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Credit Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Credit Agreement.

Section 9.12    Interest Rate Limitation

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “maximum rate”) that may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Bank in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan, together with all of the charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the maximum rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and the charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section 9.12 shall be cumulated, and the interest and the charges payable to the Bank in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the maximum rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Alternate Base Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by the Bank.

Section 9.13    Treatment of Certain Information

The Bank agrees to use reasonable precautions to keep confidential, in accordance with the Bank’s customary procedures for handling confidential information of the same nature, all non-public information supplied by the Borrower pursuant to this Credit Agreement which constitutes any financial statement, list of investments or other assets, financial projections or forecasts, budget, compliance certificate, audit report, draft press release, management letter or accountants’ certification delivered hereunder, and (b) as of any date of determination, was received by the Bank within the immediately preceding two year period (“Information”), provided, however, that nothing herein shall limit the disclosure of any such Information (i) on a confidential basis, to its service providers and Related Parties, (ii) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, or requested by any bank regulatory authority, (iii) on a confidential basis, to prospective lenders or their counsel, (iv) to auditors or accountants, and any analogous counterpart thereof, (v) in connection with any litigation to which the Bank is a party, (vi) to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Credit Agreement, (B) becomes available to the Bank on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower, or (C) was available to the Bank on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to the Bank by the Borrower; and (vii) to the extent the Borrower shall have consented to such disclosure in writing. The Bank acknowledges that Information furnished to it pursuant to this Credit Agreement may include material non-public

 

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information concerning the Borrower, its Related Parties or the Borrower’s securities, and confirms that it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and that it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with those procedures and applicable law. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, no provision thereof shall (1) restrict the Bank from providing information to Federal Reserve supervisory staff, (2) require or permit, without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, the Bank to disclose to the Borrower or any affiliate that any information will be or was provided to Federal Reserve supervisory staff, or (3) require or permit, without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, the Bank to inform the Borrower or any affiliate of a current or upcoming Federal Reserve examination or any nonpublic Federal Reserve supervisory initiative or action. Nothing in this Credit Agreement or the Loan Documents shall prevent any of the parties hereto and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors from disclosing to any and all Persons the Tax treatment and Tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Credit Agreement.

Section 9.14    USA Patriot Act Notice

The Bank hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow the Bank to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

Section 9.15    Amendment and Restatement; No Novation.

(a)    The Borrower and the Bank hereby agree that upon the effectiveness of this Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement shall be and hereby are amended and restated in their entirety by the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement, except as otherwise provided in the next paragraph, shall be superseded by this Agreement.

(b)    Notwithstanding the amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement by this Agreement, the Borrower shall continue to be liable to the Bank and the other Indemnitees with respect to agreements on the part of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement with respect to payments under Articles 2, 3 and 9 for the period prior to the Effective Date and such rights shall continue to be governed by the provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement. Upon the Effective Date all amounts outstanding and owing by the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement as of the Effective Date shall constitute obligations hereunder and be governed by the terms hereof.

(c)    This Agreement shall not extinguish the Obligations for the payment of money outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement or discharge or release the Lien or priority of any Loan Document or any other security therefor or any guarantee thereof, and the Liens and security interests existing immediately prior to the Effective Date in favor of the Bank securing payment of the Obligations are in all respects continuing and in full force and effect with respect to all Obligations. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as a novation of any of the Loan Documents or a substitution or novation of the Obligations outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement or instruments securing the same, which instruments shall remain and continue in full

 

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force and effect. Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement or any other document contemplated hereby shall be construed as a release or other discharge of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document from any of its obligations and liabilities thereunder, and except as expressly provided, such obligations and liabilities are in all respects continuing with only the terms being modified as provided in this Agreement.

(d)    By execution of this Agreement all parties hereto agree that each of the other Loan Documents is hereby amended such that all references to the Existing Credit Agreement and the obligations of the Borrower thereunder shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement and the continuation of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement to be executed by their respective duly authorized representatives as of the date first above written.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT

CREDIT INCOME FUND

By:   /s/ Marisa J. Beeney
Name:   Marisa J. Beeney
Title:   Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal
Officer & Secretary

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement


THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
By:   /s/ Kevin Chan
Name:   Kevin Chan
Title:   Director

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

[Date]

New York, New York

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay The Bank of Nova Scotia (the “Bank”) the unpaid principal amount of the Loans made by the Bank to the Borrower, in the amounts and at the times set forth in the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, between the Borrower and the Bank (as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), and to pay interest from the date hereof on the principal balance of such Loans from time to time outstanding, until such principal is paid, at the rate or rates and at the times set forth in the Credit Agreement, in each case at the office of the Bank specified in the Credit Agreement, or at such other place as the Bank may specify from time to time, in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately available funds. Each capitalized term used herein and not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed thereto by the Credit Agreement.

The Loans evidenced by this Second Amended and Restated Note (“Note”) are prepayable in the amounts, and under the circumstances, and their respective maturities are subject to acceleration upon the terms, set forth in the Credit Agreement. This Note is subject to, and should be construed in accordance with, the provisions of the Credit Agreement, and is entitled to the benefits of any collateral security set forth in the Loan Documents.

The Bank is hereby authorized to record on the schedule annexed hereto, and any continuation sheets which the Bank may attach thereto, (a) the date, the amount, the Interest Period and the Applicable Rate for each Loan, and (b) the date and amount of each repayment thereof. The entries made in such schedule shall, absent manifest error, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations hereunder, provided that the failure to so record or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents.

Except as may be specifically otherwise provided in the Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby waives presentment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, notice of protest and all other demands, protests and notices in connection with the execution, delivery, performance, collection and enforcement of this Note.

Whenever in this Note any Person is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such Person. The Borrower shall not have the right to assign its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein (and any such attempted assignment shall be void). No failure or delay by the Bank in exercising any power or right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. Neither

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Note


this Note nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified, nor shall any departure therefrom be consented to, except pursuant to a written agreement entered into between the Borrower and the Bank.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.1 of the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or Federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Note or the other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court, such Federal court, and any such appellate court. The Borrower agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Note shall affect any right that the Bank may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Note against the Borrower, or any of its property, in the courts of any jurisdiction.

The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Note in any court referred to in the preceding paragraph hereof. The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

The Borrower irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices herein. Nothing herein will affect the right of the Bank to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

THE BORROWER HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS NOTE. THE BORROWER (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE BANK HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT THE BANK WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE BANK HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ACCEPT THIS NOTE AND ENTER INTO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS TO WHICH IT IS A PARTY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS PARAGRAPH.

 

2

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Note


This Note is subject to Section 1.4 of the Credit Agreement. This Note amends and restates in its entirety the Amended and Restated Note, dated June 20, 2018, made by the Borrower and payable to the Bank (the “Existing Note”). Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement between the Borrower and the Bank has caused, or shall be deemed to cause, the repayment or other extinguishment of the debt evidenced by the Existing Note.

[signature page follows]

 

3

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Note


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Note to be executed by its duly authorized representative on the date first above written.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Note


SCHEDULE TO NOTE

 

Date

 

Amount of Loan

 

Interest Period

 

Applicable Rate

 

Amount of
principal paid or
prepaid

 

Notation
made by

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Note


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT B

FORM OF WRITTEN BORROWING REQUEST

[Date]

The Bank of Nova Scotia

40 King Street West, 55th Floor

Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 1H1

Attn: Eli Mou

The Bank of Nova Scotia

720 King Street

Toronto, Canada M5V2T3

Attn: Mona Nagpaul and Rodel Meneses

 

Gentlemen/Ladies:

Reference is made to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust, and The Bank of Nova Scotia (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein that are defined in the Credit Agreement shall have the meanings therein defined.

[For a Borrowing Request submitted in connection with a borrowing under Section 2.2(a)]1

 

  1.

Pursuant to Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby gives notice of its intention to borrow a Loan (the “Proposed Borrowing”) under the Credit Agreement, and in connection therewith sets forth below the information relating to such borrowing as required by Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement:

 

  (a)

The aggregate amount of the Proposed Borrowing is $________.

 

  (b)

The date (which shall be a Business Day) of such Proposed Borrowing is _________________, 20___ (the “Proposed Borrowing Date”).

 

  (c)

The Proposed Borrowing is to be a [Tranche A Loan] [Tranche B Loan].

 

  (d)

The Proposed Borrowing is to be [an ABR Loan][a LIBOR Loan having an Interest Period of ___________].

 

  (e)

Proceeds of the Proposed Borrowing are to be wired or otherwise transferred to: [Specify exact wire or transfer instructions].

 

1 

If no new borrowing is requested by the submission of this Borrowing Request, delete the opening paragraph and the numbered paragraphs comprising this section. If a new borrowing is hereby requested, complete as appropriate.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Written Borrowing Request


  2.

The Senior Debt Asset Coverage is set forth below, reasonably detailed calculations of which appear on Schedule A attached hereto:

Senior Debt Asset Coverage

______:1.00

 

  3.

The Preferred Asset Coverage is set forth below, reasonably detailed calculations of which appear on Schedule A attached hereto:

Preferred Asset Coverage

______:1.00

 

  4.

The Borrower hereby certifies that:

 

  (a)

on and as of the date hereof, no Default has occurred and is continuing, and

 

  (b)

on and as of the Proposed Borrowing Date, (i) immediately before and after giving effect to the Proposed Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in each Loan Document to which it is a party shall be true and correct in all respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific earlier date, as of such specific date).

[For a Borrowing Request submitted in connection with a conversion or continuation under Section 2.2(b)]2

 

  1.

Pursuant to Section 2.2(b) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby gives notice of its intention to [convert all or any portion of an ABR Loan to a LIBOR Loan][convert all or any portion of a LIBOR Loan to an ABR Loan][continue all or any portion of a LIBOR Loan as a LIBOR Loan having an additional Interest Period] (the “Proposed [Conversion][Continuation]”) under the Credit Agreement, and in connection therewith sets forth below the information relating to such borrowing as required by Section 2.2(b) of the Credit Agreement:

 

  (a)

The aggregate amount of the Loan to be [converted][continued] is $________. Such Loan is a [Tranche A Loan] [Tranche B Loan] and a[n] [ABR Loan][LIBOR Loan].

 

  (b)

The date (which shall be a Business Day) of such Proposed [Conversion][Continuation] is _________________, 20___.

 

 

2 

If no conversion or continuation of an existing Loan is requested by the submission of this Borrowing Request, delete the opening paragraph and the numbered paragraphs comprising this section. If a conversion or continuation is hereby requested, complete as appropriate.

 

2

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Written Borrowing Request


  (c)

The Loan to be [converted][continued] shall be [converted into [an ABR Loan][a LIBOR Loan having an Interest Period of ___________]] [continued as a LIBOR Loan having an Interest Period of ____________].

[signature page follows]

 

3

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Written Borrowing Request


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Written Borrowing Request to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date first above written.

 

Very truly yours,
BLACKSTONE/ GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Written Borrowing Request


SCHEDULE A

Detailed Calculations

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Written Borrowing Request


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CLOSING CERTIFICATE

[Date]

Reference is made to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Borrower”), and The Bank of Nova Scotia (the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein that are defined in the Credit Agreement shall have the meanings therein defined. This Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(d) of the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned hereby certifies that:

I am the duly elected or appointed, as the case may be, and qualified Secretary of the Borrower.

Since June 20, 2018, there have been no changes to any of the following:

 

  (a)

Certificate of Trust of the Borrower;

 

  (b)

Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust;

 

  (c)

By-Laws of the Borrower;

 

  (d)

Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information and Registration Statement of the Borrower; and

 

  (e)

Custody Agreement.

Attached hereto as Annex A are true, complete and correct copies of the resolutions of the Board approving each Loan Document to which the Borrower is a party and the transactions contemplated thereby, all of which are in full force and effect on the date hereof.

The following persons are duly elected or appointed, as the case may be, and qualified authorized officers of the Borrower, in each case having the title set forth below, and the signatures appearing opposite their respective names are the genuine signatures of such persons3:

 

Name    Title    Signature
Daniel H. Smith, Jr.    Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President     
Robert Zable    Executive Vice President & Assistant Secretary     

 

3 

Borrower to confirm names and titles.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


Marisa J. Beeney

   Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary     
Dohyun (Doris) Lee- Silvestri   

Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

 

    
Jane Lee   

Public Relations Officer

 

    

[signature page follows]

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of the date first written above.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

By:  

 

Name:   Marisa J. Beeney
Title:   Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


The undersigned hereby certifies that:

1.    Marisa J. Beeney4 is the duly elected or appointed, as the case may be, and qualified Secretary of the Borrower.

2.    The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in each Loan Document to which it is a party are true and correct on and as of the Effective Date (or, if any such representation and warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific earlier date, as of such specific date).

3.    No Default has occurred and is continuing as of the Effective Date.

4.    Attached hereto as Annex B is a true, complete and correct copy of the most recent Schedule of Investments of the Borrower.

5.    Attached hereto as Annex C are true, complete and correct copies of the most recent annual audited financial reports of the Borrower.

[signature page follows]

 

 

4 

Borrower to confirm.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of the date first written above.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

By:  

 

Name:   Robert Zable5
Title:   Executive Vice President & Assistant Secretary

 

 

5 

Borrower to confirm

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


ANNEX A

Resolutions

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


ANNEX B

Schedule of Investments

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


ANNEX C

Financial Statements

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Closing Certificate


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT D   

FR U-1

OMB Number 7100-0011

Approval expires June 30, 2021

Page 1 of 2

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

 

 

 

LOGO   

Statement of Purpose for an Extension of Credit

Secured by Margin Stock—FR U-1

 

 

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

 

 

Name of Bank

 

This form is required by law (15 U.S.C. §§ 78g and 78w; 12 C.F.R. § 221).

 

The term “margin stock” is defined in Regulation U (12 C.F.R. § 221) and includes, principally: (1) stocks that are registered on a national securities exchange or any over-the-counter security designated for trading in the National Market System; (2) debt securities (bonds) that are convertible into margin stock; and (3) shares of most mutual funds.

   The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and an organization (or a person) is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

 

 

Part I

To be completed by borrower(s)

Please print or type (if space is inadequate, attach separate sheet).

 

1.

What is the amount of the credit being extended?        SEE ATTACHMENT A    

 

2.

Will any part of this credit be used to purchase or carry margin stock?         ☒ Yes        ☐ No

If the answer is “No,” describe the specific purpose of the credit.

I (We) have read this form and certify that to the best of my (our) knowledge and belief the information given is true, accurate, and complete, and that the margin stock and any other securities collateralizing this credit are authentic, genuine, unaltered, and not stolen, forged, or counterfeit.

 

Signed:   BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

   Signed:   

 

  

                              

  

 

  

                              

Borrower’s Signature    Date    Borrower’s Signature    Date

 

  

 

Print or Type Name       Print or Type Name   

This form should not be signed if blank.

This form must be completed when a bank extends credit in excess of $100,000 secured directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by any margin stock.

A borrower who falsely certifies the purpose of a credit on this form or otherwise willfully or intentionally evades the provisions of Regulation U will also violate Federal Reserve Regulation X, “Borrowers of Securities Credit.”

 

 

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including the time to gather and maintain data in the required form and to review instructions and complete the information collection. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20551; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (7100-0011), Washington, DC 20503.

06/2018


FR U-1      

Page 2 of 2

Part II

To be completed by bank only if the purpose of the credit is to purchase or carry margin securities (Part I (2) answered “yes”).

 

1.

List the margin stock securing this credit; do not include debt securities convertible into margin stock. The maximum loan value of margin stock is 50 percent of its current market value under the current Supplement to Regulation U.

 

No. of Shares

  

Issue

  

Market Price

Per Share

  

Date and Source

of Valuation1

  

Total Market

Value Per Issue

                                

SEE ATTACHMENT A

 

                                                                                                

 

2.

List the debt securities convertible into margin stock securing this credit. The maximum loan value of such debt securities is 50 percent of the current market value under the current Supplement to Regulation U.

 

Principal

Amount

  

Issue

  

Market Price

  

Date and Source

of Valuation1

  

Total Market

Value Per Issue

                           

SEE ATTACHMENT A

 

                                                                                                

 

3.

List other collateral including nonmargin stock securing this credit.

 

Describe Briefly

  

Market Price

  

Date and Source

of Valuation1

  

Good Faith

Loan Value

SEE ATTACHMENT A

 

                                                                                                

Part III

To be signed by a bank officer in all instances.

I am a duly authorized representative of the bank and understand that this credit secured by margin stock may be subject to the credit restrictions of Regulation U. I have read this form and any attachments, and I have accepted the customer’s statement in Part I in good faith as required by Regulation U2; and I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the information given is true, accurate, and complete. I also certify that if any securities that directly secure the credit are not or will not be registered in the name of the borrower or its nominee, I have or will cause to have examined the written consent of the registered owner to pledge such securities. I further certify that any securities that have been or will be physically delivered to the bank in connection with this credit have been or will be examined, that all validation procedures required by bank policy and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (section 17(f), as amended) have been or will be performed, and that I am satisfied to the best of my knowledge and belief that such securities are genuine and not stolen or forged and their faces have not been altered.

Signed:    THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Bank Officer’s Signature    Date
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Print or Type Name    Title

 

1.

Bank need not complete fields for Date and source of valuation if the market value was obtained from regularly published information in either a journal of general circulation or an automated quotation system.

2.

To accept the customer’s statement in good faith, the duly authorized representative of the creditor must be alert to the circumstances surrounding the credit and, if in possession of any information that would cause a prudent person not to accept the statement without inquiry, must have investigated and be satisfied that the statement is truthful. Among the facts which would require such investigation are receipt of the statement through the mail or from a third party.

This form must be retained by the lender for three years after the credit is extinguished.

06/2018


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT D

ATTACHMENT A

TO

FEDERAL RESERVE FORM U-1

This Attachment A forms a part of the Federal Reserve Form U-1 that is being executed in connection with the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, between BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Borrower”) and THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Credit Agreement”).

The amount of credit being extended is up to $122,000,000.

The Borrower is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

All or a substantial portion of the Borrower’s assets may be “margin stock” (within the meaning of Regulation U). Although the obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the other agreements and instruments executed and delivered in connection therewith are not directly secured by any such collateral, it may be the case that such obligations would be considered to be “indirectly secured” (within the meaning of Regulation U) by margin stock.

A list of assets of the Borrower shall be provided at such times, and in such detail, as is required by Regulation U.

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Federal Reserve Form FR U-1 (Attachment A)


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND EXHIBIT E

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Reference is made to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, between Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust and The Bank of Nova Scotia (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein that are defined in the Credit Agreement shall have the meanings therein defined. This Certificate is being delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(d) of the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned, an authorized representative of the Borrower, hereby certifies that as of [fill in the appropriate calendar month], [[no Default has occurred and is continuing][the following Default[s] [has/have] occurred and [is/are] continuing: _____________________].]

1.    The Senior Debt Asset Coverage is set forth below, reasonably detailed calculations of which appear on Schedule A attached hereto:

Senior Debt Asset Coverage

______:1.00

2. If Senior Debt Asset Coverage is lower than 3.00:1:00, Senior Debt Asset Coverage [has][has not] been lower than 3.00:1.00 for more than fourteen (14) consecutive Business Days, any of which fell within the preceding month, or 2.50:1:00 at any time.

3.    The Preferred Asset Coverage is set forth below, reasonably detailed calculations of which appear on Schedule A attached hereto:

Preferred Asset Coverage

______:1.00

4.    If Preferred Asset Coverage is lower than 2.25:1.00, Preferred Asset Coverage [has][has not] been lower than 2.25:1.00 for more than fourteen (14) consecutive Business Days, any of which fell within the preceding month, or 2.00:1.00 at any time.

5.    The Borrower has not purchased or acquired, and does not otherwise have exposure to, any Investment, other than Permitted Investments.

6.   Indebtedness of the Borrower does not exceed the sum of (A) 50% of (x) the Maximum Borrowing Value of the Borrower’s Margin Stock minus (y) all Ordinary Liabilities to the extent not in excess of the amount determined under clause (x) immediately above, plus (B) the excess, if any, of (x) the Maximum Borrowing Value of the Borrower’s Non-Margin Assets over (y) all Ordinary Liabilities to the extent in excess of the amount determined under clause (A)(x) immediately above.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Compliance Certificate


7.    The Borrower has not entered into or otherwise acquired any Financial Contract (1) unless each counterparty thereto or issuer thereof has a minimum senior unsecured unenhanced long term debt rating of at least A- by S&P (or the equivalent rating of another independent rating agency (other than Moody’s) if not so rated by S&P) and at least A3 by Moody’s (or the equivalent rating of another independent rating agency (other than S&P) if not so rated by Moody’s) or (2) in any case if the Borrower’s liabilities (contingent or otherwise) thereunder would, assuming that the Borrower had segregated assets in an amount necessary to satisfy all of such liabilities, constitute a Senior Security Representing Indebtedness.

[signature page follows]

 

2

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Compliance Certificate


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of [Date].

 

BLACKSTONE/GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Compliance Certificate


SCHEDULE A

Detailed Calculations

 

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Compliance Certificate


BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND—EXHIBIT F

FORM OF BORROWING BASE REPORT

[Date]

The Bank of Nova Scotia

40 King Street West, 55th Floor

Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 1H1

Attn: Eli Mou

The Bank of Nova Scotia

720 King Street

Toronto, Canada M5V2T3

Attn: Mona Nagpaul and Rodel Meneses

Gentlemen/Ladies:

Reference is made to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, among Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Borrower”), and The Bank of Nova Scotia (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). Each term that is defined in the Credit Agreement and not herein defined has the meaning ascribed thereto by the Credit Agreement when used herein.

This Borrowing Base Report is delivered to you pursuant to [Section 2.2(a), 5.1(f), 6.1(d) or 6.1(e)] of the Credit Agreement. The Borrower hereby certifies to you as follows:

 

  (a)

as of the close of business on [Date]6 (the “Notice Time”), the Borrowing Base was $____________ (the “Applicable Borrowing Base”),

 

  (b)

Annex 1 attached hereto is a true and accurate detailed calculation of the Applicable Borrowing Base,

 

  (c)

the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Loans [[immediately AFTER giving effect to the making of the Loans requested in the Borrowing Request

 

 

6 

For a Borrowing Base Report delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement, this date should be the Business Day immediately preceding the proposed borrowing date. For a Borrowing Base Report delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(f) of the Credit Agreement, this date should be the Business Day immediately preceding the Effective Date. For a Borrowing Base Report delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(d) of the Credit Agreement, this date should be the last Business Day of the immediately preceding calendar month. For a Borrowing Base Report delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(e) of the Credit Agreement, this date should be as of the close of business on the date of such request.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund –Borrowing Base Report


  dated __________]7 or [at the Notice Time]8]: $_____________________ (the “Applicable Loan Amount”), and

 

  (d)

the Applicable Borrowing Base [is less than][equals][exceeds] the Applicable Loan Amount.

[signature page follows]

 

7 

For use when borrowing.

8 

For periodic or requested reporting.

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Borrowing Base Report


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed his Borrowing Base Report as of the date first above written.

 

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Borrowing Base Report


Annex 1

to

Borrowing Base Report

[This Annex 1 must be in the following form, or such other form as shall have been agreed to by the Borrower and the Bank]

 

A.

   Value of all Cash Equivalents:    $                            
             

 

 

 

B.

   Value of all U.S. Government Securities (other than any Cash Equivalents):    $    
             

 

 

 

C.

   Value of all Eligible Commercial Paper:    $    
             

 

 

 

D.

   Value of all Class A1 Loans, Class A2 Loans and Tier 1 Bonds:    $    
             

 

 

 

E.

   Value of all Class B1 Loans, Class B2 Loans and Tier 2 Bonds:    $    
             

 

 

 

F.

   Value of all Eligible Equity Securities and Tier 3 Bonds:    $    
     

 

 

 

G.

   Value of all Eligible Tier 4 Bonds:    $    
             

 

 

 

H.

   100% of A:    $       9 
             

 

 

 

I.

   95% of B:            $       10 
             

 

 

 

J.

   90% of C:            $       11 
             

 

 

 

K.

   75% of D:            $       12 
             

 

 

 

L.

   60% of E:            $       13 
             

 

 

 

M.

   50% of F:            $       14 
             

 

 

 

N.

   20% of G:            $       15 
             

 

 

 

O.

   Sum of H plus I plus J plus K plus L plus M plus N:    $    
             

 

 

 

P.

   7.5% of O            $    
             

 

 

 

Q.

   List (by Issuer) the aggregate value (to the extent included in O) attributable to investments of such Issuer ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds P:   
     Issuer    Aggregate Value                
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus P:   $                                  
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus P:   $                                  
          Total   $                                        

R.

   O minus Q    $       16 
             

 

 

 

 

 

9 

Clause (i) of Borrowing Base definition

 

10 

Clause (ii) of Borrowing Base definition

 

11 

Clause (iii) of Borrowing Base definition

 

12 

Clause (iv) of Borrowing Base definition

 

13 

Clause (v) of Borrowing Base definition

 

14 

Clause (vi) of Borrowing Base definition

 

15 

Clause (vii) of Borrowing Base definition

 

16 

Adjustment referred to in clause (1) of Borrowing Base definition

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Borrowing Base Report


S.

   5.0% of O    $                            
             

 

 

 

T.

   List (by Issuer) the aggregate value (to the extent included in R) attributable to investments of such Issuer (excluding up to three (3) separate Issuers) ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds S:   
     Issuer    Aggregate Value                
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus S:   $                                  
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus S:   $                                  
          Total   $                                        

U.

   R minus T    $       17 
             

 

 

 

V.

   25% of O              $  
             

 

 

 

W.

   List (by Bloomberg industry group classifications) the aggregate value (to the extent included in U) attributable to investments in a single industry group ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds V:   
     Industry Group    Aggregate Value                
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus V:   $                                  
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus V:   $                                  
          Total   $                                        

X.

   U minus W            $       18 
             

 

 

 

Y.

   20% of O              $  
             

 

 

 

Z.

   List (by Bloomberg industry group classifications) the aggregate value (to the extent included in X) attributable to investments in a single industry group (excluding up to two (2) such separate industries) ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds Y:   
     Industry Group    Aggregate Value                
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus Y:   $                                  
  

[                             ]

   $                             minus Y:   $                                  
          Total   $                                        

AA.

   X minus Z            $       19 
             

 

 

 

BB.

   20% of O              $  
             

 

 

 

CC.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in AA) attributable to investments in all Issuers other than U.S. Issuers ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds BB:      $  
             

 

 

 

DD.

   AA minus CC            $       20 
             

 

 

 

EE.

   20% of O              $  
             

 

 

 

 

 

17 

Adjustment referred to in clause (2) of Borrowing Base definition

 

18 

Adjustment referred to in clause (3) of Borrowing Base definition

 

19 

Adjustment referred to in clause (4) of Borrowing Base definition

 

20 

Adjustment referred to in clause (5) of Borrowing Base definition

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Borrowing Base Report


FF.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in DD) attributable to investments denominated or otherwise priced in a currency other than Dollars ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds EE:    $    
             

 

 

 

GG.

   DD minus FF    $       21 
             

 

 

 

HH.

   10% of O    $    
             

 

 

 

II.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in GG) attributable to Class A1 Loans and Class B1 Loans that, in either case, are unrated by both S&P and Moody’s ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds HH:    $    
             

 

 

 

JJ.

   GG minus II    $       22 
             

 

 

 

KK.

   25% of O    $    
             

 

 

 

LL.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in JJ) attributable to Class A1 Loans and Class B1 Loans that, in either case, are rated CCC+ or lower by S&P or Caal or lower by Moody’s ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds KK:    $    
             

 

 

 

MM.

   JJ minus LL    $       23 
             

 

 

 

NN.

   20% of O    $    
             

 

 

 

OO.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in MM) attributable to Class A2 Loans and Class B2 Loans ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds NN:    $    
             

 

 

 

PP.

   MM minus OO    $       24 
             

 

 

 

QQ.

   5% of O    $    
             

 

 

 

RR.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in PP) attributable to Tier 4 Bonds ONLY if such aggregate value exceeds QQ:    $    
             

 

 

 

SS.

   PP minus RR    $   25 
             

 

 

 

TT.

   The aggregate value (to the extent included in SS) of all investments in the sovereign debt of one or more Restricted Nations    $    
             

 

 

 

UU.

   SS minus TT (the “Borrowing Base”)    $                           26 
             

 

 

 

 

 

21 

Adjustment referred to in clause (6) of Borrowing Base definition

 

22 

Adjustment referred to in clause (7) of Borrowing Base definition

 

23 

Adjustment referred to in clause (8) of Borrowing Base definition

 

24 

Adjustment referred to in clause (9) of Borrowing Base definition

 

25 

Adjustment referred to in clause (10) of Borrowing Base definition

 

26 

Adjustment referred to in clause (11) of Borrowing Base definition

 

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund – Borrowing Base Report

Exhibit (l)

 

LOGO

May 8, 2020

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

345 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, New York 10154

 

  Re:

Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), in connection with the matters set forth herein. At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you.

We have examined and relied upon such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinions expressed below, including the following documents:

 

  (a)

The certificate of trust of the Trust, as filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) on October 22, 2010, as amended by a Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust as filed with the Secretary of State on December 15, 2010 (as so amended, the “Certificate of Trust”);

 

  (b)

The Declaration of Trust, dated as of October 22, 2010, as amended and restated by the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated as of November 18, 2010, by the trustees of the trust named therein, and as further amended and restated by the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated as of December 15, 2010, by the trustees of the Trust named therein, and as supplemented on July 27, 2016 (as so supplemented and amended and restated, the “Trust Agreement”);

 

  (c)

The By-Laws of the Trust, dated as of November 18, 2010 (the “By-Laws”);

 

LOGO


Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

May 8, 2020

Page 2

 

  (d)

A certificate of the secretary of the Trust, dated the date hereof, and attaching copies of resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees (the forgoing are collectively referred to as the “Resolutions” and, together with the Trust Agreement and the By-Laws, are collectively referred to as the “Trust Documents”)

 

  (e)

Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) on Form N-2, as amended, including a preliminary prospectus (and the statement of additional information incorporated by reference therein) dated May 8, 2020 (the “Prospectus”), with respect to the issuance of common shares of beneficial interest in the Trust, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), filed by the Trust with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; and

 

  (f)

A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated May 4, 2020, obtained from the Secretary of State.

Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are used as defined in the Trust Documents.

As to various questions of fact material to our opinion, we have relied upon the representations made in the foregoing documents and upon certificates of officers of the Trust.

With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii) the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.

For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Trust Documents constitute the entire agreement among the parties thereto with respect to the subject matter thereof, including with respect to the formation, operation and termination of the Trust, and that the Trust Documents and the Certificate of Trust are in full force and effect and will not be amended, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid existence in good standing of each party to the documents examined by us under the laws of the jurisdiction governing its organization or formation, (iii) the legal capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents examined by us, (iv) that each of the parties (other than the Trust) to the documents examined by us has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, such documents, (v) except to the extent provided in paragraph 2 below, the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the payment by each Person to whom a Share has been or is to be issued by the Trust (collectively, the “Shareholders”) for such Share, in accordance with the Trust Documents and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, and (vii) that the Shares will be issued and sold to the Shareholders in accordance with the Trust Documents and as contemplated by the Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement (other than this opinion) and assume no responsibility for its contents except for this opinion.


Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund

May 8, 2020

Page 3

 

This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware (excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction, including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and orders thereunder which are currently in effect.

Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such questions of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered necessary or appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Trust has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. § 3801, et. seq.

2. The Shares of the Trust have been duly authorized and, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable beneficial interests in the Trust.

We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus and Form of Prospectus Supplement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards Layton & Finger, P.A.

JWP

Exhibit (n)

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement No. 333-237267 on Form N-2 of our report dated February 27, 2020, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Blackstone / GSO Long-Short Credit Income Fund in the Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended December 31, 2019, and to the references to us under the headings “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectus and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Financial Statements” in the Statement of Additional Information, which are part of such Registration Statement.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Denver, Colorado

May 5, 2020

EXHIBIT (r)(1)

BLACKSTONE / GSO SENIOR FLOATING RATE TERM FUND

BLACKSTONE / GSO LONG-SHORT CREDIT INCOME FUND

BLACKSTONE / GSO STRATEGIC CREDIT FUND

BLACKSTONE / GSO FLOATING RATE ENHANCED INCOME FUND (“BGFLX”)

(each referred to as the “Fund”)

CODE OF ETHICS

(EMPLOYEES OF GSO OR BLACKSTONE AND INDEPENDENT FUND TRUSTEES)

 

I.

General Provisions

 

  A.

Individuals Covered

It is the policy of the Fund that all Access Persons, including Independent Fund Trustees, shall be subject to a written code of ethics meeting the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act. All employees of GSO or Blackstone are subject to the provisions of other codes of ethics that have been adopted by the Fund Adviser and approved by the Fund Board in accordance with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act. For the avoidance of doubt, employees of GSO and Blackstone remain subject to all GSO and Blackstone compliance manuals, codes of ethics and policies and procedures. Independent Fund Trustees are further subject to the provisions attached to this Code of Ethics as Attachment 1, which Attachment 1 constitutes a part of this Code of Ethics.

 

  B.

Securities Transactions Restrictions

 

  1.

Pre-clearance Requirements for Employees and Access Persons (other than Independent Fund Trustees)

All purchases and sales of Securities (including, in the case of BGFLX, sales in repurchase offers) issued by the Fund by employees of GSO or Blackstone, including Access Persons (other than Independent Fund Trustees), must be cleared through GSO’s personal trading request system by submitting a request through the “Personal Trade Request” tab of the Blackstone intranet and providing the amount of Securities of the Fund to be purchased or sold. Pre-clearance may be denied following the consideration of a number of factors including, for example, whether the trade creates the appearance of trading with the possession of material non-public information. Pre-clearance will be evidenced by an email from the CCO or her designee (with a copy to Merrill Lynch, except in the case of BGFLX) and is applicable to an order for the specific transaction placed in a specified period not to exceed one trading day. While actual execution time may exceed such specified period, such employees, including Access Persons, will generally have at least one full trading day in which to effect the trade following the receipt of pre-clearance shortly after the opening of the market. For example, if a request is approved shortly after the opening of the market on Friday, New York time, such employee or Access Person will have through the close of the market that Friday, New York time, to make the requested trade. For the Funds other than BGFLX,

 

1


following receipt of the pre-clearance email (of which Merrill Lynch will receive a carbon copy), such employees or Access Persons are to execute the trade over the telephone or via e-mail with Merrill Lynch during the specified time period. For BGFLX, following receipt of the pre-clearance email, such employees or Access Persons are to execute the trade over the telephone or via e-mail with Blackstone Advisory Partners L.P. during the specified time period. Purchases and sales of Securities issued by the Fund will be subject to holding periods and blackout periods where no trading will be permitted. No shorting, options or hedging or derivatives on Securities issued by the Fund will be approved for any reason.

For Funds other than BGFLX, all trading of Securities issued by the Fund purchased or sold by an employee of GSO or Blackstone, including Access Persons (other than Independent Fund Trustees) must be transacted through an account opened with Merrill Lynch. For new accounts, new account forms must be returned to the addresses and facsimile number set forth below. For existing brokerage accounts at Merrill Lynch unrelated to Blackstone shares, please open new accounts using the forms attached hereto in order to trade Fund shares. For existing brokerage accounts at Merrill Lynch related to Blackstone shares, please trade Fund shares from such existing brokerage account related to Blackstone equity. Contact details for the Merrill Lynch Corporate Services Advisory Team are as follows:

Merrill Lynch

Corporate Services Advisory Team

2 World Financial Center, 35th Floor

New York, NY 10281

Facsimile: (212) 236-2222

Email: Corporate_Services@ml.com

Attention: Nicole Saucier or Joseph Long

With a copy to: GSOCentralCompliance@gsocap.com

For BGFLX, all trading of Securities issued by the Fund purchased or sold by an employee of GSO or Blackstone, including Access Persons (other than Independent Fund Trustees) must be transacted through Blackstone Advisory Partners L.P.

 

  2.

Pre-clearance Requirements for Independent Fund Trustees

All purchases and sales of Securities (including, in the case of BGFLX, sales in repurchase offers) issued by the Fund by Independent Fund Trustees must be cleared through GSO’s personal trading request system by submitting a request to the CCO or her designee to GSOCentralCompliance@gsocap.com, by the opening of the market on the trading day (i.e. any day on which the NYSE is open) on which it is desired that the trade be effected, and providing the amount of Securities of the Fund to be purchased or sold. Pre-clearance may be denied following the consideration of a number of factors including, for example, whether the trade creates the appearance of trading with the possession of material non-public information.

Independent Fund Trustees shall not purchase Securities issued by Blackstone.

 

2


  3.

Reports of Purchases and Holding and Trading Periods

Reports of the purchases and sales of Securities issued by the Fund will be used to file any required reports of beneficial ownership in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act.

Purchases of Securities issued by the Fund by Access Persons will be subject to holding periods of (i) six (6) months from the date of purchase or (ii) such shorter or longer periods as the CCO may deem appropriate.

After consideration of the circumstances surrounding a trade request, the CCO or her designee may determine to grant pre-clearance for purchases and sales of Securities (including, in the case of BGFLX, sales in repurchase offers) issued by the Fund by any Access Person (i) for BGFLX, any time and (ii) for Funds other than BGFLX, any time except the period beginning on the fourteenth (14th) business day preceding, and ending on the third (3rd) business day following, a quarterly meeting of the Fund Board, unless such period is shortened or lengthened as the CCO may deem appropriate.

 

II.

Compliance with the Code

 

  A.

Investigating Violations of the Code

The CCO is responsible for investigating any suspected violation of the Code by an Access Person and shall report the results of each investigation to the Fund Board, provided that the Fund Board may determine to appoint counsel to investigate any matter at the Fund’s expense and report to it, the CCO regarding such matter. The Fund Board is responsible for reviewing the results of any investigation of any reported or suspected violation of the Code by an Access Person. Any violation of the Code by an Access Person of a Fund will be reported to the Fund Board by the CCO not later than the next quarterly meeting after the violation occurs. Employees of GSO and Blackstone are expected to read and comply with the Code as part of their employment.

 

  B.

Remedies

 

  1.

Sanctions: If the Fund Board determines that an Access Person has committed a violation of the Code, the Fund Board may impose such sanctions and take such other actions as it deems appropriate, including, among other things, a verbal warning, a letter of caution or warning, fine, termination of employment, suspension, civil referral to the Securities and Exchange Commission or criminal referral. The Fund Board may also require the Access Person to reverse the transaction in question and forfeit any profit or absorb any loss associated or derived as a result of such reversal. The amount of profit shall be calculated by the Fund Board. The Access Person shall not participate in the Fund Board’s determination of any remedies to be imposed in connection with his or her violation of the Code.

 

3


  2.

Sole Authority: The Fund Board has sole authority to determine the remedy for any violation of the Code by an Access Person, including appropriate disposition of any monies forfeited pursuant to this provision, but may request a recommendation on such matters from the CCO or Chief Legal Officer of the Funds and is entitled to reasonably rely on such recommendation.

 

  C.

Amendments

Any material amendment of the Code (including of Attachment 1) shall be submitted to the Fund Board for approval in accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act. Any material amendment of the Code shall become effective only when the Fund Board has approved the amendment in accordance with Rule 17j-1 or at such earlier date as may be required to comply with applicable law or regulation.

 

III.

Definitions

When used in the Code, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

Access Person” means any individual that should be treated as an “access person” to the Fund, as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act, and includes, without limitation, trustees (including Independent Fund Trustees), officers or general partners of the Fund, the Adviser or any company controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Fund or the Adviser, who in connection with his/her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of securities by the Fund, or whose functions relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales.

Blackstone” means The Blackstone Group Inc. and any other company controlling, controlled by or under common control with GSO.

CCO” means the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund.

Code” means this Code of Ethics, as amended.

Fund Adviser” means GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC.

Fund Board” means the Board of Trustees of the Fund.

GSO” means GSO Capital Partners LP or any of its affiliates within the credit-focused business unit of The Blackstone Group Inc.

Independent Fund Trustee” means a trustee of the Fund who is not an “interested person” of the Fund, the Fund Adviser or the principal underwriter of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act.

Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

4


Attachment 1

 

I.

Personal Securities Transactions

In connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by an Independent Fund Trustee of a Security Held or to be Acquired by the Fund, Independent Fund Trustees are prohibited from:

 

  1.

employing any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Fund;

 

  2.

making any untrue statement of a material fact to the Fund or omitting to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made to the Fund, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

  3.

engaging in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on the Fund; or

 

  4.

engaging in any manipulative practice with respect to the Fund.

 

II.

Reporting Requirements

 

  A.

Initial and Annual Acknowledgement

Within ten (10) days of being designated an Independent Fund Trustee, and thereafter on an annual basis, each Independent Fund Trustee must execute the Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Fund’s Code of Ethics attached hereto as Appendix A, including the acknowledgement that he or she has read the Code of Ethics and understands that it applies to him or her.

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1(d)(2)(ii) under the Investment Company Act, Independent Fund Trustees are not required to provide an initial holdings report or a quarterly transaction report required by Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act.

 

  B.

Transactions in Reportable Securities

 

  1.

Transaction Reporting Requirements. No later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each Independent Fund Trustee must report to the CCO any Securities Transaction executed during such calendar quarter in a Reportable Security (or Equivalent Security) in which such Independent Fund Trustee had a Beneficial Interest if the Independent Fund Trustee knew, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her duty as an Independent Fund Trustee of the Fund should have known, that during the 15-day period immediately before or after the date of such Securities Transaction, (i) the Fund purchased or sold such Reportable Security, or (ii) the Fund or the Fund Adviser considered purchasing or selling such Reportable Security.

Note: For purposes of these reporting requirements, Securities Transaction includes transactions in futures and options on futures.

 

AT1-1


  2.

Disclaimers. Any report of a Securities Transaction pursuant to this Section II.B for the benefit of a person other than the Independent Fund Trustee may contain a statement that the report should not be construed as an admission by the Independent Fund Trustee that he or she has any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest in the Security to which the report relates.

 

  3.

Confidentiality. All information supplied by an Independent Fund Trustee pursuant to the Code shall be kept in strict confidence, except that such information may be made available to the Fund Board and the CCO. Such information may also be made available to the Securities and Exchange Commission or such other regulatory authority, to the extent required by law, regulation or this Code.

 

III.

Definitions

When used in this Attachment 1, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

 

  A.

Terms Defining the Scope of a Beneficial Interest

Beneficial Interest” means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, to profit, or share in any profit derived from, a transaction in the subject Securities.

An Independent Fund Trustee is deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in the following:

 

  1.

any Security owned individually by the Independent Fund Trustee;

 

  2.

any Security owned jointly by the Independent Fund Trustee with others (for example, joint accounts, spousal accounts, partnerships, trusts and controlling interests in corporations); and

 

  3.

any Security in which a member of the Independent Fund Trustee’s Immediate Family has a Beneficial Interest if:

 

  (a)

the Security is held in an account over which the Independent Fund Trustee has decision making authority (for example, the Independent Fund Trustee acts as trustee, executor, or guardian); or

 

  (b)

the Security is held in an account for which the Independent Fund Trustee acts as a broker or investment adviser representative.

An Independent Fund Trustee is presumed to have a Beneficial Interest in the following:

 

  1.

any Security in which a member of the Independent Fund Trustee’s Immediate Family has a Beneficial Interest if the Immediate Family member resides in the same household as the Independent Fund Trustee. This presumption may be rebutted if the Independent Fund Trustee provides the CCO with satisfactory assurances that the Independent Fund Trustee does not have an ownership interest, individual or joint, in the Security and exercises no influence or control over investment decisions made regarding the Security. The presumption will not be deemed rebutted unless and until the CCO approves the petition in writing.

 

AT1-2


Any uncertainty as to whether an Independent Fund Trustee has a Beneficial Interest in a Security should be brought to the attention of the CCO for resolution. An Independent Fund Trustee may appeal any such resolution to the full Board, the decision of which shall be final. Such questions will be resolved in accordance with, and this definition shall be interpreted in accordance with, the definition of “beneficial owner” found in Rules 16a-1(a) (2) and (5) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Immediate Family” of an Independent Fund Trustee means any of the following persons:

 

child    grandparent    son-in-law
stepchild    spouse    daughter-in-law
grandchild    sibling    brother-in-law
parent    mother-in-law    sister-in-law
stepparent    father-in-law   

Immediate Family includes adoptive relationships and other relationships (whether or not recognized by law) that the CCO determines could lead to the possible conflicts of interest, diversions of corporate opportunity, or appearances of impropriety which this Code is intended to prevent.

 

  B.

Terms Defining the Scope of a Reportable Securities Transaction

Reportable Security” means any Security other than (1) direct obligations of the Government of the United States; (2) bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; and (3) shares issued by open-end funds (other than exchange-traded funds).

Securities Transaction” means a purchase or sale of a Reportable Security in which an Independent Fund Trustee acquires or has a Beneficial Interest.

Security” includes stock, notes, bonds, debentures, and other evidences of indebtedness (including loan participations and assignments), limited partnership interests, investment contracts, closed-end investment companies, and all derivative instruments of the foregoing, such as options and warrants. “Security” does not include futures or options on futures, but the purchase and sale of such instruments are nevertheless subject to the reporting requirements of the Code.

 

AT1-3


Security Held or to be Acquired by the Fund” means (A) any Reportable Security which, within the most recent 15 days, (i) is or has been held by the Fund, or (ii) is being or has been considered by the Fund or the Fund Adviser for purchase by the Fund, or (B) any option to purchase or sell, and any Security convertible into or exchangeable for, a Reportable Security described above in clause (A) of this definition.

 

AT1-4


Appendix A

Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Fund Code of Ethics

I acknowledge that I have received the                      Code of Ethics, dated                          (the “Code”), and represent that:

 

  1.

I have read the Code and I understand that it applies to me and to all Securities in which I have or acquire any Beneficial Interest. I have read the definition of “Beneficial Interest” and understand that I may be deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in Securities owned by members of my Immediate Family and that Securities Transactions affected by members of my Immediate Family may therefore be subject to the Code.

 

  2.

I will report all Securities Transactions required to be reported under Section II of Attachment 1 of the Code in which I have or acquire a Beneficial Interest.

 

  3.

I will comply with applicable provisions of the Code in all respects.

 

 

Trustee’s Signature

 

 

Name (Print)

 

 

Date

 

APP-1

Exhibit (r)(2)

The Blackstone Group Inc.

 

 

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

January 2020

The Blackstone Group Inc.

Table of Contents

 

 

A Message from Stephen A. Schwarzman

     1  

Business Ethics and Compliance Standards and Procedures

     2  

Employee and Reporting Hotline

     4  

Waivers of the Code

     4  

Respect at Blackstone

     5  

Confidential Information

     5  

Conflicts of Interest

     6  

Family Members and Close Personal Relationships

     7  

Outside Employment / Directorships

     7  

Consultants and Agents

     7  

Other Situations

     7  

Corporate Opportunities

     7  

Protection and Proper Use of Firm Assets

     8  

Fair Dealing

     8  

Relationships with Suppliers

     8  

Compliance with Laws

     8  

Governmental Filings and Responding to Governmental and Regulatory Requests

     9  

Insider Trading

     9  

Document Retention

     9  

Taxes

     10  

Disparaging Remarks

     10  

Doing Business Internationally

     11  

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act / U.K. Bribery Act

     11  

Disclaimer

     12  

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

 

A Message from Stephen A. Schwarzman

All of us have every reason to be proud of Blackstone’s high standards. The Firm is committed to preserving its reputation for excellence and integrity in everything we do. Our reputation today is a tribute to all of you and the manner in which you conduct the Firm’s business, and for that we want to thank you wholeheartedly.

It has taken the Firm since 1985 to build that reputation, but we should be fully aware that reputations can be destroyed in a fraction of that time by one brief shortcoming.

 

None of you can be unaware of the trials and tribulations that have beset Wall Street. More than a few of these problems have arisen because of poor ethical judgments or simply a lack of appropriate standards.

To ensure that everyone fully understands the Firm’s approach and the standards by which we measure ourselves, the enclosed comprehensive Code of Business Conduct and Ethics has been prepared to help guide you in your decision-making.

It is imperative that you read and abide by these standards so that we can continue to be a successful and admired organization in the years ahead.

Thank you again for your diligence and cooperation in helping Blackstone maintain its stellar reputation.

 

LOGO

Stephen A. Schwarzman

Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer

 

 

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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

 

 

Integrity, honesty and sound judgment are fundamental to the reputation and success of The Blackstone Group Inc. and its respective subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, “Blackstone”, “TBG”, the “Company” or the “Firm”). The policies outlined in this Code of Ethics (the “Code”) are designed to ensure that all Blackstone directors, officers and employees not only conduct themselves lawfully at all times, but also maintain the highest ethical standards in every aspect of their dealings with other employees, the business community, clients, suppliers and government authorities.

The Firm is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, self-identified or perceived sex, gender identity or expression, the status of being transgender, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, age, disability, marital, familial, or partnership status, military or veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offense, stalking, arrest or conviction record, caregiver status, credit history, unemployment status, uniformed service, or any other class or status protected by law in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leave of absence, compensation and training. In addition, Blackstone prohibits any discriminatory conduct of its agents and non-employees who have contact with employees during working hours or at work-related events.

No employee should be misguided by any sense of false loyalty to the Firm or a desire for profitability that might cause him or her to disobey any applicable law or Firm policy. Violation of Firm policy will constitute grounds for disciplinary action, including, when appropriate, termination of service.

The Firm believes our people are our most important resource. We seek to hire the brightest and most talented and empower them to be better.

Management seeks to (1) foster a stimulating culture where there is a commitment to excellence; (2) promote and reward our personnel for their contributions and achievements; and (3) promote an ethical environment and a sense of mutual trust and shared responsibility.

The material contained in this Code and the Firm’s Global Compliance Policies Manual, Investment Advisor Compliance Policies & Procedures (and related supplements), and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (such material referred to herein as the “Code of Conduct” or the “Code”) serves as a guide for employees when faced with legal or ethical questions. The Code is not all-inclusive, and the Firm expects employees to use their own judgment at all times to follow the high ethical standards to which the Firm is committed.

The Firm takes this Code of Conduct very seriously. All employees must follow the ethical standards set forth in this Code and are obligated to report, in a timely fashion, any possible violations of law or of our ethical standards that they may witness or have a reasonable basis to believe exist. Reporting in good faith possible ethical violations by others will not subject you to reprisal. An employee retaliating or punishing another employee for reporting suspected unethical or illegal conduct or any questionable situation may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and

 

 

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including termination, and may be acting in violation of the law. As discussed below, all reports and

It is the responsibility of employees to read carefully and understand this Code, but we do not expect this Code to answer every possible question an employee may have in the course of conducting business. To this end, employees should keep in mind the following steps as they consider a particular problem or concern:

 

   

Always ask first, act later: If you are unsure of what to do in any situation, seek guidance before you act.

 

   

Make sure you have all the facts. In order to reach the right solutions, we must be as fully informed as possible.

 

   

Ask yourself: What specifically am I being asked to do? Does it seem unethical or improper? This will enable you to focus on the specific question you are faced with, and the alternatives you have. Use your judgment and common sense; if something seems unethical or improper, it probably is.

 

   

Clarify your responsibility and role. In most situations, there is shared responsibility. Are your colleagues informed? It may help to get others involved and discuss the problem.

 

   

Discuss the problem with your supervisor. This is the basic guidance for all situations. In many cases, your supervisor will be more knowledgeable about the question, and will appreciate being brought into the decision-making process. Remember that it is your supervisor’s responsibility to help solve problems.

 

   

Seek help from individuals other than your supervisor. In situations where it may not be appropriate to discuss an issue with your supervisor, or where you do not feel comfortable approaching your supervisor with your question, consider discussing the issue with someone from the Human Resources department. If the issue relates to a specific Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (as amended) matter, consider discussing the issue with the Legal and Compliance Department (“LCD”). In the case of accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, consider discussing the issue with the Chief Financial Officer or the audit committee of the board of directors. Interested parties may also communicate directly with the Firm’s non-management directors through contact information located in the Firm’s annual proxy statement.

If employees are concerned about an ethical situation or are not sure whether specific conduct meets the Firm’s standards of conduct, employees are responsible for asking their supervisors or managers, the Chief Legal Officer (“CLO”) or any other representative of the LCD, or the Human Resources Department any questions that they may feel are necessary to understand the Firm’s expectations of them.

If you believe you or another employee may have violated the law or our ethical standards, it is your responsibility to immediately report the violation to your supervisor or manager, a representative of the LCD or the Human Resources Department, or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Employee and Reporting Hotline or website described below. Similarly, if you are a supervisor or manager and you have received information from an employee concerning

 

 

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activity that he or she believes may violate the Code or that you believe may violate the Code, you should report the matter to a representative of the LCD or the Human Resources Department, the Audit Committee or the Employee and Reporting Hotline or website described below.

Employees who fail to comply (either in letter or spirit) with these policies, including supervisors or managers who fail to detect or report wrongdoing, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The following are examples of conduct that may result in discipline:

 

   

Actions that violate a Firm policy;

 

   

Requesting others to violate a Firm policy;

 

   

Failure to promptly disclose a known or suspected violation of a Firm policy;

 

   

Failure to cooperate in Firm investigations of possible violations of a Firm policy;

 

   

Retaliation against another employee for reporting a good faith integrity concern; and

 

   

Failure to demonstrate the leadership and diligence needed to ensure compliance with Firm policies and applicable law.

It is important to understand that a violation of certain of these policies may subject the Firm and the individual employee to civil liability and damages, regulatory sanction and/or criminal prosecution.

Employee and Reporting Hotline

Employees interested in communicating a concern anonymously may call the Employee and Reporting Hotline toll-free, 24 hours a day from any country in which Blackstone has an office. The hotline is hosted by a third party provider, EthicsPoint (also known as NAVEX Global). In the U.S., the hotline can be reached by dialing 1-855-657-8027. Callers from outside the U.S. can find country-specific dialing instructions at www.blackstone.ethicspoint.com by choosing the relevant location from the drop-down menu. Employees may also submit a report online at www.blackstone.ethicspoint.com.

At no time will the Employee Hotline utilize “Caller ID” technologies to identify an employee who wishes to remain anonymous. In order to facilitate positive action in response to employees’ concerns, callers may give their names and work locations. Callers from the European Economic Area are encouraged to give their names and work locations.

All reports and inquiries will be handled confidentially to the maximum extent practicable under the circumstances. As mentioned above, no employee will be subject to retaliation or punishment for good faith reporting of suspected violations of law or of our ethical standards by another employee or for coming forward to alert the Firm of any questionable situation. Furthermore, any person who participates in retaliation against such employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Waivers of the Code

 

 

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Any waiver of any provision of this Code for executive officers or directors of The Blackstone Group Inc. must be approved by the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors of The Blackstone Group Inc. and will be promptly disclosed as required by applicable securities law and/or stock exchange rules.

Respect at Blackstone

When Steve Schwarzman and Pete Peterson formed the Firm in 1985, their aim was to build a group of related businesses, to attract the very best people and to provide an environment in which we could grow to become among the leaders in our respective business areas. That has meant fostering an environment in which there was and is freedom of expression, constant interaction, attentive listening and consideration to personal and business issues at all levels.

All personnel should treat everyone, including fellow employees, clients, vendors and guests, with respect and dignity. We are all individually responsible for creating and maintaining a work environment that is built on these values.

Confidential Information

The Firm regularly comes into possession of Confidential Information (as that term is defined below) in the course of the Firm’s business. The Firm is strongly committed to protecting Confidential Information, whether entrusted to the Firm by an actual or prospective client, investor or portfolio company, generated within the Firm or obtained from some other source. The Firm is also strongly committed to avoiding the misuse, or the appearance of misuse, of such information, whether in connection with the trading of securities or otherwise.

During the course of employment by or association with TBG, employees may learn of or have access to information concerning the (i) business, (ii) affairs, (iii) operations, (iv) strategies, (v) policies, (vi) procedures, (vii) organizational and personnel matters related to any present or former employee of TBG, including compensation and investment arrangements, (viii) terms of agreements, (ix) financial structure, (x) financial position, financial results or other financial affairs, (xi) actual or proposed transactions or investments, (xii) investment results, (xiii) existing or prospective clients or investors, (xiv) computer programs or (xv) other confidential information related to the business of TBG or to its affiliates, actual or prospective portfolio companies or other third parties. Such information may have been or may be provided in written or electronic form or orally or otherwise accessed via a data room portal such as Intralinks. All of such information, from whatever source learned or obtained and regardless of the Company’s connection to the information, is “Confidential Information.”

Without limiting the foregoing, Confidential Information includes any information, whether public or not, which (1) represents, or is aggregated in such a way as to represent, or purport to represent, all or any portion of the investment results of, or any other information about the investment “track record” of, (a) the Firm, (b) a business group of the Firm, (c) one or more funds managed by affiliates of the Firm or (d) any individual or group of individuals during their time at the Firm, or (2) describes an individual’s role in achieving or contributing to any such investment results.

Confidential Information does not include information that has been made generally available to the public, but information that when viewed in isolation may be publicly known or can be

 

 

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accessed by a member of the public will still constitute Confidential Information for these purposes if such information has become proprietary to TBG through TBG’s aggregation or interpretation of such information.

Because all of its Confidential Information constitutes a valuable asset of TBG and/or TBG’s clients, without the prior written consent of TBG (which may be given or withheld in TBG’s sole discretion) or TBG’s clients, as applicable, no employee of TBG or any of its affiliates may, while he or she is employed by or associated with TBG or at any time thereafter, (a) disclose any Confidential Information to any person except at the direction of TBG or its clients, as applicable, (b) make any other use of any Confidential Information except in the business of TBG and in a manner which at all times is intended to serve the interests of TBG or its clients, or (c) disclose any information (whether or not Confidential Information) concerning TBG or its affiliates or its present or former employees, clients or investors to any reporter, author or similar person or entity or take any other action likely to result in such information being made available to the public in any form, including books, articles or writings of any other kind, film, videotape, electronic means of communication or any other medium, except in compliance with TBG policy.

Any Firm personnel who fail to comply, either in letter or spirit, with these important policies may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The Firm may pursue appropriate legal action against present or former employees or members to enforce these policies.

In addition to complying with the important policies set forth above, employees and members are required to execute a confidentiality agreement prior to the commencement of employment and familiarize themselves with and acknowledge that agreement by their signature, as well as adhere to the policies and procedures set forth in the Firm’s Global Compliance Policies Manual and Investment Adviser Compliance Policies and Procedures. The latter documents contain important additional policies and procedures concerning Confidential Information and related matters.

Notwithstanding any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement (whether in writing or otherwise, including without limitation as part of an employment agreement, separation agreement or similar employment or compensation arrangement) applicable to a current or former employees, the Firm does not restrict any current or former employee from reporting, communicating, cooperating or filing a complaint on possible violations of federal, state or local law or regulation to or with any governmental agency or regulatory authority (collectively, a “Governmental Entity”), including, but not limited to, the, SEC, FINRA, EEOC or NLRB, or from making other disclosures to any Governmental Entity that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal, state or local law or regulation, provided that in each case such communications and disclosures are consistent with applicable law. Moreover, employees do not need to give prior notice to (or get prior authorization from) Blackstone regarding any such communication or disclosure. In addition, the Firm does not restrict employees from discussing, disclosing or inquiring about wages to the extent consistent with applicable pay equity laws, or from engaging in activity protected by the National Labor Relations Act; for example, non-managerial and non-supervisory employee discussions regarding their terms and conditions of employment.

Conflicts of Interest

 

 

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A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s private interest interferes, or even appears to interfere, with the interests of the Firm as a whole. A conflict of interest may arise when an employee takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest also arise when an employee, officer or director, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position in the Firm. Loans to, or guarantees of obligations of, such persons are of special concern.

Business decisions and actions must be based on the best interests of the Firm and its clients. Employees may not have outside interests that conflict or appear to conflict with their ability to make business decisions in the best interests of the Firm or its clients. Employees are expected to act solely for the benefit of the Firm and its clients and must not be influenced by a personal interest that may result from other individual or business concerns. Conflicts of interest are to be scrupulously avoided and, if unavoidable, must be disclosed to the LCD at the earliest opportunity. If you have any uncertainty about whether your actions or relationships present a conflict of interest, contact the LCD for guidance.

Family Members and Close Personal Relationships

Conflicts of interest may arise when doing business with organizations in which employees’ family members have an ownership or employment interest. Family members include spouses, parents, children, siblings and in-laws. Employees may not conduct business on behalf of the Firm and may not use their influence to get the Firm to do business with family members or an organization with which an employee or an employee’s family member is associated unless specific written approval has been granted in advance by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer or the CLO.

Outside Employment / Directorships

All employees are expected to devote their best efforts to their job at all times. Employees may not maintain outside employment activities that compromise job performance or that may present a conflict of interest. All outside business activities are subject to the prior approval of the Firm’s LCD.

Consultants and Agents

Whenever it becomes necessary to engage the services of an individual or firm to consult for or represent the Firm, special care must be taken to ensure that no conflicts of interest exist between the Firm and the person or firm to be retained. Employees must also ensure that outside consultants and agents of the Firm are reputable and qualified. Agreements with consultants or agents should be in writing and should be approved by the CLO.

Other Situations

Because other conflicts of interest may arise, it would be impractical to attempt to list all possible situations. Any employee, officer or director who becomes aware of a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest should bring it to the attention of a supervisor, manager or other appropriate personnel, the LCD or the CLO.

Corporate Opportunities

 

 

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It is the Firm’s policy that employees, officers and directors may not take opportunities for themselves that are discovered through the use of Firm property, information or position, or use Firm property, information or position for personal gain. Furthermore, employees may not compete with the Firm directly or indirectly. Employees, officers and directors have a duty to the Firm to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises.

Protection and Proper Use of Firm Assets

Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on the Firm’s profitability. Employees, officers and directors have a duty to safeguard Firm assets and ensure their efficient use. Firm assets should be used only for legitimate business purposes and employees and directors should take measures to ensure against their theft, damage, or misuse.

Firm assets include intellectual property such as trademarks, business and marketing plans, salary information and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information is a violation of Firm policy.

Fair Dealing

Each employee, officer and director shall endeavor to deal fairly with the Firm’s equity holders, competitors, suppliers and employees. No employee or director shall take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair practice.

No bribes, kickbacks or other similar payments in any form shall be made directly or indirectly to or for anyone for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or obtaining any other favorable action. The Firm and the employee, officer or director involved may be subject to disciplinary action as well as potential civil or criminal liability for violation of this policy.

Relationships with Suppliers

The Firm encourages good supplier relations. However, employees may not benefit personally, whether directly or indirectly, from any purchase of goods or services for the Firm. Employees whose responsibilities include purchasing (be it merchandise, fixtures, services or other), or who have contact with suppliers, must not exploit their position at the Firm for personal gain. Generally, employees may not receive cash or other items of value from any supplier, whether directly or indirectly unless it is not pursuant to a quid pro quo and is not related to hiring or other business decisions (e.g. random chance raffle). Ordinary and customary periodic holiday gifts of a de-minimis amount are also permitted, subject to compliance with any requirements of TBG as well as the business group in question

Compliance with Laws

The Firm operates strictly within the bounds of the laws, rules and regulations that affect the conduct of our business. All employees are expected to know and to follow the law. Supervisors, managers or other appropriate personnel must ensure that employees understand and are informed of the requirements relating to their jobs. They must also be available to answer employee questions or concerns and, when necessary, to guide them to other subject-matter experts,

 

 

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including the Firm’s outside counsel. There are serious consequences for failing to follow any applicable laws, rules and regulations, up to and including termination of employment and potential criminal and civil penalties.

Governmental Filings and Responding to Governmental and Regulatory Requests

It is Firm policy to cooperate with all reasonable requests concerning Firm business from U.S. federal, state, municipal and foreign government agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice, and from regulatory organizations such as FINRA and the New York Stock Exchange. All contacts, inquiries, or requests – written or oral – for information or documents by governmental or self-regulatory authorities, including representatives of the SEC, FINRA, the states and non-U.S. regulators, should be reported immediately to the applicable CCO. In the case of telephone requests, the employee receiving the request should make sure to obtain the name, agency, address, and telephone number of the representative making such request and refer the inquiry to the LCD. With respect to filings made with U.S. federal, state, municipal and foreign governmental agencies, particularly those filings (e.g., Hart-Scott-Rodino filings) that are made in connection with an investment by the Firm, it is Firm policy that counsel retained by the Firm must generally be consulted prior to the submission of the filing with such agencies. In the event a decision not to contact outside counsel is made, written notification must be made to the CLO.

Insider Trading

The Firm’s policy against insider trading is designed to promote compliance with securities laws and to protect the Firm as well as Firm representatives from the very serious liability and penalties that can result from violations of these laws. The Firm is committed to maintaining its reputation for integrity and ethical conduct and this policy is an important part of that effort. It is TBG’s policy that directors, executive officers and other employees of TBG may not trade securities, of the Firm or otherwise, about which they learn material, non-public information. They are also prohibited from passing on such information to others who might make an investment decision based on it. Any questions as to whether information is material or has been adequately disclosed should be directed to the LCD.

In addition, directors, executive officers and employees are prohibited from engaging in transactions in TBG’s securities that are inconsistent with a long-term investment in TBG, signal a lack of confidence in TBG or may lead to the appearance of insider trading. Such transactions include any trading activity designed to profit from fluctuations in the price of these securities, such as “day trading” and arbitrage trading, short sales, buying securities on margin, and the use of forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, exchange funds, puts, calls, options and other derivative securities or any instruments designed to increase in value as a result of, or hedge or offset any decrease in, the market value of TBG’s securities.

Any violation of the Firm’s policies and procedures regarding personal securities trading by an employee or an employee’s family member may result in dismissal, suspension, with or without pay, or other disciplinary sanctions against the employee, whether or not the violation of the Firm’s policy also constitutes a violation of law.

Document Retention

 

 

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Destruction or falsification of any information that the Firm is required to retain pursuant to legal or regulatory requirements, or that is potentially relevant to any violation of law, government investigation or civil legal matter, may lead to prosecution for obstruction of justice, regulatory action, legal sanctions or other adverse consequences for the Firm. The Firm’s Information Management and Legal Holds Policies govern the Firm’s retention, preservation or destruction of information. Employees are required to manage, retain and dispose of Firm information in accordance with those policies. Questions with regard to retention or destruction of information should be directed to the CLO. Please refer to the Firm’s Information Management Policy, Legal Holds Policy, and various compliance manuals for other provisions relating to information retention and disposal.

Taxes

The Firm and its employees, whether acting on behalf of the Firm or individually, are not permitted to attempt to evade taxes or the payment of taxes. Neither should employees solicit clients on the basis of nor actively participate in assisting clients in attempting to evade the tax laws. The Firm and its employees, whether acting on behalf of the Firm or individually, are not permitted to (i) make false statements to tax authorities regarding any matter, (ii) file fraudulent returns, statements, lists or other documents, (iii) conceal property or withhold records from tax authorities, (iv) willfully fail to file tax returns, keep required records or supply information to tax authorities or (v) willfully fail to collect, account for or pay a tax.

None of this prevents you from arranging your personal affairs in a manner serving to lawfully minimize the tax you are required to pay, and in so doing, you can consider all allowable deductions and credits that you may be entitled to claim.

In addition to complying with the tax laws, employees must cooperate fully with any regulatory entity or governmental authority and may not interfere with the administration of the tax laws. Payments and gifts to tax agents and other government officials are strictly prohibited. To this end, employees are required to refer business inquiries to the CLO and respond immediately to personal inquiries from a tax authority, including summons to testify or produce books, accounts, records, memoranda or other papers.

Maliciously False, Defamatory, or other Unlawful Remarks

Maliciously false, defamatory, or other unlawful remarks or statements about the Firm or any of its personnel are strictly prohibited. No employee of the Firm, directly or indirectly, may make, while in the employ of the Firm or at any time thereafter, any such remarks or statements (whether of a professional or personal nature) to any individual or other third party (including without limitation any present or former member, partner or employee of the Firm) or entity regarding the Firm or any of their respective affiliates, members, partners or employees, or regarding such employee’s relationship with the Firm or the termination of such relationship.

 

 

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Employees who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The Firm may also pursue appropriate legal action against present or former employees or members to enforce this policy.

This policy does not prohibit employees from making truthful disclosures to governmental agencies.

Doing Business Internationally

While the Firm must adapt to business customs and market practices in global markets, all employees worldwide should adhere to applicable U.S. laws and regulations and Firm standards. Every employee involved in non-U.S. operations should also respect the laws, cultures and customs of all countries in which the Firm operates and should conduct the Firm’s overseas activities in a way that contributes to development in all such locales.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act / U.K. Bribery Act

Blackstone and its employees, agents and representatives must conduct their activities in full compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws, including without limitation, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the U.K. Bribery Act, and any other anti-corruption laws that are in effect in the country in which the Blackstone employee, agent or representative operates.

The FCPA reaches conduct occurring outside of the territorial boundaries of the United States and applies to domestic and foreign subsidiaries of Blackstone and to both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens. Under the FCPA:

 

   

Blackstone and its Senior Managing Directors, agents, officers and employees are prohibited from making or authorizing the payment of either money or anything of value, directly or indirectly, to government officials, political parties or candidates for political office outside the United States to win or retain business or influence any act or decision of such officials;

 

   

All books, records and accounts, domestic and overseas, must accurately and fairly reflect business transactions and dispositions of Blackstone’s assets;

 

   

A system of internal accounting controls must be maintained to provide adequate corporate supervision over the accounting and reporting activities at all levels.

 

 

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Disclaimer

This Code is designed to acquaint directors, executive officers and employees with the Firm’s policies with respect to business conduct and ethics.

The information contained in this Code is not intended to represent all of the Firm’s policies. In addition, directors, executive officers and employees should be aware that the Firm may revise, supplement or rescind any policies or portions of this Code at any time as it deems appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion. This Code is the property of the Firm.

 

 

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