UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report: November 4, 2021 (Date of earliest event reported)

 

 

Gladstone Capital Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   814-00237   54-2040781
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 

(Commission

File Number)

  (IRS Employer
Identification Number)

 

1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100  
McLean, Virginia   22102
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(703) 287-5800

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

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

 

 

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

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of Each Exchange on Which
Registered

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   GLAD   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Nasdaq Global Select Market)

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

Emerging growth company  ☐

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

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Fourth Supplemental Indenture

On November 4, 2021, in connection with a previously announced private placement, Gladstone Capital Corporation (the “Company”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), entered into a Fourth Supplemental Indenture (the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture”) to the Indenture, dated November 6, 2018, between the Company and the Trustee (together with the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Fourth Supplemental Indenture relates to the Company’s issuance, offer and sale of $50 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.75% Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”).

The Notes will mature on May 1, 2027, unless previously redeemed or repurchased in accordance with their terms. The interest rate of the Notes is 3.75% per year and will be paid semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing May 1, 2022. The Notes are the Company’s direct unsecured obligations and rank pari passu with the Company’s existing and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness, including the Company’s 5.125% Notes due 2026; senior to any series of preferred stock that the Company may issue in the future; senior to any of the Company’s future indebtedness that expressly provides it is subordinated to the Notes; effectively subordinated to all of the Company’s existing and future secured indebtedness (including indebtedness that is initially unsecured to which the Company subsequently grants security), to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of any of the Company’s existing or future subsidiaries, including, without limitation, borrowings under the Company’s credit facility.

The Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at the Company’s option, at a redemption price (as determined by the Company) equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date: (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption) on the Notes to be redeemed, discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined in the Fourth Supplemental Indenture) plus 50 basis points; provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after February 1, 2027 (the date falling three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price for the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption. In addition, if a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined in the Fourth Supplemental Indenture) occurs in respect of the Company, holders of the Notes may require the Company to repurchase for cash all or part of their Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the repurchase date.

The Indenture contains certain covenants, including covenants requiring the Company to comply with Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), or any successor provisions, to comply with Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of


the Investment Company Act, or any successor provisions but giving effect to any exemptive relief granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to another business development company and upon which the Company may reasonably rely (or to the Company if the Company determines to seek such similar no-action or other relief), and to provide financial information to the holders of the Notes and the Trustee if the Company should no longer be subject to the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These covenants are subject to important limitations and exceptions that are set forth in the Indenture.

The Notes were sold to the several initial purchasers in a private placement in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and for the initial resale by the Initial Purchasers to qualified institutional buyers in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144A thereunder. The Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. The transaction closed on November 4, 2021.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay a portion of the amount outstanding under its credit facility, to fund new investment opportunities and for other general corporate purposes.

The description above is only a summary of the material provisions of the Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Notes and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, respectively, each filed as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with the offering, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2021 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), with Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representative of the several initial purchasers. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is obligated to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement with respect to an offer to exchange the Notes for a new issue of debt securities registered under the Securities Act with terms substantially identical to those of the Notes (except for provisions relating to transfer restrictions and payment of additional interest) and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to consummate such exchange offer on the earliest practicable date after the registration statement has been declared effective but in no event later than 365 days after the initial issuance of the Notes. If the Company fails to satisfy its registration obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, it will be required to pay additional interest to the holders of the Notes.

The description above is only a summary of the material provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registration Rights Agreement, filed as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

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

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

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

4.1    Fourth Supplemental Indenture between Gladstone Capital Corporation and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of November 4, 2021.
4.2    Form of Global Note with respect to 3.75% Notes due 2027 sold in reliance on Rule 144A of the Securities Act, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1.
4.3    Form of Global Note with respect to 3.75% Notes due 2027 sold in reliance on Rule 501 of the Securities Act, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1.
4.4    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between Gladstone Capital Corporation and Raymond James  & Associates, Inc., as representative of the several initial purchasers


SIGNATURE

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

 

Date: November 4, 2021     Gladstone Capital Corporation
      By:   /s/ Nicole Schaltenbrand
        Nicole Schaltenbrand
        Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

Exhibit 4.1

FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

between

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

Dated as of November 4, 2021

THIS FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Fourth Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of November 4, 2021, is between Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). All capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

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

WHEREAS, the Company desires to initially issue and sell $50,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.75% Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”);

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

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

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


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

ARTICLE I

TERMS OF THE NOTES

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

(a) The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “3.75% Notes due 2027”. The Notes shall bear a CUSIP number of 376535 AD2 and an ISIN number of US376535AD29 and the Notes offered and sold to Institutional “Accredited Investors” under Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3), (7) or (9) under the Securities Act shall bear a CUSIP number of 376535 AE0 and an ISIN number of US376535AE02.

(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 3.02(a) and 9.04, of the Base Indenture) shall be $50,000,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or a Future Supplemental Indenture, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case, “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes; provided that, if such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes (or any other tranche of Additional Notes) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Notes shall have different CUSIP numbers from the Notes (and any such other tranche of Additional Notes). Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes shall constitute a single series under the Indenture, and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.

(c) The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on May 1, 2027 unless earlier redeemed or repurchased in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

(d) The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 3.75% per annum. Additional Interest with respect to the Notes shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of and in the amounts set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, any references in the Indenture to “interest” payable with respect to the Notes shall include Additional Interest, if any, payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, and any Additional Interest that accrues on a Note will be in addition to the stated interest that accrues on such Note. It shall be the obligation of the Company to notify the Trustee of any Additional Interest payable on the Notes pursuant to this Section 1.01(d), no later than 5:00 p.m. prevailing Eastern Time three (3) Business Days prior to the date any such interest is payable hereunder. Such notice shall be given by delivery to the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate stating (i) the amount of such Additional Interest that is payable and (ii) the date that such Additional Interest begins to accrue, on which the Trustee shall conclusively rely. The Trustee shall have no obligation to (i) determine whether Additional Interest is due with respect to the Notes or (ii) to determine the interest rate applicable to the Notes. Unless and until the Trustee receives such Officers’ Certificate, the Trustee may assume without inquiry that no such Additional Interest is payable and the Trustee shall have no duty to verify the Company’s calculation of Additional Interest.

 

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(e) The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be November 4, 2021, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing May 1, 2022 (provided that, if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period shall be the period from and including November 4, 2021, to, but excluding, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods shall be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be April 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on the Notes shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation (3.75% Notes Due 2027) or at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the date when such amount is due and payable and as further set forth in Section 4.01 of the Indenture; provided, further, however, that, so long as the Notes are registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

(f) The Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “144A Global Note”) which, along with the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Fourth Supplemental Indenture. The Notes offered and sold to Institutional “Accredited Investors” under Rule 501(a) (1), (2), (3), (7) or (9) under the Securities Act shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “IAI Global Note” and together with the 144A Global Note, the “Global Notes”) which, along with the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B to this Fourth Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any new Global Note reflecting the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee, in accordance with Section 2.05 of the Base Indenture.

(g) Every Note authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (the “Restricted Securities Legend”) unless and until (1) a Note is exchanged for an Exchange Note or otherwise sold in connection with an effective registration statement, or (2) such Restricted Securities Legend is no longer required in accordance with Section 1.01(i) of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture:

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

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THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF (1) REPRESENTS THAT IT IS [A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”))]/[AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3), (7) or (9) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS NOT A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”))] AND (2) AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) WHICH IS ONE YEAR (OR SUCH OTHER DATE WHEN RESALES OF SECURITIES BY NON-AFFILIATES ARE FIRST PERMITTED UNDER RULE 144(d)) AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS SECURITY) OR THE DATE OF ANY SUBSEQUENT REOPENING OF THE SECURITIES AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a)(1), (2), (3), (7) or (9) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT IS NOT A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER AND THAT IS PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF ANOTHER INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM AND/OR A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE IN THE FORM PRESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.

(h) Unless and until a Note is exchanged for an Exchange Note, with respect to any proposed registration of transfer of any Note prior to (x) the date which is one year (or such other date when resales of securities by non-Affiliates are first permitted under Rule 144(d) of the Exchange Act) after the later of the date of the original issue date of the applicable Notes or the date of any subsequent reopening of such Notes and the last date on which the Company or any of the Company’s Affiliates were the owner of such Notes (or any predecessor thereto) or (y) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”), the Holder of such Note and each subsequent Holder thereof shall offer, sell, or otherwise transfer such Note only (i) to the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (ii) pursuant to a registration statement which has become effective under the Securities Act, (iii) for so long as such Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, to a Person it reasonably believes is a QIB that purchases for its own account or for the account of a QIB to whom notice is given that the transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A, (iv) to an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3), (7) or (9) under the Securities Act that is purchasing for its own account or for the account of such an institutional “accredited investor” or (v) pursuant to any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act; in each of the foregoing

 

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cases subject to any requirements of law that the disposition of its property or the property of such investor account or accounts be at all times within its or their control and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws. The foregoing restrictions on resale will not apply subsequent to the Resale Restriction Termination Date

(i) Upon the transfer or replacement of a Global Note (or beneficial interest therein) not bearing a Restricted Securities Legend (an “Unrestricted Global Note”), the Trustee shall deliver an Unrestricted Global Note (or beneficial interest therein) and upon the transfer or replacement of a definitive Note not bearing a Restricted Securities Legend (an “Unrestricted Definitive Note”), the Trustee shall deliver an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon the transfer, exchange, or replacement of a Global Note (or beneficial interest therein) bearing a Restricted Securities Legend (a “Restricted Global Note”), the Trustee shall deliver only a Restricted Global Note (or beneficial interest therein) and upon the transfer, exchange or replacement of a definitive Note bearing a Restricted Securities Legend (a “Restricted Definitive Note”), the Trustee shall deliver only Restricted Definitive Notes unless, in each case, (i)(x) a Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement, or (y) Notes are being exchanged for Notes that do not bear the Restricted Securities Legend in accordance with the following paragraph, and (ii) there is delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel satisfactory to it stating that neither such legend nor the related restrictions on transfer are required in order to maintain compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act, upon which opinion the Trustee may conclusively rely. Any Notes sold in a registered offering shall not be required to bear the Restricted Securities Legend.

Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Securities Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, beneficial interests in a Restricted Global Note may be automatically exchanged into beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note without any action required by or on behalf of the Holder (the “Automatic Exchange”) at any time on or after the date that is the 366th calendar day after the later of the date of the original issue date of the applicable Notes or the date of any subsequent reopening of such Notes, or in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day.

Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Securities Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may cause the Restricted Securities Legend to be removed by (i) providing the Depositary an instruction letter for the Depositary’s mandatory exchange process (or any successor notice, form, or action required pursuant to the Depositary’s applicable procedures) to the extent required; (ii) providing written notice to the Trustee (x) instructing the Trustee to take any actions as may be necessary so that the Restricted Securities Legend set forth on the Global Notes shall be deemed removed from the Global Notes in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes and the Indenture, without further action on the part of Holders and (y) instructing the Trustee to take any actions as may be necessary so that the restricted CUSIP number for the Notes shall be removed from the Global Notes and replaced with an unrestricted CUSIP number; and (iii) on or prior to the effective date of the Automatic Exchange (such date, the “Automatic Exchange Date”), deliver to the Trustee for authentication one or more Unrestricted Global Notes, duly executed by the Company, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Restricted Global Notes to be exchanged into such Unrestricted Global Notes. The Restricted Global Note from which beneficial interests are transferred pursuant to an Automatic Exchange shall be cancelled following the Automatic Exchange.

Any definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Sections 2.05 and 2.11 of the Base Indenture shall bear the applicable legend regarding transfer restrictions applicable thereto set forth in this Section 1.01 of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture unless (i) the Global Note is an Unrestricted Global Note, or (ii) there is delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel satisfactory to it stating that neither such legend nor the related restrictions on transfer are required in order to maintain compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act, upon which opinion the Trustee may conclusively rely.

 

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The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and any Notes, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Security Registrar pursuant to this Section 1.01 of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

(j) Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of the Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Exchange Notes, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Global Notes tendered for acceptance in accordance with the Exchange Offer and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and one or more Unrestricted Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes tendered for acceptance in accordance with the Exchange Offer and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer. Concurrently with the issuance of such Unrestricted Global Notes and/or Unrestricted Definitive Notes, the Security Registrar for the Notes shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the Restricted Global Notes and/or Restricted Definitive Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Unrestricted Global Notes and/or Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amount.

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

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

(i) The Notes shall be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price (as determined by the Company) equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date:

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

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

provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after February 1, 2027, the Redemption Price for the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

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

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

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

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

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of any four primary U.S. government securities dealers selected by the Company.

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

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

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

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

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

(iv) If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the Trustee or, with respect to the Global Notes, the Depository shall determine the method for selecting the particular Notes to be redeemed, in accordance with Section 3.02(b) of the Base Indenture and the Investment Company Act.

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

 

7


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

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

(o) Holders of the Notes shall not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to the Stated Maturity other than in accordance with Article 15 of the Indenture.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

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

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

“‘Additional Interest’ means all additional interest then owing pursuant to Section 6 of the Registration Rights Agreement. Unless the context indicates otherwise, all references to “interest” in this Indenture or the Notes shall be deemed to include any Additional Interest to the extent then applicable.

“‘Affiliate’ of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.”

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

 

8


“‘Change of Control’ means the occurrence of any of the following:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“‘Egan-Jones’ means Egan-Jones Ratings Company or any successor thereto.”

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

“‘Exchange Notes’ means, the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer, and which Exchange Notes shall contain terms identical in all material respect to the Initial Notes, except that the Exchange Notes will not bear the Restricted Securities Legend and will be issued and exchanged for the Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement and this Indenture.”

“‘Exchange Offer’ means an offer that may be made by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement to exchange Initial Notes for the Exchange Notes.”

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

 

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

“‘Initial Notes’ means the Notes issued on the date hereof that contain the Restricted Securities Legend.”

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

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

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

“‘Permitted Holders’ means (i) the Company, (ii) one or more Controlled Subsidiaries or (iii) Gladstone Management Corporation, any affiliate of Gladstone Management Corporation or any entity that is managed or advised by Gladstone Management Corporation or any of their affiliates.”

“‘QIB’ means any “qualified institutional buyer” as such term is defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.”

“‘Rating Agency’ means:

(1) Egan-Jones; and

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

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

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

Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain registration rights agreement, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between the Company and Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

 

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

“‘Securities Act’ means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, as amended.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Section 2.03. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, the first paragraph of Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated as follows:

The terms defined in this Section (except as in this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section and shall include the plural as well as the singular. All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or that are by reference in such Act defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (except as herein or any indenture supplemental hereto otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said Securities Act as in force at the date of the execution of this instrument. Any reference to “execute”, “executed”, “sign”, “signed”, “signature” or any other like term hereunder shall include execution by electronic signature (including, without limitation, any .pdf file, .jpeg file, or any other electronic or image file, or any “electronic signature” as defined under the U.S. Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (“E-SIGN”) or the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (“ESRA”), which includes any electronic signature provided using Orbit, Adobe Fill & Sign, Adobe Sign, DocuSign, or any other similar platform identified by the Company and reasonably available at no undue burden or expense to the Trustee), except to the extent the Trustee requests otherwise. Any such electronic signatures shall be valid, effective and legally binding as if such electronic signatures were handwritten signatures and shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered for all purposes hereunder.

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION OF NOTES

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

“If less than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee, or by the Depository in the case of Global Notes, in compliance with the requirements of DTC, from the Outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption, or if the Notes are not held through DTC, or DTC prescribed no method of selection, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and subject to and otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the applicable Depository; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes.”

 

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ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Company will not violate Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions thereto giving effect to any no-action relief granted by the Commission to another business development company and upon which the Company may reasonably rely (or to the Company if the Company determines to seek such similar no-action or other relief) permitting the business development company to declare any cash dividend or distribution notwithstanding the prohibition contained in Section 18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(2) of the Investment Company Act in order to maintain such business development company’s status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.”

Section 4.08. Commission Reports and Reports to Holders.

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

 

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ARTICLE V

REMEDIES

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

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

 

  (1)

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

 

  (2)

default in the payment of the principal of (or premium on, if any) any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or

 

  (3)

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

 

  (4)

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

 

  a.

commences a voluntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law,

 

  b.

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

 

  c.

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

 

  d.

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

 

  e.

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

 

  (5)

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

 

  a.

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

 

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  b.

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

 

  c.

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

 

  d.

orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company,

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

 

  (6)

on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months the Notes shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act) of less than 100%.”

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

“(b) If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a)(4) or Section 6.01(a)(5)) with respect to the Notes at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may (and the Trustee shall at the request of such Holders) declare the principal of all the Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable, but does not entitle any Holder to any redemption payout or redemption premium. If an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a)(4) or Section 6.01(a)(5) occurs, the entire principal amount of all the Notes will automatically become due and immediately payable.”

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

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

 

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

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

ARTICLE VI

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

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

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

ARTICLE VII

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

(e) to secure the Securities; or

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium, if any) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Note; or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest (or change the manner of calculating the rate of interest thereon), or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the portion of the principal of a Note that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01(b), or upon the redemption thereof or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 6.02(c), or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder, or change any place of payment where, or the currency in which, any Note or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date), or

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

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

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

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

 

18


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

ARTICLE VIII

SUCCESSOR ENTITY

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

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

(1) either the Company shall be the continuing entity, or the entity (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on all the Notes and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

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

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

ARTICLE IX

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

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

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

 

19


(1) either

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

(B) all Notes

(i) have become due and payable, or

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

(iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

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

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

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

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

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

“[Intentionally omitted.]”

 

20


ARTICLE X

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

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

“ARTICLE 14

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

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

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

Section 14.02. Defeasance and Discharge.

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

Section 14.03. Covenant Defeasance.

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

Notes shall be unaffected thereby. Following a covenant defeasance, payment of such Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default solely by reference to such Sections specified above in this Section 14.03.

 

21


Section 14.04. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

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

 

  (i)

The Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.09 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for the benefit of, and dedicated solely to, the Holders of such Notes, (A) an amount (in such Currency in which such Notes are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity), or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Notes (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Notes are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, without reinvestment thereof, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Notes, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (1) the principal of and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Notes on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Notes on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Notes.

 

  (ii)

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

 

  (iii)

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

 

  (iv)

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

 

  (v)

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

 

22


  (vi)

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

ARTICLE XI

OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL REPURCHASE EVENT

Section 11.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding a new Article 15 as follows:

“ARTICLE 15

CHANGE OF CONTROL REPURCHASE EVENT

Section 15.01. Change of Control.

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company shall have exercised its right to redeem the Notes in full, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased to, but excluding, the date of repurchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed. The notice shall, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice. The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 15.01, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 15.01 by virtue of such conflict.

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

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

(b) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

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

 

23


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

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

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

ARTICLE XII

THE TRUSTEE

Section 12.01 Neither the Trustee nor any paying agent shall be responsible for determining whether any Change of Control or Below Investment Grade Rating Event has occurred and whether any Change of Control offer with respect to the Notes is required.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 13.01. This Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. This Fourth Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

Section 13.02. In case any provision in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 13.03. This Fourth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Fourth Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Fourth Supplemental Indenture or any document to be signed in connection with this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed to include electronic signatures (including, without limitation, any .pdf file, .jpeg file or any other electronic or image file, or any other “electronic signature” as defined under E-SIGN or ESRA, including Orbit, Adobe Fill & Sign, Adobe Sign, DocuSign, or any other similar platform identified by the Company and reasonably available at no undue burden or expense to the Trustee), deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.

 

24


Section 13.04. The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture.

Section 13.05. The provisions of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section 13.06. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Indenture, and this Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.

Section 13.07. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.

 

25


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

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

By:  

/s/ David Gladstone

Name:  

David Gladstone

Title:  

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

By:  

/s/ Wally Jones

Name:  

Wally Jones

Title:  

Vice President

[Signature page to Fourth Supplemental Indenture]


Exhibit A — Form of 144A Global Note

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

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

[INSERT RESTRICTED SECURITIES LEGEND, IF APPLICABLE]

Gladstone Capital Corporation

 

No.    $
   CUSIP No. 376535 AD2
   ISIN No. US376535AD29

3.75% Notes due 2027

Gladstone Capital Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Maryland (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________________ (U.S. $ ____________________) on May 1, 2027, and to pay interest thereon from November 4, 2021 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing May 1, 2022, at the rate of 3.75% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, and to pay the Additional Interest, if any, as defined in and payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be April 15 or October 15, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holders of the Notes on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.


Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation (3.75% Notes Due 2027) or at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Securities by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the date when such amount is due and payable and as further set forth in Section 4.01 of the Indenture; provided further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment shall be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.

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

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

 

A-2


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

Dated:

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

By:

   

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Attest
By:    
Name:  
Title:  

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

Dated:

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:    

 

  Name:

 

  Title:

 

A-3


Gladstone Capital Corporation

3.75% Notes due 2027

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture,” the Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture collectively are herein called the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, which series is initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $50,000,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities; provided that, if such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Securities (or any other tranche of Additional Securities) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Securities will have a different CUSIP numbers from the Securities (and any such other tranche of Additional Securities). Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.

The Securities of this series shall be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price (as determined by the Company) equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date:

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

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

provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Securities on or after February 1, 2027, the Redemption Price for the Securities shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

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

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

 

A-4


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

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

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of any four primary U.S. government securities dealers selected by the Company.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

A-5


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

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. In the case of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the Indenture, 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Securities will automatically become due and payable.

The Holder of this Note is entitled to the benefits of the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between the Company and Raymond James & Associates, Inc.1

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

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

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

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest

 

1 

To be included in Notes that bear the Restricted Securities Legend.

 

A-6


on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

A-7


Exhibit B — Form of IAI Global Note

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

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

[INSERT RESTRICTED SECURITIES LEGEND, IF APPLICABLE]

Gladstone Capital Corporation

 

No.    $
   CUSIP No. 376535 AE0
   ISIN No. US376535AE02

3.75% Notes due 2027

Gladstone Capital Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Maryland (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ____________________ (U.S. $ ____________________) on May 1, 2027, and to pay interest thereon from November 4, 2021 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing May 1, 2022, at the rate of 3.75% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, and to pay the Additional Interest, if any, as defined in and payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be April 15 or October 15, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holders of the Notes on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.


Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, Attention: Gladstone Capital Corporation (3.75% Notes Due 2027) or at such other address as designated by the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that, at the request of the registered Holder, the Company will pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the Securities by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in St. Paul, Minnesota, on the date when such amount is due and payable and as further set forth in Section 4.01 of the Indenture; provided further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment shall be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.

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

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

 

B-2


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

Dated:

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION

By:

   

 

  Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Attest  
By:    
Name:  
Title:  

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

Dated:

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By:    

 

  Name:

 

  Title:

 

B-3


Gladstone Capital Corporation

3.75% Notes due 2027

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture,” the Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture collectively are herein called the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, which series is initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $50,000,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities; provided that, if such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Securities (or any other tranche of Additional Securities) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such Additional Securities will have a different CUSIP numbers from the Securities (and any such other tranche of Additional Securities). Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.

The Securities of this series shall be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price (as determined by the Company) equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date:

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

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

provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Securities on or after February 1, 2027, the Redemption Price for the Securities shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

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

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

 

B-4


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

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

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of any four primary U.S. government securities dealers selected by the Company.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

B-5


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

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. In the case of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the Indenture, 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Securities will automatically become due and payable.

The Holder of this Note is entitled to the benefits of the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2021, by and between the Company and Raymond James & Associates, Inc.2

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

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

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

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest

 

2 

To be included in Notes that bear the Restricted Securities Legend.

 

B-6


on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

B-7

Exhibit 4.4

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and between

Gladstone Capital Corporation

and

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Dated as of November 4, 2021

 


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of November 4, 2021, by and between Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and Raymond James & Associates, as the representative (the “Representative”) of the several initial purchasers (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”), listed on Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below), in connection with the sale by the Company of $50,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.75% Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”).

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2021 (the “Purchase Agreement”), by and among the Company, Gladstone Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation, Gladstone Administration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and the Representative of the Initial Purchasers (i) for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and (ii) for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Registrable Notes, including the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Notes, the Company has agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers as set forth in Section 7 of the Purchase Agreement. The parties hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:

Additional Interest: As defined in Section 5 hereof.

Advice: As defined in the last paragraph of Section 6 hereof.

Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.

Business Day: Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies located in New York, New York are authorized or obligated to be closed.

Commission: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Consummate: An Exchange Offer shall be deemed “Consummated” for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing with the Commission of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and its being declared effective under the Securities Act, (ii) the maintenance of the continuous effectiveness of such Registration Statement, and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open, for a period not less than the minimum period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Company to the Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Notes in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Notes that were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.


Controlling Person: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.

Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Offer: The registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the Exchange Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to which the Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Registrable Notes the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Registrable Notes held by such Holders for Exchange Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes tendered in such exchange offer by such Holders.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.

Exchange Notes: The 3.75% Notes due 2027 of the same series under the Indenture as the Notes, to be issued to Holders in exchange for Registrable Notes pursuant to this Agreement.

FINRA: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Holder: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.

Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.

Indenture: The Base Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2018, as supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 4, 2021 by and between the Company and the Trustee, pursuant to which the Notes are to be issued, as such Indenture may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

Initial Placement: The issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

Initial Purchasers: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Notes.

Investment Company Act: As defined in Section 8(c) hereof.

Issue Date: The date of this Agreement, November 4, 2021

Notes: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Person: Any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.

Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference into such Prospectus.

 

2


Purchase Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Registrable Notes: Each Note, until the earliest to occur of (a) the date on which such Note is exchanged in the Exchange Offer for an Exchange Note entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, (b) the date on which such Note has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with a Shelf Registration Statement, (c) the date on which such Note is distributed by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (including delivery of the Prospectus contained therein), (d) the date on which such Note does not bear a restricted CUSIP number and is sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act under circumstances in which any legend borne by such Note relating to restrictions on transferability thereof, under the Securities Act or otherwise, is removed by the Company or pursuant to the Indenture and (e) the date on which such Note ceases to be outstanding.

Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.

Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b) the registration for resale of Registrable Notes pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, including the Prospectus included therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.

Representative: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4(a)(x) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4(a)(x) hereof.

Suspension Period: As defined in the final paragraph of Section 6(c) hereof.

Trustee: U.S. Bank National Association.

Trust Indenture Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering: A registration in which securities of the Company are sold to one or more underwriters for reoffering to the public.

SECTION 2. Notes Subject to this Agreement.

(a) Registrable Notes. The securities entitled to the benefits of this Agreement are the Registrable Notes.

 

3


(b) Holders of Registrable Notes. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Notes (each, a “Holder”) whenever such Person owns Registrable Notes.

SECTION 3. Registered Exchange Offer.

(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy, the Company shall (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be Consummated on the earliest practicable date after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become or been declared effective, but in no event later 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) and (ii) in connection with the foregoing, (A) file all pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective, (B) if applicable, file a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement and (C) cause all necessary filings in connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Notes to be made under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer Registration Statement shall be on the appropriate form permitting registration of the Exchange Notes to be offered in exchange for the Registrable Notes and to permit resales of Notes held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c) hereof. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Exchange Notes to have the same CUSIP number.

(b) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however, that in no event shall such period be less than 20 Business Days after the commencement of the Exchange Offer. The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws. No securities other than the Exchange Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.

(c) The Company shall indicate in a “Plan of Distribution” section contained in the Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Notes that are Registrable Notes and that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making or other trading activities (other than Registrable Notes acquired directly from the Company) may exchange such Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer. Such “Plan of Distribution” section shall also contain all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, provided such “Plan of Distribution” shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of Notes held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the extent required by the Commission.

 

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The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Notes acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of market-making or other trading activities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective and (ii) the date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market-making or other trading activities. The Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such period in order to facilitate such resales.

SECTION 4. Shelf Registration.

(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Company is not required to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission policy, (ii) for any reason the Exchange Offer is not Consummated by 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), or (iii) with respect to any Holder of Registrable Notes (A) such Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer, (B) such Holder may not resell the Exchange Notes acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus and the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Notes acquired directly from the Company or one of its affiliates, then, upon such Holder’s request, the Company shall:

(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (in either event, the “Shelf Registration Statement”), as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the earliest to occur of (1) the 60th day after the date on which the Company determines that it is not required to file the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (2) the 60th day after the date on which the Company receives notice from a Holder of Registrable Notes as contemplated by clause (iii) above and (3) 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) (the “Shelf Filing Deadline”), which Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales of all Registrable Notes the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and

(y) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become or be declared effective by the Commission at the earliest possible time, but in no event later that the 120th day after the Shelf Filing Deadline.

The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Registrable Notes entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period of at least one year following the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Notes covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement or are otherwise no longer Registrable Notes).

 

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(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Registrable Notes may include any of its Registrable Notes in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to the Company in writing, within 10 Business Days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus included therein or amendment or supplement thereto. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.

SECTION 5. Additional Interest. If (i) unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has not been Consummated on or prior to 365 days after the Issue Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), (ii) in the event the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof, (A) the Shelf Registration Statement is not filed by the Shelf Filing Deadline or (B) the Shelf Registration Statement has not become or been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the 120th day after the Shelf Filing Deadline or (iii) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is filed and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be usable for its intended purpose without being immediately succeeded by a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is itself immediately declared effective (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a “Registration Default”) then, with respect to the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of such Registration Default, the interest rate on the Registrable Notes will be increased by 0.25% per annum and will increase by an additional 0.25% per annum on the principal amount of Notes with respect to the subsequent 90-day period, for a maximum of 0.50% per annum of additional interest (“Additional Interest”). Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to this Section 5 will be paid in cash on the relevant Interest Payment Date to Holders of record on the relevant regular record dates. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults relating to any particular Registrable Notes, the interest rate borne by the relevant Registrable Notes will be reduced to the original interest rate borne by such Registrable Notes; provided, however, that, if after any such reduction in interest rate, a different Registration Default occurs, the interest rate borne by the relevant Registrable Notes shall again be increased pursuant to the foregoing provisions.

All obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding paragraph that are outstanding with respect to any Registrable Note at the time such security ceases to be a Registrable Note shall survive until such time as all such obligations with respect to such security shall have been satisfied in full.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the amount of Additional Interest payable shall not increase because more than one Registration Default has occurred and is pending at any given time and (ii) a Holder of Registrable Notes that has not provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof within the time period set forth therein shall not be entitled to Additional Interest with respect to a Registration Default that pertains to the relevant Shelf Registration Statement.

 

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SECTION 6. Registration Procedures.

(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company shall comply with all of the applicable provisions of Section 6(c) hereof, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such exchange to permit the sale of Registrable Notes being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provision:

(i) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Registrable Notes shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company (which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (C) it is acquiring the Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business, (D) if it is a Broker-Dealer that holds Notes that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Notes acquired directly from the Company or any of its affiliates), it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by it in the Exchange Offer, and (E) if it is a Broker-Dealer, that it did not purchase the Notes to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer from the Company or any of its affiliates. In addition, all such Holders of Registrable Notes shall otherwise cooperate in the Company’s preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) cannot rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters, and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder and/or underwriter information required by Item 507 of Regulation S-K or Item 5 of Form N-2, as applicable, if the resales are of Exchange Notes obtained by such Holder in exchange for Notes acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.

(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of the Registrable Notes being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as is commercially reasonable prepare and file with the Commission a Shelf Registration Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Registrable Notes in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof.

 

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(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of Registrable Notes (including any Registration Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Notes by Broker-Dealers), the Company shall:

(i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective during the period required by this Agreement and provide all requisite financial statements;

(ii) upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective and usable for resale of Registrable Notes during the period required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such amendment to become or be declared effective and such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;

(iii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate when all Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424, 430A and 430B under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;

(iv) advise the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders promptly and, if requested by such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has been declared effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act or of the suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification of the Registrable Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the

 

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Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of the Registrable Notes under state securities or blue sky laws, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;

(v) furnish without charge to the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder named in any Registration Statement that has requested such copies, if any, and each of the underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than any documents that will be incorporated by reference in such Registration Statement or Prospectus), which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such requesting Holders and underwriter(s) in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and the Company will not file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus to which the Initial Purchasers of Registrable Notes covered by such Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, shall reasonably object in writing within five Business Days after the receipt thereof (such objection to be deemed timely made upon confirmation of facsimile transmission within such period). The objection of the Initial Purchasers or underwriter, if any, shall be deemed to be reasonable if such Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;

(vi) make the Company’s representatives reasonably available to the Initial Purchasers for customary due diligence matters;

(vii) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the Initial Purchasers, any Holder, the managing underwriter(s), if any, participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney or accountant retained by the Initial Purchasers, Holder or any of the underwriter(s), in each case subject to confidentiality agreements in form and substance customarily entered into by the Initial Purchasers or underwriters, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and cause the Company’s officers and directors to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness and to participate in meetings with investors to the extent reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any;

 

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(viii) if requested by any selling Holders listed as selling securityholders in any Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, promptly incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request to have included therein, including information relating to the “Plan of Distribution” of the Registrable Notes, information with respect to the principal amount of Registrable Notes being sold to such underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Registrable Notes to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

(ix) deliver to each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; the Company hereby consent to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of the Registrable Notes covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;

(x) in connection with an underwritten offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement), and make such representations and warranties, and take all such other commercially reasonable actions in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Notes. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company shall:

(A) furnish to the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder and each underwriter in such substance and scope as they may reasonably request and as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, upon the date of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement:

(1) a certificate, dated the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, signed by (y) the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President and (z) a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, confirming customary matters;

(2) if requested by a majority of selling Holders, an opinion, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, of counsel for the Company, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings;

(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, from the Company’s independent accountants, in the customary form and covering matters of the type customarily requested to be covered in comfort letters by underwriters in connection with primary underwritten offerings;

 

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(B) set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section; and

(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with Section 6(c)(x)(A) hereof and with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to this Section 6(c)(x), if any.

If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company contemplated in Section 6(c)(x)(A)(1) hereof cease to be true and correct, the Company shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;

(xi) prior to any public offering of Registrable Notes, cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration and qualification of the Registrable Notes under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any, may request and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to register or qualify as a foreign corporation where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than as to matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(xii) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement and only in connection with any valid sale of Notes by such Holder pursuant to such registration statement (and provided that such Holder delivers such certificates or opinions reasonably requested by the Company in connection with such sale), Exchange Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered to the Company by such Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such Exchange Notes to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the purchaser(s) of such Exchange Notes, as the case may be; in return, the Notes held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company for cancellation;

(xiii) in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, and subject to the forms of the Indenture, cooperate with the selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates or book-entry receipts, as applicable, representing Registrable Notes to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Registrable Notes or such book-entry receipts, as applicable, to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Notes made by such Holders or underwriter(s);

 

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(xiv) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Notes covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s), if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Notes, subject to the proviso contained in Section 6(c)(xi) hereof;

(xv) if any fact or event contemplated by Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof shall exist or have occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Registrable Notes, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;

(xvi) not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement covering such Exchange Notes, provide that the CUSIP and ISIN numbers for all Exchange Notes shall be the same unrestricted CUSIP and ISIN numbers as borne by the Existing Notes and provide the Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for such Exchange Notes which are in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company and take all other action necessary to ensure that all such Exchange Notes are eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company;

(xvii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the FINRA and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter (including any “qualified independent underwriter”) that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FINRA;

(xviii) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 under the Securities Act (which need not be audited) for the twelve-month period (A) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Registrable Notes are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or commercially reasonable efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement; and

(xix) cause the Indenture to continue to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act as of, and not later than the effective date of the first Registration Statement required by this Agreement, and, in connection therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders of Exchange Notes to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for such Indenture to remain so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and to execute and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may suspend the offering and sale under the Shelf Registration Statement (the “Suspension Period”) for a period or periods if (i) the board of directors reasonably determines that the continued use of such Shelf Registration Statement would (A) require the Company to make a public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure in the good faith judgment of the board of directors of the Company (1) would be required to be made in such Shelf Registration Statement so that such Shelf Registration Statement would not be materially misleading and (2) would not be required to be made at such time but for the continued use of such Shelf Registration Statement or (B) would in the good faith and judgment of the board of directors of the Company be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company or its business or on the Company’s ability to effect a planned or proposed acquisition, disposition, financing, reorganization, recapitalization or similar transaction and (ii) the Company notifies the underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Notes within five days after the board of directors makes the relevant determination set forth in clause (i); provided that the period or periods of suspension under clause (i) above shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 60 days in any twelve-month period during which the Shelf Registration Statement is required to be effective.

Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Registrable Note that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof or any Suspension Period, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Notes pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof, or until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section 6(c)(iv)(D) hereof or notice of any Suspension Period to and including the date when each selling Holder covered by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xv) hereof or shall have received the Advice; provided, however, that no such extension shall be taken into account in determining whether Additional Interest is due pursuant to Section 5 hereof or the amount of such Additional Interest, it being agreed that the Company’s option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5 hereof.

SECTION 7. Registration Expenses. All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes or is declared effective, including (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses (including filings made by the Initial Purchasers or Holder with the FINRA (and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter” and its counsel that may be required by the rules and regulations of the FINRA)); (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state securities or blue sky laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; (v) application and filing fees in connection with listing the Notes on a securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements thereof; and (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).

 

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The Company will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including all expenses of its officers performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the Company.

SECTION 8. Indemnification.

(a) The Company agree to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Holder and (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Holder (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a “Controlling Person”) and (iii) the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Holder or any Controlling Person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an “Indemnified Holder”), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses (including, as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel to any Indemnified Holder), joint or several, directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission that is made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any of the Holders furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any of the Holders expressly for use therein. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

In case any action or proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any of the Indemnified Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Company, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by such Controlling Person) shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not relieve any of the Company of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement unless and to the extent the Company did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses. Such Indemnified Holder shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Company (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Holder is not entitled to indemnification hereunder). The Company shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one

 

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separate firm of attorneys (in addition to one local counsel for all indemnified parties taken as a whole in each jurisdiction reasonably required and, in the event of an actual conflict, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for the affected indemnified parties similarly situated taken as a whole) at any time for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the Holders. The Company shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and the Company agree to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the written consent of the Company. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes a complete and unconditional release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such action, claim, litigation or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified Holder.

(b) Each Holder of Registrable Notes agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and officers who sign a Registration Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company and its officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each of the Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based on information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought against the Company or its directors or officers or any such Controlling Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Registrable Notes, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and its directors and officers and such Controlling Person shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder by the preceding paragraph. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which Holders may otherwise have.

(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total gross proceeds to the Company from the Initial Placement), the amount of Additional Interest which did not become payable as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses, and such Registration Statement, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,

 

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claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Indemnified Holder, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.

The Company and each Holder of Registrable Notes agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, none of the Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount received by such Holder with respect to the Notes exceeds the amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Notes held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section 8, no party shall be entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Agreement in violation of Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

SECTION 9. Participation in Underwritten Registrations. No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Notes on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

SECTION 10. Selection of Underwriters. If requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Notes in an Underwritten Offering. In such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Notes included in such offering; provided, however, that such investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

 

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SECTION 11. Miscellaneous.

(a) Remedies. The Company hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.

(c) Adjustments Affecting the Notes. The Company will not take any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Registrable Notes that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any Exchange Offer.

(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company have (i) in the case of Section 5 hereof and this Section 11(d)(i), obtained the written consent of Holders of all outstanding Registrable Notes and (ii) in the case of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Registrable Notes (excluding any Registrable Notes held by the Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Registrable Notes being tendered or registered; provided, however, that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of the Initial Purchasers hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of the Initial Purchasers with respect to which such amendment, qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.

(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:

(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture; and

 

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(ii) if to the Company:

Gladstone Capital Corporation

1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100

McLean, VA 22102

Attention: Nicole Schaltenbrand

With a copy to:

Proskauer Rose LLP

1001 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Washington, D.C. 20004

Attention: William J. Tuttle and Erin M. Lett

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if sent by facsimile; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified in the Indenture.

(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including, without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Registrable Notes; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Registrable Notes from such Holder.

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

(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF. TO THE EXTENT THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, OR ANY OF THE PROVISIONS HEREIN, CONFLICT THE PROVISIONS OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT, THE LATTER SHALL CONTROL.

 

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(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to the Registrable Notes. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

(l) Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Nicole Schaltenbrand
  Name: Nicole Schaltenbrand
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

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The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

 

RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
By:   /s/ Larry Herman
  Name: Larry Herman
  Title: Managing Director

 

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