As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on
June 22, 2018
1933 Act File No. 333-220794
1940 Act File No. 811-23299
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
x
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
x
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2
o
Post-Effective Amendment No.
and
x
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
x
Amendment No. 2
OFS CREDIT COMPANY, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)
10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60606
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(847) 734-2000
(Registrant
’
s telephone number, including Area Code)
Bilal Rashid
10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60606
(Name and address of agent for service)
Copies of Communications to:
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Cynthia M. Krus
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
700 Sixth Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 383-0100
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William J. Tuttle
Dechert LLP
1900 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 261-3300
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Approximate date of proposed public offering
: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box.
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
o
when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Title of Securities Being Registered
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Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price
(1)(2)
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Amount of Registration Fee
(3)
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Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
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$
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2,000
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$
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0.25
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(1) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee, pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.
(2) Includes shares that may be offered to the Underwriters pursuant to an option to cover over-allotments.
(3) Previously paid.
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The Company may not sell these securities until the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, Preliminary Prospectus , 2018
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
Shares
OFS CREDIT COMPANY, INC.
Common Stock
$ per Share
OFS Credit Company, Inc., or the “Company,” is a newly organized, non-diversified, externally managed closed-end management investment company that has registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or the “1940 Act.” Our investment adviser is OFS Capital Management, LLC, which we refer to as “OFS Advisor” or the “Advisor.” Our primary investment objective is to generate current income, with a secondary objective to generate capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, we will invest at least 80% of our assets
,
or net assets plus borrowings
,
in floating rate credit instruments and other structured credit investments,
including: (i)
collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) debt and subordinated (i.e., residual or equity) securities; (ii) traditional corporate credit investments, including leveraged loans and high yield bonds; (iii) opportunistic credit investments, including stressed and distressed credit situations and long/short credit investments; and (iv) other credit-related instruments. The CLOs in which we intend to invest are collateralized by portfolios consisting primarily of below investment grade U.S. senior secured loans with a large number of distinct underlying borrowers across various industry sectors. As part of the 80%, we may also invest in other securities and instruments that are related to these investments or that OFS Advisor believes are consistent with our investment objectives, including senior debt tranches of CLOs, vehicles that provide access to leveraged loans, and loan accumulation facilities. Loan accumulation facilities are short- to medium-term facilities often provided by the bank that will serve as the placement agent or arranger on a CLO transaction. Loan accumulation facilities typically incur leverage between three and six times prior to a CLO’s pricing. The CLO securities in which we will primarily seek to invest are unrated or rated below investment grade and are considered speculative with respect to timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. Unrated and below investment grade securities are also sometimes referred to as “junk” securities. In addition, the CLO equity and subordinated debt securities in which we will invest are highly leveraged (with CLO equity securities typically being leveraged 9 to 13 times), which magnifies our risk of loss on such investments.
The Advisor is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and, as of March 31, 2018, had approximately $2.0 billion of committed assets under management for investment in CLO securities and other investments. The Advisor manages our investments subject to the supervision of our board of directors, or “Board.”
This is our initial public offering of shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the
“
Shares
”
), and our Shares have no history of public trading. We are offering Shares. Assuming an initial public offering price of $ per Share, purchasers in this offering will experience immediate dilution in net asset value, or “NAV,” of approximately $ per Share. See
“
Capitalization.
”
We intend to apply to list our Shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, or “Nasdaq,” under the ticker symbol “OCCI.”
Investors should consider their investment goals, time horizons and risk tolerance before investing in Shares. An investment in Shares is not appropriate for all investors and is not intended to be a complete investment program. Shares of closed-end investment companies that are listed on an exchange frequently trade at a discount to their NAV. If our Shares trades at a discount to our NAV, it will likely increase the risk of loss for purchasers in this offering. In addition, investing in our Shares may be considered speculative and involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of a substantial loss of investment. Before buying any Shares, you should read the discussion of the principal risks of investing in our Shares, which are summarized in
“
Risk Factors
”
beginning on page 16 of this prospectus.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined that this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Per Share
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Total
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Public offering price
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Sales load
(2)
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Proceeds before expenses to the Company
(3)
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The underwriters expect to deliver Shares to purchasers on or about , 2018.
The date of this prospectus is , 2018.
(footnotes from previous page)
(1)
We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to [ ] additional Shares at the public offering price within [ ] days of the date of this prospectus solely to cover over allotments, if any. If such option is exercised in full, the public offering price, sales load and proceeds to us will be $ , $ , and $ , respectively. See
"
Underwriting
."
(2) OFS Advisor has agreed to pay to the underwriters, from its own assets, the sales load in the amount equal to $[ ] million, or $[ ] per share. We are not obligated to repay the sales load paid by OFS Advisor. See “
Underwriting.
”
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(3)
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OFS Advisor has agreed to pay all of our organizational and offering expenses. The aggregate organizational and offering expenses are estimated to be approximately $[ ] million. We are not obligated to repay the organizational and offering expenses paid by OFS Advisor.
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This prospectus contains important information you should know before investing in our Shares. Please read and retain this prospectus for future reference. This prospectus, and other materials containing additional information about us have been filed with the SEC. You may request a free copy of this prospectus or any other information filed with the SEC, by calling 1 (800) SEC-0330 (toll-free), by electronic mail at publicinfo@sec.gov or, upon payment of copying fees, by writing to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-0102. Information relating to the SEC’s public reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1 (800) SEC-0330. Upon completion of this offering, we will file annual and semi-annual stockholder reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. To obtain this information electronically, please visit our website (
www.ofscreditcompany.com
) or call 1 (847) 734-2000 (toll-free). You may also call this number to request additional information or to make other inquiries pertaining to us. You may also obtain a copy of any information regarding us filed with the SEC from the SEC’s website (
www.sec.gov
).
Our Shares do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any governmental agency.
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. Our business, financial condition and results of operations may have changed since the date of this prospectus. We will notify stockholders promptly of any material change to this prospectus during the period the Company is required to deliver the prospectus.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
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SUMMARY OF OFFERING
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FEES AND EXPENSES
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RISK FACTORS
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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DISTRIBUTION POLICY
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CAPITALIZATION
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BUSINESS
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ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AND TECHNIQUES
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MANAGEMENT
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RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
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DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
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DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
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DISTRIBUTION REINVESTMENT PLAN
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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE
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UNDERWRITING
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REGULATION AS A CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
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BROKERAGE ALLOCATION
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LEGAL MATTERS
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CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
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SEC FILING INFORMATION
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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights some of the information in this prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all of the information that you may want to consider before investing in our Shares. Throughout this prospectus, we refer to OFS Credit Company, Inc. and any of its consolidated subsidiaries as the
“
Company,
”
“
we,
”
“
us
”
or
“
our;
”
OFS Capital Management, LLC as
“
OFS Advisor
”
or the
“
Advisor;
”
and OFS Capital Services, LLC as
“
OFS Services
”
or the
“
Administrator.
”
Overview
OFS Credit Company, Inc. is a newly-organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that has registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. We were formed as a Delaware corporation on September 1, 2017. Our primary investment objective is to generate current income, with a secondary objective to generate capital appreciation. We intend to elect to be a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). See “
U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters
.”
Under normal market conditions, we will invest at least 80% of our assets, or net assets plus borrowings, in floating rate credit-based instruments and other structured credit investments, including: (i) CLO debt and subordinated (i.e., residual or equity) securities; (ii) traditional corporate credit investments, including leveraged loans and high yield bonds; (iii) opportunistic credit investments, including stressed and distressed credit situations and long/short credit investments; and (iv) other credit-related instruments. The CLOs in which we intend to invest are collateralized by portfolios consisting primarily of below investment grade U.S. senior secured loans with a large number of distinct underlying borrowers across various industry sectors. As part of the 80%, we may also invest in other securities and instruments that are related to these investments or that the Advisor believes are consistent with our investment objectives, including senior debt tranches of CLOs, vehicles that provide access to leveraged loans, and loan accumulation facilities. The amount that we invest in these other securities and instruments may vary from time to time and, as such, may constitute a material part of our portfolio on any given date, all as based on the Advisor’s assessment of prevailing market conditions. The CLO securities in which we will primarily seek to invest are unrated or rated below investment grade and are considered speculative with respect to timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. Unrated and below investment grade securities are also sometimes referred to as “junk” securities. In addition, the CLO equity and subordinated debt securities in which we will invest are highly leveraged (with CLO equity securities typically being leveraged 9 to 13 times), which magnifies our risk of loss on such investments. These investment objectives are not fundamental policies of ours and may be changed by our Board on 60 days’ notice to our stockholders. See “
Business
.”
When we acquire securities at the inception of a CLO in an originated transaction (i.e., the primary CLO market), we intend to invest in CLO securities that the Advisor believes have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns and to outperform other similar CLO securities issued around the same time. When we acquire existing CLO securities, we intend to invest in CLO securities that the Advisor believes have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns.
We intend to pursue a differentiated strategy within the CLO market focused on:
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proactive sourcing and identification of investment opportunities;
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utilization of a methodical and rigorous investment analysis and due diligence process both structurally and on a loan-level basis;
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utilization of the Advisor's in-house CLO investment team and related investment processes to provide credit analysis of each underlying loan portfolio within the CLO securities;
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active involvement at the CLO structuring and formation stage, as appropriate; and
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taking stakes in CLO equity and subordinated debt tranches.
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We believe that the Advisor’s longstanding presence within the CLO market and relationships with CLO collateral managers, its CLO structural expertise and its in-house CLO investment team will enable us to source and execute investments consistent with our investment objectives and provide investors with loan-level expertise and analysis. The Adviser may negotiate enhanced economics for us and any other accounts that may be co-investing in return for providing relative certainty of CLO equity placement, which is often the most difficult tranche to place. These enhanced returns may take the form of (i) CLO management fee rebates, (ii) bank arrangement fee concessions or (iii) other forms of economic enhancement.
When we make a significant primary market investment in a particular CLO tranche, we generally expect to be able to influence certain of the CLO’s key terms and conditions. Specifically, the Advisor believes that, although typically exercised only in limited circumstances, the protective rights associated with holding positions in a CLO equity tranche (such as the ability to call the CLO after the non-call period, to refinance/reprice certain CLO debt tranches after a period of time and to influence potential amendments to the governing documents of the CLO) may reduce our risk in these investments. We may acquire a majority position in a CLO tranche directly, or we may benefit from the advantages of a majority position where both we and other accounts collectively hold a majority position. See “
Business — Other Investment Techniques — Co-Investment with Affiliates
.”
We will seek to construct a broad and varied portfolio of CLO securities, including with respect to:
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number of borrowers underlying each CLO;
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industry type of a CLO’s underlying borrowers;
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number and investment style of CLO collateral managers; and
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The Advisor has a long-term oriented investment philosophy and seeks to invest primarily with a view to hold securities until maturity. However, on an ongoing basis, the Advisor actively monitors each investment and may sell positions if circumstances have changed from the time of investment or if the Advisor believes it is in our best interest to do so.
About OFS and Our Advisor
OFS (which refers to the collective activities and operations of Orchard First Source Asset Management, LLC (“OFSAM”) and its subsidiaries and certain affiliates) is a full-service provider of capital and leveraged finance solutions to U.S. corporations. As of March 31, 2018, OFS had 41 full-time employees. OFS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and also has offices in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California.
Our investment activities are managed by OFS Advisor, our investment adviser. OFS Advisor is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and diligence on potential investments, collateral managers, and placement agents, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring our investments and monitoring our investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. OFS Advisor is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFSAM, our parent company prior to the completion of our initial public offering (“IPO”). OFSAM is owned by Richard Ressler, Bilal Rashid, Jeffrey A. Cerny, and other affiliates of OFS Advisor.
Our relationship with OFS Advisor is governed by and dependent on the Investment Advisory Agreement by and between us and OFS Advisor (the "Investment Advisory Agreement") and may be subject to conflicts of interest. OFS Advisor provides us with advisory services in exchange for a base management fee and incentive fee; see “
Management—Management and Other Agreements—Investment Advisory Agreement
.” Our Board is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While our Board is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance.
OFSAM makes experienced investment professionals, all of whom are employees of OFSAM, available to OFS Advisor through an intercompany agreement with Orchard First Source Capital, Inc., OFSAM's staffing subsidiary. These OFS personnel provide us with access to deal flow that OFS generates in the ordinary course of its businesses and committed members of OFS Advisor’s investment committee. As our investment adviser, OFS Advisor is obligated to allocate investment opportunities among us and any other clients fairly and equitably over time in accordance with its allocation policy.
OFS Advisor capitalizes on the deal origination and sourcing, underwriting, due diligence, investment structuring, execution, portfolio management and monitoring experience of OFS’s professionals. The senior investment team of OFS, including Bilal Rashid, Jeff Cerny, Glen Ostrander and Kenneth A. Brown (collectively, the “Senior Investment Team”), provides services to OFS Advisor. These professionals have developed a broad network of contacts within the investment community, averaging over 20 years of investing experience, including structuring and investing in CLOs, as well as investing in assets that will constitute the underlying assets held by the CLOs in which we will invest. See “
Management
” for additional information regarding our portfolio managers.
We believe that the complementary, yet highly specialized, skill set of each member of the Senior Investment Team provides the Advisor with a competitive advantage in its CLO-focused investment strategy. See “
Management — Portfolio Managers
.”
Our Administrator
OFS Services, an affiliate of OFS Advisor, provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate. OFS Services furnishes us with office facilities and equipment, necessary software licenses and subscriptions and clerical, bookkeeping and recordkeeping services at such facilities. OFS Services oversees our financial reporting as well as prepares our reports to stockholders and all other reports and materials required to be filed with the SEC or any other regulatory authority. OFS Services also manages the determination and publication of our net asset value, or "NAV", and the preparation and filing of our tax returns and generally monitors the payment of our expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to us by others. OFS Services may retain third parties to assist in providing administrative services to us. To the extent that OFS Services outsources any of its functions, we will pay the fees associated with such functions at cost, sometimes on a direct basis without incremental profit to OFS Services.
CLO Overview
Our investments in CLOs are expected to be comprised primarily of investments in the equity tranches and, to a lesser extent, the subordinated debt tranches of CLOs. We intend to focus on securitization vehicles that pool portfolios of primarily below investment
grade U.S. senior secured loans, which pools of underlying assets are often referred to as a CLO’s “collateral.” The vast majority of the portfolio of most CLOs consists of first lien senior secured loans although the CLO collateral manager is typically able to invest up to approximately 10% of the portfolio in other assets, including second lien loans, unsecured loans, debtor-in-possession ("DIP") loans and fixed rate loans.
CLOs are generally required to hold a portfolio of assets that is highly diversified by underlying borrower and industry and is subject to certain asset concentration limitations. Most CLOs are structured to allow for reinvestment of proceeds of repayments of assets over a specific period of time (typically four to five years). We intend to target cash flow CLOs, for which the terms and covenants of the structure are typically based primarily on the cash flow generated by, and the par value (as opposed to the market price) of, the CLO collateral. These covenants include collateral coverage tests, interest coverage tests and collateral quality tests. CLO payment provisions are detailed in a CLO’s indenture and are referred to as the “priority of payments” or “waterfall.”
A CLO funds the purchase of its investment portfolio through the issuance of CLO equity and debt instruments in the form of multiple, primarily floating-rate debt, tranches. The CLO debt tranches typically have a stated coupon and are rated “AAA” (or its equivalent) at the most senior level down to “BB” or “B” (or its equivalent), which is below investment grade, at the most junior level by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc., S&P and/or Fitch, Inc. Unrated and below investment grade and unrated securities are sometimes referred to as “junk” securities. CLO debt tranches are not impacted by defaults and realized losses until total losses exceed the value of the equity tranche.
The CLO equity tranche, which is in the first loss position, is unrated and subordinated to the debt tranches and typically represents approximately 8% to 11% of a CLO’s capital structure. A CLO’s equity tranche represents the first loss position in the CLO. The holders of CLO equity tranche interests are typically entitled to any cash reserves that form part of the structure when such reserves are permitted to be released. The CLO equity tranche captures available payments at the bottom of the payment waterfall, after operational and administrative costs of the CLO and servicing of the debt securities. Economically, the equity tranche benefits from the difference between the interest received from the investment portfolio and the interest paid to the holders of debt tranches of the CLO structure. Should a default or decrease in expected payments to a particular CLO occur, that deficiency typically first affects the equity tranche in that holders of that position generally will be the first to have their payments decreased by the deficiency.
Each tranche within a typical CLO has voting rights on any amendments that would have a material effect on such tranche. Neither the debt tranches nor equity tranche of CLOs have voting rights on the management of the underlying investment portfolio. The holders of the equity tranches of CLOs typically have the right to approve and/or replace the CLO collateral manager after such CLO manager has triggered a default. The equity tranche of a CLO also typically has the ability to call the debt tranches following a non-call period. Debt tranches of CLOs typically do not have the right to call the other CLO security tranches.
The CLO structure highlighted below is a hypothetical structure provided for illustrative purposes only and the structure of CLOs in which we will invest may vary substantially from the example set forth below. Please see “
Business — CLO Overview
” for a more detailed description of a CLO’s typical structure and key terms and conditions.
CLOs generally do not face refinancing risk on the CLO debt since a CLO’s indenture requires that the maturity dates of a CLO’s assets (typically 5 – 8 years from the date of issuance of a senior secured loan) be shorter than the maturity date of the CLO’s liabilities (typically 11 – 12 years from the date of issuance). In the current market environment, we expect investment opportunities in CLO equity to present more attractive risk-adjusted returns than CLO debt, although we expect to make investments in CLO debt and
related investments, in certain cases, to complement the CLO equity investments that we make. As market conditions change, our investment focus may vary from time to time between CLO equity and CLO debt investments.
We believe that CLO equity has the following attractive fundamental attributes:
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Potential for strong absolute and risk-adjusted returns
: We believe that CLO equity offers the potential for attractive, risk-adjusted total returns compared to the returns experienced in the U.S. public equity markets.
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Expected shorter duration high-yielding credit investment with the potential for high quarterly cash distributions
: Relative to certain other high-yielding credit investments such as mezzanine or subordinated debt, CLO equity is expected to have a shorter payback period with higher front-end loaded quarterly cash flows during the early years of a CLO’s life.
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Expected protection against rising interest rates
: Because a CLO’s asset portfolio is typically comprised primarily of floating rate loans and the CLO’s liabilities are also generally floating rate instruments, we expect CLO equity to provide potential protection against rising interest rates whenever the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” exceeds above the average minimum interest rate or "LIBOR floor" on a CLO’s assets. However, CLO equity is still subject to other forms of interest rate risk.
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Expected low-to-moderate correlation with fixed income and equity markets
: Because CLO assets and liabilities are primarily floating rate, we expect CLO equity investments to have a low-to-moderate correlation with U.S. fixed income securities. In addition, because CLOs generally allow for the reinvestment of principal during the reinvestment period regardless of the market price of the underlying collateral provided the CLO remains in compliance with its covenants, we expect CLO equity investments to have a low-to-moderate correlation with the U.S. public equity markets.
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CLO securities are also subject to a number of risks as discussed elsewhere in this “
Prospectus Summary
” section and in more detail in the “
Risk Factors
” section of this prospectus. Among our primary targeted investments, the risks associated with CLO equity are generally greater than those associated with CLO debt.
Competitive Strengths and Core Competencies
We believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of investment opportunities in CLO securities and related investments due to the following competitive advantages:
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CLO management track record
. OFS Advisor has actively managed CLOs for over 15 years and closed on approximately 4,000 loan transactions aggregating approximately $12 billion in credit investments through CLO vehicles.
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Deep management team experienced in investing in the senior secured loan market
. OFS Advisor currently manages four CLO vehicles and has an experienced team of ten people (with an average of 15 years of experience investing in the leveraged loan market) that is dedicated to investing in senior secured loans and also has access to an internal database of information that OFS Advisor believes gives it access and insight into a credit universe it has established throughout its longstanding presence in the loan market.
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Specialist in CLO securities
. Each member of the Senior Investment Team has been active in the CLO market for the majority of his career and brings a distinct and complementary skill set that the Advisor believes is necessary to achieve our investment objective. We believe that the combination of the Advisor's longstanding presence in the CLO market, as well as relationships with CLO collateral managers will enable us to source and execute investments with attractive economics and terms relative to other CLO market opportunities.
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Deep CLO structural experience and expertise
. Members of the Senior Investment Team have significant experience structuring, valuing and investing in CLOs throughout their careers. The Advisor believes that the initial structuring of a CLO is an important contributor to the ultimate risk-adjusted returns, and that experienced and knowledgeable investors can add meaningful value relative to other market participants by selecting those investments with the most advantageous structures. In addition to analyzing CLO structural features and collateral managers, OFS Advisor can perform due diligence on the underlying loans within the CLOs, given its in-house expertise and relationships with numerous multi-national lenders and broker dealers.
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Rigorous credit analysis and approval process
. The objective of the Advisor’s investment process is to source, evaluate and execute investments in CLO securities and related investments that the Advisor believes have the potential to outperform the CLO market generally. This process, augmented by the Advisor's first-hand experience as a CLO manager, is designed to be repeatable and is focused on key areas for analysis that the Advisor believes are most relevant to potential future performance. The Advisor believes that its investment and security selection process, its in-house loan investment team, along with its strong emphasis on analyzing the structure of the CLO, differentiates its approach to investing in CLO securities.
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Alignment of Interests
. Our fee structure includes an incentive fee component whereby we pay the Advisor an incentive fee only if our net income exceeds a hurdle rate.
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Prospective Portfolio
Immediately following the completion of this offering, we intend to acquire the following CLO investments. We have entered into non-binding letters of intent with a financial institution with respect to the CLO investments listed below. Our acquisition of each CLO investment is conditioned upon the closing of this offering, satisfactory completion of our due diligence, acceptance of the investment terms, the execution and delivery of final binding agreements in form satisfactory to us and the receipt of any necessary consents. Neither we nor the financial institution from which we intend to acquire these CLO investments is required to enter into a final agreement under the terms of these non-binding letters of intent. See “
Business — Prospective Portfolio.
”
The following table summarizes the CLO investments for which we currently have non-binding letters of intent. We can offer no assurance that we will enter into legally binding contracts to acquire any of these CLO investments or that the contemplated transactions will close immediately following completion of this offering, or at all.
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Type of Security and Issuer
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Interest Rate/Estimated Yield
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Maturity Date
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Principal Amount
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Collateralized Loan Obligations - Debt Investments
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[CLO Name]
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[CLO secured notes - Class X]
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[ %( LIBOR + %)]
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[Month Day, 20XX]
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[$ ]
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[CLO Name]
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[CLO secured notes - Class X]
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[ %( LIBOR + %)]
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[Month Day, 20XX]
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[$ ]
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Collateralized Loan Obligations - Equity Investments
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[CLO Name]
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[CLO subordinated notes]
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[ %]
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[Month Day, 20XX]
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[$ ]
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[CLO Name]
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[CLO subordinated notes]
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[ %]
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[Month Day, 20XX]
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[$ ]
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Principal Risks of Investing in the Company
The value of our assets, as well as the market price of our Shares, will fluctuate. Our investments should be considered risky, and you may lose all or part of your investment in us. Investors should consider their financial situation and needs, other investments, investment goals, investment experience, time horizons, liquidity needs and risk tolerance before investing in our Shares. An investment in our Shares may be speculative in that it involves a high degree of risk and should not be considered a complete investment program. We should be evaluated primarily as a long-term investment vehicle, and our securities are not an appropriate investment for a short-term trading strategy. We can offer no assurance that the returns on our investments will be commensurate with the risk of investment in us, nor can we provide any assurance that enough appropriate investments that meet our investment criteria will be available.
The following is a summary of certain principal risks of an investment in us. See “
Risk Factors
” for a more complete discussion of the risks of investing in our Shares, including certain risks not summarized below.
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No Prior Operating History
. We are a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no prior operating history as such. Additionally, our Advisor has never previously managed a registered closed-end investment company.
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Fair Valuation of Our Portfolio Investments
. Typically, there will not be a public market for the type of investments in which we intend to invest. As a result, we will value these securities at least quarterly, or more frequently as may be required from time to time, at fair value. Our determinations of the fair value of our investments have a material impact on our net earnings through the recording of unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments and may cause our NAV on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that we may ultimately realize on one or more of our investments.
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Key Personnel Risk
. We will be dependent upon the key personnel of OFS Advisor for our future success.
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Conflicts of Interest Risk
. Our executive officers and directors, and the Advisor and its officers and employees, including the Senior Investment Team, have several conflicts of interest as a result of the other activities in which they engage. See “
Conflicts of Interest
.”
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Incentive Fee Risk
. Our incentive fee structure may incentivize the Advisor to pursue investments on our behalf that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement and use leverage in a manner that adversely impacts our performance.
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Tax Risks
. If we fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC under the Code for any reason or become subject to corporate-level income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distribution and the amount of our distributions.
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Distributions and Dividend Risk
. There is a risk that our stockholders may not receive distributions or dividends and that our distributions or dividends may not grow over time.
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Market Risks
. A disruption or downturn in the capital markets and the credit markets could impair our ability to raise capital, impair the availability of suitable investment opportunities for us and negatively affect our business.
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Non-Diversification Risk
. We are a non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act and may hold a narrower range of investments than a diversified fund under the 1940 Act.
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Leverage Risk
. The use of leverage, whether directly or indirectly through investments such as CLO equity or subordinated debt securities that inherently involve leverage, may magnify our risk of loss. CLOs are typically highly leveraged (typically 9 – 13 times), and therefore the CLO equity of subordinated debt securities in which we intend to invest are subject to a higher risk of loss since the use of leverage magnifies losses.
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Risks of Investing in CLOs and Other Structured Finance Securities
. CLO and structured finance securities present risks similar to other credit investments, including default (credit), interest rate and prepayment risks. In addition, CLOs and other structured finance securities are typically governed by a complex series of legal documents and contracts, which increases the possibility of disputes over the interpretation and enforceability of such documents. In addition, a collateral manager or trustee of a CLO may not properly carry out its duties to the CLO, potentially resulting in loss to the CLO. CLOs are also leveraged vehicles and are subject to leverage risk.
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Risks of Investing in the Subordinated or Equity Tranche of CLOs
. We intend to invest in the subordinated notes that comprise a CLO's equity tranche, which are junior in priority of payment and are subject to certain payment restrictions generally set forth in an indenture governing the notes. In addition, CLO equity and subordinated notes generally do not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing the notes. The subordinated notes are not guaranteed by another party. Subordinated notes are subject to greater risk than the secured notes issued by the CLO. CLOs are typically highly levered, typically utilizing 9 – 13 times leverage, and therefore the CLO equity and subordinated debt securities in which we intend to invest are subject to a higher risk of loss. There can be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the subordinated notes will meet our expectations.
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First Loss Risk of CLO Equity and Subordinated Securities
. CLO equity and subordinated debt securities that we may acquire are subordinated to more senior tranches of CLO debt. If a CLO breaches a covenant, excess cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution to the CLO equity tranche investors is diverted to prepay CLO debt investors in order of seniority until such time as the covenant breach is cured. If the covenant breach is not or cannot be cured, the CLO equity investors (and potentially other debt tranche investors) may experience a partial or total loss of their investment. For this reason, CLO equity investors are often referred to as being in a first loss position. CLO equity and subordinated debt securities are subject to increased risks of default relative to the holders of superior priority interests in the same securities. In addition, at the time of issuance, CLO equity securities are under-collateralized in that the liabilities of a CLO at inception exceed its total assets. Though not exclusively, we will typically be in a first loss or subordinated position with respect to realized losses on the assets of the CLOs in which we are invested.
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High Yield Investment Risks
. The CLO equity and subordinated debt securities that we will acquire are typically unrated or rated below investment grade and are therefore considered “high yield” or “junk” securities and are considered speculative with respect to timely payment of distributions or interest and reinvestment or repayment of principal. The senior secured loans and other credit-related assets underlying CLOs are also typically high yield investments that are below investment grade. Investing in CLO equity and subordinated debt securities and other high yield investments involves greater credit and liquidity risk than investment grade obligations, which may adversely impact our performance. High-yield investments, including collateral held by CLOs in which we invest, generally have limited liquidity. As a result, prices of high-yield investments have at times experienced significant and rapid decline when a substantial number of holders (or a few holders of a significantly large “block” of the securities) decide to sell. In addition, we (or the CLOs in which we invest) may have difficulty disposing of certain high-yield investments because there may be a thin trading market for such securities.
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Limited Investment Opportunities Risk
. The market for CLO securities is more limited than the market for other credit related investments. Sufficient investment opportunities for our capital may not be available.
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Interest Rate Risk
. The price of certain of our investments may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates. Although interest rates in the United States continue to be relatively low compared to historic averages, a continuation of the current rising interest rate environment may increase our exposure to risks associated with interest rates. Moreover, interest rate levels may be impacted by extraordinary monetary policy initiatives, the effect of which is impossible to predict with certainty. Additionally, there may be a mismatch in the rate at which CLOs earn interest and the rate at which CLOs pay interest on their debt tranches, which can negatively impact the cash flows on a CLO’s equity tranche and may in turn adversely affect our cash flows and results of operations.
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Credit Risk
. If (1) a CLO in which we invest, (2) an underlying asset of any such CLO or (3) any other type of credit investment in our portfolio declines in price or fails to pay interest or principal when due because the issuer or debtor, as the case may be, experiences a decline in its financial status, our income, NAV and/or market price may be adversely impacted.
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Prepayment Risk
. The assets underlying the CLO securities in which we invest are subject to prepayment by the underlying corporate borrowers. In addition, the CLO securities and related investments in which we invest are subject to prepayment risk. If we or a CLO collateral manager are unable to reinvest prepaid amounts in a new investment with an expected rate of return at least equal to that of the investment repaid, our investment performance will be adversely impacted.
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Liquidity Risks
. To the extent we invest in illiquid instruments, we would not be able to sell such investments at prices that reflect our assessment of their fair value or the amount paid for such investments by us. Specifically, the subordinated or equity tranche CLO securities we intend to acquire are illiquid investments and subject to extensive transfer restrictions, and no party is under any obligation to make a market for subordinated notes. At times, there may be no market for subordinated notes, and we may not be able to sell or otherwise transfer subordinated notes at their fair value, or at all, in the event that we determine to sell them.
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Counterparty Risks
. We may be exposed to counterparty risk, which could make it difficult for us or the CLOs in which we invest to collect on obligations, thereby resulting in potentially significant losses.
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Loan Accumulation Facilities Risk
. Investments in loan accumulation facilities, which acquire loans on an interim basis that are expected to form part of a CLO, may expose us to market, credit and leverage risks. In particular, in the event a planned CLO is not consummated, or the loans held in a loan accumulation facility are not eligible for purchase by the CLO, we may be responsible for either holding or disposing of the loans. This could expose us primarily to credit and/or mark-to-market losses and other risks.
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Hedging Risks
. Hedging transactions seeking to reduce risks may result in poorer overall performance than if we had not engaged in such hedging transactions, and they may also not properly hedge our risks.
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Derivatives Risks
. Derivative instruments in which we may invest may be volatile and involve various risks different from, and in certain cases greater than, the risks presented by more traditional instruments. A small investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on our performance, effecting a form of investment leverage on our portfolio. In certain types of derivative transactions, we could lose the entire amount of our investment; in other types of derivative transactions the potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
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Currency Risk
. Although we intend to primarily make investments denominated in U.S. dollars, we may make investments denominated in other currencies. Our investments denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars will be subject to the risk that the value of such currency will decrease in relation to the U.S. dollar.
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Shares Volatility Risks
. The market price of our Shares may be volatile and may decrease substantially.
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Leverage
We may use leverage to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. We are permitted to obtain leverage using any form of financial leverage instruments, including funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions, margin facilities, notes or preferred stock and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements or similar transactions. We currently anticipate incurring leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred) through the issuance of preferred stock or by entering into a credit facility within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering. Instruments that create leverage are generally considered to be senior securities under the 1940 Act. With respect to senior securities representing indebtedness (i.e., borrowing or deemed borrowing), other than temporary borrowings as defined under the 1940 Act, we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 300%, as measured at the time of borrowing and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness. With respect to senior securities that are stocks (i.e., shares of preferred stock), we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 200%, as measured at the time of the issuance of any such shares of preferred stock and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate
amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation preference of any outstanding shares of preferred stock. See “
Description of Capital Structure — Preferred Stock
.”
While we anticipate incurring leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering, we may use leverage opportunistically or not at all and may choose to increase or decrease our leverage from time to time. We may use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments at any time based on the Advisor’s assessment of market conditions and the investment environment, including forms of leverage other than preferred stocks and credit facilities. In addition, we may borrow for temporary, emergency or other purposes as permitted under the 1940 Act, which indebtedness would be in addition to the asset coverage ratios described above. By leveraging our investment portfolio, we may create an opportunity for increased net income and capital appreciation. However, the use of leverage also involves significant risks and expenses, which will be borne entirely by our stockholders, and our leverage strategy may not be successful. For example, the more leverage is employed, the more likely a substantial change will occur in our NAV. Accordingly, any event that adversely affects the value of an investment would be magnified to the extent leverage is utilized. See “
Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Investments — We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us
.”
Operating and Regulatory Structure
We are a non-diversified closed-end management investment company that has registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. As a registered closed-end management investment company, we will be required to meet certain regulatory tests. See “
Regulation as a Closed-End Management Investment Company
.” In addition, we intend to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and intend to qualify annually thereafter, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. See “
U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters
.”
Conflicts of Interest
Subject to certain 1940 Act restrictions on co-investments with affiliates, OFS Advisor will offer us the right to participate in investment opportunities that it determines are appropriate for us in view of our investment objective, policies and strategies and other relevant factors. Such offers will be subject to the exception that, in accordance with OFS Advisor’s allocation policy, we might not participate in each individual opportunity but will, on an overall basis, be entitled to participate fairly and equitably over time with other entities managed by OFS Advisor and its affiliates.
To the extent that we compete with entities managed by OFS Advisor or any of its affiliates for a particular investment opportunity, OFS Advisor will allocate investment opportunities across the entities for which such opportunities are appropriate, consistent with (i) its internal allocation policy, (ii) the requirements of the Advisers Act, and (iii) certain restrictions under the 1940 Act and rules thereunder regarding co-investments with affiliates. OFS Advisor’s allocation policy is intended to ensure that we may generally share fairly and equitably with other investment funds or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor or its affiliates in investment opportunities that OFS Advisor determines are appropriate for us in view of our investment objective, policies and strategies and other relevant factors, particularly those involving a security with limited supply or involving differing classes of securities of the same issuer that may be suitable for us and such other investment funds or other investment vehicles. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
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investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
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risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
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suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
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if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
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level of available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
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total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
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the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
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In situations where co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, such as when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. See “
Related-Party Transactions and Certain Relationships
.”
Co-Investment with Affiliates.
In certain instances, we may co-invest on a concurrent basis with other accounts managed by the Advisor or certain of its affiliates, subject to compliance with applicable regulations and regulatory guidance and our written
allocation procedures. We have been granted exemptive relief by the SEC that permits us to participate in certain negotiated co-investments alongside other accounts managed by the Advisor or certain of its affiliates, subject to certain conditions including (i) that a majority of our directors who have no financial interest in the transaction and a majority of our directors who are not interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, approve the co-investment and (ii) the price, terms and conditions of the co-investment are the same for each participant. Our application for exemptive relief, including all of the conditions, and the related order are available on the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov
.
Our Structure
Our Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL, 60606, and our telephone number is (847) 734-2000. We maintain a website at www.ofscreditcompany.com. Information contained in our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider that information to be part of this prospectus.
SUMMARY OF OFFERING
Set forth below is additional information regarding this offering.
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Shares Offered
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[ ] Shares.
An additional [ ] Shares are issuable pursuant to an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters solely to cover over-allotments, if any. Prior to this offering, an affiliate of OFS Advisor purchased 5,000 Shares at $20.00 per share in exchange for an aggregate cash contribution of $100,000 in order for the Company to have the minimum net worth required by the 1940 Act.
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Shares to be Outstanding Immediately After this Offering
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[ ] Shares assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised. See “
Capitalization
.”
[ ] Shares assuming the over-allotment option is exercised in full.
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Nasdaq Symbol
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“OCCI”
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Use of Proceeds
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We estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from the sale of [ ] shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $[ ] (or approximately $[ ] if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). We intend to use these net proceeds to acquire the investments that we have identified under “
Business – Initial Portfolio
” in this prospectus and to acquire other investments in accordance with our investment objectives and strategies described in this prospectus and for general working capital purposes. We currently anticipate being able to deploy any remaining proceeds from this offering within three months after the completion of the offering, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. During this period, we will invest in temporary investments, such as cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which we expect will have returns substantially lower than the returns that we anticipate earning from investments in CLO securities and related investments. We cannot assure you we will achieve our targeted investment pace, which may negatively impact our returns. See “
Use of Proceeds
.”
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Distributions
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We intend to make regular quarterly cash distributions of all or a portion of our GAAP-basis net investment income and annually distribute all or a portion of our “investment company taxable income” or “ICTI” (which generally consists of ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any) to stockholders. We also intend to make at least annual distributions of all or a portion of our “net capital gains” (which is the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses).
Our first quarterly distribution, which we expect to be payable for the quarter ended [ ], 2018, is expected to be approximately $[ ] per share. The amount of the distribution will be proportionately reduced to reflect the number of days remaining in the quarter after the completion of this offering. The actual amount of such distribution, if any, remains subject to approval by our board of directors, and there can be no assurance that the distribution will be $[ ] per share. Purchasers in this offering will be entitled to receive this distribution, which is contingent upon the completion of this offering. We anticipate that the distribution will be paid from post-offering taxable earnings, including interest and capital gains generated by our investment portfolio. However, if we do not generate sufficient taxable earnings during our fiscal year ending on October 31, 2018, the distribution may constitute a return of capital, which is a return of a portion of a shareholder’s original investment in our common stock. See “
Distribution Policy
” and “
Risk Factors -
Our cash distributions to stockholders may change and a portion of our distributions to stockholders may be a return of capital
.”
If our distributions exceed our ICTI in a tax year, such excess will represent a return of capital to our stockholders. Additionally, in order to maintain a stable level of distributions, we may at times pay out less than all of our investment income or pay out accumulated undistributed income in addition to current net investment income. Subject to market conditions, dividend and capital gains distributions generally are used to purchase additional Shares pursuant to an automatic distribution reinvestment plan, as summarized below. However, an investor can choose to receive distributions in cash. Dividend and capital gains distributions generally are taxable to our stockholders whether they are reinvested in our Shares or received in cash. See “
Distribution Policy
” and “
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
.”
We generally intend to reinvest the capital returned to us from our investments. However, GAAP may require us to characterize all or a portion of our non-taxable (i.e., return of capital) distributions from our CLO investments as interest income. See “
Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Investments - CLO investments involve complex documentation and accounting considerations
.”
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Investment Advisory Agreement
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The Advisor manages our investments, subject to the supervision of the Board, pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, the Advisor and its related persons are entitled to indemnification from us for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses arising from the services rendered by the Advisor under the Investment Advisory Agreement or otherwise as our investment adviser. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in our first annual report after the completion of this offering.
Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect if approved annually (after an initial two-year term) by our Board or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities, including, in either case, approval by a majority of our Directors who are not “interested persons” of any party to such agreement, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. The Investment Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Agreement may also be terminated by us without penalty upon not less than 60 days’ written notice to the Advisor and by the Advisor upon not less than 90 days’ written notice to us. See “
Management — The Advisor — Investment Advisory Agreement
.”
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Management Fee and Incentive Fee
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We pay the Advisor a fee for its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement consisting of two components — a base management fee and an incentive fee.
Base management fee
. The base management fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears and equals an annual rate of 1.75% of our “Total Equity Base.” “Total Equity Base” is defined as the NAV of our Shares and the paid-in capital of our preferred stock, if any. The base management fee is paid by our stockholders and is not paid by holders of preferred stock, if any, or the holders of any other types of securities that we may issue. Because no part of the base management fee is based on funds borrowed by us, the base management fee will not increase when we borrow funds. However, the base management fee will increase if we issue preferred stock.
Incentive fee
. The incentive fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears and equals 20% of our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding quarter, subject to a preferred return, or “hurdle,” of 2.00% of our NAV (8.00% annualized) and a “catch up” feature. The amount of the incentive fee is not affected by any realized or unrealized losses that we may suffer. See “
Management — Management Fee and Incentive Fee
.” No incentive fee is payable to the Advisor on capital gains, whether realized or unrealized.
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Other Expenses
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The investment team of the Advisor, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory and management services, and the compensation and routine overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, are provided and paid for by OFS Capital Management, LLC. We bear all other costs and expenses of our operations and transactions. See “
Fees and Expenses
.”
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Administration Agreement
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OFS Services, an affiliate of OFS Advisor, provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate. OFS Services furnishes us with office facilities and equipment, necessary software licenses and subscriptions and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities. OFS Services performs, or oversees the performance of, our required administrative services, which include being responsible for the financial records that we are required to maintain and preparing reports to stockholders and all other reports and materials required to be filed with the SEC or any other regulatory authority. In addition, OFS Services assists us in determining and publishing our NAV, oversees the preparation and filing of our tax returns and the printing and dissemination of reports to our stockholders, and generally oversees the payment of our expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to us by others. OFS Services may retain third parties to assist in providing administrative services to us. To the extent that OFS Services outsources any of its functions we pay the fees associated with such functions at cost without incremental profit to OFS Services. See “
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions – Administration Agreement
.”
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License Agreement
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We have entered into a trademark license agreement with the Advisor, which we refer to as the “License Agreement,” pursuant to which the Advisor has agreed to grant us a non-exclusive license to use the “OFS” name and logo. See “
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — License Agreement
.”
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Market Price of Shares and Closed-End Fund Structure
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Closed-end funds differ from traditional, open-end management investment companies (“mutual funds”) in that closed-end funds generally list their shares for trading on a securities exchange and do not redeem their shares at the option of the stockholder. By comparison, mutual funds issue securities that are redeemable and typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares.
Common stock of closed-end funds frequently trades at prices lower than their NAV. We cannot predict whether our Shares will trade at, above or below NAV.
In addition to NAV, the market price of our Shares may be affected by such factors as our dividend stability and dividend levels, which are in turn affected by expenses, and market supply and demand. In recognition of the possibility that our Shares may trade at a discount from their NAV, and that any such discount may not be in the best interest of stockholders, the Board, in consultation with the Advisor may review possible actions to reduce any such discount. There can be no assurance that the Board will decide to undertake any of these actions or that, if undertaken, such actions would result in our Shares trading at a price equal to or close to NAV per Share. See “
Description of Capital Structure — Repurchase of Shares and Other Discount Measures
.”
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Distribution Reinvestment Plan
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We have established a distribution reinvestment plan, or the “DRIP” Under the DRIP, distributions of dividends and capital gains are automatically reinvested in our Shares by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the plan agent of our Shares or the “DRIP Agent.” Every stockholder holding at least one full share will be automatically enrolled in the DRIP. Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of additional Shares will nonetheless be required to pay applicable federal, state or local taxes on the reinvested dividends but will not receive a corresponding cash distribution with which to pay any applicable tax. Stockholders who opt-out of participation in the DRIP will receive all distributions in cash. Reinvested dividends increase our stockholders’ equity on which a management fee is payable to the Advisor. There are requirements to participate in the DRIP and you should contact your broker or nominee to confirm that you are eligible to participate in the DRIP. See “
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
” for more information about the DRIP, including how to withdraw from it.
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Taxation
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We intend to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a RIC. As a RIC, we generally will not be required to pay U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we receive from our portfolio investments and distribute to our stockholders. To qualify as a RIC and maintain our RIC treatment, we must meet specific source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute in each of our taxable years at least 90% of the sum of our ICTI and net tax-exempt interest, if any, to our stockholders. If, in any year, we fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC under U.S. federal income tax laws, we would be taxed as an ordinary corporation. In such circumstances, we could be required to recognize unrealized net built-in gains, pay substantial taxes and make substantial distributions before re-qualifying for tax treatment as a RIC. See “
U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters
.”
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Available Information
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After the completion of this offering, we will be required to file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This information will be available at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549 and on the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov.
The public may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference room by calling the SEC at 1 (800) SEC-0330. This information will also be available free of charge by contacting us at OFS Credit Company, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, by telephone at 1 (847) 734-2000, or on our website at
www.ofscreditcompany.com.
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FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that you will bear directly or indirectly as a stockholder. The expenses shown in the table under “Estimated Annual Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for our first full year of operations and assume that we incur leverage in an amount of up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred). The following table should not be considered a representation of our future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than shown.
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Stockholder Transaction Expenses (as a percentage of the offering price)
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Sales load
(1)
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—
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%
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Offering expenses borne by the Company
(2)
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—
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%
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Distribution reinvestment plan expenses
(3)
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$15.00
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Total stockholder transaction expenses
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—
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%
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Estimated Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to Shares):
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Base management fee
(4)
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[ ]%
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Incentive fees payable under our investment advisory agreement (20% of Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, subject to hurdle)
(5)
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[ ]%
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Interest payments on borrowed funds
(6)
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[ ]%
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Other expenses
(7)
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[ ]%
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Total annual expenses
(8)
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[ ]%
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(1)
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OFS Advisor has agreed to pay to the underwriters, from its own assets, the sales load in the amount equal to $[ ] million, or $[ ] per share. We are not obligated to repay the sales load paid by OFS Advisor. See “
Underwriting
.”
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(2)
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OFS Advisor has agreed to pay all of our organizational and offering expenses associated with the initial offering of our Shares. The aggregate organizational and offering expenses are estimated to be approximately $[ ] million. We are not obligated to repay the organizational and offering expenses paid by OFS Advisor.
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(3)
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The expenses of the DRIP are included in “other expenses.” The plan administrator’s fees will be paid by us. There will be no brokerage charges or other charges to stockholders who participate in the plan except that, if a participant elects by written notice to the plan administrator to have the plan administrator sell part or all of the shares held by the plan administrator in the participant’s account and remit the proceeds to the participant, the plan administrator is authorized to deduct a $15.00 transaction fee plus a $0.10 per share brokerage commission from the proceeds. See “
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
.”
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(4)
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We have agreed to pay the Advisor as compensation under the Investment Advisory Agreement a base management fee at an annual rate of 1.75% of our Total Equity Base, which means the NAV of our Shares and the paid-in capital of our preferred stock, if any. The figure shown in the table above reflects our assumption that we incur leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred). These management fees are paid by our stockholders and are not paid by the holders of preferred stock, if any, or the holders of any other types of securities that we may issue. If we do not issue preferred stock, our base management fee would equal 1.75% of the NAV of our Shares. See “
Management —Management Fee and Incentive Fee
.”
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(5)
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We have agreed to pay the Advisor as compensation under the Investment Advisory Agreement a quarterly incentive fee equal to 20% of our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding quarter, subject to a quarterly preferred return, or hurdle, of 2.00% of our NAV (8.00% annualized) and a catch-up feature. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes accrued income that we have not yet received in cash. No incentive fee is payable to the Advisor on realized capital gains. The incentive fee is paid to the Advisor as follows:
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•
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no incentive fee in any calendar quarter in which our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle of 2.00% of our NAV;
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•
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100% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income with respect to that portion of such Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle but is less than 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter (10.00% annualized). We refer to this portion of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (which exceeds the hurdle but is less than 2.50% of our NAV) as the “catch-up.” The “catch-up” is meant to provide the Advisor with 20% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle did not apply if Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income meets or exceeds 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter; and
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•
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20% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter (10.00% annualized) is payable to the Advisor (that is, once the hurdle is reached and the catch-up is achieved, 20% of all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter is paid to the Advisor).
|
For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of this fee, see “
Management — Management Fee and Incentive Fee
.” We estimate annual incentive fees payable to the Advisor during our first year of operation to equal [ ]% based on our estimation of the use of the proceeds of this offering.
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(6)
|
We may incur, directly or indirectly, through one or more special purpose vehicles, indebtedness for borrowed money, as well as leverage in the form of preferred stock and other structures and instruments, in significant amounts and on terms that the Advisor and our Board deem appropriate, subject to applicable limitations under the 1940 Act. Any such borrowings do not include embedded or inherent leverage in CLO structures in which we intend to invest or in derivative instruments in which we may invest. Assumes the use of leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred) with a projected combined annual interest rate expense of [ ]%, which we have based on current market rates.
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(7)
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"Other expenses" ($[ ], including costs and expenses associated with our formation and organization) are based upon estimates of the first full year of operations.
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(8)
|
“Total annual expenses” is presented as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stockholders, because the holders of shares of our common stock will bear all of our fees and expenses, all of which are included in this fee table presentation.
The indirect expenses that will be associated with our CLO equity investments are not included in the fee table presentation, but if such expenses were included in the fee table presentation then our total annual expenses would have been [ ]%.
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Example
The following example is furnished in response to the requirements of the SEC and illustrates the various costs and expenses [(including the estimated offering costs borne by us of $[ ] million)] that you would pay, directly or indirectly, on a $1,000 investment in our Shares for the time periods indicated, assuming (1) total net annual expenses of [ ]% of net assets attributable to our Shares and (2) a 5% annual return*:
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1 Year
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3 Year
|
5 Year
|
10 Year
|
Total Expenses
|
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*
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The example should not be considered a representation of future returns or expenses, and actual returns and expenses may be greater or less than those shown
. The example assumes that the estimated “other expenses” set forth in the Annual Expenses table are accurate, and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at NAV. In addition, because the example assumes a 5% annual return, the example does not reflect the payment of the incentive fee which would either not be payable or would have an insignificant impact on the expense amounts shown above. Our actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our Shares involves a number of significant risks. In addition to the other information contained in this prospectus, you should consider carefully the following information before making an investment in our Shares. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face, but they are the principal risks associated with an investment in us. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us might also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our NAV and the trading price of our Shares could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Structure
We have no prior operating history.
We are a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no prior operating history. As a result, we do not have significant financial information on which you can evaluate an investment in us or our prior performance. We are subject to all of the business risks and uncertainties associated with any new business, including the risk that we will not achieve our investment objectives and that the value of your investment could decline substantially or become worthless. We currently anticipate that it will take up to three months to invest substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering in our targeted investments, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. During this period, we will invest in temporary investments, such as cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. We expect will have returns substantially lower than the returns that we anticipate earning from investments in CLO securities and related investments.
In addition, although the Advisor has experience managing a closed-end management investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the 1940 Act, the Advisor has never previously managed a registered closed-end investment company like us.
Our investment portfolio is recorded at fair value, with our Board having final responsibility for overseeing, reviewing and determining, in accordance with the 1940 Act, the fair value of our investments. As a result, there will be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.
Under the 1940 Act, we will be required to carry our portfolio investments at market value or, if there is no readily available market value, at fair value as determined by us in accordance with a written valuation policy adopted by our board of directors. The board of directors will have final responsibility for overseeing, reviewing and determining, in accordance with the 1940 Act, the fair value of our investments. Typically, there is no public market for the type of investments we intend to target. As a result, we value these securities at least quarterly based on relevant information compiled by the Advisor and third-party pricing services (when available), and with the oversight, review and acceptance by our board of directors.
The determination of fair value and, consequently, the amount of unrealized gains and losses in our portfolio, are to a significant degree subjective and dependent on a valuation process approved and overseen by our board of directors. Certain factors that may be considered in determining the fair value of our investments include non-binding indicative bids and the number of trades (and the size and timing of each trade) in an investment. Valuation of certain investments will also be based, in part, upon third party valuation models which take into account various unobservable inputs. Investors should be aware that the models, information and/or underlying assumptions utilized by us or such models will not always allow us to correctly capture the fair value of an asset. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of securities that are not publicly traded like those we hold, are inherently uncertain, they may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates. Our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an active public market for these securities existed. Our determinations of the fair value of our investments have a material impact on our net earnings through the recording of unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments and may cause our NAV on a given date to understate or overstate, possibly materially, the value that we may ultimately realize on one or more of our investments. See “
Determination of Net Asset Value
.
”
Our financial condition and results of operations depend on the Advisor
’
s ability to effectively manage and deploy capital.
Our ability to achieve our investment objectives depends on the Advisor’s ability to effectively manage and deploy capital, which depends, in turn, on the Advisor’s ability to identify, evaluate and monitor, and our ability to acquire, investments that meet our investment criteria.
Accomplishing our investment objectives on a cost-effective basis is largely a function of the Advisor’s handling of the investment process, its ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient services and our access to investments offering acceptable terms, either in the primary or secondary markets. Even if we are able to grow and build upon our investment operations, any failure to manage our growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. The results of our operations will depend on many factors, including the availability of opportunities for investment, readily accessible short and long-term funding alternatives in the financial markets and economic conditions. Furthermore, if we cannot successfully operate our business or implement our investment policies and strategies as described in this prospectus, it could adversely impact our
ability to pay dividends. In addition, because the trading methods employed by the Advisor on our behalf are proprietary, stockholders will not be able to determine details of such methods or whether they are being followed.
We are dependent upon the OFS senior professionals for our future success and upon their access to the investment professionals and partners of OFSAM and its affiliates
.
We do not have any internal management capacity or employees. We will depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the OFS senior professionals to achieve our investment objectives. Our future success will depend, to a significant extent, on the continued service and coordination of the OFS senior management team, particularly the members of the Senior Investment Team. Each of these individuals is an employee at will of Orchard First Source Capital, Inc., OFSAM's staffing subsidiary, and is not subject to an employment contract. In addition, we rely on the services of Richard Ressler, Chairman of the executive committee of OFSAM and Chairman of the Structured Credit Investment Committee of OFS Advisor and CLO Investment Committee of OFS Advisor pursuant to a consulting agreement with Orchard Capital Corporation. The departure of Mr. Ressler, any of the Senior Investment Team, any of the senior managers of OFSAM, or of a significant number of its other investment professionals, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective.
We expect that OFS Advisor will evaluate, negotiate, structure, close and monitor our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. We can offer no assurance, however, that OFS senior professionals will continue to provide investment advice to us. If these individuals do not maintain their existing relationships with OFS and its affiliates and do not develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we may not be able to grow our investment portfolio or achieve our investment objective. In addition, individuals with whom the OFS senior professionals have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities. Therefore, we can offer no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for us.
The investment committees that oversee our investment activities (the "Advisor Investment Committees") are provided by OFS Advisor under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The loss of any member of the Advisor Investment Committees or of other OFS senior professionals could limit our ability to achieve our investment objective and operate as we anticipate. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.
We may face increasing competition for investment opportunities.
We may compete for investments with other investment funds (potentially including private equity funds, mezzanine funds and business development companies), as well as traditional financial services companies, which could include commercial banks, investment banks, finance companies and other sources of funding. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than us. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of capital and access to funding sources that may not be available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than we have. These characteristics could allow our competitors to consider a wider variety of investments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing than we are willing to offer to potential sellers. We may lose investment opportunities if our competitors are willing to pay more for the types of investments that we intend to target. If we are forced to pay more for our investments, we may not be able to achieve acceptable returns on our investments or may bear substantial risk of capital loss. An increase in the number and/or the size of our competitors in our target markets could force us to accept less attractive investments. Furthermore, many of our competitors have greater experience operating under, or are not be subject to, the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a closed-end management investment company.
The Advisor and the Administrator each has the right to resign on 90 days
’
notice, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
The Advisor has the right under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administrator has the right under the Administration Agreement to resign at any time upon 90 days’ written notice, whether we have found a replacement or not. If the Advisor or the Administrator resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment adviser or hire internal management, or find a new administrator, as the case may be, with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms within 90 days, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations, as well as our ability to make distributions to our stockholders and other payments to securityholders, are likely to be adversely affected and the market price of our securities may decline. In addition, the coordination of our internal management and investment activities is likely to suffer if we are unable to identify and reach an agreement with a single institution or group of executives having the expertise possessed by the Advisor and the Administrator and their affiliates. Even if we are able to retain comparable management and administration, whether internal or external, the integration of such management and their lack of familiarity with our investment objectives and operations would likely result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
Our success will depend on the ability of the Advisor to attract and retain qualified personnel in a competitive environment.
Our growth will require that the Advisor retain and attract new investment and administrative personnel in a competitive market. The Advisor’s ability to attract and retain personnel with the requisite credentials, experience and skills will depend on several factors
including, but not limited to, its ability to offer competitive wages, benefits and professional growth opportunities. Many of the entities, including investment funds (such as private equity funds, mezzanine funds and business development companies) and traditional financial services companies, with which it will compete for experienced personnel will have greater resources than the Advisor will have.
There are significant potential conflicts of interest which could impact our investment returns.
Our executive officers and directors, and the Advisor and its officers and employees made available to it by an intercompany agreement with OFSAM, including the Senior Investment Team, have several conflicts of interest as a result of the other activities in which they engage. For example, the members of the Advisor’s investment team are and may in the future become affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us, and may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time. Moreover, each member of the Senior Investment Team is engaged in other business activities which divert their time and attention. The professional staff available to the Advisor will devote as much time to us as such professionals deem appropriate to perform their duties in accordance with the Investment Advisory Agreement. However, such persons may be committed to providing investment advisory and other services for other clients, including separately managed accounts and private funds, and engage in other business ventures in which we have no interest. As a result of these separate business activities, the Advisor may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, services and functions among us, other advisory clients and other business ventures. See “
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions
.”
Our incentive fee structure may incentivize the Advisor to pursue speculative investments, use leverage when it may be unwise to do so, refrain from de-levering when it would otherwise be appropriate to do so, or include optimistic assumptions in the determination of net investment income.
The incentive fee payable by us to the Advisor may create an incentive for the Advisor to pursue investments on our behalf that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns. The incentive fee payable to the Advisor is based on our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, as calculated in accordance with our Investment Advisory Agreement. This may encourage the Advisor to use leverage to increase the return on our investments, even when it may not be appropriate to do so, and to refrain from de-levering when it may otherwise be appropriate to do so. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would impair the value of our securities. Additionally, we will recognize interest income on our CLO equity tranche investments based in substantial part on management's multi-year assumptions regarding cash flows derived from such investments. As a result, management's assumptions regarding cash flows from our investments will have an impact on the amount of Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income we recognize for a given period. This may encourage the Advisor to select assumptions more optimistic than actually achievable given economic conditions and circumstances. See “
— Risks Related to Our Investments — We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us
” and “
— CLO investments involve complex documentation and accounting considerations
."
A general increase in interest rates may have the effect of making it easier for the Advisor to receive incentive fees, without necessarily resulting in an increase in our net earnings.
Given the structure of our Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor, any general increase in interest rates will likely have the effect of making it easier for the Advisor to meet the quarterly hurdle rate for payment of income incentive fees under the Investment Advisory Agreement without any additional increase in relative performance on the part of the Advisor. In the current rising interest rate environment, this risk may increase as interest rates continue to rise. In addition, in view of the catch-up provision applicable to income incentive fees under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor could potentially receive a significant portion of the increase in our investment income attributable to such a general increase in interest rates. If that were to occur, our increase in net earnings, if any, would likely be significantly smaller than the relative increase in the Advisor’s income incentive fee resulting from such a general increase in interest rates.
We may be obligated to pay the Advisor incentive compensation even if we incur a loss.
The Advisor is entitled to incentive compensation for each fiscal quarter based, in part, on our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, for the immediately preceding calendar quarter above a performance threshold for that quarter. Accordingly, since the performance threshold is based on a percentage of our NAV, decreases in our NAV make it easier to achieve the performance threshold, and we may be required to pay the Advisor incentive compensation for a fiscal quarter even if there is a decline in the value of our portfolio.
We may pay an incentive fee on income we do not receive in cash.
The part of the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor that relates to our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income is computed and paid on income that may include interest income that has been accrued but not yet received in cash. This fee structure may be considered to involve a conflict of interest for OFS Advisor to the extent that it may encourage OFS Advisor to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. OFS Advisor may have an incentive to invest in deferred interest securities in circumstances where it would not have done so but for the opportunity to continue to earn the incentive
fee even when the issuers of the deferred interest securities would not be able to make actual cash payments to us on such securities. This risk could be increased because OFS Advisor is not obligated to reimburse us for any incentive fees received even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued.
The Advisor
’
s liability is limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and we have agreed to indemnify the Advisor against certain liabilities, which may lead the Advisor to act in a riskier manner on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account
.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor does not assume any responsibility to us other than to render the services called for under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and it is not responsible for any action of our Board in following or declining to follow the Advisor’s advice or recommendations. The Advisor maintains a contractual and fiduciary relationship with us. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor, its officers, managers, members, agents, employees and other affiliates are not be liable to us for acts or omissions performed in accordance with and pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, except those resulting from acts constituting willful misconduct, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the Advisor’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to indemnify the Advisor and each of its officers, managers, members, agents, employees and other affiliates from and against all damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and other amounts reasonably paid in settlement) incurred by such persons arising out of or based on performance by the Advisor of its obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement, except where attributable to willful misconduct, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the Advisor’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. These protections may lead the Advisor to act in a riskier manner when acting on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were not negotiated on an arm
’
s length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were negotiated between related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to the Advisor, may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
We may not replicate the historical results achieved by OFSAM or other entities managed or sponsored by OFSAM and its other affiliates.
Our primary focus in making investments may differ from OFSAM’s other proprietary investments or the investments of other investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles that are or have been managed by OFSAM or its other affiliates. Although OFSAM’s historical concentration has been investments in debt securities, we intend to pursue an investment strategy that will focus primarily on investments in CLO securities. Because our investment strategy is different from that of other entities managed by OFSAM, and we cannot assure you that we will replicate the historical results achieved by OFSAM or its other affiliates, we caution you that our investment returns could be
substantially lower than the returns achieved by them in prior periods. Additionally, current or future market volatility and regulatory uncertainty that is distinct to investments included in our investment strategy may have an adverse impact on our future performance.
We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.
We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including our ability or inability to make investments that meet our investment criteria, the interest and other income earned on our investments, the level of our expenses (including the interest or dividend rate payable on the debt securities or preferred stock we issue), variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, our results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of our results in future periods.
Our Board may change our operating policies and strategies without stockholder approval, the effects of which may be adverse.
Our Board will have the authority to modify or waive our current operating policies, investment criteria and strategies, other than those that we have deemed to be fundamental, without prior stockholder approval. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies, investment criteria and strategies would have on our business, NAV, operating results and value of our securities. However, the effects of any such changes could adversely impact our ability to pay distributions and cause you to lose all or part of your investment.
We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC.
We intend to elect to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, but no assurance can be given that we will be able to obtain or maintain our RIC status. As a RIC, we will not be required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on our income and capital gains that we distribute (or that we are deemed to distribute) to our stockholders.
To obtain and maintain RIC status under the Code and to be relieved of U.S. federal income taxes on income and gains distributed to our stockholders, we must meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification and distribution requirements. The source-of-income requirement will be satisfied if we obtain at least 90% of our ICTI for each year from dividends, interest, gains from the sale
of securities or similar sources. The asset diversification requirement will be satisfied if we meet certain asset composition requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet those requirements may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments are expected to be in CLO securities for which there will likely be no active public market, any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices and could result in substantial losses.
We must also meet an annual distribution requirement to qualify for RIC tax treatment. The distribution requirement for a RIC will be satisfied if we distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any to our stockholders on an annual basis (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”). We will be subject, to the extent we use debt financing or preferred stock, to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we could fail to maintain our qualification for the tax benefits available to RICs and, thus, become subject to corporate-level federal income tax.
If we fail, once qualified, to continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate-level federal income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distribution to stockholders and the amount of our distributions and the amount of funds available for new investments.
U.S. tax reform could have a negative impact on our business and on our stockholders.
Legislative or other actions relating to taxes could have a negative effect on us or our stockholders. The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the Internal Revenue Service, or "IRS," and the U.S. Treasury Department. Recently enacted U.S. federal tax reform legislation makes many changes to the Code, including provisions that significantly change the taxation of business entities, the circumstances in which a foreign corporation will be treated as a "controlled foreign corporation", the deductibility of interest expense, and the tax treatment of capital investment. We cannot predict with certainty how any changes in the tax laws might affect us, our stockholders or our investments. New legislation and any U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions interpreting such legislation could significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to us and our stockholders of such qualification, or could have other adverse consequences. Investors are urged to consult with their tax advisor with respect to the status of legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our common stock.
There is a risk that our stockholders may not receive distributions or that our distributions may not grow or may be reduced over time.
We intend to make distributions on a quarterly basis to our stockholders out of assets legally available for distribution. We cannot assure you that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. In addition, due to the asset coverage test applicable to us as a registered closed-end management investment company, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions.
We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income.
For federal income tax purposes, we will include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as original issue discount or market discount, which may arise if we acquire a debt security at a significant discount to par. Such discounts will be included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we will not receive in cash.
Since, in certain cases, we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the Annual Distribution Requirement necessary to maintain RIC tax treatment under the Code. Accordingly, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or forgo new investment opportunities for this purpose. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level income tax.
Our cash distributions to stockholders may change and a portion of our distributions to stockholders may be a return of capital.
The amount of our cash distributions may increase or decrease at the discretion of our Board, based upon its assessment of the amount of cash available to us for this purpose and other factors. Unless we are able to generate sufficient cash through the successful implementation of our investment strategy, we may need to reduce the level of our cash distributions in the future. In addition, we may not be able to sustain our current level of distributions even if we successfully implement our investment strategy. Further, to the extent that the portion of the cash generated from our investments that is recorded as interest income for federal income tax reporting purposes is less than the amount of our distributions, all or a portion of one or more of our future distributions, if declared, may comprise a return of capital. Accordingly, stockholders should not assume that the sole source of any of our distributions is ICTI. Any reduction in the amount of our distributions would reduce the amount of cash received by our stockholders and could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our shares. See “
Risks Related to Our Investments — CLO investments involve complex
documentation and accounting considerations
”, “
Our investments are subject to prepayment risk
” and “
— Any unrealized losses we experience on our portfolio may be an indication of future realized losses, which could reduce our income available for distribution or to make payments on our other obligations
.
”
We will incur significant costs as a result of being a publicly traded company.
As a publicly traded company, we expect to incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicable to a company whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the “Exchange Act,” as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and other rules implemented by the SEC.
Because we expect to distribute substantially all of our ordinary income and net realized capital gains to our stockholders, we may need additional capital to finance the acquisition of new investments and such capital may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
In order to obtain and maintain our RIC tax treatment, among other things, we are required to distribute at least 90% of the sum of our net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. As a result, these earnings will not be available to fund new investments, and we will need additional capital to fund growth in our investment portfolio. If we fail to obtain additional capital, we could be forced to curtail or cease new investment activities, which could adversely affect our business, operations and results.
Global economic, political and market conditions may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, including our revenue growth and profitability.
The current worldwide financial market situation, as well as various social and political tensions in the U.S. and around the world, may contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets, and may cause economic uncertainties or deterioration in the U.S. and worldwide. Since 2010, several European Union ("EU") countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the Euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. In June 2016, the United Kingdom ("U.K.") held a referendum in which voters approved an exit from the EU ("Brexit"), and, subsequently, on March 29, 2017, the U.K. government began the formal process of leaving the EU. Because of the election results in the U.K. in June 2017, there is increased uncertainty on the timing of Brexit. Brexit created political and economic uncertainty and instability in the global markets (including currency and credit markets), and especially in the U.K. and the EU, and this uncertainty and instability may last indefinitely. In addition, the fiscal policy of foreign nations, such as Russia and China, may have a severe impact on the worldwide and U.S. financial markets. We cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
As a result of the 2016 U.S. election, the Republican Party currently controls both the executive and legislative branches of government, which increases the likelihood that legislation may be adopted that could significantly affect the regulation of U.S. financial markets. Areas subject to potential change, amendment or repeal include the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and the authority of the Federal Reserve and the Financial Stability Oversight Council. The U.S. may also potentially withdraw from or renegotiate various trade agreements and take other actions that would change current trade policies of the U.S. We cannot predict which, if any, of these actions will be taken or, if taken, their effect on the financial stability of the U.S. Such actions could have a significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability and we cannot predict when these conditions will occur. Such market conditions could materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global capital markets have experienced periods of disruption evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the failure of certain major financial institutions. While the capital markets have improved, these conditions could deteriorate again in the future. During such market disruptions, we may have difficulty raising debt or equity capital, especially as a result of regulatory constraints.
Market conditions may in the future make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required. As a result, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments. In addition, significant changes in the capital markets, including disruption and volatility, have had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our targeted investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our targeted
investments. An inability to raise capital, and any required sale of our investments for liquidity purposes, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, including in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, may continue to contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets, and may cause further economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, continue to face budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is also continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. The United States and global economic downturn during the recent recession, or a return to a recessionary period in the United States, could adversely impact our investments. We cannot predict the duration of the effects related to these or similar events in the future on the United States economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
We are a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.
We are classified as a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that we may invest in securities of a single issuer. We may therefore be more susceptible than a diversified fund to being adversely affected by any single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence. In particular, because our portfolio of investments may lack diversification among CLO securities and related investments, we are susceptible to a risk of significant loss if one or more of these CLO securities and related investments experience a high level of defaults on the collateral that they hold. Beyond our asset diversification requirements as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in the securities of relatively few issuers.
Significant stockholders may control the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders or adversely impact the market price of our securities.
To the extent any stockholder, individually or acting together with other stockholders, controls a significant number of our voting securities or any class of voting securities, they may have the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors and any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and may cause actions to be taken that you may not agree with or that are not in your interests or those of other securityholders.
This concentration of beneficial ownership also might harm the market price of our securities by:
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delaying, deferring or preventing a change in corporate control;
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impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us; or
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discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.
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Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates will be restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.
Registered investment companies generally are prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with their affiliates without the prior approval of their independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which a registered investment company and one or more of its affiliates engage in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of a registered investment company's outstanding voting securities will be considered an affiliate of the registered investment company for purposes of the 1940 Act, and a registered investment company generally is prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with such affiliates, absent the prior approval of the registered investment company’s independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, a registered investment company is prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with the registered investment company’s officers, directors, and employees, and advisor (and its affiliates).
Registered investment companies may, however, invest alongside certain related parties or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, a registered investment company may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting the registered investment company and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that the registered investment company’s advisor, acting on the registered investment company’s behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between the registered investment company’s interests and those of other accounts. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, this guidance does not permit a registered investment company to invest in any issuer in which the advisor or other affiliates has previously invested.
On October 12, 2016, OFS Advisor received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain other funds managed by OFS Advisor ("Affiliated Funds") provided we comply with certain conditions (the "Order"). Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with Affiliated Funds if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transactions, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching by us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies.
When we invest alongside OFSAM and its affiliates or their respective other clients, OFS Advisor will, to the extent consistent with applicable law, regulatory guidance, or the Order, allocate investment opportunities in accordance with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
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investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
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risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
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suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
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if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles
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level of available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
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total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
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the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
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We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us.
We may incur, directly or indirectly, through one or more special purpose vehicles, indebtedness for borrowed money, as well as leverage in the form of derivative transactions, preferred stock and other structures and instruments, in significant amounts and on terms that the Advisor and our Board deem appropriate, subject to applicable limitations under the 1940 Act. Any such borrowings do not include embedded or inherent leverage in the CLO structures in which we intend to invest or in derivative instruments in which we may invest. Such leverage may be used for the acquisition and financing of our investments, to pay fees and expenses and for other purposes. Any such leverage we incur may be secured and/or unsecured and senior and/or subordinated. Moreover, CLOs by their very nature are leveraged vehicles. Accordingly, there may be a layering of leverage in our overall structure.
Leverage creates risks which may adversely affect the return for the holders of Shares, including:
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The likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of Shares;
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Fluctuations in the interest rates on borrowings and short-term debt;
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Increased operating costs, which may reduce our total return to the holders of Shares.
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The fees and expenses attributed to leverage, including all offering and operating expenses relating to any preferred stock, will be borne by stockholders; and
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The potential for a decline in the value of an investment acquired through leverage while our obligations under such leverage remain fixed.
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The more leverage is employed, the more likely a substantial change will occur in our NAV. Accordingly, any event that adversely affects the value of an investment would be magnified to the extent leverage is utilized. For instance, any decrease in our income would cause net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline could also negatively affect our ability to make dividend payments on our Shares. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. Our ability to service any debt that we incur will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. The cumulative effect of the use of leverage with respect to any investments in a market that moves adversely to such investments could result in a substantial loss that would be greater than if our investments were not leveraged.
As a registered closed-end management investment company, we will generally be required to meet certain asset coverage ratios, defined under the 1940 Act, with respect to any senior securities. With respect to senior securities representing indebtedness (
i.e.
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borrowings or deemed borrowings), other than temporary borrowings as defined under the 1940 Act, we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 300%, as measured at the time of borrowing and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness. With respect to senior securities that are stocks (
i.e.
, shares of preferred stock), we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 200%, as measured at the time of the issuance of any such shares of preferred stock and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation preference of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
If our asset coverage ratio declines below 300% (or 200%, as applicable), we would not be able to incur additional debt or issue additional preferred stock and could be required by law to sell a portion of our investments to repay some debt when it is disadvantageous to do so, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations, and we would not be able to make certain distributions or pay dividends. The amount of leverage that we employ will depend on the Advisor’s and our Board’s assessment of market and other factors at the time of any proposed borrowing. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain credit at all or on terms acceptable to us.
In addition, any debt facility into which we may enter would likely impose financial and operating covenants that restrict our business activities, including limitations that could hinder our ability to finance additional loans and investments or to make the distributions required to maintain our status as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.
Regulations governing our operation as a registered closed-end management investment company affect our ability to raise additional capital and the way in which we do so. The raising of debt capital may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.
We may in the future issue debt securities or additional preferred stock and/or borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted, as a registered closed-end management investment company, to issue senior securities provided we meet certain asset coverage ratios (
i.e.
, 300% for senior securities representing indebtedness and 200% in the case of the issuance of preferred stock under current law). If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments and, depending on the nature of our leverage, repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. Also, any amounts that we use to service our indebtedness would not be available for distributions to our stockholders. Furthermore, if we issue senior securities, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including an increased risk of loss. If we issue preferred stock, such stock would rank “senior” to our Shares, preferred stockholders would have separate voting rights on certain matters and have other rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our stockholders, and we could be required to delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for holders of our Shares or otherwise be in your best interest.
We are not generally able to issue and sell Shares at a price below the then current NAV per share (exclusive of any distributing commission or discount). We may, however, sell Shares at a price below the then current NAV per Share if the Board determines that such sale is in our best interests and a majority of our stockholders approves such sale. In addition, we may generally issue new Shares at a price below NAV in rights offerings to existing stockholders, in payment of dividends and in certain other limited circumstances. If we raise additional funds by issuing more Shares, then the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time will decrease, and you may experience dilution.
Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business or cause us to alter our business strategy.
We, the CLO vehicles in which we intend to invest, and the portfolio companies whose securities are held by such CLO vehicles will be subject to applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations, including, without limitation, federal securities laws and regulations. New legislation may be enacted or new interpretations, rulings or regulations could be adopted, including those governing the types of investments we are permitted to make, any of which could harm us and our stockholders, potentially with retroactive effect. Additionally, any changes to the laws and regulations governing our operations may cause us to alter our investment strategy in order to avail ourselves of new or different opportunities. Such changes could result in material differences to the strategies and plans set forth herein and may result in our investment focus shifting from the areas of expertise of our investment adviser’s senior investment team to other types of investments in which the investment team may have less expertise or little or no experience. Thus, any such changes, if they occur, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment. See also, "
The application of the risk retention rules under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act and other similar European Union law to CLOs may have broader effects on the CLO and loan markets in general, potentially resulting in fewer or less desirable investment opportunities for us.
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The SEC staff could modify its position on certain non-traditional investments, including investments in CLO securities.
The staff of the SEC has undertaken a broad review of the potential risks associated with different asset management activities, focusing on, among other things, liquidity risk and leverage risk. The staff of the Division of Investment Management of the SEC has,
in correspondence with registered management investment companies, raised questions about the level of, and special risks associated with, investments in CLO securities. While it is not possible to predict what conclusions, if any, the staff will reach in these areas, or what recommendations, if any, the staff might make to the SEC, the imposition of limitations on investments by registered management investment companies in CLO securities could adversely impact our ability to implement our investment strategy and/or our ability to raise capital through public offerings, or could cause us to take certain actions that may result in an adverse impact on our stockholders, our financial condition and/or our results of operations. We are unable at this time to assess the likelihood or timing of any such regulatory development.
Terrorist attacks, acts of war or natural disasters may impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Terrorist acts, acts of war or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.
The failure in cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.
The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyberattack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of our managers were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.
We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyberattacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.
Third parties with whom we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risks. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as customer, counterparty, employee and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure or destruction of data, or other cybersecurity incidents, with increased costs and other consequences, including those described above.
Risks Related to Our Investments
Investing in senior secured loans indirectly through CLO securities involves particular risks.
We are expected to obtain exposure to underlying senior secured loans and other credit investments through investments in CLOs, but may obtain such exposure directly or indirectly through other means from time to time. Loans may become nonperforming or impaired for a variety of reasons. Such nonperforming or impaired loans may require substantial workout negotiations or restructuring that may entail, among other things, a substantial reduction in the interest rate and/or a substantial write-down of the principal of the loan. In addition, because of the unique and customized nature of a loan agreement and the private syndication of a loan, certain loans may not be purchased or sold as easily as publicly traded securities, and, historically, the trading volume in the loan market has been small relative to other markets. Loans may encounter trading delays due to their unique and customized nature, and transfers may require the consent of an agent bank and/or borrower. Risks associated with senior secured loans include the fact that prepayments generally may occur at any time without premium or penalty. Additionally, under certain circumstances, the equity owners of the borrowers in which CLOs invest may recoup their investments in the borrower, through a dividend recapitalization, before the borrower makes payments to the lender. For these reasons, an investor in a CLO may experience a reduced equity cushion or diminution of value in any debt investment, which may ultimately result in the CLO investor experiencing a loss on its investment before the equity owner of a borrower experiences a loss.
In addition, the portfolios of certain CLOs in which we may invest may contain middle market loans. Loans to middle market companies may carry more inherent risks than loans to larger, publicly traded entities. Middle-market companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees we may have obtained in connection with our investment. Such companies typically have shorter operating histories, narrower product
lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns. These companies may also experience substantial variations in operating results. Additionally, middle-market companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons. Therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on a portfolio company and, in turn, on us. Middle-market companies also may be parties to litigation and may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence. Accordingly, loans made to middle market companies may involve higher risks than loans made to companies that have greater financial resources or are otherwise able to access traditional credit sources. Middle market loans are less liquid and have a smaller trading market than the market for broadly syndicated loans and may have default rates or recovery rates that differ (and may be better or worse) than has been the case for broadly syndicated loans or investment grade securities. There can be no assurance as to the levels of defaults and/or recoveries that may be experienced with respect to middle market loans in any CLO in which we may invest. As a consequence of the forgoing factors, the securities issued by CLOs that primarily invest in middle market loans (or hold significant portions thereof) are generally considered to be a riskier investment than securities issued by CLOs that primarily invest in broadly syndicated loans.
Our investments in CLO securities and other structured finance securities involve certain risks.
Our investments are expected to consist primarily of CLO securities, and we may invest in other related structured finance securities. CLOs and structured finance securities are generally backed by an asset or a pool of assets (typically senior secured loans and other credit-related assets in the case of a CLO) that serve as collateral. We and other investors in CLO and other structured finance securities ultimately bear the credit risk of the underlying collateral. In the case of most CLOs, the structured finance securities are issued in multiple tranches, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics, often categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity according to their degree of risk. If there are defaults or the relevant collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches of such securities take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches have a priority in right of payment to subordinated/equity tranches.
In light of the above considerations, CLO and other structured finance securities may present risks similar to those of the other types of debt obligations and, in fact, such risks may be of greater significance in the case of CLO and other structured finance securities. For example, investments in structured vehicles, including equity and subordinated debt securities issued by CLOs, involve risks, including credit risk and market risk. Changes in interest rates and credit quality may cause significant price fluctuations.
In addition to the general risks associated with investing in debt securities, CLO securities carry additional risks, including: (1) the possibility that distributions from collateral assets will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (2) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (3) our investments in CLO equity and subordinated debt tranches will likely be subordinate in right of payment to other more senior classes of CLO debt; and (4) the complex structure of a particular security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. Additionally, changes in the collateral held by a CLO may cause payments on the instruments we hold to be reduced, either temporarily or permanently. Structured investments, particularly the subordinated interests in which we may invest, are less liquid than many other types of securities and may be more volatile than the assets underlying the CLOs we may target. In addition, CLO and other structured finance securities may be subject to prepayment risk. Further, the performance of a CLO or other structured finance security may be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including the security’s priority in the capital structure of the issuer thereof, the availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying receivables, loans or other assets that are being securitized, remoteness of those assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets. There are also the risks that the trustee of a CLO does not properly carry out its duties to the CLO, potentially resulting in loss to the CLO. In addition, the complex structure of the security may produce unexpected investment results, especially during times of market stress or volatility. Investments in structured finance securities may also be subject to liquidity risk.
Our investments in subordinated or equity CLO securities are more likely to suffer a loss of all or a portion of their value in the event of a default.
We intend to invest in subordinated notes issued by a CLO that comprise the equity tranche, which are junior in priority of payment and are subject to certain payment restrictions generally set forth in an indenture governing the notes. In addition, CLO subordinated notes generally do not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing the notes. The subordinated notes are not guaranteed by another party. Subordinated notes are subject to greater risk than the secured notes issued by the CLO. CLOs are typically highly levered, utilizing up to approximately 9-13 times leverage, and therefore subordinated notes are subject to a risk of total loss. There can be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the subordinated notes will meet our expectations.
CLOs generally may make payments on subordinated notes only to the extent permitted by the payment priority provisions of an indenture governing the notes issued by the CLO. CLO indentures generally provide that principal payments on subordinated notes may not be made on any payment date unless all amounts owing under secured notes are paid in full. In addition, if a CLO does not meet the asset coverage tests or the interest coverage test set forth in the indenture governing the notes issued by the CLO, cash would be diverted from the subordinated notes to first pay the secured notes in amounts sufficient to cause such tests to be satisfied.
The subordinated notes are unsecured and rank behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the issuer, including the holders of the secured notes it has issued. Relatively small numbers of defaults of instruments underlying CLOs in which we hold subordinated notes may adversely impact our returns. The leveraged nature of subordinated notes is likely to magnify the adverse impact on the subordinated notes of changes in the market value of the investments held by the issuer, changes in the distributions on those investments, defaults and recoveries on those investments, capital gains and losses on those investments, prepayments on those investments and availability, prices and interest rates of those investments.
CLO subordinated notes do not have a fixed coupon and payments on CLO subordinated notes will be based on the income received from the underlying collateral and the payments made to the secured notes, both of which may be based on floating rates. While the payments on CLO subordinated notes will vary, CLO subordinated notes may not offer the same level of protection against changes in interest rates as other floating rate instruments. An increase in interest rates would materially increase the financing costs of CLOs. Since underlying instruments held by a CLO may have LIBOR floors, there may not be corresponding increases in investment income to the CLO (if LIBOR increases but stays below the LIBOR floor rate of such instruments) resulting in smaller distribution payments on CLO subordinated notes.
Subordinated notes are illiquid investments and subject to extensive transfer restrictions, and no party is under any obligation to make a market for subordinated notes. At times, there may be no market for subordinated notes, and we may not be able to sell or otherwise transfer subordinated notes at their fair value, or at all, in the event that it determines to sell them. Investments in CLO subordinated notes may have complicated accounting and tax implications.
Our investments in the primary CLO market involve certain additional risks.
Between the pricing date and the effective date of a CLO, the CLO collateral manager will generally expect to purchase additional collateral obligations for the CLO. During this period, the price and availability of these collateral obligations may be adversely affected by a number of market factors, including price volatility and availability of investments suitable for the CLO, which could hamper the ability of the collateral manager to acquire a portfolio of collateral obligations that will satisfy specified concentration limitations and allow the CLO to reach the target initial par amount of collateral prior to the effective date. An inability or delay in reaching the target initial par amount of collateral may adversely affect the timing and amount of interest or principal payments received by the holders of the CLO debt securities and distributions on the CLO equity securities and could result in early redemptions which may cause CLO debt and equity investors to receive less than face value of their investment.
Our portfolio of investments may lack diversification among CLO securities, which may subject us to a risk of significant loss if one or more of these CLO securities experience a high level of defaults on collateral.
Our portfolio may hold investments in a limited number of CLO securities. Beyond the asset diversification requirements associated with our qualification as a RIC under the Code, we will not have fixed guidelines for diversification, we will not have any limitations on the ability to invest in any one CLO, and our investments may be concentrated in relatively few CLO securities. As our portfolio may be less diversified than the portfolios of some larger funds, we are more susceptible to failure if one or more of the CLOs in which we invest experiences a high level of defaults on its collateral. Similarly, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. We may also invest in multiple CLOs managed by the same CLO collateral manager, thereby increasing our risk of loss in the event the CLO collateral manager were to fail, experience the loss of key portfolio management employees or sell its business.
Our portfolio is focused on CLO securities, and the CLO securities in which we invest may hold loans that are concentrated in a limited number of industries.
Our portfolio is focused on securities issued by CLOs and related investments, and the CLOs in which we invest may hold loans that are concentrated in a limited number of industries. As a result, a downturn in the CLO industry or in any particular industry that the CLOs in which we invest are concentrated could significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize.
Failure by a CLO in which we are invested to satisfy certain tests will harm our operating results.
The failure by a CLO in which we invest to satisfy financial covenants, including with respect to adequate collateralization and/or interest coverage tests, could lead to a reduction in its payments to us. In the event that a CLO fails certain tests, holders of CLO senior debt may be entitled to additional payments that would, in turn, reduce the payments we would otherwise be entitled to receive. Separately, we may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which
may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting CLO or any other investment we may make. If any of these occur, it could materially and adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.
Negative loan ratings migration may also place pressure on the performance of certain of our investments.
Per the terms of a CLO’s indenture, assets rated “CCC+” or lower or their equivalent in excess of applicable limits generally do not receive full par credit for purposes of calculation of the CLO’s overcollateralization tests. As a result, a general decrease in ratings across a CLO's loans could cause a CLO to be out of compliance with its overcollateralization tests. This could cause a diversion of cash flows away from the CLO equity and subordinated debt tranches in favor of the more senior CLO debt tranches until the relevant overcollateralization test breaches are cured. This could have a negative impact on our NAV and cash flows.
Our investments in CLOs and other investment vehicles will result in additional expenses to us.
We will invest in CLO securities and may invest, to the extent permitted by law, in the securities and other instruments of other investment companies, including private funds, and, to the extent we so invest, will bear our ratable share of a CLO’s or any such investment vehicle’s expenses, including management and performance fees. We will also remain obligated to pay management and incentive fees to the Advisor with respect to the assets invested in the securities and other instruments of other investment vehicles, including CLOs. With respect to each of these investments, each of our common stockholders will bear his or her share of the management and incentive fee of the Advisor as well as indirectly bearing the management and performance fees and other expenses of any investment vehicles in which we invest.
In the course of our investing activities, we will pay management and incentive fees to the Advisor and reimburse the Advisor for certain expenses it incurs. As a result, investors in our Shares will invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, potentially resulting in a lower rate of return than an investor might achieve through direct investments.
Our investments in CLO securities may be less transparent to us and our stockholders than direct investments in the collateral.
We intend to invest primarily in equity and subordinated debt tranches of CLOs and other related investments. Generally, there may be less information available to us regarding the collateral held by such CLOs than if we had invested directly in the debt of the underlying obligors. As a result, our stockholders will not know the details of the collateral of the CLOs in which we will invest. In addition, none of the information contained in certain monthly reports nor any other financial information furnished to us as a noteholder in a CLO will be audited and reported upon, nor will an opinion be expressed, by an independent public accountant. Our CLO investments will also be subject to the risk of leverage associated with the debt issued by such CLOs and the repayment priority of senior debt holders in such CLOs.
CLO investments involve complex documentation and accounting considerations.
CLOs and other structured finance securities in which we expect to invest are often governed by a complex series of legal documents and contracts. As a result, the risk of dispute over interpretation or enforceability of the documentation may be higher relative to other types of investments.
The accounting and tax implications of the CLO investments that we intend to make are complicated and involve assumptions based on management’s judgment. In particular, reported earnings from CLO equity securities under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or “GAAP,” are recognized as an effective yield calculated from estimated total cash flows from the CLO investments over the expected holding periods of the investments, which can be as long as six to seven years. These estimated cash flows require assumptions regarding future transactions and events within the CLO entities concerning their portfolios and will be based upon the best information under the circumstances and may require significant management judgment or estimation. The principal assumptions included in these estimates include, but are not limited to, prepayment rates, interest rate margins on reinvestments, default rates, loss on default, and default recovery period within the CLO entities. If any of these assumptions prove to be inaccurate, the estimated cash flows could also be inaccurate.
GAAP earnings are based on the total cash flows from the CLO securities without regard to timing of income recognition for tax purposes, which may cause our GAAP earnings to diverge from our ICTI for several accounting periods and may result in the characterization of a non-taxable (i.e., return of capital) distribution from CLO investments as interest income in our financial statements. Conversely, events within the CLO, such as gains from restructuring or the prepayment of the underlying loans-which may not impact CLO cash flows, can result in taxable income without similar income recognized for GAAP earnings. These differences between accounting treatment and tax treatment of income from these investments may resolve gradually over time or may resolve through recognition of a capital gain or loss at maturity, while for reporting purposes the totality of cash flows are reflected in a constant yield to maturity. Additionally, under certain circumstances, we may be required to take into account income from CLO investments for tax purposes no later than such income is taken into account for GAAP purposes, which may accelerate our recognition of taxable income.
Current taxable earnings on these investments will generally not be determinable until after the end of the tax year of each individual CLO that ends within our fiscal year and the CLO sponsor provides its tax reporting to us, even though the investments
will generate cash flow throughout our fiscal year. Since our income tax reporting to stockholders is on a calendar year basis, we will be required to estimate taxable earnings from these investments from October 31
st
, the end of our fiscal year, through December 31
st
. Effective execution of our distribution policy will require us to estimate taxable earnings from these investments and pay distributions to our stockholders based on these estimates. If our estimates of taxable earnings are greater than actual taxable earnings from these investments determined as of the end of the calendar year, a portion of the distributions paid during that year may be characterized as a return of capital. If our estimates of taxable earnings are lower than actual taxable earnings as of the end of the calendar year, we may incur excise taxes and/or have difficulties maintaining our tax treatment as a RIC. See
“
—We will be subject to corporate-level income tax if we are unable to maintain treatment as a RIC."
The application of the risk retention rules under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act and other similar European Union law to CLOs may have broader effects on the CLO and loan markets in general, potentially resulting in fewer or less desirable investment opportunities for us.
Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act added a provision to the Exchange Act, as amended, requiring the seller, sponsor or securitizer of a securitization vehicle to retain no less than five percent of the credit risk in assets it sells into a securitization and prohibiting such securitizer from directly or indirectly hedging or otherwise transferring the retained credit risk. The responsible federal agencies adopted final rules implementing these restrictions on October 22, 2014. The risk retention rules became effective with respect to CLOs two years after publication in the Federal Register. Under the final rules, the asset manager of a CLO is considered the sponsor of a securitization vehicle and is required to retain five percent of the credit risk in the CLO, which may be retained horizontally in the equity tranche of the CLO or vertically as a five percent interest in each tranche of the securities issued by the CLO. Although the final rules contain an exemption from such requirements for the asset manager of a CLO if, among other things, the originator or lead arranger of all of the loans acquired by the CLO retain such risk at the asset level and, at origination of such asset, takes a loan tranche of at least 20% of the aggregate principal balance, it is possible that the originators and lead arrangers of loans in this market will not agree to assume this risk or provide such retention at origination of the asset in a manner that would provide meaningful relief from the risk retention requirements for CLO managers.
On February 9, 2018, a three-judge panel (the "Panel") of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (the "Appellate Court") ruled in favor of an appeal by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association (the "LSTA") against the SEC and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Applicable Governmental Agencies") that managers of so-called "open market CLOs" are not "securitizers" under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act and, therefore, are not subject to the requirements of the U.S. risk retention rules (the "Appellate Court Ruling"). The LSTA was appealing from a judgment entered by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (the "D.C. District Court"), which granted summary judgment in favor of the SEC and Federal Reserve and against the LSTA with respect to its challenges.
On April 5, 2018, the D.C. District Court entered an order implementing the Appellate Court Ruling and thereby vacated the U.S. risk retention rules insofar as they apply to CLO managers of "open market CLOs".
As of the date of hereof, the Applicable Governmental Agencies have not filed a petition for certiorari requesting the case to be heard by the United States Supreme Court. Since the Applicable Governmental Agencies have not successfully challenged the Appellate Court Ruling and the D.C. District Court has issued the above described order implementing the Appellate Court Ruling, collateral managers of open market CLOs are no longer required to comply with the U.S. risk retention rules at this time. As such, it is possible that some collateral managers of open market CLOs will decide to dispose of the notes constituting the “eligible vertical interest” or “eligible horizontal interest” they were previously required to retain, or decide to take other action with respect to such notes that is not otherwise permitted by the U.S. risk retention rules. As a result of this decision, certain CLO managers of "open market CLOs" will no longer be required to comply with the U.S. risk retention rules solely because of their roles as managers of "open market CLOs", and there may be no "sponsor" of such securitization transactions and no party may be required to acquire and retain an economic interest in the credit risk of the securitized assets of such transactions.
There can be no assurance or representation that any of the transactions, structures or arrangements currently under consideration by or currently used by CLO market participants will comply with the U.S. risk retention rules to the extent such rules are reinstated or otherwise become applicable to open market CLOs. The ultimate impact of the U.S. risk retention rules on the loan securitization market and the leveraged loan market generally remains uncertain, and any negative impact on secondary market liquidity for securities comprising a CLO may be experienced due to the effects of the U.S. risk retention rules on market expectations or uncertainty, the relative appeal of other investments not impacted by the U.S. risk retention rules and other factors.
In the European Union, there has also been an increase in political and regulatory scrutiny of the securitization industry. This has resulted in a number of measures for increased regulation which are currently at various stages of implementation. In particular, investors who are credit institutions or investment firms regulated in a Member State of the European Economic Area, or the “EEA,” or consolidated affiliates thereof should be aware of Part Five (Articles 404-410) of the European Union Capital
Requirements Regulation, or the “CRR,” as supplemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 625/2014 of March 13, 2014 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 602/2014 of June 4, 2014, or collectively, the “CRR Requirements.” Article 405 of the CRR restricts such credit institutions and investment firms, together with consolidated group affiliates thereof, each a “CRR Investor,” from investing in securitizations unless the originator, sponsor or original lender in respect of the relevant securitization has explicitly disclosed to the CRR Investor that it will retain, on an ongoing basis, a net economic interest of not less than 5% in respect of certain specified credit risk tranches or asset exposures as contemplated by Article 405 of the CRR. Article 406 of the CRR requires a CRR Investor to be able to demonstrate that it has undertaken certain due diligence in respect of, amongst other things, its investment in the securitization and the exposures underlying the securitization, and that procedures are established for monitoring the performance of the underlying exposures on an on-going basis. Failure by a CRR Investor to comply with one or more of the requirements set out in the CRR may result in the imposition of a penal capital charge on such CRR Investor’s investment.
Investors who are EEA-regulated managers of alternative investment funds should be aware of Article 17 of the European Union Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, or the “AIFMD,” as implemented by Section 5 of Chapter III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, or the “AIFMR,” and together with Article 17 of the AIFMD, the “AIFM Requirements.” The provisions of Section 5 of Chapter III of the AIFMR provide for risk retention and due diligence requirements in respect of EEA-regulated alternative investment fund managers which assume exposure to the credit risk of a securitization on behalf of one or more alternative investment funds that they manage. While such requirements are similar to those which apply under Part Five of the CRR, they are not identical and, in particular, additional due diligence obligations apply to the relevant alternative investment fund managers. Risk retention and due diligence requirements similar to those in AIFMR apply to investments in securitizations by EEA insurance and reinsurance undertakings under Article 135(2) of EU Directive 2009/138/EC on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of insurance and reinsurance (Solvency II), as supplemented by Articles 254-257 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2015/35, or the “Solvency II Regulation,” or collectively, the “Solvency II Requirements.” Similar requirements are scheduled to apply in the future to investments in securitizations by the same types and additional types of EEA institutional investors pursuant to the Securitisation Regulation referred to below. The CRR Requirements, the AIFM Requirements and the Solvency II Requirements are referred to as the “EU Securitization Retention Requirements.”
The existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements will be replaced by new requirements to apply to securitizations in respect of which the relevant securities are issued on or after January 1, 2019. The principal EU regulation to implement the new EU securitization retention requirements and establish a general framework for securitization (the “Securitization Regulation”) was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union as Regulation (EU) 2017/2402 on December 12, 2017. On and after January 1, 2019, the EU securitization retention requirements in the Securitization Regulation will apply to the types of regulated investors covered by the existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements and also to (a) certain investment companies authorized in accordance with Directive 2009/65/EC, and managing companies as defined in that Directive, and (b) institutions for occupational retirement provision falling within the scope of Directive (EU) 2016/2341 (subject to certain exceptions), and certain investment managers and authorized entities appointed by such institutions. There will be material differences between those new EU securitization retention requirements and those in effect on the date of this prospectus, and certain aspects of the new EU securitization retention requirements are to be specified in new regulatory technical standards which have not yet been adopted or published in final form. With regard to securitizations of which the securities are issued before January 1, 2019, investors that are subject to the existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements will continue to be subject to those existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements (as in effect on December 31, 2018).
All CLOs issued in Europe are generally structured in compliance with the existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements so that prospective investors subject to the existing EU Securitization Retention Requirements can invest in compliance with such requirements. To the extent a CLO is structured in compliance with the EU Securitization Retention Requirements, our ability to invest in the residual tranches of such CLOs could be limited, or we could be required to hold our investment for the life of the CLO. If a CLO has not been structured to comply with the EU Securitization Retention Requirements, it will limit the ability of EEA-regulated institutional investors to purchase CLO securities, which may adversely affect the price and liquidity of the securities (including the residual tranche) in the secondary market. Additionally, the EU Securitization Retention Requirements have reduced the issuance of new CLOs and reduced the liquidity provided by CLOs to the leveraged loan market generally. Reduced liquidity in the loan market could reduce investment opportunities for collateral managers, which could negatively affect the return of our investments. Any reduction in the volume and liquidity provided by CLOs to the leveraged loan market could also reduce opportunities to redeem or refinance the securities comprising a CLO in an optional redemption or refinancing and could negatively affect the ability of obligors to refinance of their collateral obligations, either of which developments could increase defaulted obligations above historic levels.
For a number of reasons, we believe that the U.S. risk retention requirements imposed for CLO managers under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act has created some uncertainty in the market in regard to future CLO issuance. Given that certain CLO
managers may require capital provider partners to satisfy this requirement, we believe that this may create additional risks for us in the future.
We are dependent on the collateral managers of the CLOs in which we invest and those CLOs are generally not registered under the 1940 Act.
We will rely on CLO collateral managers to administer and review the portfolios of collateral they manage. The actions of the CLO collateral managers may significantly affect the return on our investments. The ability of each CLO collateral manager to identify and report on issues affecting its securitization portfolio on a timely basis could also affect the return on our investments, as we may not be provided with information on a timely basis in order to take appropriate measures to manage our risks. We will also rely on CLO collateral managers to act in the best interests of a CLO it manages. If any CLO collateral manager were to act in a manner that was not in the best interest of the CLOs (
e.g.
, gross negligence, with reckless disregard or in bad faith), this could adversely impact the overall performance of such investments.
In addition, the CLOs in which we intend to invest are generally not registered as investment companies under the 1940 Act. As a result, investors in these CLOs are not afforded the protections that investors in an investment company registered under the 1940 Act would have.
Our investments in CLO securities may be subject to special anti-deferral provisions that could result in us incurring tax or recognizing income prior to receiving cash distributions related to such income.
Some of the CLOs in which we invest may constitute “passive foreign investment companies,” or “PFICs.” If we acquire interests treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in PFICs (including equity tranche investments and certain debt tranche investments in CLOs that are PFICs), we may be subject to federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such investments even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by us to our stockholders. Certain elections may be available to mitigate or eliminate such tax on excess distributions, but such elections (if available) will generally require us to recognize our share of the PFIC’s income for each tax year regardless of whether we receive any distributions from such PFIC. We must nonetheless distribute such income to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC. Furthermore, under proposed Treasury Regulations, certain income derived by us from a PFIC with respect to which we have made a qualifying elected fund ("QEF") election would generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of determining our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC only to the extent the PFIC makes distributions of that income to us in the same year in which it is included in our taxable income. As such, we may be restricted in our ability to make QEF elections with respect to our holdings in issuers that could be treated as PFICs in order to limit our tax liability or maximize our after-tax return from these investments.
If we hold more than 10% of the interests treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a foreign corporation that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation, or “CFC” (including equity tranche investments and certain debt tranche investments in a CLO treated as a CFC), we may be treated as receiving a deemed distribution (taxable as ordinary income) each tax year from such foreign corporation in an amount equal to our pro rata share of the corporation’s income for the tax year (including both ordinary earnings and capital gains). If we are required to include such deemed distributions from a CFC in our income, we will be required to distribute such income to maintain our RIC tax treatment regardless of whether or not the CFC makes an actual distribution during such tax year. Furthermore, under proposed Treasury Regulations, certain income derived by us from a CFC would generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of determining our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC only to the extent the CFC makes distributions of that income to us in the same year in which it is included in our taxable income. As such, we may limit and/or manage our holdings in issuers that could be treated as CFCs in order to limit our tax liability or maximize our after-tax return from these investments.
If we are required to include amounts from CLO securities in income prior to receiving the cash distributions representing such income, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or forgo new investment opportunities for this purpose. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level income tax.
If a CLO in which we invest fails to comply with certain U.S. tax disclosure requirements, such CLO may be subject to withholding requirements that could materially and adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.
The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act provisions of the Code (commonly referred to as “FATCA”) imposes a withholding tax of 30% on U.S. source periodic payments, including interest and dividends and, after December 31, 2018, on payments of gross proceeds from the disposition of an instrument that produces U.S. source interest or dividends as well as certain dividends distributed from our net capital gains, if any, which have been designated by us, or “capital gain dividends,” to certain non-U.S. entities, including certain non-U.S. financial institutions and investment funds, unless such non-U.S. entity complies with certain reporting requirements regarding its U.S. account holders and its U.S. owners. We expect that most CLOs in which we invest will be treated as non-U.S. financial entities for this purpose, and therefore will be required to comply with these reporting requirements to avoid the 30% withholding. If a CLO in which we invest fails to properly comply with these reporting
requirements, it could reduce the amount available to distribute to equity and subordinated debt holders in such CLO, which could materially and adversely affect the fair value of the CLO’s securities and our operating results and cash flows.
Increased competition in the market or a decrease in new CLO issuances may result in increased price volatility or a shortage of investment opportunities.
In recent years there has been a marked increase in the number of, and flow of capital into, investment vehicles established to pursue investments in CLO securities whereas the size of this market is relatively limited. While we cannot determine the precise effect of such competition, such increase may result in greater competition for investment opportunities, which may result in an increase in the price of such investments relative to the risk taken on by holders of such investments. Such competition may also result under certain circumstances in increased price volatility or decreased liquidity with respect to certain positions.
In addition, the volume of new CLO issuances varies over time as a result of a variety of factors including new regulations, changes in interest rates, and other market forces. As a result of increased competition and uncertainty regarding the volume of new CLO issuances, we can not assure you that we will deploy all of our capital in a timely manner or at all. Prospective investors should understand that we may compete with other investment vehicles, as well as investment and commercial banking firms, which have substantially greater resources, in terms of financial wherewithal and research staffs, than may be available to us.
We and our investments are subject to interest rate risk.
Since we may incur leverage to make investments, our net investment income depends, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest those funds.
In a rising interest rate environment, any leverage that we incur may bear a higher interest rate than may currently be available to us. There may not, however, be a corresponding increase in our investment income. Any reduction in the rate of return on new investments relative to the rate of return on our current investments, and any reduction in the rate of return on our current investments, could adversely impact our net investment income, reducing our ability to service the interest obligations on, and to repay the principal of, our indebtedness, as well as our capacity to pay distributions to our stockholders.
The fair value of certain of our investments may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates. Although senior secured loans are generally floating rate instruments, our investments in senior secured loans through CLOs are sensitive to interest rate levels and volatility. Although CLOs are generally structured to mitigate the risk of interest rate mismatch, there may be some difference between the timing of interest rate resets on the assets and liabilities of a CLO. Such a mismatch in timing could have a negative effect on the amount of funds distributed to CLO equity investors. In addition, CLOs may not be able to enter into hedge agreements, even if it may otherwise be in the best interests of the CLO to hedge such interest rate risk. Furthermore, in the event of a significant rising interest rate environment and/or economic downturn, loan defaults may increase and result in credit losses that may adversely affect our cash flow, fair value of our assets and operating results. In the event that our interest expense were to increase relative to income, or sufficient financing became unavailable, our return on investments and cash available for distribution to stockholders or to make other payments on our securities would be reduced. In addition, future investments in different types of instruments may carry a greater exposure to interest rate risk.
LIBOR Floor Risk
. Because CLOs generally issue debt on a floating rate basis, an increase in LIBOR will increase the financing costs of CLOs. Many of the senior secured loans held by these CLOs have LIBOR floors such that, when LIBOR is below the stated LIBOR floor, the stated LIBOR floor (rather than LIBOR itself) is used to determine the interest payable under the loans. Therefore, if LIBOR increases but stays below the average LIBOR floor rate of the senior secured loans held by a CLO, there would not be a corresponding increase in the investment income of such CLOs. The combination of increased financing costs without a corresponding increase in investment income in such a scenario would result in smaller distributions to equity holders of a CLO. As of the date of this prospectus, due to recent increases in interest rates, LIBOR has increased above the LIBOR floor set for many senior secured loans and, as such, as of the date of this prospectus, LIBOR is near or above the weighted average floor of the senior secured loans held by the CLOs in which we expect to target for investment.
LIBOR Risk.
The CLOs in which we expect to invest typically obtain financing at a floating rate based on LIBOR. Regulators and law-enforcement agencies from a number of governments, including entities in the United States, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, have conducted or are conducting civil and criminal investigations into whether the banks that contribute to the British Bankers’ Association, or the “BBA,” in connection with the calculation of daily LIBOR may have been under-reporting or otherwise manipulating or attempting to manipulate LIBOR. Several financial institutions have reached settlements with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the “CFTC,” the U.S. Department of Justice Fraud Section and the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority in connection with investigations by such authorities into submissions made by such financial institutions to the bodies that set LIBOR and other interbank offered rates. In such settlements, such financial institutions admitted to submitting rates to the BBA that were lower than the actual rates at which such financial institutions could borrow funds from other banks. Additional investigations remain ongoing with respect to other major banks. There can be no assurance that there will not be additional admissions or findings of rate-setting manipulation or that manipulations of LIBOR or other similar interbank offered rates will not be shown to have occurred. On February 1, 2014, ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (formerly NYSE Euronext Rate Administration Limited took over the
administration of LIBOR from the BBA, subject to authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority and following a period of transition. Any new administrator of LIBOR may make methodological changes to the way in which LIBOR is calculated or may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of LIBOR. Any of such actions or other effects from the ongoing investigations could adversely affect the liquidity and value of our investments. Further, additional admissions or findings of manipulation may decrease the confidence of the market in LIBOR and lead market participants to look for alternative, non-LIBOR based types of financing, such as fixed rate loans or bonds or floating rate loans based on non-LIBOR indices. An increase in alternative types of financing at the expense of LIBOR-based CLOs may impair the liquidity of our investments. Additionally, it may make it more difficult for CLO issuers to satisfy certain conditions set forth in a CLO’s offering documents.
On July 27, 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced the desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021 (the "FCA Announcement"). Furthermore, in the United States, efforts to identify a set of alternative U.S. dollar reference interest rates include proposals by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee of the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. On August 24, 2017, the Federal Reserve Board requested public comment on a proposal by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in cooperation with the Office of Financial Research, to produce three new reference rates intended to serve as alternatives to LIBOR. These alternative rates are based on overnight repurchase agreement transactions secured by U.S. Treasury Securities. On December 12, 2017, following consideration of public comments, the Federal Reserve Board concluded that the public would benefit if the Federal Reserve Bank of New York published the three proposed reference rates as alternatives to LIBOR (the “Federal Reserve Board Notice”). The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said that the publication of these alternative rates is targeted to commence by mid-2018.
At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of the FCA Announcement, the Federal Reserve Board Notice, or other regulatory changes or announcements, any establishment of alternative reference rates or any other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted in the United Kingdom, the United States or elsewhere. As such, the potential effect of any such event on our net investment income cannot yet be determined. The CLOs we expect to invest in generally contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by requiring the CLO administrator to calculate a replacement rate primarily through dealer polling on the applicable measurement date. However, there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of the dealer polling processes, including the willingness of banks to provide such quotations, which could adversely impact our net investment income. Recently, the CLOs we intend to invest in have included, or have been amended to include, language permitting the CLO investment manager to implement a market replacement rate (like those proposed by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee of the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) upon the occurrence of certain material disruption events. However, we cannot ensure that all CLOs in which we are invested will have such provisions, nor can we ensure the CLO investment managers will undertake the suggested amendments when able.
In addition, the effect of a phase out of LIBOR on U.S. senior secured loans, the underlying assets of the CLOs in which we expect to invest, is currently unclear. To the extent that any replacement rate utilized for senior secured loans differs from that utilized for a CLO that holds those loans, the CLO would experience an interest rate mismatch between its assets and liabilities which could have an adverse impact on our net investment income and portfolio returns.
LIBOR Mismatch.
Many underlying corporate borrowers can elect to pay interest based on 1-month LIBOR, 3-month LIBOR and/or other rates in respect of the loans held by CLOs in which we are invested, in each case plus an applicable spread, whereas CLOs generally pay interest to holders of the CLO’s debt tranches based on 3-month LIBOR plus a spread. The 3-month LIBOR currently exceeds the 1-month LIBOR by a historically high amount, which may result in many underlying corporate borrowers electing to pay interest based on 1-month LIBOR. This mismatch in the rate at which CLOs earn interest and the rate at which they pay interest on their debt tranches negatively impacts the cash flows on a CLO’s equity tranche, which may in turn adversely affect our cash flows and results of operations. Unless spreads are adjusted to account for such increases, these negative impacts may worsen as the amount by which the 3-month LIBOR exceeds the 1-month LIBOR increases.
Low Interest Rate Environment
. As of the date of this prospectus, despite recent increases in interest rates from near historically low levels, interest rates in the United States remain relatively low, which may increase our exposure to risks associated with rising interest rates.
The senior secured loans underlying the CLOs in which we invest typically have floating interest rates. A rising interest rate environment may increase loan defaults, resulting in losses for the CLOs in which we invest. In addition, increasing interest rates may lead to higher prepayment rates, as corporate borrowers look to avoid escalating interest payments or refinance floating rate loans. See “
— Our investments are subject to prepayment risk.
” Further, a general rise in interest rates will increase the financing costs of the CLOs. However, since many of the senior secured loans within CLOs have LIBOR floors, if LIBOR is below the average LIBOR floor, there may not be corresponding increases in investment income resulting in smaller distributions to equity investors in these CLOs.
Given the structure of the incentive fee payable to the Adviser, a general increase in interest rates will likely have the effect of making it easier for the Advisor to meet the quarterly hurdle rate for payment of income incentive fees under the Investment Advisory Agreement without any additional increase in relative performance on the part of the Advisor.
Our investments are subject to credit risk.
If a CLO in which we invest, an underlying asset of any such CLO or any other type of credit investment in our portfolio declines in price or fails to pay interest or principal when due because the issuer or debtor, as the case may be, experiences a decline in its financial status, or because the equity owner of such debtor recoups its investment before the borrower repays its obligations to the lender, either or both our income and NAV may be adversely impacted. Non-payment would result in a reduction of our income, a reduction in the value of the applicable CLO security or other credit investment experiencing non-payment and, potentially, a decrease in our NAV. With respect to our investments in CLO securities and credit investments that are secured, there can be no assurance that liquidation of collateral would satisfy the issuer’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled dividend, interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of an issuer, we could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of any collateral securing a CLO security or credit investment. To the extent that the credit rating assigned to a security in our portfolio is downgraded, the market price and liquidity of such security may be adversely affected. In addition, if a CLO in which we invest triggers an event of default as a result of failing to make payments when due or for other reasons, the CLO would be subject to the possibility of liquidation, which could result in full loss of value to the CLO equity and subordinated debt investors. CLO equity tranches are the most likely tranche to suffer a loss of all of their value in these circumstances.
Our investments are subject to prepayment risk.
Although the Advisor’s valuations and projections take into account certain expected levels of prepayments, the collateral of a CLO may be prepaid more quickly than expected. As part of the ordinary management of its portfolio, a CLO will typically generate cash from asset repayments and sales and reinvest those proceeds in substitute assets, subject to compliance with its investment tests and certain other conditions. The earnings with respect to such substitute assets will depend on the quality of reinvestment opportunities available at the time. The need to satisfy the CLO’s covenants and identify acceptable assets may require the CLO collateral manager to purchase substitute assets at a lower yield than those initially acquired or require that the sale proceeds be maintained temporarily in cash. Either such action by the CLO collateral manager may reduce the yield that the CLO collateral manager is able to achieve. A CLO's investment tests may incentivize a CLO collateral manager to buy riskier assets than it otherwise would, which could result in additional losses. These factors could reduce our return on investment and may have a negative effect on the fair value of our assets and the market value of our securities.
In addition, the reinvestment period for a CLO may terminate early, which may cause the holders of the CLO’s securities to receive principal payments earlier than anticipated. Prepayment rates are influenced by changes in interest rates and a variety of factors beyond our control and consequently cannot be accurately predicted. Early prepayments give rise to increased reinvestment risk, as we or a CLO collateral manager might realize excess cash from prepayments earlier than expected. There can be no assurance that the CLO collateral managers will be able to reinvest such amounts in an alternative investment that provides a comparable return relative to the credit risk assumed. If we or a CLO collateral manager are unable to reinvest such cash in a new investment with an expected rate of return at least equal to that of the investment repaid, this may reduce our net investment income and the fair value of that asset.
We are subject to risks associated with loan assignments and participations.
We, or the CLOs in which we invest, may acquire interests in loans either directly (by way of assignment, or “Assignments”) or indirectly (by way of participation, or “Participations”). The purchaser by an Assignment of a loan obligation typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the selling institution and becomes a lender under the loan or credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation. In contrast, Participations acquired by us in a portion of a debt obligation held by a selling institution (the “Selling Institution”) typically result in a contractual relationship only with such Selling Institution, not with the obligor. We would have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees under the Participation only from the Selling Institution and only upon receipt by the Selling Institution of such payments from the obligor. In purchasing a Participation, we generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the obligor with the terms of the loan or credit agreement or other instrument evidencing such debt obligation, nor any rights of setoff against the obligor, and we may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which we purchased the Participation. As a result, we would assume the credit risk of both the obligor and the Selling Institution. In the event of the insolvency of the Selling Institution, we will be treated as a general creditor of the Selling Institution in respect of the Participation and may not benefit from any setoff between the Selling Institution and the obligor.
When we hold a Participation in a debt obligation, we may not have the right to vote to waive enforcement of any default by an obligor. Selling Institutions commonly reserve the right to administer the debt obligations sold by them as they see fit and to amend the documentation evidencing such debt obligations in all respects. However, most Participation agreements with respect to senior secured loans provide that the Selling Institution may not vote in favor of any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) forgives principal, interest or fees, (2) reduces principal, interest or fees that are payable, (3) postpones any payment of principal
(whether a scheduled payment or a mandatory prepayment), interest or fees or (4) releases any material guarantee or security without the consent of the participant (at least to the extent the participant would be affected by any such amendment, modification or waiver).
A Selling Institution voting in connection with a potential waiver of a default by an obligor may have interests different from ours, and the Selling Institution might not consider our interests in connection with its vote. In addition, many Participation agreements with respect to senior secured loans that provide voting rights to the participant further provide that, if the participant does not vote in favor of amendments, modifications or waivers, the Selling Institution may repurchase such Participation at par. An investment by us in a synthetic security related to a loan involves many of the same considerations relevant to Participations.
The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.
The securities issued by CLOs generally offer less liquidity than other investment grade or high-yield corporate debt, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions that impose certain financial and other eligibility requirements on prospective transferees. Other investments that we may purchase in privately negotiated transactions may also be illiquid or subject to legal restrictions on their transfer. As a result of this illiquidity, our ability to sell certain investments quickly, or at all, in response to changes in economic and other conditions and to receive a fair price when selling such investments may be limited, which could prevent us from making sales to mitigate losses on such investments. In addition, CLOs are subject to the possibility of liquidation upon an event of default, which could result in full loss of value to the CLO equity and subordinated debt investors. CLO equity tranches are the most likely tranche to suffer a loss of all of their value in these circumstances.
High-yield investments, including collateral held by CLOs in which we invest, generally have limited liquidity. As a result, prices of high-yield investments have at times experienced significant and rapid decline when a substantial number of holders (or a few holders of a significantly large “block” of the securities) decided to sell. In addition, we (or the CLOs in which we invest) may have difficulty disposing of certain high-yield investments because there may be a limited trading market (or no trading market) for such securities. To the extent that a secondary trading market for non-investment grade high-yield investments does exist, it would not be as liquid as the secondary market for highly rated investments. As secondary market trading volumes increase, new loans frequently contain standardized documentation to facilitate loan trading that may improve market liquidity. There can be no assurance, however, that future levels of supply and demand in loan trading will provide an adequate degree of liquidity or that the current level of liquidity will continue. Because holders of such loans are offered confidential information relating to the borrower, the unique and customized nature of the loan agreement, and the private syndication of the loan, loans are not purchased or sold as easily as publicly traded securities are purchased or sold. Although a secondary market may exist, risks similar to those described above in connection with an investment in high-yield debt investments are also applicable to investments in lower rated loans. Reduced secondary market liquidity would have an adverse impact on the fair value of the securities and on our direct or indirect ability to dispose of particular securities in response to a specific economic event such as deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer of such securities.
We may be exposed to counterparty risk.
We may be exposed to counterparty risk, which could make it difficult for us or the CLOs in which we invest to collect on the obligations represented by investments and result in significant losses.
We may hold investments (including synthetic securities) that would expose us to the credit risk of our counterparties or the counterparties of the CLOs in which it invests. In the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency of such a counterparty, we or a CLO in which such an investment is held could suffer significant losses, including the loss of that part of our or the CLO’s portfolio financed through such a transaction, declines in the value of our investment, including declines that may occur during an applicable stay period, the inability to realize any gains on our investment during such period and fees and expenses incurred in enforcing our rights. If a CLO enters into or owns synthetic securities, the CLO may fall within the definition of “commodity pool” under CFTC rules, and the collateral manager of the CLO may be required to register as a commodity pool operator with the CFTC, which could increase costs for the CLO and reduce amounts available to pay to the residual tranche.
In addition, with respect to certain swaps and synthetic securities, neither the CLOs nor we would usually have a contractual relationship with the entities, referred to as “Reference Entities,” whose payment obligations are the subject of the relevant swap agreement or security. Therefore, neither the CLOs nor we would generally have a right to directly enforce compliance by the Reference Entity with the terms of this kind of underlying obligation, any rights of set-off against the Reference Entity or any voting rights with respect to the underlying obligation. Neither the CLOs nor we will directly benefit from the collateral supporting the underlying obligation and will not have the benefit of the remedies that would normally be available to a holder of such underlying obligation.
We are subject to risks associated with defaults on an underlying asset held by a CLO.
A default and any resulting loss as well as other losses on an underlying asset held by a CLO may reduce the fair value of our corresponding CLO investment. A wide range of factors could adversely affect the ability of the borrower of an underlying asset to make interest or other payments on that asset. To the extent that actual defaults and losses on the collateral of an investment exceed
the level of defaults and losses factored into its purchase price, the value of the anticipated return from the investment will be reduced. The more deeply subordinated the tranche of securities in which we invest, the greater the risk of loss upon a default. For example, CLO equity is the most subordinated tranche within a CLO and is therefore subject to the greatest risk of loss resulting from defaults on the CLO’s collateral, whether due to bankruptcy or otherwise. Any defaults and losses in excess of expected default rates and loss model inputs will have a negative impact on the fair value of our investments, will reduce the cash flows that we receive from our investments, adversely affect the fair value of our assets and could adversely impact our ability to pay dividends. In addition, the collateral of CLOs may require substantial workout negotiations or restructuring in the event of a default or liquidation. Any such workout or restructuring is likely to lead to a substantial reduction in the interest rate of such asset and/or a substantial write-down or write-off of all or a portion the principal of such asset. Any such reduction in interest rates or principal will negatively affect the fair value of our portfolio.
We are subject to risks associated with loan accumulation facilities.
We may invest capital in loan accumulation facilities, which are short- to medium-term facilities often provided by the bank that will serve as the placement agent or arranger on a CLO transaction and which acquire loans on an interim basis that are expected to form part of the portfolio of such future CLO. Investments in loan accumulation facilities have risks that are similar to those applicable to investments in CLOs as described in this prospectus. In addition, there is also mark-to-market risk in some loan accumulation facilities, and there typically will be no assurance that the future CLO will be consummated or that the loans held in such a facility are eligible for purchase by the CLO. Furthermore, we likely will have no consent rights in respect of the loans to be acquired in such a facility and in the event we do have any consent rights, they will be limited. In the event a planned CLO is not consummated, or the loans are not eligible for purchase by the CLO, we may be responsible for either holding or disposing of the loans. This could expose us primarily to credit and/or mark-to-market losses, and other risks. Loan accumulation facilities typically incur leverage from three to six times prior to a CLO’s closing and as such the potential risk of loss will be increased for such facilities that employ leverage.
We are subject to risks associated with the bankruptcy or insolvency of an issuer or borrower of a loan that we hold or of an underlying asset held by a CLO in which we invest.
In the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency of an issuer or borrower of a loan that we hold or of an underlying asset held by a CLO or other vehicle in which we invest, a court or other governmental entity may determine that our claims or those of the relevant CLO are not valid or not entitled to the treatment we expected when making our initial investment decision.
Various laws enacted for the protection of debtors may apply to the underlying assets in our investment portfolio. The information in this and the following paragraph represents a brief summary of certain points only, is not intended to be an extensive summary of the relevant issues and is applicable with respect to U.S. issuers and borrowers only. The following is not intended to be a summary of all relevant risks. Similar avoidance provisions to those described below are sometimes available with respect to non-U.S. issuers or borrowers, but there is no assurance that this will be the case which may result in a much greater risk of partial or total loss of value in that underlying asset.
If a court in a lawsuit brought by an unpaid creditor or representative of creditors of an issuer or borrower of underlying assets, such as a trustee in bankruptcy, were to find that such issuer or borrower did not receive fair consideration or reasonably equivalent value for incurring the indebtedness constituting such underlying assets and, after giving effect to such indebtedness, the issuer or borrower: (1) was insolvent; (2) was engaged in a business for which the remaining assets of such issuer or borrower constituted unreasonably small capital; or (3) intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond our ability to pay such debts as they mature, such court could decide to invalidate, in whole or in part, the indebtedness constituting the underlying assets as a fraudulent conveyance, to subordinate such indebtedness to existing or future creditors of the issuer or borrower or to recover amounts previously paid by the issuer or borrower in satisfaction of such indebtedness. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of an issuer or borrower of underlying assets, payments made on such underlying assets could be subject to avoidance as a “preference” if made within a certain period of time (which may be as long as one year under U.S. Federal bankruptcy law or even longer under state laws) before insolvency.
Our underlying assets may be subject to various laws for the protection of debtors in other jurisdictions, including the jurisdiction of incorporation of the issuer or borrower of such underlying assets and, if different, the jurisdiction from which it conducts business and in which it holds assets, any of which may adversely affect such issuer’s or borrower’s ability to make, or a creditor’s ability to enforce, payment in full, on a timely basis or at all. These insolvency considerations will differ depending on the jurisdiction in which an issuer or borrower or the related underlying assets are located and may differ depending on the legal status of the issuer or borrower.
We may be exposed to risks if we invest in the securities of new issuers
.
We may indirectly invest in the securities of new issuers and CLOs sponsored by new collateral managers. Investments in relatively new issuers,
i.e.
, those having continuous operating histories of less than three years and CLOs sponsored by new collateral managers, may carry special risks and may be more speculative because such issuers or collateral managers are relatively
unseasoned. Such issuers or collateral managers may also lack sufficient resources, may be unable to generate internally the funds necessary for growth and may find external financing to be unavailable on favorable terms or even totally unavailable. Certain issuers may be involved in the development or marketing of a new product with no established market, which could lead to significant losses. Securities of such issuers may have a limited trading market which may adversely affect their disposition and can result in their being priced lower than might otherwise be the case. If other investors who invest in such issuers seek to sell the same securities when we attempt to dispose of our holdings, we may receive lower prices than might otherwise be the case.
We may expose ourselves to risks if we engage in hedging transactions.
While we do not currently engage in hedging transactions, if we engage in hedging transactions, we may expose ourselves to risks associated with such transactions. We may utilize instruments such as forward contracts, currency options and interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors to seek to hedge against fluctuations in the relative values of our portfolio positions from changes in currency exchange rates and market interest rates. Hedging against a decline in the values of our portfolio positions does not eliminate the possibility of fluctuations in the values of such positions or prevent losses if the values of such positions decline. However, such hedging can establish other positions designed to gain from those same developments, thereby offsetting the decline in the value of such portfolio positions. Such hedging transactions may also limit the opportunity for gain if the values of the underlying portfolio positions increase. It may not be possible to hedge against an exchange rate or interest rate fluctuation that is so generally anticipated that we are not able to enter into a hedging transaction at an acceptable price. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not seek to establish a perfect correlation between such hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it may not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations.
We and our investments may be subject to currency risk.
Any of our investments that are denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars will be subject to the risk that the value of such currency will decrease in relation to the U.S. dollar. Although we will consider hedging any non-U.S. dollar exposures back to U.S. dollars, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to other currencies in which we intend to make investments would otherwise reduce the effect of increases and magnify the effect of decreases in the prices of our non-U.S. dollar denominated investments in their local markets. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates will similarly affect the U.S. dollar equivalent of any interest, dividends or other payments made that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.
We and our investments are subject to risks associated with non-U.S. investing.
While we intend to invest primarily in CLOs that hold underlying U.S. assets, these CLOs may be organized outside the United States, and we may also invest in CLOs that hold collateral that are non-U.S. assets. Investing in foreign entities may expose us to additional risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. These risks include changes in exchange control regulations, political and social instability, restrictions on the types or amounts of investment, expropriation, imposition of foreign taxes, less liquid markets and less available information than is generally the case in the U.S., higher transaction costs, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, less developed bankruptcy laws, difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards, currency fluctuations and greater price volatility. Further, we, and the CLOs in which we invest, may have difficulty enforcing creditor’s rights in foreign jurisdictions.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have failed to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in settlement could result in periods when our assets are uninvested. Our inability to make intended investments due to settlement problems or the risk of intermediary counterparty failures could cause us to miss investment opportunities. The inability to dispose of an investment due to settlement problems could result either in losses to us due to subsequent declines in the value of such investment or, if we have entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Transaction costs of buying and selling foreign securities also are generally higher than those involved in domestic transactions. Furthermore, foreign financial markets have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable domestic companies.
The economies of individual non-U.S. countries may also differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, volatility of currency exchange rates, depreciation, capital reinvestment, resources self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
Any unrealized depreciation we experience on our portfolio may be an indication of future realized losses, which could reduce our income available for distribution or to make payments on our other obligations.
As a registered closed-end management investment company, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at the fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors. Decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments are recorded as unrealized depreciation. Any unrealized losses in our portfolio could be an
indication of an issuer’s inability to meet its repayment obligations to us with respect to the affected investments. This could result in realized losses in the future and ultimately in reductions of our income available for distribution or to make payments on our other obligations in future periods.
If our distributions exceed our taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to our common stockholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to our stockholders. However, a return of capital distribution will reduce a stockholder’s cost basis in our Shares on which the distribution was received, thereby potentially resulting in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those Shares are sold or otherwise disposed of.
A portion of our income and fees may not be qualifying income for purposes of the income source requirement.
Some of the income and fees that we may recognize will not satisfy the qualifying income requirement applicable to RICs. In order to ensure that such income and fees do not disqualify us as a RIC for a failure to satisfy such requirement, we may be required to recognize such income and fees indirectly through one or more entities classified as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such corporations will be required to pay U.S. corporate income tax on their earnings, which ultimately will reduce our return on such income and fees.
Risks Related to an Investment in our Securities
Common stock of closed-end management investment companies have in the past frequently traded at discounts to their NAVs, and we cannot assure you that the market price of our Shares will not decline below our NAV per share.
Common stock of closed-end management investment companies have in the past frequently traded at discounts to their respective NAVs and our common stock may also be discounted in the market. This characteristic of closed-end management investment companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV per share may decline. We cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, at or below our NAV per share. The risk of loss associated with this characteristic of closed-end management investment companies may be greater for investors expecting to sell Shares purchased in an offering soon after such offering. In addition, if our common stock trades below our NAV per share, we will generally not be able to sell additional common stock to the public at market price except (1) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (2) with the consent of the majority of our common stockholders, (3) upon the conversion of a convertible security in accordance with its terms or (4) under such circumstances as the SEC may permit.
Our Share price may be volatile and may decrease substantially.
The trading price of our Shares may fluctuate substantially. The price of our Shares that will prevail in the market after this offering may be higher or lower than the price you pay, depending on many factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be directly related to our operating performance. These factors include the following:
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price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market from time to time;
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significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of securities of registered closed-end management investment companies or other companies in our sector, which are not necessarily related to the operating performance of these companies;
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changes in regulatory policies or tax guidelines with respect to RICs or registered closed-end management investment companies;
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failure to qualify as a RIC or the loss of RIC status;
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any shortfall in revenue or net income or any increase in losses from levels expected by investors or securities analysts;
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changes, or perceived changes, in the value of our portfolio investments;
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In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been brought against that company. Due to the potential volatility of our Share price, we may become the target of securities litigation in the future. Securities litigation could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources from our business.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully deploy the proceeds of our initial public offering within the timeframe we have contemplated.
We currently anticipate that substantially all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering will be invested in accordance with our investment objectives within three months after the consummation of this offering. We cannot assure you, however, that we will be able to locate a sufficient number of suitable investment opportunities to allow us to successfully deploy substantially all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering in that timeframe. To the extent we are unable to invest substantially all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering within our contemplated timeframe after the completion of our initial public offering, our investment income, and in turn our results of operations, will likely be materially adversely affected.
If we issue preferred stock, the NAV and market value of our Shares will likely become more volatile.
We cannot assure you that the issuance of preferred stock would result in a higher yield or return to our stockholders. The issuance of preferred stock would likely cause the NAV and market value of our Shares to become more volatile. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock were to approach the net rate of return on our investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the holders of Shares would be reduced. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock were to exceed the net rate of return on our portfolio, the leverage would result in a lower rate of return to the holders of Shares than if we had not issued preferred stock. Any decline in the NAV of our investments would be borne entirely by the holders of Shares. Therefore, if the market value of our portfolio were to decline, the leverage through the issuance of preferred stock would result in a greater decrease in NAV to the holders of Shares than if we were not leveraged through the issuance of preferred stock. This greater NAV decrease would also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for Shares. We might be in danger of failing to maintain the required asset coverage of the preferred stock or of losing our ratings, if any, on the preferred stock or, in an extreme case, our current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the dividend requirements on the preferred stock. In order to counteract such an event, we might need to liquidate investments in order to fund a redemption of some or all of the preferred stock. In addition, we would pay (and the holders of Shares would bear) all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the preferred stock, including higher advisory fees if our total return exceeds the dividend rate on the preferred stock.
Provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse effect on the price of our Shares.
The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, contains provisions that may discourage, delay or make more difficult a change in control of us or the removal of our directors. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that limit liability and provide for indemnification of our directors and officers. These provisions and others also may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management. We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, the application of which is subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. This section generally prohibits us from engaging in mergers and other business combinations with stockholders that beneficially own 15% or more of our voting stock, or with their affiliates, unless our directors or stockholders approve the business combination in the prescribed manner. If our Board does not approve a business combination, Section 203 of the DGCL may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer.
We have also adopted measures that may make it difficult for a third party to obtain control of us, including provisions of our certificate of incorporation classifying our Board in three classes serving staggered three-year terms, and provisions of our certificate of incorporation authorizing our Board to classify or reclassify preferred stock in one or more classes or series, to cause the issuance of additional Shares. These provisions, as well as other provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Investors in our initial public offering may incur dilution.
If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you may experience immediate dilution if the price that you pay is greater than the pro forma net asset value per share of the common stock you acquire. Investors in this offering could pay a price per share of common stock that exceeds the tangible book value per share after the closing of the offering.
Given the risks described above, an investment in our Shares may not be appropriate for all investors. You should carefully consider your ability to assume these risks before making an investment in the Company.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from the sale of [ ] shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $[ ] (or approximately $[ ] if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full). OFS Advisor has agreed to pay all of our organizational and offering expenses. The aggregate organizational and offering expenses are estimated to be approximately $[ ] million. We are not obligated to repay the organizational and offering expenses paid by OFS Advisor.
We intend to use these net proceeds to acquire the investments that we have identified under “
Business – Initial Portfolio
” in this prospectus and to acquire other investments in accordance with our investment objectives and strategies described in this prospectus and for general working capital purposes. We currently anticipate being able to deploy any remaining proceeds from this offering within three months after the completion of the offering, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. We cannot assure you we will achieve our targeted investment pace, which may negatively impact our returns.
During this period, we will invest in temporary investments, such as cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less, which we expect will have returns substantially lower than the returns that we anticipate earning from investments in CLO securities and related investments. Investors should expect, therefore, that before we have fully invested the proceeds of the offering in accordance with our investment objectives and policies, assets invested in these instruments would earn interest income at a modest rate, which may not exceed our expenses during this period.
DISTRIBUTION POLICY
Regular Distributions
We intend to make regular quarterly cash distributions of all or a portion of our reported earnings to stockholders, and at least 90% of our annual ICTI. Should our annual ICTI exceed our reported earnings, special distributions may be required to maintain our RIC status upon determination of our annual ICTI. We also intend to make at least annual distributions of all or a portion of our “net capital gains” (which is the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses). Our quarterly distributions, if any, will be determined by our Board. Any distributions to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution.
Our first quarterly distribution, which we expect to be payable for the quarter ended [ ], 2018, is expected to be approximately $[ ] per share. The amount of the distribution will be proportionately reduced to reflect the number of days remaining in the quarter after the completion of this offering. The actual amount of such distribution, if any, remains subject to approval by our board of directors, and there can be no assurance that the distribution will be $[ ] per share. Purchasers in this offering will be entitled to receive this distribution, which is contingent upon the completion of this offering. We anticipate that the distribution will be paid from post-offering taxable earnings, including interest and capital gains generated by our investment portfolio. However, if we do not generate sufficient taxable earnings during our fiscal year ended October 31, 2018, the distribution may constitute a return of capital, which is a return of a portion of a stockholder’s original investment in our Shares.
If our distributions from reported earnings exceed our ICTI in a tax year, such excess will represent a return of capital to our stockholders. Additionally, in order to maintain a stable level of distributions, we may pay out less than all of our investment income or pay out accumulated undistributed income in addition to current net investment income. To the extent that our net investment income for any year exceeds the total quarterly distributions paid during the year, we intend to make a special distribution at or near year-end of such excess amount as may be required to qualify for RIC tax treatment. Over time, we expect that substantially all of our ICTI will be distributed.
We generally intend to reinvest the capital returned to us from our investments. However, GAAP may require us to characterize all or a portion of our non-taxable (i.e., return of capital) distributions from our CLO investments as interest income. See “
Risk Factors -
Risks Related to Our Investments - CLO investments involve complex documentation and accounting considerations
.”
We have adopted a DRIP that provides for reinvestment of our distributions and other distributions on behalf of our stockholders, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash as provided below. As a result, if our Board authorizes, and we declare, a cash distribution, then our stockholders who have not “opted out” of the DRIP will have their cash distribution automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving the cash distribution. See “
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
.” Dividend and capital gains distributions generally are taxable to our stockholders whether they are reinvested in our Shares or received in cash.
Capital Gains Distributions
The 1940 Act currently limits the number of times we may distribute long-term capital gains in any tax year, which may increase the variability of our distributions and result in certain distributions being comprised more heavily of long-term capital gains eligible for favorable income tax rates. In the future, the Advisor may seek Board approval to implement a managed distribution plan for us. The managed distribution plan would be implemented pursuant to an exemptive order that we would intend to obtain from the SEC granting an exemption from Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder to permit us to include long-term capital gains as a part of our regular distributions to stockholders more frequently than would otherwise be permitted by the 1940 Act (generally once or twice per year). If we implement a managed distribution plan, we would do so without a vote of our stockholders. There can be no assurance that we will implement such a plan, nor can there be any assurance that SEC relief will be obtained.
At least annually, we intend to distribute any net capital gains (which is the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital loss) or, alternatively, to retain all or a portion of the year’s net capital gains and pay federal income tax on the retained gain. As provided under federal tax law, if we retain all or a portion of such gains and make an election, stockholders of record as of the end of our taxable year will include their attributable share of the retained gain in their income for the year as a long-term capital gain, and will be entitled to a tax credit or refund for the tax deemed paid on their behalf by us. We may treat the cash value of tax credit and refund amounts in connection with retained capital gains as a substitute for equivalent cash distributions.
RIC Distribution Requirement
We intend to elect to be treated and to qualify each year thereafter as a RIC under the Code. Accordingly, we intend to satisfy certain requirements relating to sources of our income and diversification of our total assets and to satisfy certain distribution requirements, so as to maintain our RIC tax treatment and to avoid paying U.S. federal income or excise tax. To the extent we qualify as a RIC and satisfy the applicable distribution requirements, we will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on income paid to our stockholders in the form of dividends or capital gains distributions.
As a RIC, we generally will not be subject to federal income tax on our ICTI (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deductions for dividend paid) and net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital loss), if any, that we distribute in each taxable year to stockholders, provided that we distribute an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of our investment company taxable income and 90% of our net tax-exempt interest income for such taxable year. We intend to
distribute to stockholders, at least annually, substantially all of our investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gains. In order to avoid incurring a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax obligation, the Code requires that we generally distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of our ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for such year, (ii) 98.2% of our capital gains net income, generally computed on the basis of the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year and (iii) 100% of any ordinary income and capital gains net income from the prior year (as previously computed) that were not paid out during such year and on which we paid no U.S. federal income tax. See
"U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters -
Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company
"
We are subject to significant and variable differences between our reported earnings under GAAP and our taxable income particularly as it relates to our CLO equity investments. Because of the tax recognition requirements for CLO vehicles, which may generally constitute “passive foreign investment companies”, or “PFICs”, taxable income attributed to a CLO equity investment that will be includable in our calculation of ICTI can be dramatically different from the interest income for financial reporting purposes under GAAP for these investments. Taxable income included in our ICTI will be based upon the our share of earnings as determined under tax regulations for each CLO entity, which may not be consistent with the distributions we receive from those investments (significant differences are possible), while reported earnings will be based upon an effective yield calculation (which requires the calculation of a yield to expected redemption date based upon an estimation of the amount and timing of future distributions irrespective of their tax character). Our ICTI will be based on the taxable income from our CLO equity investments as well as other sources of taxable income less deductible expenses incurred in the normal course of our operations, including management and incentive fees, administrative expenses, general and administrative expenses, and interest expense on any future debt obligations we may incur. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to recognize income from our CLO investments no later than the time we recognize such income for GAAP purposes. The Company’s final taxable earnings for any fiscal year will not be known until our tax returns are filed for that period and we will be required to estimate includable income for investor reporting and RIC compliance purposes, which may result in significant variability in our distributions as special distributions may be required to maintain our RIC status.
Additional Information
The tax treatment and characterization of our distributions may vary substantially from time to time because of the varied nature of our investments. If our total quarterly distributions in any year exceed the amount of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, any such excess would generally be characterized as a return of capital for federal income tax purposes to the extent not designated as a capital gain dividend. Under the 1940 Act, for any distribution that includes amounts from sources other than net income (calculated on a book basis), we are required to provide stockholders a written statement regarding the components of such distribution. Such a statement will be provided at the time of any distribution believed to include any such amounts. A return of capital is a distribution to stockholders that is not attributable to our earnings but represents a return of part of the stockholder’s investment. If our distributions exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s tax basis in our Shares (thus reducing a stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in his or her Shares), and thereafter as capital gains assuming our Shares are held as a capital asset. Upon the sale of Shares, a stockholder generally will recognize capital gains or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale and the stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in our Shares sold. For example, in year one, a stockholder purchased 100 Shares at $10 per share. In year two, the stockholder received a $1-per-share return of capital distribution, which reduced the basis in each share by $1, to give the stockholder an adjusted basis of $9 per share. In year three, the stockholder sells the 100 shares for $15 per share. Assuming no other transactions during this period, a stockholder would have a capital gain in year three of $6 per share ($15 minus $9) for a total capital gain of $600.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization as follows:
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on an actual basis as of [ ], 2018;
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on an as adjusted basis to reflect the sale of [ ] Shares in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $[ ] per share; and
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on a pro forma basis to reflect the acquisition of an initial portfolio of CLO investments immediately following the completion of this offering, as described in greater detail in "
Business - Prospective Portfolio
".
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OFS Credit Company, Inc.
(Unaudited)
(Dollars in Thousands Except
Per Share Data)
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Actual
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As Adjusted
(1)
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Pro Forma for Prospective Portfolio
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Assets:
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Cash and cash equivalents
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$
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$
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$
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Investments at Fair Value
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Total Assets
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$
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$
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$
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Liabilities:
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Other Liabilities
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$
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$
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$
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Stockholders
’
equity:
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Shares, par value $0.001 per share; 3,000,000 shares authorized, actual; 5,000 shares issued and outstanding, actual; and [ ] shares issued and outstanding, pro forma;
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$
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$
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$
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Capital in excess of par
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Total stockholders’ equity
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NAV per share
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$
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$
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$
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(1) Assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
BUSINESS
OFS Credit Company, Inc. is a newly organized, non-diversified, externally managed closed-end management investment company that has registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. We were formed as a Delaware corporation on September 1, 2017.
Investment Objectives
Our primary investment objective is to generate current income, with a secondary objective to generate capital appreciation. We intend to elect to be a RIC under subchapter M of the Code. See “
U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters
.”
Under normal market conditions, we will invest at least 80% of our assets, or net assets plus borrowings, in floating rate credit-based instruments and other structured credit investments including (i) CLO debt and subordinated (i.e., residual or equity) securities; (ii) traditional corporate credit investments, including leveraged loans and high yield bonds; (iii) opportunistic credit investments, including stressed and distressed credit situations and long/short credit investments; and (iv) other credit-related instruments. The CLOs in which we intend to invest are collateralized by portfolios consisting primarily of below investment grade U.S. senior secured loans with a large number of distinct underlying borrowers across various industry sectors. As part of the 80%, we may also invest in other securities and instruments that are related to these investments or that the Advisor believes are consistent with our investment objectives, including senior debt tranches of CLOs, vehicles that provide access to leveraged loans, and loan accumulation facilities. The amount that we invest in these other securities and instruments may vary from time to time and, as such, may constitute a material part of our portfolio on any given date, all as based on the Advisor’s assessment of prevailing market conditions. The CLO securities in which we will primarily seek to invest are unrated or rated below investment grade and are considered speculative with respect to timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. Unrated and below investment grade securities are also sometimes referred to as “junk” securities. These investment objectives are not fundamental policies of ours and may be changed by our Board on 60 days’ notice to our stockholders.
Investment Strategy
When we acquire securities at the inception of a CLO in an originated transaction (
i.e.
, the primary CLO market), we intend to invest in CLO securities that the Advisor believes have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns and to outperform other similar CLO securities issued around the same time. When we acquire existing CLO securities, we intend to invest in CLO securities that the Advisor believes have the potential to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns.
We intend to pursue a differentiated strategy within the CLO market focused on:
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proactive sourcing and identification of investment opportunities;
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utilization of a methodical and rigorous investment analysis and due diligence process both structurally and on a loan-level basis;
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utilization of our in-house CLO investment team and related investment processes to provide credit analysis of each underlying loan portfolio within the CLO securities;
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active involvement at the CLO structuring and formation stage; and
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taking, in many instances, significant stakes in CLO equity and subordinated debt tranches.
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We believe that the Advisor’s extensive relationships with CLO collateral managers and other market participants, its CLO structural expertise and its in-house CLO investment team will enable us to source and execute investments consistent with our investment objectives and provide investors with loan-level expertise and analysis. The Adviser may negotiate enhanced economics for us and any other accounts that may be co-investing in return for providing relative certainty of CLO equity placement, which is often the most difficult tranche to place. These enhanced returns may take the form of (i) CLO management fee rebates, (ii) bank arrangement fee concessions or (iii) other forms of economic enhancement.
When we make a significant primary market investment in a particular CLO tranche, we generally expect to be able to influence certain of the CLO’s key terms and conditions. Specifically, the Advisor believes that, although typically exercised in limited circumstances, the protective rights associated with holding a majority position in a CLO equity tranche (such as the ability to call the CLO after the non-call period, to refinance/reprice certain CLO debt tranches after a period of time and to influence potential amendments to the governing documents that may arise) may reduce our risk in these investments. We may acquire a majority position in a CLO tranche directly or we may benefit from the advantages of a majority position where both we and other accounts managed by the Advisor or other parties collectively hold a majority position. See “—
Other Investment Techniques — Co-Investment with Affiliates
.”
We will seek to construct a broad and varied portfolio of CLO securities, including with respect to:
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number of borrowers underlying each CLO;
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industry type of a CLO’s underlying borrowers;
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number and investment style of CLO collateral managers; and
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The Advisor has a long-term oriented investment philosophy and seeks to invest primarily with a view to hold securities until maturity. However, on an ongoing basis, the Advisor actively monitors each investment and may sell positions if circumstances have changed from the time of investment or if the Advisor believes it is in our best interest to do so.
CLO Overview
Our investments in CLOs are expected to be comprised primarily of investments in the equity and subordinated debt tranches of CLOs. We intend to focus on securitization vehicles that pool portfolios of primarily below investment grade U.S. senior secured loans, which pools of underlying assets are often referred to as a CLO’s “collateral.” The vast majority of the portfolio of most CLOs consists of first lien senior secured loans although many CLOs enable the CLO collateral manager to invest up to approximately 10% of the portfolio in other assets, including second lien loans, unsecured loans, DIP loans and fixed rate loans.
CLOs are generally required to hold a portfolio of assets that is highly diversified by underlying borrower and industry, and is subject to certain asset concentration limitations. Most CLOs are structured to allow for reinvestment of proceeds of repayments of assets over a specific period of time (typically four to five years). We intend to target cash flow CLOs, for which are the type of CLOs we intend to target, the terms and covenants of the structure are typically based primarily on the cash flow generated by, and the par value (as opposed to the market price) of, the CLO collateral. These covenants include collateral coverage tests, interest coverage tests and collateral quality tests. CLO payment provisions are detailed in a CLO’s indenture and are referred to as the “priority of payments” or “waterfall.”
A CLO funds the purchase of its investment portfolio through the issuance of CLO equity and debt instruments in the form of multiple, primarily floating rate debt, tranches. The CLO debt tranches typically have a stated coupon and are rated “AAA” (or its equivalent) at the most senior level down to “BB” or “B” (or its equivalent), which is below investment grade, at the most junior level by Moody’s, S&P and/or Fitch. Unrated and below investment grade and unrated securities are sometimes referred to as “junk” securities. CLO debt tranches are not impacted by defaults and realized losses until total losses exceed the value of the equity tranche.
The CLO equity tranche, which is in the first loss position, is unrated and subordinated to the debt tranches and typically represents approximately 8% to 11% of a CLO’s capital structure. A CLO’s equity tranche represents the first loss position in the CLO. The holders of CLO equity tranche interests are typically entitled to any cash reserves that form part of the structure when such reserves are permitted to be released. The CLO equity tranche captures available payments at the bottom of the payment waterfall, after operational and administrative costs of the CLO and servicing of the debt securities. Economically, the equity tranche benefits from the difference between the interest received from the investment portfolio and the interest paid to the holders of debt tranches of the CLO structure. Should a default or decrease in expected payments to a particular CLO occur, that deficiency typically first affects the equity tranche in that holders of that position generally will be the first to have their payments decreased by the deficiency.
Each tranche within a typical CLO has voting rights on any amendments that would have a material effect on such tranche. Neither the debt tranches nor equity tranche of CLOs have voting rights on the management of the underlying investment portfolio. The holders of the equity tranches of CLOs typically have the right to approve and/or replace the CLO collateral manager after such CLO manager has triggered a default. The equity tranche of a CLO also typically has the ability to call the debt tranches following a non-call period. Debt tranches of CLOs typically do not have the right to call the other CLO security tranches.
The CLO structure highlighted below is a hypothetical structure provided for illustrative purposes only and the structure of CLOs in which we will invest may vary substantially from the example set forth below.
CLOs generally do not face refinancing risk on the CLO debt since a CLO’s indenture requires that the maturity dates of a CLO’s assets (typically 5 – 8 years from the date of issuance of a senior secured loan) be shorter than the maturity date of the CLO’s liabilities (typically 11 – 12 years from the date of issuance). In the current market environment, we expect investment opportunities in CLO equity to present more attractive risk-adjusted returns than CLO debt, although we expect to make investments in CLO debt and related investments, in certain cases, to complement the CLO equity investments that we make. As market conditions change, our investment focus may vary from time to time between CLO equity and CLO debt investments.
CLOs have two priority-of-payment schedules (commonly called “waterfalls”), which are detailed in a CLO’s indenture, that govern how cash generated from a CLO’s underlying collateral is distributed to the CLO debt and equity investors. One waterfall (the interest waterfall) applies to interest payments received on a CLO’s underlying collateral. The second waterfall (the principal waterfall) applies to cash generated from principal on the underlying collateral, primarily through loan repayments and sales.
Through the interest waterfall, any excess interest-related cash flow available after the required quarterly interest payments to CLO debt investors are made and certain CLO expenses (such as administration and management fees) are paid is then distributed to the CLO’s equity investors each quarter, subject to compliance with certain tests. The Advisor believes that excess interest-related cash flow is an important driver of CLO equity returns. In addition, relative to certain other high-yielding credit investments, such as mezzanine or subordinated debt, CLO equity is expected to have a shorter payback period with higher front-end loaded quarterly cash flows (historically, often in excess of 20% per annum of face value) during the early years of a CLO’s life if there is no disruption in the interest waterfall due to a failure to remain in compliance with certain tests.
Most CLOs are revolving structures that generally allow for reinvestment over a specific period of time (typically 3 – 5 years). Specifically, a CLO’s collateral manager normally has broad latitude — within a specified set of asset eligibility and diversity criteria — to manage and modify a CLO’s portfolio over time. We believe that skilled CLO collateral managers can add significant value through a combination of (1) their credit expertise and (2) a strong understanding of how to manage effectively within the rules-based structure of a CLO and optimize CLO equity returns.
After the CLO’s reinvestment period has ended, in accordance with the CLO’s principal waterfall, cash generated from principal payments or other proceeds are generally distributed to repay CLO debt investors in order of seniority. That is, the AAA tranche investors are repaid first, the AA tranche investors second and so on, with any remaining principal being distributed to the equity tranche investors. In certain instances, principal may be reinvested after the end of the reinvestment period. The Advisor believes these reinvestment provisions are generally beneficial to holders of the CLO’s equity.
CLOs contain a variety of covenants that are designed to enhance the credit protection of CLO debt investors, including overcollateralization tests (“overcollateralization tests”) and interest coverage tests (“IC Tests”). The overcollateralization tests and IC Tests require CLOs to maintain certain levels of overcollateralization (measured as par value of assets to liabilities subject to certain adjustments) and interest coverage, respectively. If a CLO breaches an overcollateralization test or IC Test, excess cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution to the CLO equity tranche investors is diverted to prepay CLO debt investors in order of seniority until such time as the covenant breach is cured. If the covenant breach is not or cannot be cured, the CLO equity investors (and potentially other debt tranche investors) may experience a partial or total loss of their investment. For this reason, CLO equity investors are often referred to as being in a first loss position.
Some CLOs also have interest diversion tests, which also act to ensure that CLOs maintain adequate overcollateralization. If a CLO breaches an interest diversion test, excess interest cash flow that would otherwise be available for distribution to the CLO
equity tranche investors is diverted to acquire new collateral obligations until the test is satisfied. Such diversion would lead to payments to the equity investors being delayed and/or reduced.
Cash flow CLOs do not have mark-to-market triggers and, with limited exceptions (such as the proportion of assets rated “CCC+” or lower (or their equivalent) by which such assets exceed a specified concentration limit, discounted purchases and defaulted assets), CLO covenants are calculated using the par value of collateral, not the market value or purchase price. As a result, a decrease in the market price of a CLO’s performing portfolio does not generally result in a requirement for the CLO collateral manager to sell assets (i.e., no forced sales) or for CLO equity investors to contribute additional capital (i.e., no margin calls).
Overview of Senior Secured Loans
Senior secured loans represent a large and mature segment of the U.S. corporate credit market. According to S&P Capital IQ, as of May 2018, the amount of institutional senior secured loans outstanding was $1.0 trillion.
Broadly syndicated senior secured loans are typically originated and structured by banks on behalf of corporate borrowers with proceeds often used for leveraged buyout transactions, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, refinancings, and financing capital expenditures. Broadly syndicated senior secured loans are typically distributed by the arranging bank to a diverse group of investors primarily consisting of: CLOs; senior secured loan and high yield bond mutual funds; and closed-end funds, hedge funds, banks, insurance companies; and finance companies. According to S&P Capital IQ, CLOs represent the largest source of capital for institutional senior secured loans, representing a range of approximately 40% to 65% of the demand for newly issued highly leveraged loans from 2002 through March 2018.
Senior secured loans are floating rate instruments, typically making quarterly interest payments based on a spread over LIBOR. LIBOR is based on rates that contributor banks in London charge each other for interbank deposits and is typically used to set coupon rates on floating rate debt securities.
We believe that senior secured loans have historically represented an attractive and stable base of collateral for CLOs. In particular, the primary attributes of senior secured loans include:
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Senior:
Senior position in a company’s capital structure
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Secured:
First lien security interest in a company’s assets
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Floating Rate:
Reduces interest rate risk associated with fixed rate bonds
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Low LTV:
On average, senior secured loans historically have had a loan-to-value ratio of approximately 40% – 60% at the time of origination
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The table below depicts a representative capital structure for a company issuing a senior secured loan and illustrates the cushion provided by subordinated debt and equity capital.
We believe that the attractive historical performance of CLO securities is attributable, in part, to the relatively low historical average default rate and relatively high historical average recovery rate on senior secured loans, which comprise the vast majority of most CLO portfolios. The graph below illustrates the lagging 12-month default rate by principal amount on the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index from January 31, 1999 to March 31, 2018. The average lagging 12-month default rate during this period of time was 3.1% and the lagging 12-month default rate as of March 31, 2018 was 2.42%.
Over time, the senior secured loan market has experienced relatively consistent total returns. Specifically, from a total return perspective, since 1999 the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index experienced only two down years (2008 and 2015).
CLO Market Opportunity
We believe that CLO securities represent a large and attractive market. According to Thomson Reuters LPC, as of December 31, 2017, the aggregate principal balance of the U.S. CLO market was approximately $495 billion based on a universe of over 1,184 CLOs. The chart below illustrates annual CLO issuance according to S&P Capital IQ.
We believe that many investors have little to no exposure to CLO securities because of the complexity of CLO securities and because most investors do not have the requisite experience, skills and resources in-house to devote to fully understanding the asset class. We believe knowledgeable and experienced investors with specialized experienced in CLO securities can earn an attractive risk-adjusted return and outperform the CLO market generally.
Depending on the Advisor’s assessment of market conditions, our investment focus may vary from time to time between CLO equity and CLO debt investments.
We believe that CLO equity has the following attractive fundamental attributes:
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Potential for strong absolute and risk-adjusted returns
: We believe that CLO equity offers the potential for attractive, risk adjusted total returns compared to the returns experienced in the U.S. public equity markets.
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Expected shorter duration high-yielding credit investment with the potential for high quarterly cash distributions
: Relative to certain other high-yielding credit investments, such as mezzanine or subordinated debt, CLO equity is expected to have a shorter payback period with higher front-end loaded quarterly cash flows during the early years of a CLO’s life.
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Expected protection against rising interest rates
: Because a CLO’s asset portfolio is typically comprised primarily of floating rate loans and the CLO’s liabilities are also generally floating rate instruments, we expect CLO equity to provide potential protection against rising interest rates whenever LIBOR exceeds above the average LIBOR floor on a CLO’s assets. However, CLO equity is still subject to other forms of interest rate rise. However, CLO equity is still subject to
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other forms of interest rate risk. For a discussion of the interest rate risks associated with CLO equity, see “
Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Investments — We and our investments are subject to interest rate risk
” and “—
CLO Overview
.”
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Expected low-to-moderate correlation with fixed income and equity markets
: Because CLO assets and liabilities are primarily floating rate, we expect CLO equity investments to have a low-to-moderate correlation with U.S. fixed income securities over the long term. In addition, CLOs generally allow for the reinvestment of principal during the reinvestment period regardless of the market price of the underlying collateral. Provided the CLO remains in compliance with its covenants, we expect CLO equity investments to have a low-to-moderate correlation with the U.S. public equity markets over the long term.
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The equity tranche represents the most junior tranche in the CLO capital structure. The equity tranche is typically not rated and is subordinated to the debt tranches. The holders of equity tranche interests are typically entitled to any cash reserves that form part of the structure at the point at which such reserves are permitted to be released. The equity tranche captures available payments at the bottom of the payment waterfall, after operational and administrative costs of the CLO and servicing of the debt securities. Economically, the equity tranche benefits from the difference between the interest received from the senior secured loans held by the CLO and the interest paid to the holders of debt tranches of the CLO structure. Should a default or decrease in expected payments to a particular CLO occur, that deficiency typically first affects the equity tranche in that holders of that position generally will be the first to have their payments decreased by the deficiency. The equity tranche of a CLO is the most sensitive to defaults and realized losses as it is the most subordinated tranche in the CLO’s capital structure, whereas CLO debt tranches are not impacted by defaults and realized losses until total losses exceed the value of the equity tranche.
Each tranche within a CLO has voting rights on any amendments that would have a material effect on such tranche. Neither the debt tranches nor equity tranche of CLOs have voting rights on the management of the underlying senior secured loan portfolio of the CLO. The holders of the equity tranches of CLOs typically have the right to approve and/or replace the CLO collateral manager after such CLO manager has triggered a default. The equity tranche of a CLO has the ability to call the debt tranches following a non-call period. Debt tranches of CLOs do not have the right to call the other CLO security tranches.
CLO securities are also subject to a number of risks as discussed in the “
Risk Factors
” section of this prospectus. Among our primary targeted investments, the risks associated with CLO equity are generally greater than those associated with CLO debt.
Competitive Strengths and Core Competencies
We believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of investment opportunities in CLO securities and related investments due to the following competitive advantages:
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CLO management track record
. OFS Advisor has actively managed CLOs for over 15 years and invested in approximately 4,000 loan transactions aggregating approximately $12 billion in credit investments through CLO vehicles.
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Deep management team experienced in investing in the senior secured loan market
. OFS Advisor currently manages four CLO vehicles and has an experienced team of 10 people (with an average of 15 years of experience investing in the leveraged loan market) that is dedicated to investing in senior secured loans, which also has access to an internal database of information that gives OFS Advisor access and insight into a large credit universe it has established throughout its longstanding presence in the loan market.
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Specialist in CLO securities
. Each member of the Senior Investment Team has been involved with the CLO market for the majority of his career and brings a distinct and complementary skill set that the Advisor believes is necessary for our success. We believe that the combination of the Advisor’s broad and often longstanding relationships with CLO collateral managers will enable us to source and execute investments with attractive economics and terms relative to other CLO market opportunities.
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Deep CLO structural experience and expertise
. Members of the Senior Investment Team have significant experience structuring, valuing and investing in CLOs throughout their careers. The Advisor believes that the initial structuring of a CLO is an important contributor to the ultimate risk-adjusted returns, and that experienced and knowledgeable investors can add meaningful value relative to other market participants by selecting those investments with the most advantageous structures. In addition to analyzing CLO structural features and collateral managers, OFS Advisor can perform due diligence on the underlying loans within the CLOs, given its in-house expertise and relationships with numerous multi-national lenders and broker dealers.
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Rigorous credit analysis and approval process
. The objective of the Advisor’s investment process is to source, evaluate and execute investments in CLO securities and related investments that the Advisor believes have the potential to outperform the CLO market generally. This process, augmented by the first-hand CLO industry experience of the Senior Investment Team, is designed to be repeatable and is focused on key areas for analysis that the Advisor believes are most relevant to potential future performance. The Advisor believes that its investment and security selection process, its in-
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house loan investment team, along with its strong emphasis on analyzing the structure of the CLO, differentiates its approach to investing in CLO securities. See “
— Investment Process
.”
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Alignment of Interests
. Our fee structure includes an incentive fee component whereby we pay the Advisor an incentive fee only if our net income exceeds a hurdle rate. See “
Management — Management Fee and Incentive Fee
.”
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Investment Process
The objective of the Advisor’s investment process is to source, evaluate and execute investments in CLO securities and related investments that the Advisor believes have the potential to outperform the CLO market generally. This process, augmented by the Advisor's first-hand experience as a CLO manager, is designed to be repeatable and is focused on key areas for analysis that the Advisor believes are most relevant to potential future performance. The Advisor seeks to implement its investment process in a methodical and disciplined fashion.
Proactive Sourcing of Investment Opportunities
The Senior Investment Team maintains regular dialogue with many CLO collateral managers and the investment banks active in the CLO market. The Advisor believes that there are in excess of 80 active CLO collateral managers. The Advisor has met or conducted calls with, and maintains relationships with, many of these firms. In addition, members of the Senior Investment Team have longstanding relationships with many CLO collateral managers, some dating back over a decade. The Advisor takes a partnership approach with CLO collateral managers, seeking to serve as a knowledgeable, value-added and stable long-term capital provider that will invest not just in their CLOs, but in many instances, alongside such collateral managers at the underlying borrower level given our Advisor's in-house loan investment team.
Investment Analysis and Due Diligence
The Advisor employs an established, disciplined investment analysis and due diligence process that we believe is more akin to a private equity style approach than to the typical process used by many investors in freely tradable fixed income securities, such as CLO equity and debt. The Advisor views its investment analysis and due diligence process as broadly being comprised of four key areas for evaluation: (1) analysis of a CLO collateral manager’s investment strategy and approach, (2) analysis of the experience of a CLO collateral manager and its investment team, (3) analysis of a CLO collateral manager’s historical investment performance across both CLO and total return strategies, if applicable, and (4) analysis of the particular CLO’s structure and the targeted underlying loans, including the negotiation of terms and protections where appropriate.
In its investment analysis and due diligence, the Advisor includes, among other activities, requesting that prospective CLO collateral managers complete an extensive questionnaire, the Advisor reviews historical investment returns based on data provided by third parties and the CLO collateral manager and the utilization of a third-party firm to conduct background checks on the key entities and professionals associated with the CLO collateral manager.
CLO Structural Analysis and Valuation
Members of the Senior Investment Team have significant experience structuring, valuing and investing in CLOs throughout their careers and the Advisor believes that its first-hand experience with, and knowledge, of CLO structures is a core competency. The Advisor believes that the initial structuring of a CLO is an important factor in the ultimate risk-adjusted returns, and that experienced and knowledgeable investors can add meaningful value relative to other market participants by selecting those investments with the most advantageous structures.
When we make a primary market investment in a particular CLO tranche, we utilize our expertise and experience to influence certain of the CLO’s key terms and conditions. In particular, the Advisor believes that the protective rights associated with holding a CLO equity tranche (such as the ability to call the CLO after the non-call period, to refinance/reprice certain CLO debt tranches after a period of time and to influence potential amendments to the governing documents that may arise) may reduce our risk in these investments. We may acquire a majority position in a CLO tranche directly or we may benefit from the advantages of a majority position where both we and other parties hold a majority position. OFS intends to analyze, in addition to the CLO structural features and collateral managers, all of the underlying loans within the CLOs given its in-house CLO investment team. OFS currently manages four CLO vehicles and has a dedicated CLO team of ten personnel with average experience in the leveraged loan market of over 15 years as well as an internal database of information spanning over 20 years that gives OFS access and insight into a large credit universe. See “
— Other Investment Techniques — Co-Investment with Affiliates
.”
Portfolio Review/Risk Monitoring
Active investment monitoring is a critical component of the Advisor’s risk management and mitigation objectives. Such monitoring also contributes to the ongoing due diligence of the CLO collateral managers in the context of existing and potential future investments.
From data contained primarily within the CLO trustee reports (which detail each asset in the CLO portfolio as well as any purchases and sales that the CLO collateral manager made during the period), as well as third party data providers, the Advisor
updates its internal portfolio monitoring reports. The reports contain summaries of metrics we analyze for each CLO security as well as a listing of watch list credits within each CLO that our Advisor has identified based on its screens and general market intelligence as well as from communications with the CLO collateral managers. The Advisor then typically holds regular calls with the CLO market participants to discuss the watch list credits and portfolio activity as well as loan market and CLO market developments. Additional factors that the Advisor actively monitors, which these regular calls help to illuminate, include any shifts in investment strategy, personnel changes or other organizational developments which may impact future performance and/or the market.
In addition, the Advisor reviews the quarterly CLO cash distributions received and analyzes the reason for any deviations from the Advisor’s projections. The Advisor has a long-term oriented investment philosophy and seeks to invest primarily with a buy-and-hold mentality, however, the Advisor may sell positions if circumstances have changed from the time of underwriting or if the Advisor deems doing so is in our best interest.
Prospective Portfolio
Immediately following the completion of this offering, we intend to acquire the following CLO investments. We have entered into non-binding letters of intent with a financial institution with respect to the CLO investments listed below. Our acquisition of each CLO investment is conditioned upon the closing of this offering, satisfactory completion of our due diligence, acceptance of the investment terms, the execution and delivery of final binding agreements in form satisfactory to us and the receipt of any necessary consents. Neither we nor the financial institution from which we intend to acquire these CLO investments is required to enter into a final agreement under the terms of these non-binding letters of intent.
The following table summarizes the CLO investments for which we currently have non-binding letters of intent. We can offer no assurance that we will enter into legally binding contracts to acquire any of these CLO investments or that the contemplated transactions will close immediately following completion of this offering, or at all.
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Type of Security and Issuer
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Interest Rate/Estimated Yield
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Maturity Date
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Principal Amount
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Collateralized Loan Obligations - Debt Investments
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|
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[CLO Name]
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|
|
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[CLO secured notes - Class X]
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[ %( LIBOR + %)]
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[Month Day, 20XX]
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[$ ]
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[CLO Name]
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|
|
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[CLO secured notes - Class X]
|
[ %( LIBOR + %)]
|
[Month Day, 20XX]
|
[$ ]
|
Collateralized Loan Obligations - Equity Investments
|
|
|
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[CLO Name]
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|
|
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[CLO subordinated notes]
|
[ %]
|
[Month Day, 20XX]
|
[$ ]
|
[CLO Name]
|
|
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[CLO subordinated notes]
|
[ %]
|
[Month Day, 20XX]
|
[$ ]
|
About OFS and Our Advisor
OFS (which refers to the collective activities and operations of OFSAM and its subsidiaries and certain affiliates) is an established investment platform. The principal business address of OFS Advisor is 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois, 60606. As of March 31, 2018, OFS had 41 full-time employees. OFS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and also has offices in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California.
Our investment activities are managed by OFS Advisor, our investment adviser. OFS Advisor is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and diligence on potential investments and placement agents, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring our investments and monitoring our investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. OFS Advisor is a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and a subsidiary of OFSAM, our parent company prior to the completion of our IPO. OFSAM is owned by Richard Ressler, Bilal Rashid, Jeffrey A. Cerny, and other affiliates of OFS Advisor.
Our relationship with OFS Advisor is governed by and dependent on the Investment Advisory Agreement and may be subject to conflicts of interest. OFS Advisor provides us with advisory services in exchange for a base management fee and incentive fee; see “
Management—Management and Other Agreements—Investment Advisory Agreement.
” Our Board is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While our Board is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance.
OFS Advisor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFSAM, which makes experienced investment professionals available to OFS Advisor and provides access to the senior investment personnel of OFS and its affiliates through an intercompany agreement. These OFSAM personnel provide us with access to deal flow generated by OFS and its affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses and committed members of OFS Advisor’s investment committee. As our investment adviser, OFS Advisor is obligated to allocate investment opportunities among us and any other clients fairly and equitably over time in accordance with its allocation policy.
OFS Advisor capitalizes on the deal origination and sourcing, credit underwriting, due diligence, investment structuring, execution, portfolio management and monitoring experience of OFS’s professionals. The Senior Investment Team, including Bilal Rashid, Jeff Cerny, Glen Ostrander and Kenneth A. Brown, provides services to OFS Advisor. These professionals have developed a broad network of contacts within the investment community, averaging over 20 years of experience structuring and investing in CLOs and debt securities. In addition, these managers have gained extensive experience investing in assets that will constitute our primary focus and have expertise in investing across all types of CLO investments. See
“
Management
” for additional information regarding our portfolio managers.
Other Investment Techniques
Debt Securities
.
We may use leverage to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. We are permitted to obtain leverage using any form of financial leverage instruments, including funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions, margin facilities, notes or preferred stock and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements or similar transactions. We currently anticipate incurring leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred) through the issuance of preferred stock or by entering into a credit facility, within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering. Instruments that create leverage are generally considered to be senior securities under the 1940 Act. With respect to senior securities representing indebtedness (i.e., borrowing or deemed borrowing), other than temporary borrowings as defined under the 1940 Act, we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 300%, as measured at the time of borrowing and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness.
While we anticipate incurring leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering, we may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease our leverage. We may use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments at any time based on the Advisor’s assessment of market conditions and the investment environment, including forms of leverage other than preferred stock and/or credit facilities. In addition, we may borrow for temporary, emergency or other purposes as permitted under the 1940 Act, which indebtedness would be in addition to the asset coverage ratios described above. By leveraging our investment portfolio, we may create an opportunity for increased net income and capital appreciation. However, the use of leverage also involves significant risks and expenses, which will be borne entirely by our stockholders, and our leverage strategy may not be successful. For example, the more leverage is employed, the more likely a substantial change will occur in our NAV. Accordingly, any event that adversely affects the value of an investment would be magnified to the extent leverage is utilized. See “
Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Investments — We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us
.” The Advisor intends to leverage our portfolio only when it believes that the potential return on the additional investments acquired through the use of leverage is likely to exceed the costs incurred in connection with the use of leverage. There can be no assurance that we will borrow in order to leverage our assets or, if we do borrow, what percentage of our assets such borrowings will represent.
To the extent the income derived from investments purchased with funds received from leverage exceeds the cost of leverage, our return will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income from the securities purchased with such funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage or if we incur capital losses, our return will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to stockholders as dividends and other distributions will be reduced or potentially eliminated. The Advisor may determine to maintain our leveraged position if it expects that the long-term benefits to our stockholders of maintaining the leveraged position will outweigh the current reduced return. We may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with borrowings or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements will increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. In addition, capital raised through the issuance of preferred stock or borrowing will be subject to dividend payments or interest costs that may or may not exceed the income and appreciation on the assets purchased with the proceeds of such leverage. The issuance of preferred stock or notes involves offering expenses and other costs and may limit our freedom to pay distributions on Shares or to engage in other activities. All costs of offering and servicing any of the leverage methods we may use will be borne entirely by our stockholders. The interests of persons with whom we enter into leverage arrangements (such as bank lenders, note holders and preferred stockholders) will not necessarily be aligned with the interests of our stockholders and such persons will generally have claims on our assets that are senior to those of our stockholders.
In connection with a credit facility, any lender may impose specific restrictions as a condition to borrowing. The credit facility fees may include, among other things, up front structuring fees and ongoing commitment fees (including fees on amounts undrawn
on the facility) in addition to the traditional interest expense on amounts borrowed. The credit facility may involve a lien on our assets. Similarly, to the extent we issue preferred shares or notes, we may be subject to fees, covenants and investment restrictions required by a national securities rating agency, as a result. Such covenants and restrictions imposed by a rating agency or lender may include asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on us by the 1940 Act. While it is not anticipated that these covenants or restrictions will significantly impede the Advisor in managing our portfolio in accordance with our investment objectives and policies, if these covenants or guidelines are more restrictive than those imposed by the 1940 Act, we would not be able to utilize as much leverage as we otherwise could, which could reduce our investment returns. In addition, we expect that any notes we issue or credit facility we enter into would contain covenants that, among other things, may impose geographic exposure limitations, credit quality minimums, liquidity minimums, concentration limitations and currency hedging requirements on us. These covenants would also likely limit our ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change fundamental investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations. Such restrictions could cause the Advisor to make different investment decisions than if there were no such restrictions and could limit the ability of the Board and stockholders to change fundamental investment policies. See "
Regulation as a closed-end management investment company — Investment restrictions.
"
Our willingness to utilize leverage, and the amount of leverage we will assume, will depend on many factors, the most important of which are market conditions and interest rates. Successful use of a leveraging strategy may depend on our ability to predict correctly interest rates and market movements, and there is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Any leveraging of our Shares cannot be achieved until the proceeds resulting from the use of leverage have been invested in accordance with our investment objectives and policies. See “
Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Investments — We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us
.”
Preferred Stock
.
We are authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, and we may issue preferred stock within the first twelve months of operation following the completion of this offering. If we issue preferred stock, costs of the offering will be borne immediately at such time by the holders of Shares and result in a reduction of the NAV per Share at that time. Under the requirements of the 1940 Act, we must, immediately after the issuance of any preferred stock, have an “asset coverage” of at least 200%. Asset coverage means the ratio by which the value of our total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act), bears to the aggregate amount of senior securities representing our indebtedness, if any, plus the aggregate liquidation preference of the preferred stock. If we seek a rating of the preferred stock, additional asset coverage requirements, which may be more restrictive than those imposed by the 1940 Act, may be imposed. See “
Description of Capital Structure — Preferred Stock
.”
Leverage Effects
. The extent that we employ leverage, if any, will depend on many factors, the most important of which are investment outlook, market conditions and interest rates. Successful use of a leveraging strategy depends on the Advisor’s ability to predict correctly interest rates and market movements. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Assuming that leverage will represent approximately [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred) at a projected combined annual preferred dividend and/or interest rate of [ ]%, the rate or return on our investments would need to exceed [ ]% in order to cover the interest costs of the amount borrowed and dividend payments on preferred stock issued. While we anticipate incurring a certain amount of leverage within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering, we may use leverage opportunistically, or not at all, and may choose to increase or decrease our leverage.
The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effects of leverage on total return of Shares, assuming hypothetical annual investment portfolio total returns, net of expenses (consisting of income and changes in the value of investments held in our portfolio) of –10%, –5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns that we expect to experience. Actual returns may be higher or lower than those appearing in the table. The table further assumes that we incur leverage representing [ ]% of our total assets (which excludes the leverage incurred) and a projected combined annual preferred dividend and/or interest rate of [ ]%.
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Assumed portfolio return (net of expenses)
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-10%
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-5%
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0
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%
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5
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%
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10
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%
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Corresponding Share return
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“Corresponding Share return” is composed of two elements: Our net investment income and gains or losses on the value of the securities we own. As required by SEC rules, the table above assumes that we are more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0% we must assume that the interest we receive on our debt security investments is entirely offset by losses in the value of those investments.
If we issue preferred stock, the amount of fees paid to the Advisor for its services will be higher than if we do not issue preferred stock because the fees paid are calculated based on our Total Equity Base (which includes the paid-in capital of our
preferred stock). Therefore, the Advisor has a financial incentive for us to issue preferred stock, which creates a conflict of interest between the Advisor and stockholders, as only holders of our Shares would bear the fees and expenses incurred through the issuance of preferred stock.
Temporary Defensive Position
. We may take a temporary defensive position and invest all or a substantial portion of our total assets in cash or cash equivalents, government securities or short-term fixed income securities. To the extent that defensive positions represent a significant portion of our investments, we likely will not achieve our investment objectives.
Co-Investment with Affiliates
. In certain instances, we may co-invest on a concurrent basis with affiliates of the Advisor, subject to compliance with applicable regulations and regulatory guidance and our written allocation procedures. We have been granted exemptive relief by the SEC that permits us to participate in certain negotiated co-investments alongside other accounts managed by the Advisor or certain of its affiliates, subject to certain conditions including (i) that a majority of our directors who have no financial interest in the transaction and a majority of our directors who are not interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, approve the co-investment and (ii) the price, terms and conditions of the co-investment are the same for each participant. A copy of our application for exemptive relief, including all of the conditions, and the related order are available on the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov
.
Closed-End Fund Structure
Common stock of closed-end funds frequently trade at prices lower than their NAV. We cannot predict whether our Shares will trade at, above or below NAV. In addition to NAV, the market price of our Shares may be affected by such factors as our dividend stability and dividend levels, which are in turn affected by expenses, and market supply and demand. In recognition of the possibility that our Shares may trade at a discount from their NAV, and that any such discount may not be in the best interest of stockholders, the Board, in consultation with the Advisor may from time to time review possible actions to reduce any such discount. There can be no assurance that the Board will decide to undertake any of these actions or that, if undertaken, such actions would result in our Shares trading at a price equal to or close to NAV per Share. See “
Description of Capital Structure — Repurchase of Shares and Other Discount Measures
.”
Competition
We compete for investments in CLO securities with other investment funds (including business development companies, mutual funds, pension funds, private equity funds and hedge funds) as well as traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks, investment banks, finance companies and insurance companies.
Additionally, because we believe competition for higher yielding investment opportunities generally has increased, we believe many new investors have entered the CLO market over the past few years. As a result of these new entrants, competition for investment opportunities in CLO securities may intensify. Many of these entities have greater financial and managerial resources than we do. We believe we are able to compete with these entities on the basis of the Advisor’s deep and highly-specialized CLO market experience, longstanding relationships with many CLO collateral managers and willingness to commit to a significant portion of a CLO tranche.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS
Our primary investment strategies are described elsewhere in this prospectus. The following is a description of the various investment strategies that may be engaged in, whether as a primary or secondary strategy, and a summary of certain attendant risks. The Advisor may not buy any of the following instruments or use any of the following techniques unless it believes that doing so will help to achieve our investment objectives.
Investment in Debt Securities, Other Types of Credit Instruments and Other Credit Investments
We anticipate that our loan portfolio may contain investments of the following types with the following characteristics:
Senior Secured First-Lien Loans
. We obtain security interests in the assets of the borrowers as collateral in support of the repayment of these loans (in certain cases, subject to a payment waterfall). The collateral takes the form of first-priority liens on specified assets of the borrower and, typically, first-priority pledges of the ownership interests in the borrower. Our first lien loans may provide for moderate loan amortization in the early years of the loan, with the majority of the amortization deferred until loan maturity.
Senior Secured Unitranche Loans
. Unitranche loans are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt into one loan under which the borrower pays a single blended interest rate that is intended to reflect the relative risk of the secured and unsecured components. We may structure our unitranche loans as senior secured loans. We will generally obtain security interests in the assets of these borrowers as collateral in support of the repayment of these loans. This collateral may take the form of first-priority liens on the assets of a portfolio company and, typically, first-priority pledges of the ownership interests in the company. We believe that unitranche lending may represent a significant growth opportunity for us, offering the borrower the convenience of dealing with one lender, which may result in a higher blended rate of interest to us than we might realize in a traditional multi-tranche structure. Unitranche loans typically provide for moderate loan amortization in the initial years of the facility, with the majority of the amortization deferred until loan maturity. Unitranche loans generally allow the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity. In many cases, we will be the sole lender, or we, together with our affiliates, will be the sole lender, of unitranche loans, which can afford us additional influence with a borrower in terms of monitoring and, if necessary, remediation in the event of under-performance.
Senior Secured Second-lien Loans
. Second-lien senior secured loans obtain security interests in the assets of these portfolio companies as collateral in support of the repayment of such loans. This collateral typically takes the form of second-priority liens on the assets of a borrower, and we may enter into an inter-creditor agreement with the holders of the borrower’s first-lien senior secured debt. These loans typically provide for no contractual loan amortization in the initial years of the facility, with all amortization deferred until loan maturity.
Subordinated (“Mezzanine”) Loans
. These investments are typically structured as unsecured, subordinated loans that typically provide for relatively high, fixed interest rates that provide us with significant current interest income. These loans typically will have interest-only payments (often representing a combination of cash pay and payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest) in the early years, with amortization of principal deferred to maturity. Mezzanine loans generally allow the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity. Mezzanine investments are generally more volatile than secured loans and may involve a greater risk of loss of principal. Mezzanine loans often include a PIK feature (meaning a feature allowing for the payment of interest in the form of additional principal amount of the loan instead of in cash), which effectively operates as negative amortization of loan principal, thereby increasing credit risk exposure over the life of the loan.
High Yield Securities.
We may invest in high yielding, fixed income securities rated below investment grade (
e.g.
, rated below “Baa” by Moody’s or below “BBB” by S&P or Fitch). The Advisor anticipates investing in securities that are rated CCC or below or their equivalent, or are unrated fixed-income securities. Below investment grade securities are also sometimes referred to as “junk” securities.
Debt obligations rated in the lower ratings categories, or which are unrated, involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of principal and income. In addition, lower ratings reflect a greater possibility of an adverse change in financial condition affecting the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal.
The market price and liquidity of lower rated fixed income securities generally respond to short-term corporate and market developments to a greater extent than do the price and liquidity of higher rated securities because such developments are perceived to have a more direct relationship to the ability of an issuer of such lower rated securities to meet its ongoing debt obligations.
Reduced volume and liquidity in the high yield bond market or the reduced availability of market quotations will make it more difficult to dispose of the bonds and to value accurately our assets. In addition, our investments in high yield securities may be susceptible to adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not justified by fundamental factors.
Synthetic Securities Risk.
We may acquire loans through investment in synthetic securities or interests in lease agreements that have the general characteristics of loans and are treated as loans for withholding tax purposes. In addition to the credit risks associated
with directly or indirectly holding senior secured loans and high-yield debt securities, with respect to synthetic strategy, we will usually have a contractual relationship only with the counterparty of such synthetic security, and not with the reference obligor of the reference obligation. We generally will have no right to directly enforce compliance by the reference obligor with the terms of the reference obligation nor will it have any rights of setoff against the reference obligor or rights with respect to the reference obligation. We will not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the reference obligation and will not have the benefit of the remedies that would normally be available to a holder of such reference obligation. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of the counterparty, we may be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the reference obligation. Consequently, we will be subject to the credit risk of the counterparty as well as that of the reference obligor. As a result, concentrations of synthetic securities in any one counterparty subject us to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such counterparty as well as by the reference obligor.
Defaulted Securities
. We may invest in defaulted securities. The risk of loss due to default may be considerably greater with lower-quality securities because they are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to other debt of the issuer. Investing in defaulted debt securities involves risks such as the possibility of complete loss of the investment where the issuer does not restructure to enable it to resume principal and interest payments. If the issuer of a security in our portfolio defaults, we may have unrealized losses on the security, which may lower our NAV. Defaulted securities tend to lose much of their value before they default. Thus, our NAV may be adversely affected before an issuer defaults. In addition, we may incur additional expenses if we must try to recover principal or interest payments on a defaulted security.
Certificates of Deposit, Bankers
’
Acceptances and Time Deposits
. We may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by us will be dollar-denominated obligations of domestic banks, savings and loan associations or financial institutions at the time of purchase, have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. government. In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under our investment objectives and policies stated in this prospectus, we may make interest-bearing time or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.
Commercial Paper and Short-Term Notes
. We may invest a portion of our assets in commercial paper and short-term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year. Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by S&P, “Prime-1” or “Prime-2” by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality.
CLO Class M Note and Participation Agreements.
We may acquire CLO Class M Notes and participation agreements with CLO collateral managers. There is not an active secondary market for CLO Class M notes and participation agreements. Further, CLO Class M notes and participation agreements may have significant restrictions on transfer and require continued ownership of certain amounts of CLO equity in the related CLO for the instrument to be valid. CLO Class M notes and participation agreements are also subject to the risk of early call of the CLO, with no make-whole or other yield protection provisions.
Zero Coupon Securities
. Among the debt securities in which we may invest are zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are debt obligations that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest. They are issued and traded at a discount from their face amount or par value, which discount varies depending on the time remaining until cash payments begin, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The market prices of zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the prices of securities that pay interest periodically and in cash and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than do other types of debt securities having similar maturities and credit quality. Original issue discount earned on zero coupon securities must be included in our income. Thus, to quality for tax treatment as a RIC and to avoid a certain excise tax on undistributed income, we may be required to distribute as a dividend an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash we actually receive. These distributions must be made from our cash assets or, if necessary, from the proceeds of sales of portfolio securities. We will not be able to purchase additional income-producing securities with cash used to make such distributions, and our current income ultimately could be reduced as a result.
U.S. Government Securities
. We may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by agencies, instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises of the U.S. Government. Some U.S. government securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and mortgage-related securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S.; others, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; and
still others, such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality or enterprise. Although U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises, such as the FHLBs, FHLMC, FNMA and the Student Loan Marketing Association, may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, and their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury or supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government and involve increased credit risks. Although legislation has been enacted to support certain government sponsored entities, including the FHLBs, FHLMC and FNMA, there is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not decrease in value or default. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory or economic changes that could impact the government sponsored entities and the values of their related securities or obligations. In addition, certain governmental entities, including FNMA and FHLMC, have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability or investment character of securities issued by these entities. U.S. Government debt securities generally involve lower levels of credit risk than other types of debt securities of similar maturities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. Government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from such other securities. Like other debt securities, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in our NAV.
Distressed Securities
We may invest in distressed investments including loans, loan participations, or bonds, many of which are not publicly traded and which may involve a substantial degree of risk. In certain periods, there may be little or no liquidity in the markets for these securities or instruments. In addition, the prices of such securities or instruments may be subject to periods of abrupt and erratic market movements and above-average price volatility. It may be more difficult to value such securities and the spread between the bid and asked prices of such securities may be greater than normally expected. If the Advisor’s evaluation of the risks and anticipated outcome of an investment in a distressed security should prove incorrect, we may lose a substantial portion or all of our investment or we may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than our original investment.
Equity Securities
Equity
Securities
. Equity securities typically consist of either a direct minority equity investment in common or membership/partnership interests or preferred stock of a company, and are typically not control-oriented investments. Our preferred equity investments, if any, may contain a fixed dividend yield based on the par value of the equity security. Preferred equity dividends may be paid in cash at a stipulated date, usually quarterly, and are participating and/or cumulative. We may structure such equity investments to include provisions protecting our rights as a minority-interest holder, as well as a “put,” or right to sell such securities back to the issuer, upon the occurrence of specified events. In many cases, we may also seek to obtain registration rights in connection with these equity interests, which may include demand and “piggyback” registration rights, which grants us the right to register our equity interest when either the portfolio company or another investor in the portfolio company files a registration statement with the SEC to issue securities. Our equity investments, if any, will typically be made in connection with debt investments to the same companies.
Warrants
. In some cases, we may receive nominally priced warrants to buy a minority equity interest in the borrower in connection with a loan. As a result, as a borrower appreciates in value, we may achieve additional investment return from this equity interest. We may structure such warrants to include provisions protecting our rights as a minority-interest holder, as well as a put to sell such securities back to the issuer, upon the occurrence of specified events. In many cases, we may also seek to obtain registration rights in connection with these equity interests, which may include demand and “piggyback” registration rights.
Investment in Other Investment Companies
We may invest in securities of other investment companies subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. These limitations include in certain circumstances a prohibition on us acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on investing more than 5% of our total assets in securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of our total assets in securities of all investment companies.
We will indirectly bear our proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such other investment companies, in addition to the fees and expenses that we regularly bear. Although we do not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, we are authorized to invest substantially all of our assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the same investment objectives, policies and fundamental restrictions as us.
Exchange-Traded Notes (
“
ETNs
”
)
We may invest in ETNs. ETNs are a type of senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt security issued by financial institutions that combines both aspects of bonds and Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”). An ETN’s returns are based on the performance of a market index minus fees and expenses. Similar to ETFs, ETNs are listed on an exchange and traded in the secondary market. However, unlike an ETF, an ETN can be held until the ETN’s maturity, at which time the issuer will pay a return linked to the performance of the market index to which the ETN is linked minus certain fees. Unlike regular bonds, ETNs do not make periodic interest payments and principal is not protected. ETNs are subject to credit risk and the value of an ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit
rating, despite the underlying market benchmark or strategy remaining unchanged. The value of an ETN may also be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying asset. When we invest in ETNs we will bear our proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Our decision to sell our ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. In addition, although an ETN may be listed on an exchange, the issuer may not be required to maintain the listing and there can be no assurance that a secondary market will exist for an ETN.
Preferred Securities
Preferred securities in which we may invest include, but are not limited to, trust preferred securities, monthly income preferred securities, quarterly income bond securities, quarterly income debt securities, quarterly income preferred securities, corporate trust securities, traditional preferred stock, contingent-capital securities, hybrid securities (which have characteristics of both equity and fixed-income instruments) and public income notes. Preferred securities are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes or preferred securities, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. The preferred securities market consists of both fixed and adjustable coupon rate securities that are either perpetual in nature in that they have no maturity dates or have stated maturity dates.
Demand Deposit Accounts
We may hold a significant portion of our cash assets in interest-bearing or non-interest-bearing demand deposit accounts at our custodian or another depository institution insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The FDIC is an independent agency of the U.S. government, and FDIC deposit insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. We expect to hold cash that exceeds the amounts insured by the FDIC for such accounts. As a result, in the event of a failure of a depository institution where we hold such cash, our cash is subject to the risk of loss.
Simultaneous Investments
Investment decisions, made by the Advisor on our behalf, are made independently from those of the other funds and accounts advised by the Advisor and its affiliates. If, however, such other accounts wish to invest in, or dispose of, the same securities as us, available investments will be allocated equitably between us and other accounts. This procedure may adversely affect the size of the position we obtain or disposed of or the price we pay.
Short Sales
We may engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent we engage in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, we will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction. When we engage in a short sale of a security, we must, to the extent required by law, borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the counterparty. We may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and generally would be obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that we replace the borrowed security, we will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, we will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by borrowing and other transaction costs.
To the extent we engage in short sales, we will provide collateral to the broker-dealer for whom we borrowed the security sold short. We may (i) maintain additional asset coverage in the form of segregated or “earmarked” liquid assets equal to the current market value of the securities sold short, (ii) ensure that such positions are covered by offsetting positions until we replace the borrowed security or (iii) treat such securities as senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent that we contemporaneously own, or have the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
MANAGEMENT
Our Board is responsible for the overall management and supervision of our business and affairs, including the appointment of advisers and sub-advisers. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, our Board has appointed OFS Advisor as our investment adviser.
The Advisor Investment Committees, which include the Pre-Allocation Investment Committee, CLO Investment Committee and Structured Credit Investment Committee, are responsible for the overall asset allocation decisions and the evaluation and approval of investments of OFS Advisor’s advisory clients that invest in CLO securities.
The purpose of the Structured Credit Investment Committee is to evaluate and approve our prospective investments, subject at all times to the oversight of our Board. The Structured Credit Investment Committee, which is comprised of Richard Ressler (Chairman), Jeffrey Cerny, Bilal Rashid, Glen Ostrander and Kenneth A. Brown, is responsible for the evaluation and approval of all the investments made by us. The members of the Senior Investment Team are our portfolio managers who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the portfolio. The Senior Investment Team is supported by a team of analysts and investment professionals.
The process employed by the Advisor Investment Committees, including the Structured Credit Investment Committee is intended to bring the diverse experience and perspectives of the committees' members to the investment process. The Structured Credit Investment Committee serves to provide investment consistency and adherence to our core investment philosophy and policies. The Structured Credit Investment Committee also determines appropriate investment sizing and implements ongoing monitoring requirements of our investments.
In addition to reviewing investments, the meetings of the Structured Credit Investment Committee serve as a forum to discuss credit views and outlooks. Potential transactions and deal flow are reviewed on a regular basis. Members of the Advisor's investment team are encouraged to share information and views on credits with members of the Structured Credit Investment Committee early in their analysis. We believe this process improves the quality of the analysis and assists the deal team members in working efficiently.
None of the members of the Senior Investment Team or the Structured Credit Investment Committee is employed by us or receives any direct compensation from us. Certain Senior Investment Team members have ownership and financial interests in, and may receive compensation and/or profit distributions from, OFSAM, an affiliate of our Advisor, and/or its subsidiaries. These individuals receive compensation from OFS Advisor that includes an annual base salary, an annual discretionary bonus and a portion of the distributions made by OFS Advisor, a portion of which may relate to the incentive fee or carried interest earned by OFS Advisor in connection with its services to us. See “
Control Persons and Principal Stockholders
” for additional information about equity interests held by certain of these individuals.
Messrs. Rashid, Cerny, and Brown also perform a similar role for other pooled investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor and its affiliates, with a total amount of approximately $2.0 billion of committed assets under management as of March 31, 2018 from which OFS Advisor and OFSAM may receive incentive fees. See “
Related-Party Transactions and Certain Relationships
” for a description of OFS Advisor’s allocation policy governing allocations of investments among us and other investment vehicles with similar or overlapping strategies, as well as a description of certain other relationships between us and OFS Advisor. See “
Prospectus Summary—Conflicts of Interest
” and “
Risk Factors—We have potential conflicts of interest related to obligations that OFS Advisor or its affiliates may have to other clients
” for a discussion of potential conflicts of interests.
Portfolio Managers
Information regarding the Structured Credit Investment Committee is as follows:
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|
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Name
(1)
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Richard Ressler
|
|
59
|
|
Chairman of Structured Credit Investment Committee
|
Bilal Rashid
(2)
|
|
47
|
|
President and Senior Managing Director of OFSC and OFS Advisor
|
Jeffrey A. Cerny
(2)
|
|
55
|
|
Senior Managing Director of OFSC and OFS Advisor
|
Glen Ostrander
(2)
|
|
44
|
|
Managing Director of OFSC and OFS Advisor
|
Kenneth A. Brown
(2)
|
|
44
|
|
Managing Director of OFSC and OFS Advisor
|
|
|
(1)
|
The address for each member of the Senior Investment Team is c/o OFS Capital Management, LLC, 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606.
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(2)
|
Member of the Senior Investment Team.
|
Members of the Structured Credit Investment Committee Who Are Not Our Directors or Officers
Richard S. Ressler
is the founder and President of Orchard Capital Corp. ("Orchard Capital"), a firm through which Mr. Ressler oversees companies in which Orchard Capital or its affiliates invest. Through his affiliation with Orchard Capital, Mr. Ressler serves in various senior capacities with, among others, CIM Group, LLC (together with its controlled affiliates, "CIM"), a vertically-integrated
owner and operator of real estate assets, Orchard First Source Asset Management (together with its controlled affiliates, "OFSAM"), a full-service provider of capital and leveraged finance solutions to U.S. corporations, and OCV Management, LLC (“OCV”), an investor, owner and operator of technology companies. Mr. Ressler also serves as a board member for various public and private companies in which Orchard Capital or its affiliates invest, including as chairman of j2 Global, Inc. (NASDAQ "JCOM"), director of Presbia PLC (NASDAQ “LENS”), and chairman of CIM Commercial Trust Corporation (NASDAQ “CMCT”). Mr. Ressler served as Chairman and CEO of JCOM from 1997 to 2000 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, currently serves as its non-executive Chairman. Mr. Ressler has served as a director of LENS since January 2015 and as chairman of CMCT since 2014. Mr. Ressler co-founded CIM in 1994 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive, investment, allocation and asset management committees and serves on its credit committee. CIM Investment Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of CIM, is registered with the SEC as a registered investment adviser. Mr. Ressler co-founded the predecessor of OFSAM in 2001 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive committee. OFS Capital Management, LLC, an affiliate of OFSAM, is registered with the SEC as a registered investment adviser. Mr. Ressler co-founded OCV in 2016 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive committee. OCV is a relying adviser of OFS Capital Management, LLC. Prior to founding Orchard Capital, from 1988 until 1994, Mr. Ressler served as Vice Chairman of Brooke Group Limited, the predecessor of Vector Group, Ltd. (NYSE "VGR") and served in various executive capacities at VGR and its subsidiaries. Prior to VGR, Mr. Ressler was with Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc., where he focused on merger and acquisition transactions and the financing needs of middle-market companies. Mr. Ressler began his career in 1983 with Cravath, Swaine and Moore LLP, working on public offerings, private placements, and merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Ressler holds a B.A. from Brown University, and J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Columbia University
Glen Ostrander
is a Managing Director of OFS Advisor and focuses on structured products investment activities of the firm, capital markets related activities, fundraising, and strategic initiatives. Mr. Ostrander has more than 18 years of experience in investing, banking and debt capital markets relating to securitization, corporate credit, and structured credit. Mr. Ostrander has been involved in the CLO market since the late 1990s, with experience in the creation and full life cycle of various types of CLOs through multiple credit cycles. Prior to joining OFS in 2009, Mr. Ostrander worked within the Global Markets & Investment Banking division at Merrill Lynch. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, he was a Vice President at Wachovia Capital Markets from 1998 to 2006, and worked at International Business Machines and Koch Industries. Throughout his experience at Wachovia Capital Markets, Merrill Lynch, and OFS, Mr. Ostrander has been in involved in the structuring of CLO transactions, investing throughout the CLO capital structure, and the creation and vetting of CLO managers. Mr. Ostrander holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Belmont Abbey College.
Kenneth A. Brown
is a Managing Director of OFS Advisor and is responsible for leading the underwriting, credit monitoring and trading functions for the Broadly Syndicated Loan Group at OFS, as well as managing relationships with agent/investment banks. Mr. Brown’s experience spans more than 22 years working in leveraged finance and public accounting. Mr. Brown has been involved in the leveraged finance/CLO market since the late 1990s, with experience underwriting, managing, and sourcing leveraged loans as well as managing CLO’s through multiple cycles. Prior to joining OFS in 2007, Mr. Brown was a Vice President at GE Antares Capital, wherein Mr. Brown focused on direct underwriting/portfolio management activities, including workout situations, focused on private equity-backed transactions. Prior to GE Antares Capital, Mr. Brown was at First Source Financial, focused on underwriting direct and participation interests, as well as managing portfolios of leveraged loans. Mr. Brown started his career with Arthur Andersen LLP, a national public accounting firm, as an auditor. Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, with concentrations in Finance and Strategic Management. Mr. Brown has also earned his CPA certification.
The table below shows the dollar range of shares of our common stock to be beneficially owned by the members of the Senior Investment Team.
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Name of Senior Investment Team Member
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Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned as of [ ], 20[ ]
(1)(2)
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Pro Forma Dollar Range of Equity Securities (after completion of the Offering)
(1)(2)
|
Bilal Rashid
|
|
$50,001 - $100,000
(3)
|
|
None
|
Jeffrey A. Cerny
|
|
$50,001 - $100,000
(3)
|
|
None
|
Glen Ostrander
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
Kenneth A. Brown
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
(1) Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Exchange Act of 1934.
(2) Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1 – $10,000, $10,001 – $50,000, $50,001 – $100,000, $100,001 – $500,000, $500,001 – $1,000,000 and over $1,000,000.
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(3)
|
Mr. Rashid and Mr. Cerny beneficially own securities of the Company through their indirect ownership of an affiliate of OFS Advisor.
|
The following table sets forth other accounts within each category listed for which members of the Senior Investment Team are jointly and primarily responsible for day-to-day portfolio management as of March 31, 2018. Each of the accounts is subject to a performance fee.
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Registered
Investment Companies
(1)
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Other Pooled
Investment Vehicle
|
|
Portfolio Manager
|
|
Number of
Accounts
|
|
Total Assets
(in millions)
|
|
Number of
Accounts
|
|
Total Assets
(in millions)
|
|
Bilal Rashid
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
388,638,976
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
$
|
1,537,652,230
|
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|
Jeffrey A. Cerny
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
388,638,976
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
$
|
1,537,652,230
|
|
|
Glen Ostrander
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
388,638,976
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
$
|
1,537,652,230
|
|
|
Kenneth A. Brown
|
|
None
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
$
|
1,537,652,230
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(1) Includes, for purposes of this table, closed-end funds that have elected to be regulated as business development companies.
Management and
Other Agreements
Investment Advisory Agreement.
Subject to the overall supervision of the Board, the Advisor manages the day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory and management services to, us. Under the terms of our Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor:
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•
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determines the composition of our portfolio, the nature and timing of the changes to our portfolio and the manner of implementing such changes;
|
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|
•
|
identifies, evaluates and negotiates the structure of the investments we make (including performing due diligence on our prospective investments);
|
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|
•
|
closes and monitors the investments we make; and
|
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|
•
|
provides us with other investment advisory, research and related services as we may from time to time require.
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OFS Advisor’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and both it and its members, officers and employees are free to furnish similar services to other persons and entities so long as its services to us are not impaired. A discussion regarding the basis for our Board's approval of our Investment Advisory Agreement will be included in our first annual or semi-annual report filed subsequent to the effectiveness of the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
Duration and Termination
.
Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect if approved annually (after an initial two-year term) by our Board or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities, including, in either case, approval by a majority of our Directors who are not “interested persons” of any party to such agreement, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. The Investment Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Agreement may also be terminated by us without penalty upon not less than 60 days’ written notice to the Advisor and by the Advisor upon not less than 90 days’ written notice to us.
Indemnification
. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, the Advisor and its officers, managers, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from us for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the Advisor’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement or otherwise as our investment adviser.
Management Fee and Incentive Fee
We pay the Advisor a fee for its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement consisting of two components — a base management fee and an incentive fee.
The base management fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears and equals an annual rate of 1.75% of our “Total Equity Base.” “Total Equity Base” means the NAV of our Shares and the paid-in capital of our preferred stock, if any. These management fees are paid by the holders of our Shares and are not paid by holders of preferred stock, if any, or the holders of any other types of securities that we may issue. Base management fees for any partial calendar quarter will be appropriately pro-rated. The base
management fee does not increase when we borrow funds, but will increase if we issue preferred stock, which we may do within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering.
In addition, we will pay the Advisor an incentive fee based on our performance. The incentive fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears and equals 20% of our “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding quarter, subject to a preferred return, or “hurdle,” and a “catch up” feature. No incentive fees are payable to our investment adviser in respect of any capital gains. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees, such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that we receive from an investment) accrued during the calendar quarter, minus our operating expenses for the quarter (including the base management fee, expenses payable under the Administration Agreement to OFS Services, and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes accrued income that we have not yet received in cash, as well as any such amounts received (or accrued) in kind. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not include any capital gains or losses, and no incentive fees are payable in respect of any capital gains and no incentive fees are reduced in respect of any capital losses.
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of our net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, is compared to a hurdle of 2.00% of our NAV per quarter (8.00% annualized). For such purposes, our quarterly rate of return is determined by dividing our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income by our reported net assets as of the prior period end. Our net investment income used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the calculation of the Total Equity Base which is used to calculate the 1.75% base management fee.
The incentive fee is paid to the Advisor as follows:
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•
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no incentive fee in any calendar quarter in which our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle of 2.00% of our NAV;
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•
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100% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income with respect to that portion of such Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle but is less than 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter (10.00% annualized). We refer to this portion of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (which exceeds the hurdle but is less than 2.50% of our NAV) as the “catch-up.” The “catch-up” is meant to provide the Advisor with 20% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle did not apply if this net investment income meets or exceeds 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter; and
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•
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20% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.50% of our NAV in any calendar quarter (10.00% annualized) is payable to the Advisor (that is, once the hurdle is reached and the catch-up is achieved, 20% of all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter is paid to the Advisor).
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You should be aware that a rise in the general level of interest rates may be expected to lead to higher interest rates applicable to our investments. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates would make it easier for us to meet or exceed the hurdle rate and may result in a substantial increase of the amount of incentive fees payable to the Advisor.
No incentive fee is payable to the Advisor on capital gains, whether realized or unrealized. In addition, the amount of the incentive fee is not affected by any realized or unrealized losses that we may suffer.
The following is a graphical representation of the calculation of the incentive fee as well as examples of its application.
Quarterly Incentive Fee Based on Net Investment Income
Examples of Quarterly Incentive Fee Calculation (amounts expressed as a percentage of the value of net assets, and are not annualized)*
Alternative 1:
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, distributions, fees, etc.) = 1.25%
Hurdle rate
(1)
= 2.00%
Base management fee
(2)
= 0.4375%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)
(3)
= 0.25%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income – (base management fee + other expenses)) = 0.5625%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle rate, therefore there is no incentive fee.
Alternative 2:
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, distributions, fees, etc.) = 2.70%
Hurdle rate
(1)
= 2.00%
Base management fee
(2)
= 0.4375%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)
(3)
= 0.25%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income – (base management fee + other expenses)) = 2.0125%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the hurdle rate, therefore there is an incentive fee.
Incentive fee = (100% ×
“
catch-up
”
) + (the greater of 0% AND (20% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income – 2.50%)))
= (100.0% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income – 2.00%)) + 0%
= 100.0% × (2.0125% – 2.00%)
= 100.0% × 0.0125%
= 0.0125%
Alternative 3:
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, distributions, fees, etc.) = 3.25%
Hurdle rate
(1)
= 2.00%
Base management fee
(2)
= 0.4375%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)
(3)
= 0.25%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income – (base management fee + other expenses)) = 2.5625%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the hurdle rate, therefore there is a incentive fee.
Incentive fee = (100% ×
“
catch-up
”
) + (the greater of 0% AND (20% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income – 2.50%)))
= (100.0% × (2.50% – 2.00%)) + (20% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income – 2.50%))
= (100.0% × (2.50% – 2.00%)) + (20% × (2.5625% – 2.50%))
= 0.5000% + .0125%
= 0.5125%
(*)The hypothetical amount of Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income shown is based on a percentage of net assets.
(1) Represents 8.0% annualized hurdle rate.
(2) Represents 1.75% annualized base management fee.
(3) Excludes organizational and offering expenses as they will be paid for by OFS Advisor.
Other Expenses
The Advisor’s investment team, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory and management services, and the compensation and routine overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, are provided and paid for by the Advisor. We will bear all other costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including (without limitation):
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the cost of calculating our net asset value, including the cost of any third-party valuation services;
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the cost of effecting sales and repurchases of shares of our common stock and other securities;
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fees payable to third parties relating to making investments, including out-of-pocket fees and expenses associated with performing due diligence and reviews of prospective investments;
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transfer agent and custodial fees;
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out-of-pocket fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts;
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federal and state registration fees and any stock exchange listing fees;
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U.S. federal, state and local taxes;
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independent directors’ fees and expenses;
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fidelity bond, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and other insurance premiums;
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direct costs, such as printing, mailing and long-distance telephone;
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fees and expenses associated with independent audits and outside legal costs;
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costs associated with our reporting and compliance obligations under the 1940 Act and other applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws; and
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other expenses incurred by either OFS Services or us in connection with administering our business, including payments under the Administration Agreement that will be based upon our allocable portion (subject to the review and approval of our board of directors) of salaries and overhead.
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License Agreement
.
We have entered into the License Agreement with OFSAM pursuant to which OFSAM has granted us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the “OFS” name and logo. Under the License Agreement, we have a right to use the “OFS” name and logo, for so long as the Advisor or one of its affiliates remains our investment adviser. The License Agreement is terminable by either party at any time in its sole discretion upon 60 days’ prior written notice and is also terminable by OFSAM in the case of certain events of non-compliance. Other than with respect to this license, we have no legal right to the “OFS” name and logo.
Compensation
. The Advisor pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to providing advisory services to us. Professional compensation at the Advisor is structured so that key professionals benefit from strong investment performance generated on the accounts that the Advisor manages and from their longevity with the Advisor. Certain members of the Senior Investment Team may have direct or indirect equity ownership interests in the Advisor and related long-term incentives. Members of the Senior Investment Team also receive a fixed base salary and some receive an annual market and performance-based cash bonus. The bonus is based on both quantitative and qualitative analysis of several factors, including the profitability of the Advisor and the contribution of the individual employee. Many of the factors considered by management in reaching its compensation determinations will be impacted by our long-term performance and the value of our assets as well as the portfolios managed for the Advisor’s other clients.
Administration Agreement
. OFS Services, an affiliate of OFS Advisor, provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate. OFS Services furnishes us with office facilities and equipment, necessary software licenses and subscriptions and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities. OFS Services performs, or oversees the performance of, our required administrative services, which include being responsible for the financial records that we are required to maintain and preparing reports stockholders and all other reports and materials required to be filed with the SEC or any other regulatory authority. In addition, OFS Services assists us in determining and publishing our net asset value, oversees the preparation and filing of our tax returns and the printing and dissemination of reports to our stockholders, and generally oversees the payment of our expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to us by others. OFS Services may retain third parties to assist in providing administrative services to us. Payments under the Administration Agreement are equal to an amount based upon our allocable portion (subject to the review and approval of our Board) of OFS Services’ overhead in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including rent, information technology, and our allocable portion of the cost of our officers, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, chief accounting officer, corporate secretary, and their respective staffs. The Administration Agreement may be renewed annually with the approval of our board of directors, including a majority of our directors who are not “interested persons.” The Administration Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 90 days’ written notice to the other party. To the extent that OFS Services outsources any of its functions we pay the fees associated with such functions at cost without incremental profit to OFS Services.
Custodian and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bank National Association, as our custodian, will hold our assets, settles all portfolio trades and collects most of the valuation data required for calculating our NAV.
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC will be our transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
We have entered into agreements with OFS Advisor and its affiliates in which certain members of our senior management have ownership and financial interests.
Investment Advisory Agreement
We have entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor and will pay OFS Advisor a base management fee and incentive fee. Additionally, we rely on investment professionals from OFS Advisor to assist our Board with the valuation of our portfolio investments. OFS Advisor’s base management fee and incentive fee are based on the value of our investments and there may be a conflict of interest when personnel of OFS Advisor are involved in the valuation process for our portfolio investments. In addition, the incentive fee payable by us to OFS Advisor may create an incentive for OFS Advisor to cause us to make more speculative investments or increase our debt outstanding more than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement.
License Agreement
We have entered into a license agreement with OFSAM, the parent company of OFS Advisor, under which OFSAM grants us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the name “OFS.”
Administration Agreement
We have entered into the Administration Agreement, pursuant to which OFS Services furnishes us with office facilities and equipment, necessary software licenses and subscriptions and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities. Under our Administration Agreement, OFS Services performs, or oversees the performance of, our required administrative services, which include, among other things, being responsible for the financial records that we are required to maintain and preparing reports to our stockholders and all other reports and materials required to be filed with the SEC or any other regulatory authority.
Investment Committees, Investment Allocation and Transactions with Certain Affiliates
OFS Advisor and its affiliates manage other assets and funds and may manage other entities in the future, including business development companies ("BDC(s)"), and these other funds and entities may have similar or overlapping investment strategies. The Advisor Investment Committees are responsible for the overall asset allocation decisions and the evaluation and approval of investments of OFS Advisor’s or its affiliates' CLO advisory clients. The Structured Credit Investment Committee, which is comprised of Richard Ressler (Chairman), Jeffrey Cerny, Bilal Rashid, Glen Ostrander and Kenneth A. Brown, is responsible for the evaluation and approval of all the investments made by us directly or through our wholly-owned subsidiaries, as appropriate. The Structured Credit Investment Committee also determines appropriate investment sizing and implement ongoing monitoring requirements of our investments.
Our senior management, members of the Advisor Investment Committees, members of the Senior Investment Team and other investment professionals from OFSAM or its other affiliates are serving or may serve as officers, directors or principals of (i) entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, (ii) entities in which we invest or in which we are considering making an investment or (iii) investment funds or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor or its affiliates. Through these and other relationships, these individuals may obtain material non-public information that might restrict our ability to buy or sell the securities of a company under the policies of the Company or applicable law.
Similarly, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates have other clients with similar, different or competing investment objectives. In serving in these multiple capacities, they may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. An investment opportunity that is suitable for multiple clients of OFS Advisor and its affiliates may not be capable of being shared among some or all of such clients and affiliates due to the limited scale of the opportunity or other factors, including regulatory restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act. There can be no assurance that OFS Advisor’s or its affiliates’ efforts to allocate any particular investment opportunity fairly and equitably among all clients for whom such opportunity is appropriate will result in an allocation of all or part of such opportunity to us. Not all conflicts of interest can be expected to be resolved in our favor. As a result, we may not be given the opportunity to participate in certain investments made by investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor and its affiliates or by members of our investment committees.
We are prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which we and one or more of our affiliates are engaging together in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be our affiliate for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we are generally prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with such affiliates, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, we are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with the following affiliated persons: (a) our officers, directors, and employees; (b) OFS Advisor and its affiliates; and (c) OFSAM or its affiliates.
We may, however, invest alongside OFSAM and its affiliates or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that OFS Advisor, acting on our behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other accounts. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, this guidance does not permit us to invest in any issuer in which OFSAM and its affiliates or a fund managed by OFSAM or its affiliates has previously invested.
On October 12, 2016, OFS Advisor received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit certain regulated funds managed by it to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain other funds managed by OFS Advisor (“Affiliated Funds”) in a manner consistent with such regulated funds’ investment objectives, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors, subject to compliance with the Order. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with Affiliated Funds if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transactions, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching by us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies.
OFS Advisor will seek to allocate investment opportunities among us and other eligible accounts in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and consistent with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
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investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
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risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
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suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
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if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
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level of available capital for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
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total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
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the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
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In situations where co-investment with other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. These restrictions, and similar restrictions that limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates, may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Under Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act, a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to control such company. An affiliate of our Advisor has provided our initial capitalization and, as of the date of this prospectus, holds all of our outstanding Shares. The affiliate is therefore a control person of us as of the date of this prospectus. However, it is anticipated that such affiliate of our Advisor will no longer be a control person upon the completion of this offering.
We are unaware of any persons who will directly or indirectly own, control or hold with the power to vote, 5% or more of our outstanding Shares following the completion of this offering. Following the completion of this offering, all of our officers and directors, as a group, will own less than one percent of our Shares.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
We have three classes of directors, currently consisting of one Class I director, two Class II directors and two Class III directors. At each annual meeting of stockholders, directors are elected for a full term of three years to succeed those whose terms are expiring. The terms of the three classes are staggered in a manner so that only one class is elected by stockholders annually.
The Board of Directors
The Board currently consists of five members, Messrs Rashid and Cerny, Wolfgang Schubert, Kathleen M. Griggs and Romita Shetty. The term of one class expires each year commencing with the first annual meeting following this initial public offering of our Shares. The term of Mr. Rashid expires at the first annual meeting following this offering; the terms of Ms. Shetty and Mr. Schubert expire at the second annual meeting following this offering; and the terms of Ms. Griggs and Mr. Cerny expire at the third annual meeting following this offering. Subsequently, each class of directors will stand for election at the conclusion of its respective term. Such classification may prevent replacement of a majority of the directors for up to a two-year period.
The directors and our officers are listed below. Except as indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in the same company for the last five years. The “Independent Directors” consist of those directors who are not “interested persons,” as that term is defined under the 1940 Act, of the Company. Conversely, “Interested Director(s)” consist of those directors who are “interested persons” of the Company. Certain of our officers and directors also are officers or managers of the Advisor.
Information regarding our board of directors is as follows:
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Name, Address
(1)
and Age
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Position(s) held with Company
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Term of Office and Length of Time Served
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Principal Occupation, Other Business Experience During the Past Five Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director (2)
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Other Directorships Held by Director
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Independent Directors
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Kathleen M. Griggs
Age: 63
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Director
(3)
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2018 - Current
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Ms. Griggs has been a managing director of Griggs Consulting, LLC, a consulting and advisory firm, since 2014. Prior to that, Ms. Griggs served as the Chief Financial Officer of j2 Global, Inc. from 2007 to 2014. Ms. Griggs also previously served as a Director, Audit Committee Chair and Governance Committee member for Chad Therapeutics, Inc. from 2001 to 2009. Ms. Griggs received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. From her experience as a Chief Financial Officer for over 25 years in public and private companies and as a financial expert for Chad Therapeutics, a public company, Ms. Griggs has developed extensive knowledge of accounting and finance, which we believe qualifies her for service on our Board.
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1
(4)
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None
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Wolfgang Schubert
Age: 48
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Director
(3)
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2018 - Current
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Mr. Schubert has served as a managing member of Werkstatt Capital, LLC, an investment management venture that specializes in structured credit strategies, since July 2016. Prior to co-founding Werkstatt Capital, Mr. Schubert served as the chief risk officer of Strategic Value Partners from 2009 to 2015. Prior to joining Strategic Value Partners, Mr. Schubert held positions at Silver Point Capital, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, where he worked in banking, structuring and financing functions. Mr. Schubert holds bachelor degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a master’s degree from Princeton University. He is also a CFA charterholder. We believe that Mr. Schubert’s wealth of experience in risk assessment and structured credit qualifies him for service on our Board.
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1
(4)
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None
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Name, Address
(1)
and Age
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Position(s) held with Company
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Term of Office and Length of Time Served
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Principal Occupation, Other Business Experience During the Past Five Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director (2)
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Other Directorships Held by Director
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Romita
Shetty
Age: 52
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Director
(3)
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2018 - Current
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Ms. Shetty currently serves as a principal of DA Companies, parent of DA Capital LLC, a global investment manager specializing in credit and special situations. Ms. Shetty has 27 years of experience in fixed income and credit. At DA Capital she has focused on special situations, structured credit and private investments. She has also served in a management capacity as President of DA Capital Asia Pte Ltd. In 2007-2008 she ran the Global Special Opportunities group at Lehman Brothers which invested proprietary capital across the capital structure. Prior to that she co-ran North American structured equity and credit markets and the Global Alternative Investment product businesses at RBS from 2004 to 2006. Previously she worked at JP Morgan from 1997 to 2004 where she ran their Global Structured Credit Derivatives as well as Financial Institutions Solutions and CDO businesses. She started her career at Standard & Poor’s in 1990 where she worked on a wide variety of credit ratings including municipal bonds, financial institutions and asset-backed securities and managed a large part of their ABS ratings business. Ms. Shetty holds a BA (Honors) in History from St Stephens College, India and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University. We believe that Ms. Shetty’s extensive experience in fixed income and credit management and expertise in the Company’s intended investments qualifies her for service on our Board.
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1
(4)
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None
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Name, Address and Age
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Position(s) held with Company
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Term of Office and Length of Time Served
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Principal Occupation, Other Business Experience During the Past Five Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director (1)
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Other Directorships Held by Director
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Interested Directors
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Bilal Rashid
Age: 47
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Director, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
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Director (Since 2017);
Chairman (Since 2018); and President and Chief Executive Officer (Since 2017)
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Mr. Rashid has served as our Chairman of the Board since 2018, President and Chief Executive Officer since our inception in 2017. He is also Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of OFS Capital Corporation and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc., President and a Senior Managing Director of OFS Advisor, Chief Executive Officer of OFSAM, and a member of OFSAM’s investment and executive committees. Prior to joining OFSAM in 2008, Mr. Rashid was a managing director in the global markets and investment banking division at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Rashid has more than 20 years of experience in investment banking, debt capital markets and investing as it relates to structured credit and corporate credit. Over the years, he has advised and arranged financing for investment management companies and commercial finance companies including business development companies. Before joining Merrill Lynch in 2005, he was a vice president at Natixis Capital Markets, which he joined as part of a large team move from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”). Prior to CIBC, he worked as an investment analyst in the project finance area at the International Finance Corporation, which is part of the World Bank. Prior to that, Mr. Rashid was a financial analyst at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Rashid has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from Columbia University. Through his years of work in investment banking, capital markets and in sourcing, leading and managing investments, Mr. Rashid has developed expertise and skills that are relevant to understanding the risks and opportunities that the Company faces and which are critical to implementing our strategic goals and evaluating our operational performance.
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3
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OFS Capital Corporation, a BDC managed by OFS Advisor and Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc., another BDC managed by OFS Advisor
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Name, Address and Age
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Position(s) held with Company
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Term of Office and Length of Time Served
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Principal Occupation, Other Business Experience During the Past Five Years
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Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director (1)
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Other Directorships Held by Director
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Jeffrey A. Cerny
Age: 55
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Director, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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(Director) Since 2017
(Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer) Since 2017
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Mr. Cerny has served as a member of our Board, and our Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since 2017, as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. since 2016 and as a Director since 2015 and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of OFS Capital Corporation since 2014. Mr. Cerny also serves as a Senior Managing Director of OFS Advisor, as a Vice President of OFSAM, and as a member of OFSAM’s investment and executive committees. Mr. Cerny oversees the finance and accounting functions of Hancock Park and OFS Capital Corporation as well as the underwriting, credit monitoring and CLO portfolio compliance for OFS Advisor’s syndicated senior loan business. Prior to joining OFSAM in 1999, Mr. Cerny held various positions at Sanwa Business Credit Corporation, American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago and Charter Bank Group, a multi-bank holding company. Mr. Cerny holds a B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University, a Masters of Management in Finance and Economics from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg School of Management, and a J.D. from DePaul University’s School of Law. Mr. Cerny brings to our board of directors extensive accounting and financial experience and expertise. He is also an experienced investor, including lending, structuring and workouts which makes him an asset to our board of directors. The breadth of his background and experience enables Mr. Cerny to provide unique insight into our strategic process and into the management of our investment portfolio.
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2
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OFS Capital Corporation, a BDC managed by OFS Advisor
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(1) The address of each director is 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL, 60606.
(2) The “Fund Complex” includes the Company, OFS Capital Corporation and Hancock Park.
(3) Prior to commencing this offering, we expect Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert to be appointed as the remaining members of our Board of Directors. We expect Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert to be determined not to be “interested persons” of us, OFS Advisor or their respective affiliates as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
(4) Assumes the appointment of each director nominee as a director of the Company.
Officers Who Are Not Directors
Information regarding the Company’s officers who are not directors is as follows:
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Name
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Age
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Position
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Jeffery S. Owen
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53
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Chief Accounting Officer
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Mukya S. Porter
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43
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Chief Compliance Officer
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Tod Reichert
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56
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Corporate Secretary
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The following is information concerning the business experience of our officers.
Jeffery S. Owen
has served as our Chief Accounting Officer since 2017 and has served as the Chief Accounting Officer of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. and OFS Capital Corporation since 2016. Mr. Owen also serves as the Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of OFS Advisor. Mr. Owen has over 25 years of experience in public and private accounting. Prior to joining OFSAM in November of 2015, Mr. Owen served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Accounting for Northern Trust Corporation. Before joining Northern Trust Corporation in 2010, he held various positions at Aon Corporation, Web Street, Inc., CNA Financial Corporation, and Ernst & Young LLP, an international public accounting firm. Mr. Owen holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters of Business Administration, cum laude, from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Mr. Owen is also a Certified Public Accountant and a CFA charterholder.
Mukya S. Porter
has served as our Chief Compliance Officer since 2017 and has served as the Chief Compliance Officer of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. and OFS Capital Corporation and OFS Advisor since 2017, in which capacity she oversees the compliance and risk management functions. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Porter served as Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel-Compliance of CIM Group, having joined the firm in August 2016 and is responsible for management of the day-to-day responsibilities of CIM’s compliance program. From June 2012 to August 2016, Ms. Porter served as a Senior Vice President of Compliance at Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. ("Oaktree"), an alternative investment adviser, where she was responsible for oversight of the firm’s code of ethics program and the day-to-day management of an affiliated limited-purpose broker dealer. Prior to Oaktree, Ms. Porter held the position of Vice President and Senior Compliance Officer at Pacific Investment Management Company (“PIMCO”) from 2010 to 2012 and prior to that, from 2004 to 2010, worked, first, as a Vice President in the Legal department at Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management and, subsequently, as a Vice President of Compliance at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Ms. Porter received a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Biology from Howard University in 1996 and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2001.
Tod K. Reichert
has served as our Corporate Secretary since 2017, as the Corporate Secretary of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. and OFS Capital Corporation since 2017, and as Managing Director, Legal and Administration and General Counsel of OFS Advisor, in which capacity he oversees the legal and administration functions of the firm. Mr. Reichert has over 20 years of experience as a strategic business partner, providing advice on general corporate governance and transactional matters, with a focus on securities laws, compliance, corporate finance, debt and equity investments, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining OFS Advisor, Mr. Reichert served as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of MCG Capital Corporation (NASDAQ: MCGC), managing the legal and compliance departments, overseeing complex litigation, and providing securities law, disclosure and transactional advice to the Board of Directors and senior management team, while serving as a member of the MCG credit committee and the Small Business Investment Company investment committee. Prior to joining MCG, Mr. Reichert worked as an attorney in private practice in New York, Princeton and Boston. Mr. Reichert received his J.D. from the Rutgers University School of Law - Newark and his BFA from the University of North Carolina.
Compensation of Directors
Following completion of this offering, each independent director will receive an annual fee of $50,000. In addition, the chairman of each committee will receive an annual fee of $10,000 for his or her additional services in this capacity. The annual fee that each independent director receives will increase to $75,000 when the Company's net asset value reaches $125.0 million. We will also reimburse our independent directors for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending our Board and committee meetings. We have obtained directors’ and officers’ liability insurance on behalf of our directors and officers. No compensation is paid to directors who are “interested persons.” No compensation has been paid to our directors as of the date of this prospectus.
Director Ownership of Company Shares
The table below sets forth the dollar range of the value of our Shares that are owned beneficially by each director as of [ ], 2018 and the dollar range of the value of our Shares expected to be beneficially owned by each director immediately after the completion of this offering. For purposes of this table, beneficial ownership is defined to mean a direct or indirect pecuniary interest.
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Name of Director
(2)
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Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Company
as of [ ], 2018
(1)
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Pro Forma Dollar Range
of Equity Securities
in the Company
(after Completion of Offering)
(1)
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Pro Forma Dollar Range
of Equity Securities
in the Fund Complex
(after Completion of Offering)
(1)
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Independent Directors
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Kathleen M. Griggs
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None
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None
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None
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Wolfgang Schubert
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None
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None
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None
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Romita Shetty
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None
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None
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None
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Interested Directors
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Bilal Rashid
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None
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None
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None
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Jeffrey A. Cerny
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None
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None
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None
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(1) Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1 – $10,000, $10,001 – $50,000, $50,001 – $100,000 and over $100,000.
(2) Prior to commencing this offering, we expect Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert to be appointed as the remaining members of our Board of Directors. We expect Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert to be determined not to be “interested persons” of us, OFS Advisor or their respective affiliates as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
Corporate Governance
Board Determination of Independence
Under applicable Nasdaq rules, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of our board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. The Nasdaq Marketplace Rules provide that a director of a registered closed end fund, shall be considered to be independent if he or she is not an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act defines an “interested person” to include, among other things, any person who has, or within the past two years had, a material business or professional relationship with us.
Our board of directors has determined that none of Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert, who currently comprise our audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees, has a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director and that each of these directors is “independent” as that term is defined under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.
In determining the independence of the directors listed above, our board of directors also considered each of the statutory requirements, polices and relationships discussed in “Related-Party Transactions and Certain Relationships” and “Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons.”
Board Meetings and Attendance
Director Attendance at Annual Meetings of Stockholders
All of our directors are encouraged to attend our annual stockholders’ meeting.
Board Leadership Structure; Independent Lead Director
Our Board monitors and performs an oversight role with respect to our business and affairs, including with respect to investment practices and performance, compliance with regulatory requirements and the services, expenses and performance of service providers to us. Among other things, our Board approves the appointment of our investment adviser and our officers, reviews and monitors the services and activities performed by our investment adviser and our officers, and approves the engagement, and reviews the performance of, our independent registered public accounting firm.
Our Board understands that there is no single, generally accepted approach to providing board leadership and that given the dynamic and competitive environment in which we operate, the right board leadership structure may vary as circumstances warrant. Consistent with this understanding, the independent directors consider the board’s leadership structure on an annual basis. This consideration includes the pros and cons of alternative leadership structures in light of our operating and governance environment at the time, with the goal of achieving the optimal model for effective oversight of management by the board.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
The Board currently combines the role of Chairman of the Board with the role of Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), coupled with a Lead Independent Director position to further strengthen the governance structure. Our Board believes this provides an efficient and effective leadership model for the Company. Combining the Chairman and CEO roles fosters clear accountability, effective decision-making and alignment on corporate strategy.
Moreover, the Board believes that its governance practices provide adequate safeguards against any potential risks that might be associated with having a combined Chairman and CEO.
Specifically:
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Three of the five current directors of the Company are independent directors;
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All of the members of the audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and corporate governance committee are independent directors;
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The Board and its committees regularly conduct scheduled meetings in executive session, out of the presence of Mr. Rashid and other members of management;
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The Board and its committees regularly conduct meetings that specifically include Mr. Rashid; and
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The Board and its committees remain in close contact with, and receive reports on various aspects of the Company’s management and enterprise risk directly from, the Company’s senior management and independent auditors.
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Lead Independent Director
The Board has appointed a Lead Independent Director to provide an additional measure of balance, ensure the Board’s independence, and enhance the board’s ability to fulfill its management oversight responsibilities. Ms. Griggs currently serves as the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director:
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Presides over all meetings of the directors at which the Chairman is not present, including executive sessions of the independent directors;
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Works with the Chairman of the Board in the preparation of the agenda for each board meeting and in determining the need for special meetings of the Board;
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Frequently consults with the Chairman and CEO about strategic policies;
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Provides the Chairman and CEO with input regarding board meetings;
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Serves as a liaison between the Chairman and CEO and the independent directors;
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Consults with the Chairman and CEO on matters relating to corporate governance and board performance; and
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Otherwise assumes such responsibilities as may be assigned to him by the independent directors.
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While we currently do not have a policy mandating an independent lead director, the Board believes that at this time, having an independent director fulfill the lead director role is the right approach for the Company. Having a combined Chairman and CEO, coupled with a majority of independent, experienced directors who evaluate the Board and themselves at least annually, including a Lead Independent Director with specified responsibilities on behalf of the independent directors, provides the right leadership structure for the Company and is best for the Company and its stockholders at this time.
Board of Directors Role in Risk Oversight
Our management team has the primary responsibility for risk management and must develop appropriate processes and procedures to identify, manage and mitigate risks. Our Board, through its oversight role, supervises our risk management activities to ensure that the risk management processes designed and implemented by our executives are adapted to and integrated with the Board’s corporate strategy, designed to support the achievement of organizational objectives, functioning as directed and that necessary steps are taken to foster a culture of risk-adjusted decision-making throughout the enterprise.
A fundamental part of risk management is not only understanding the risks a company faces and what steps management is taking to manage those risks, but also understanding what level of risk is appropriate for the company. The involvement of the full Board in setting our business strategy is a key part of its assessment of management’s appetite for risk and also a determination of what constitutes an appropriate level of risk for us. Through dedicated sessions focusing entirely on corporate strategy, the full Board will review in detail the company’s short- and long-term strategies, including consideration of significant risks facing the Company and their potential impact.
Our Board will perform its risk oversight function primarily through: (i) its standing committees, which report to the entire Board and are comprised solely of independent directors; and (ii) active monitoring of our chief compliance officer and our compliance policies and procedures. For example, management of cybersecurity risks is the responsibility of the full Board. Oversight of other risks is delegated to specific committees.
Oversight of our investment activities extends to oversight of the risk management processes employed by OFS Advisor as part of its day-to-day management of our investment activities. The Board anticipates reviewing risk management processes at both regular and special board meetings throughout the year, consulting with appropriate representatives of OFS Advisor, as necessary, and periodically requesting the production of risk management reports or presentations. The goal of the Board’s risk oversight function is
to ensure that the risks associated with our investment activities are accurately identified, thoroughly investigated and responsibly addressed. Investors should note, however, that the Board’s oversight function cannot eliminate all risks or ensure that particular events do not adversely affect the value of investments.
We believe that our approach to risk oversight, as described above, optimizes our ability to assess inter-relationships among the various risks, make informed cost-benefit decisions and approach emerging risks in a proactive manner for the Company. We also believe that our risk structure complements our current Board leadership structure, as it allows our independent directors, through the three fully independent Board committees and otherwise, to exercise oversight of the actions of management in identifying risks and implementing risk management policies and controls. We believe that the role of our Board in risk oversight is effective and appropriate given the extensive regulation to which we are already subject as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act. As a registered closed-end investment company, we are required to comply with certain regulatory requirements that control the levels of risk in our business and operations. For example, we are limited in our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates, including investing in any portfolio company in which one of our affiliates currently has an investment.
Code of Business Conduct
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct that applies to, among others, our executive officers, including our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as well as every officer, director and employee of the Company. Requests for copies should be sent in writing to our Chief Compliance Officer, Mukya S. Porter, at OFS Credit Company, Inc., 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The Company’s Code of Business Conduct is also available on our website at
www.ofscreditcompany.com.
In addition, we intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or Nasdaq Global Select Market listing standards concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, any provision of this code.
If we make any substantive amendments to, or grant a waiver from, a provision of our Code of Business Conduct, we will promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on our website at
www.ofscreditcompany.com
.
Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons
The audit committee of our Board is required to review and approve any transactions with related persons (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K).
Corporate Governance Documents
We maintain a corporate governance webpage at the “Governance Documents” link under the “Investor Relations” link at
www.ofscreditcompany.com
. Our Code of Business Conduct and Board Committee charters are available at our corporate governance webpage at
www.ofscreditcompany.com
and are also available to any stockholder who requests them by writing to OFS Credit Company, Inc., 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Attention: Tod K. Reichert, Corporate Secretary.
Executive Sessions and Communicating with the Board of Directors
The independent directors serving on our Board intend to meet in executive sessions at the conclusion of each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board, and additionally as needed, without the presence of any directors or other persons who are part of the Company’s management. These executive sessions of our Board will be presided over by our Company’s Lead Independent Director.
Our Board will give appropriate attention to written communications that are submitted by stockholders, and will respond if and as appropriate. The Chairman of the Board (if an independent director), or the lead director (if one is appointed), or otherwise the chairperson of the nominating and corporate governance committee, with advice and assistance from the general counsel and chief compliance officer and, if requested, outside legal counsel, is primarily responsible for monitoring communications from stockholders and for providing copies of summaries of such communications to the other directors as he or she considers appropriate.
Communications are forwarded to all directors if they relate to important substantive matters and include suggestions or comments that the Chairman of the Board considers to be important for the directors to know. In general, communications relating to corporate governance and corporate strategy are more likely to be forwarded than communications relating to ordinary business affairs, personal grievances and matters as to which we tend to receive repetitive or duplicative communications.
Stockholders who wish to send communications on any topic to the Board should address such communications to the OFS Credit Company, Inc. Board of Directors, c/o Tod K. Reichert, Corporate Secretary, OFS Credit Company, Inc., 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
Board Meetings and Committees
Our Board has established three standing committees: audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance. Our audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committees each operate under a charter that has been approved by our Board. Current copies of the audit, compensation and nominating and corporate governance committee charters are posted in the Corporate Governance section of our website located at
www.ofscreditcompany.com
.
Our Board has determined that all of the members of each of the Board’s standing committees are independent as defined under the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. including, in the case of all members of the audit committee, the independence requirements contemplated by Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act.
Audit Committee
The audit committee consists of Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert. Ms. Griggs is the chair of the audit committee. No member of the audit committee is an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Our audit committee’s responsibilities include:
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appointing, approving the compensation of, and assessing the independence of our independent registered public accounting firm;
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overseeing the work of our independent registered public accounting firm, including through the receipt and consideration of certain reports from such firm;
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reviewing and discussing with management our annual and quarterly financial statements and related disclosures;
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monitoring our internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures;
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discussing our risk management processes and procedures;
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establishing policies regarding hiring employees from the independent registered public accounting firm and procedures for the receipt and retention of accounting related complaints and concerns;
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meeting independently with our independent registered public accounting firm and management;
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reviewing and approving or ratifying any related person transactions; and
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preparing the audit committee report required by SEC rules.
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Our board of directors has determined that Ms. Griggs is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by applicable SEC rules.
Compensation Committee
The compensation committee consists of Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert. Ms. Shetty is the chair of the compensation committee. No member of the compensation committee is an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Our compensation committee’s responsibilities include:
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reviewing and approving the reimbursement by the Company of the compensation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary; and
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reviewing and recommending for approval by the Board the compensation, if any, paid to directors that are not “interested persons” of the company as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
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Currently none of the Company’s executive officers is directly compensated by the Company. However, the Company reimburses the Administrator for the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including an allocable share of the compensation of certain of the Company’s executive officers.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Mses. Griggs and Shetty and Mr. Schubert. Mr. Schubert is the chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee. No member of the nominating and corporate governance committee is an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Our nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities include:
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identifying individuals qualified to become Board members;
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recommending to the Board the persons to be nominated for election as directors and to each of the Board’s committees;
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reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to management succession planning; and
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overseeing an annual evaluation of the Board.
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The processes and procedures followed by our nominating and corporate governance committee in identifying and evaluating director candidates are described below under the heading “Director Nomination Process, Including Diversity Considerations.”
Director Nomination Process, Including Diversity Considerations
The process followed by our nominating and corporate governance committee to identify and evaluate director candidates includes requests to board members and others for recommendations, meetings from time to time to evaluate biographical information and
background material relating to potential candidates and interviews of selected candidates by members of the nominating and corporate governance committee and other members of the Board, as applicable.
In considering whether to recommend any particular candidate for inclusion in the Board’s slate of recommended director nominees, the nominating and corporate governance committee applies the criteria included in its charter. These criteria include the candidate’s integrity, business acumen, knowledge of our business and industry, experience, diligence, conflicts of interest and the ability to act in the interests of all stockholders. The nominating and corporate governance committee does not assign specific weights to particular criteria and no particular criterion is a prerequisite for each prospective nominee.
We believe that our directors have an appropriate balance of knowledge, experience, attributes, skills and expertise required for our Board as a whole and that we have sufficient independent directors to comply with applicable law and regulations. We believe that our directors have a broad range of personal and professional characteristics, including: leadership; management ability; financial experience; the ability to act with integrity and sound judgment; the capacity to demonstrate innovative thinking, consider strategic proposals, assist with the development of our strategic plan and oversee its implementation; the ability to oversee our risk management efforts; and the commitment to preparation for, and attendance at, board and committee meetings.
Our Board does not have a specific diversity policy, but considers diversity of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, cultural background and professional experiences in evaluating candidates for board membership. We believe diversity is important because a variety of viewpoints contribute to an effective decision-making process.
Stockholders may recommend individuals to the nominating and corporate governance committee for consideration as potential director candidates by submitting their names, together with appropriate biographical information and background materials, to the nominating and corporate governance committee, c/o Tod K. Reichert, Corporate Secretary, OFS Credit Company, Inc., 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Assuming that appropriate biographical and background material has been provided on a timely basis, the nominating and corporate governance committee will evaluate stockholder-recommended candidates by following substantially the same process, and applying substantially the same criteria, as it follows for candidates submitted by others.
Stockholders also have the right under our bylaws to directly nominate director candidates, without any action or recommendation on the part of the nominating and corporate governance committee or our Board, by following the procedures set forth in our bylaws.
Compensation of Executive Officers
None of our officers receives direct compensation from us. Mr. Rashid, our President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Cerny, our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Owen, our Chief Accounting Officer, Ms. Porter, our Chief Compliance Officer and Mr. Reichert, our Corporate Secretary, are paid by OFSAM, subject to reimbursement by us, pursuant to the Administration Agreement, for an allocable portion of such compensation for services rendered by such persons to us.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The NAV per share of our outstanding Shares is determined quarterly by dividing the value of total assets minus liabilities by the total number of Shares outstanding at the date as of which the determination is made.
In calculating the value of our investment assets each quarter, we will assess whether a sufficient number of market quotations are available or whether a sufficient number of indicative prices from pricing services or brokers or dealers have been received. Investments for which sufficient market quotations are available will be valued at such market quotations. Otherwise we intend to undertake, on a quarterly basis, a valuation process as described below:
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For each investment, a basic review process will be completed by OFS Advisor's investment professionals. The basic review on every investment will be reviewed and either reaffirmed or revised by OFS Advisor’s investment committee.
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Each investment will be valued by OFS Advisor.
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The preliminary valuations will be documented and then submitted to OFS Advisor’s investment committee for ratification.
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Third-party valuation firm(s) will provide valuation services as requested, by reviewing OFS Advisor's investment committee’s preliminary valuations. OFS Advisor’s investment committee’s preliminary fair value conclusions on each of our assets for which sufficient market quotations are not readily available will be reviewed and assessed by a third-party valuation firm at least once in every 12-month period, and more often as determined by the audit committee of our Board or required by our valuation policy. Such valuation assessment may be in the form of positive assurance, range of values or other valuation method based on the discretion of our Board.
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The audit committee of the Board will review the preliminary valuations of OFS Advisor’s investment committee and independent valuation firms and, if appropriate, recommend the approval of the valuations by the Board.
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Our Board will discuss valuations and determines the fair value of each investment in the portfolio in good faith based on the input of OFS Advisor, the audit committee and, where appropriate, the respective independent valuation firm.
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See “
Risks - A substantial portion of our portfolio investments may be recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of our board of directors and, as a result, there may be uncertainty regarding the value of our portfolio investments.
”
We will follow Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820 -
Fair Value Measurement
for measuring fair value. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair values are determined with market observations, models or other valuation techniques, valuation inputs, and assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. Valuation inputs are organized in a hierarchy that gives the highest priority to prices for identical assets or liabilities quoted in active markets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of inputs in the fair value hierarchy are described below:
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Level 1
: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity can access at the measurement date.
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Level 2
: Inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. If the asset or liability has a specified term, a Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include: (i) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, (ii) quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, (iii) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.
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Level 3
: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, and situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
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The inputs into the determination of fair value will be based upon the best information available to OFS Advisor (or to third-party valuation firms hired by OFS Advisor to review its investment committee's preliminary valuations) under the circumstances and may require significant management judgment or estimation. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy will be based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety will require judgment, and will consider factors specific to the investment.
We expect to assess the levels of the investments at each measurement date, and recognize transfers between levels on the measurement dates. All of our investments, which will be measured at fair value, are expected to be categorized as Level 3 based upon the expected lowest level of significant input to the valuations. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety will require judgment, and will consider factors specific to the investment.
Consistent with the policies and methodologies to be adopted by the Board, we will perform detailed investment valuations, including an analysis of our investment purchase commitments, using both the market and income approaches as appropriate. There is no one methodology to estimate investment value and, in fact, for any one investment, value is generally best expressed as a range of values. As noted above, we will also engage one or more independent valuation firms(s) to conduct independent appraisals of our investments to develop the range of values, from which we may derive a single estimate of value.
Application of our valuation methodologies will involve a significant degree of judgment by management. Fair values of new investments or investments where an arm’s length transaction occurred in the same security will generally be assumed to equal their cost for up to three months after their initial purchase.
Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of Level 3 investments, the fair value of the investments may differ significantly from the values that may have been used had a ready market or observable inputs exist for such investments and may differ materially from the values that may ultimately be received or settled. Further, such investments will generally be subject to legal and other restrictions, or otherwise will be less liquid than publicly traded instruments. If we are required to liquidate a portfolio investment in a forced or liquidation sale, we might realize significantly less than the value at which such investment will have previously been recorded. Our investments will be subject to market risk. Market risk is the potential for changes in the value due to market changes. Market risk is directly impacted by the volatility and liquidity in the markets in which the investments are traded.
Determinations in connection with offerings
In connection with future offerings of Shares, our Board or an authorized committee thereof will be required to make a good faith determination that we are not selling Shares at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made. Our Board or an authorized committee thereof will consider the following factors, among others, in making such determination:
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the NAV per Share disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC;
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our management’s assessment of whether any material change in the NAV per Share has occurred (including through the realization of gains on the sale of our portfolio securities) during the period beginning on the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value per Share and ending as of a time within 48 hours (excluding Sundays and holidays) of the sale of our common stock; and
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the magnitude of the difference between (i) a value that our Board or an authorized committee thereof has determined reflects the current (as of a time within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays) NAV of our common stock, which is based upon the NAV of our Shares disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC, as adjusted to reflect our management’s assessment of any material change in the NAV of our Shares since the date of the most recently disclosed NAV of our Shares, and (ii) the offering price of the shares of our common stock in the proposed offering.
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Moreover, to the extent that there is a possibility that we may (i) issue Shares at a price per Share below the then current net asset value per Share at the time at which the sale is made or (ii) trigger the undertaking (which we provide in certain registration statements we file with the SEC) to suspend the offering of shares of our common stock if the NAV per Share fluctuates by certain amounts in certain circumstances until the prospectus is amended, our Board will elect, in the case of clause (i) above, either to postpone the offering until such time that there is no longer the possibility of the occurrence of such event or to undertake to determine the NAV per Share within two days prior to any such sale to ensure that such sale will not be below our then current NAV per Share, and, in the case of clause (ii) above, to comply with such undertaking or to undertake to determine the NAV per Share to ensure that such undertaking has not been triggered.
These processes and procedures are part of our compliance policies and procedures. Records will be made contemporaneously with all determinations described in this section and these records will be maintained with other records that we are required to maintain under the 1940 Act.
DISTRIBUTION REINVESTMENT PLAN
We have adopted a DRIP that provides for reinvestment of our distributions and other distributions on behalf of our stockholders, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash as provided below. As a result, if our Board authorizes, and we declare, a cash distribution, then our stockholders who have not “opted out” of our DRIP will have their cash distribution automatically reinvested in additional Shares, rather than receiving the cash distribution.
No action is required on the part of a registered stockholder to have their cash distribution reinvested in Shares. A registered stockholder may elect to receive an entire distribution in cash by notifying American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the plan administrator and our transfer agent and registrar, in writing so that such notice is received by the plan administrator no later than 10 days prior to the record date for distributions to stockholders. The plan administrator will set up an account for shares acquired through the DRIP for each stockholder who has not elected to receive distributions in cash and hold such Shares in non-certificated form. Upon request by a stockholder participating in the plan, received in writing not less than 10 days prior to the record date, the plan administrator will, instead of crediting Shares to the participant’s account, issue a certificate registered in the participant’s name for the number of whole Shares and a check for any fractional Share.
Those stockholders whose Shares are held by a broker or other financial intermediary may receive distributions in cash by notifying their broker or other financial intermediary of their election.
We will use primarily newly issued Shares to implement the DRIP, whether our Shares are trading at a premium or at a discount to net asset value. However, we reserve the right to direct the plan administrator to purchase Shares in the open market in connection with our implementation of the plan. The number of Shares to be issued to a stockholder is determined by dividing the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to such stockholder by the market price per Share at the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the valuation date for such distribution. Market price per Share on that date will be the closing price for such shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or, if no sale is reported for such day, at the average of their reported bid and asked prices. The number of Shares to be outstanding after giving effect to payment of the distribution cannot be established until the value per Share at which additional Shares will be issued has been determined and elections of our stockholders have been tabulated.
There will be no brokerage charges or other charges to stockholders who participate in the DRIP. The plan administrator’s fees will be paid by us. If a participant elects by written notice to the plan administrator to have the plan administrator sell part or all of the shares held by the plan administrator in the participant’s account and remit the proceeds to the participant, the plan administrator is authorized to deduct a $15.00 transaction fee plus a $0.10 per share brokerage commission from the proceeds.
Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of stock are subject to the same U.S. federal tax consequences as are stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash; however, since their cash distributions will be reinvested, such stockholders will not receive cash with which to pay any applicable taxes on reinvested distributions. A stockholder’s basis for determining gain or loss upon the sale of stock received in a distribution from us will be equal to the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to the stockholder. Any stock received in a distribution will have a new holding period for tax purposes commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the U.S. stockholder’s account.
Participants may terminate their accounts under the DRIP by notifying the plan administrator via its website at
www.amstock.com
, by filling out the transaction request form located at the bottom of their statement and sending it to the plan administrator. Such termination will be effective immediately if the participant’s notice is received by the plan administrator not less than 10 days prior to any distribution record date; otherwise, such termination will be effective only with respect to any subsequent distribution. The DRIP may be terminated by us upon notice in writing mailed to each participant at least 30 days prior to any record date for the payment of any distribution by us. All correspondence concerning the DRIP should be directed to the plan administrator by mail American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, P.O. Box 922, Wall Street Station, New York, New York 10269, or by the plan administrator’s Interactive Voice Response System at (800) 937-5449.
If you withdraw or the plan is terminated, you will receive the number of whole Shares in your account under the plan and a cash payment for any fraction of a Share in your account.
If you hold Shares with a brokerage firm that does not participate in the plan, you will not be able to participate in the plan and any distribution reinvestment may be effected on different terms than those described above. Consult your financial advisor for more information.
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS
The following discussion is a general summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us and to an investment in our shares of common stock. This summary does not purport to be a complete description of the income tax considerations applicable to such an investment. For example, we have not described tax consequences that may be relevant to certain types of holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, including stockholders subject to the alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, dealers in securities, a trader in securities that elects to use a market-to-market method of accounting for its securities holdings, pension plans and trusts, and financial institutions. This summary assumes that investors hold our common stock as capital assets (within the meaning of the Code). The discussion is based upon the Code, Treasury regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations, each as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change, possibly retroactively, which could affect the continuing validity of this discussion.
See "Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Business and Structure - U.S. tax reform could have a negative impact on our business and on our stockholders."
We have not sought and will not seek any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or “IRS” regarding this offering. This summary does not discuss any aspects of U.S. estate or gift tax or foreign, state or local tax. It does not discuss the special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws that could result if we invested in tax-exempt securities or certain other investment assets.
This summary does not discuss the consequences of an investment in shares of our preferred stock, subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock or debt securities. The U.S. federal income tax consequences of such an investment will be discussed in a relevant prospectus supplement.
A “U.S. stockholder” generally is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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A citizen or individual resident of the United States;
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A corporation or other entity treated as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;
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A trust if a court within the United States is asked to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantive decisions of the trust (or a trust that has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. trust); or
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An estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.
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If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective stockholder that is a partner of a partnership holding shares of our common stock should consult his, her or its tax advisers with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.
Tax matters are complicated and the tax consequences to an investor of an investment in our shares will depend on the facts of his, her or its particular situation. We encourage investors to consult their own tax advisers regarding the specific consequences of such an investment, including tax reporting requirements, the applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, eligibility for the benefits of any applicable tax treaty and the effect of any possible changes in the tax laws.
Election to be Taxed as a RIC
We intend to elect to be treated, and to qualify thereafter, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally will not have to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements (as described below). In addition, in order to be eligible for pass-through tax treatment as a RIC, we must distribute to our stockholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of our “investment company taxable income,” which is generally our net ordinary income plus the excess of realized net short-term capital gains over realized net long-term capital losses, or the “Annual Distribution Requirement.”
Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company
If we:
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satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement,
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then we will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our income we distribute (or that we are deemed to distribute) to stockholders. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate rates on any income or capital gains not distributed (or deemed distributed) to our stockholders.
We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless we distribute in a timely manner an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of our net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of our capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years, or the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.” We generally will endeavor in each year to make sufficient distributions to our stockholders to avoid any U.S. federal excise tax on our earnings.
In order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must, among other things:
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derive in each taxable year at least 90% of our gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of certain securities, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, net income from certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” or other income derived with respect to our business of investing in such stock or securities, or the “90% Income Test”; and
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diversify our holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year:
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at least 50% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of our assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer; and
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no more than 25% of the value of our assets is invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by us and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses, or of certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” or the “Diversification Tests.”
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Certain of our investment practices may be subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things: (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions; (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income; (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited); (iv) cause us to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, which may require us make a distribution to our stockholders in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, even though we will not have received any corresponding cash amount; (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of securities is deemed to occur; (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions; and (vii) produce income that will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 90% Income Test described above. We will monitor our transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the potential adverse effect of these provisions.
Our investment in foreign securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, our yield on those securities would be decreased. Stockholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to non-U.S. taxes paid by us.
Some of the CLO vehicles in which we may invest may constitute PFICs. If we acquire shares in PFICs (including equity tranche investments in CLO vehicles that are PFICs), we may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by us to our stockholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on us in respect of deferred taxes arising from any such excess distributions or gains. If we invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, or “QEF,” in lieu of the foregoing requirements, we will be required to include in income each year our proportionate share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF, even if such income is not distributed to us. Alternatively, we can elect to mark-to-market at the end of each taxable year our shares in a PFIC. In that case, we would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it does not exceed prior increases included in our income. Under either election, we may be required to recognize taxable income in excess of our distributions from PFICs and our proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and we must distribute such income to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.
If we hold more than 10% of the shares in a foreign corporation that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation, or “CFC,” (including equity tranche investments in a CLO vehicle treated as CFC) we may be treated as receiving a deemed distribution (taxable as ordinary income) each year from such foreign corporation in an amount equal to our pro rata share of the corporation’s income for the tax year (including both ordinary earnings and capital gains), whether or not the corporation makes an actual distribution during such year. This deemed distribution is required to be included in the income of a U.S. Shareholder of a CFC regardless of whether the shareholder has made a QEF election with respect to such CFC. In general, a foreign corporation will be classified as a CFC if more than 50% of the shares of the corporation, measured by reference to combined voting power or value, is owned (directly, indirectly or by attribution) by U.S. Shareholders. A “U.S. Shareholder,” for this purpose, is any U.S. person that possesses (actually or constructively) 10% or more of the combined value or voting power of all classes of shares of a corporation. If we are treated as receiving a deemed distribution from a CFC, we will be required to include such distribution in our investment company taxable income regardless of whether we receive any actual distributions from such CFC, and we must distribute such income to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.
Although the Code generally provides that the income inclusions from a QEF or a CFC will be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test to the extent that the QEF or the CFC distribute such income to us in the same taxable year in which the income is
included in our income, the Code does not specify whether these income inclusions would be “good income” for the 90% Income Test if we do not receive distributions from the QEF or CFC during such taxable year. The IRS has issued a series of private rulings in which it has concluded that all income inclusions from a QEF or a CFC included in a RIC’s gross income would constitute “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test. Such rulings are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the taxpayers to whom such rulings were issued. Accordingly, under current law, we believe that the income inclusions from a CLO that is a QEF or a CFC would be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test. However, no guarantee can be made that the IRS would not assert that such income would not be “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test to the extent that we do not receive timely distributions of such income from the CLO. If such income were not considered “good income” for purposes of the 90% Income Test, we may fail to qualify as a RIC.
Recently, the IRS and U.S. Treasury Department issued proposed regulations that provide that the income inclusions from a QEF or a CFC would not be good income for purposes of the 90% Income Test unless we receive a cash distribution from such entity in the same year attributable to the included income. If these regulations are finalized, we will carefully monitor our investments in CLOs to avoid disqualification as a RIC.
Although we do not presently expect to do so, we are authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy distribution requirements. However, under the 1940 Act, we are not permitted to make distributions to our stockholders while our debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain “asset coverage” tests are met. See “Regulation as a Registered Closed-End Management Investment Company — Senior Securities.” Moreover, our ability to dispose of assets to meet our distribution requirements may be limited by (1) the illiquid nature of our portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to our status as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If we dispose of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, we may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.
Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time we accrue income, expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time we actually collect such income or pay such expenses or liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency forward contracts and the disposition of debt obligations denominated in a foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.
Gain or loss realized by us from the sale or exchange of warrants acquired by us as well as any loss attributable to the lapse of such warrants generally will be treated as capital gain or loss. The treatment of such gain or loss as long-term or short-term will depend on how long we held a particular warrant. Upon the exercise of a warrant acquired by us, our tax basis in the stock purchased under the warrant will equal the sum of the amount paid for the warrant plus the strike price paid on the exercise of the warrant.
FATCA generally imposes a withholding tax of 30% on payments of U.S. source interest and dividends, or gross proceeds from the disposition of an instrument that produces U.S. source interest or dividends paid after December 31, 2018, to certain non-U.S. entities, including certain non-U.S. financial institutions and investment funds, unless such non-U.S. entity complies with certain reporting requirements regarding its United States account holders and its United States owners. Most CLO vehicles in which we invest will be treated as non-U.S. financial entities for this purpose, and therefore will be required to comply with these reporting requirements to avoid the 30% withholding. If a CLO vehicle in which we invest fails to properly comply with these reporting requirements, it could reduce the amounts available to distribute to equity and subordinated debt holders in such CLO vehicle, which could materially and adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.
The remainder of this discussion assumes that we qualify as a RIC and have satisfied the Annual Distribution Requirement and quarterly Diversification Tests.
Taxation of U.S. Stockholders
Distributions by us generally are taxable to U.S. stockholders as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, our net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses) will be taxable as ordinary income to U.S. stockholders to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. To the extent such distributions paid by us to non-corporate stockholders (including individuals) are attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, such distributions, or “Qualifying Dividends” may be eligible for a maximum tax rate of 20%. In this regard, it is anticipated that distributions paid by us will generally not be attributable to dividends and, therefore, generally will not qualify for the 20% maximum rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends. Distributions of our net capital gains (which are generally our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) and properly reported by us as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable to a U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gains that are currently taxable at a maximum rate of 20% in the case of individuals, trusts or estates, regardless of the U.S. stockholder’s holding period for his, her or its common stock and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. Distributions in excess of our earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such stockholder’s common stock and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. stockholder.
Under the distribution reinvestment plan, our stockholders who have not “opted out” of our distribution reinvestment plan will have their cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving the cash distributions.
Any distributions reinvested under the plan will nevertheless remain taxable to U.S. stockholders. A U.S. stockholder will have an adjusted basis in the additional common shares purchased through the plan equal to the amount of the reinvested distribution. The additional shares will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the U.S. stockholder’s account.
We may retain some or all of our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses, but designate the retained net capital gain as a “deemed distribution.” In that case, among other consequences, we will pay tax on the retained amount, each U.S. stockholder will be required to include his, her or its share of the deemed distribution in income as if it had been actually distributed to the U.S. stockholder, and the U.S. stockholder will be entitled to claim a credit equal to his, her or its allocable share of the tax paid thereon by us. Because we expect to pay tax on any retained capital gains at our regular corporate tax rate, and because that rate is in excess of the maximum rate currently payable by individuals on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that individual U.S. stockholders will be treated as having paid will exceed the tax they owe on the capital gain distribution and such excess generally may be refunded or claimed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s other U.S. federal income tax obligations. The amount of the deemed distribution net of the tax paid by us on the retained capital gains will be added to the U.S. stockholder’s cost basis for his, her or its common stock. In order to utilize the deemed distribution approach, we must provide written notice to our stockholders prior to the expiration of 60 days after the close of the relevant taxable year. We cannot treat any of our investment company taxable income as a “deemed distribution.”
For purposes of determining (1) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (2) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, we may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If we make such an election, the U.S. stockholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by us in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by our U.S. stockholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.
If an investor purchases shares of our common stock shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the shares will include the value of the distribution and the investor will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of his, her or its investment.
A stockholder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss if the stockholder sells or otherwise disposes of his, her or its shares of our common stock. The amount of gain or loss will be measured by the difference between such stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock sold and the amount of the proceeds received in exchange. Any gain arising from such sale or disposition generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the stockholder has held his, her or its shares for more than one year. Otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of shares of our common stock held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or undistributed capital gain deemed received, with respect to such shares. In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of shares of our common stock may be disallowed if other shares of our common stock are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition.
The maximum rate on long-term capital gains for non-corporate taxpayers is 20%. In addition, individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly), and adjusted gross incomes, for certain estates and trusts are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, and rents, and net capital gains (other than certain amounts earned from trades or businesses). Corporate U.S. stockholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate stockholders with net capital losses for a year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each year; any net capital losses of a non-corporate stockholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent years as provided in the Code. Corporate stockholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a year, but may carry back such losses for three years or carry forward such losses for five years.
We or the applicable withholding agent will report to each of our U.S. stockholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, the amounts includible in such U.S. stockholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain. In addition, the federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the IRS (including the amount of dividends, if any, eligible for the 20% maximum rate). Dividends paid by us generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends because our income generally will not consist of dividends. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. stockholder’s particular situation.
We may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax, or “backup withholding” from all distributions to any U.S. stockholder (other than a corporation, a financial institution, or a stockholder that otherwise qualifies for an exemption) (1) who fails to furnish us with a correct taxpayer identification number or a certificate that such stockholder is exempt from backup withholding or (2) with respect to whom the IRS notifies us that such stockholder has failed to properly report certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect. An individual’s taxpayer identification number is his or her social security number. Any amount withheld
under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that proper information is provided to the IRS.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
Whether an investment in the shares is appropriate for a Non-U.S. stockholder will depend upon that person’s particular circumstances. An investment in the shares by a Non-U.S. stockholder may have adverse tax consequences. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisers before investing in our common stock.
Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” to Non-U.S. stockholders (including interest income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized long-term capital losses, which generally would be free of withholding if paid to Non-U.S. stockholders directly) will be subject to withholding of federal tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits unless an applicable exception applies. If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder, we will not be required to withhold federal tax if the Non-U.S. stockholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. persons. (Special certification requirements apply to a Non-U.S. stockholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their own tax advisers.)
We or the applicable withholding agent generally are not required to withhold any amounts with respect to certain distributions of (i) U.S. source interest income, and (ii) net short term capital gains in excess of net long term capital losses, in each case to the extent we properly report such distributions as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” and certain other requirements were satisfied. We anticipate that a portion of our distributions will be eligible for this exemption from withholding; however, we cannot determine what portion of our distributions (if any) will be eligible for this exception until after the end of our taxable year. No certainty can be provided that any of our distributions will be reported as eligible for this exception. Furthermore, in the case of shares of our stock held through an intermediary, the intermediary may have withheld U.S. federal income tax even if we report the payment as an interest-related dividend or short-term capital gain dividend.
Actual or deemed distributions of our net capital gains to a stockholder that is a Non-U.S. stockholder, and gains realized by a Non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale or redemption of our common stock, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder (and, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. stockholder in the United States,) or, in the case of an individual, the Non-U.S. stockholder was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met.
If we distribute our net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a stockholder that is a Non-U.S. stockholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the stockholder’s allocable share of the corporate-level U.S. federal income tax we pay on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed; however, in order to obtain the refund, the Non-U.S. stockholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the Non-U.S. stockholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return.
For a corporate Non-U.S. stockholder, distributions (both actual and deemed), and gains realized upon the sale or redemption of our common stock that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).
Under the distribution reinvestment plan, our stockholders who have not “opted out” of our distribution reinvestment plan will have their cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving the cash distributions. If the distribution is a distribution of our investment company taxable income, is not properly reported by us as a short-term capital gains dividend or interest-related dividend (assuming extension of the exemption discussed above), and is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder (and, if a treaty applies, is not attributable to a permanent establishment), the amount distributed (to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits) will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) and only the net after-tax amount will be reinvested in common shares. If the distribution is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder (and no withholding applies because applicable certifications are provided by the Non-U.S. stockholder), generally the full amount of the distribution will be reinvested in the plan and will nevertheless be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the ordinary income rates applicable to U.S. persons. The Non-U.S. stockholder will have an adjusted basis in the additional common shares purchased through the plan equal to the amount reinvested. The additional shares will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the Non-U.S. stockholder’s account.
A Non-U.S. stockholder who is a non-resident alien individual, and who is otherwise subject to withholding of federal tax, may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on dividends unless the Non-U.S. stockholder provides us or the dividend paying agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E or an acceptable substitute form or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a Non-U.S. stockholder or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.
Legislation commonly referred to as the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” or “FATCA,” generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions, or “FFIs” unless such FFIs either (i) enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have U.S. persons as substantial owners) or (ii) reside in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement, or “IGA” with the United States to collect and share such information and are in compliance with the terms of such IGA and any enabling legislation or regulations. The types of income subject to the tax include U.S. source interest and dividends and the gross proceeds from the sale of any property that could produce U.S.- source interest or dividends received after December 31, 2018. The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a U.S. person and transaction activity within the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, this legislation also imposes a 30% withholding on payments to foreign entities that are not FFIs unless the foreign entity certifies that it does not have a greater than 10% U.S. owner or provides the withholding agent with identifying information on each greater than 10% U.S. owner. Depending on the status of a Non-U.S. stockholder and the status of the intermediaries through which they hold their shares, Non-U.S. stockholders could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on their shares and proceeds from the sale of their shares. Under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. stockholder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
Non-U.S. persons should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax, and state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in the shares.
Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company
While we intend to elect to be treated as a RIC, we anticipate that we will have difficulty satisfying the Diversification Tests as we ramp up our portfolio. To the extent that we have net taxable income prior to our qualification as RIC, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such income. We would not be able to deduct distributions to our shareholders, nor would they be required to be made. Distributions, including distributions of net long-term capital gain, would generally be taxable to our shareholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, our corporate shareholders would be eligible to claim a dividend received deduction with respect to such dividend; our non-corporate shareholders would generally be able to treat such dividends as “qualified dividend income,” which is subject to reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. In order to qualify as a RIC, in addition to the other requirements discussed above, we would be required to distribute all of our previously undistributed earnings and profits attributable to any period prior to us becoming a RIC by the end of the first year that we intend to qualify as a RIC. To the extent that we have any net built-in gains in our assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if we had been liquidated) as of the beginning of the first year that we qualify as a RIC, we would be subject to a corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on such built-in gains if and when recognized over the next five years. Alternatively, we may choose to recognize such built-in gains immediately prior to our qualification as a RIC.
If we have previously qualified for tax treatment as a RIC, but subsequently are unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, we would be subject to tax on all of our taxable income at regular corporate rates, regardless of whether we make any distributions to our stockholders. Distributions would not be required, and any distributions would be taxable to our stockholders as ordinary dividend income, and provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met, could be eligible for the 20% maximum rate to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate distributees would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. To requalify as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, we would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and dispose of any earnings and profits from any year in which we failed to qualify as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under Subchapter M of the Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that requalify as a RIC no later than the second year following the non-qualifying year, we could be subject to tax on any unrealized net built-in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which it failed to qualify as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent five years, unless we made a special election to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on such built-in gain at the time of its requalification as a RIC.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE
The following description is based on relevant portions of the DGCL and on our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. This summary is not necessarily complete, and we refer you to the DGCL and our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below.
Capital Stock
Our authorized stock consists of 90,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. There are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase our stock. No stock has been authorized for issuance under any equity compensation plans. Under Delaware law, our stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations.
The following are our classes of securities as of [ ], 2018:
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(1) Title of Class
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(2) Amount Authorized
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(3) Amount Held by Us or for Our Account
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(4) Pro Forma Amount Outstanding Exclusive of Amounts Shown Under (3)
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Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
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90,000,000
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None
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Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share
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10,000,000
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None
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Shares
All Shares have equal rights as to earnings, assets, dividends and voting and, when they are issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Distributions may be paid to stockholders if, as and when authorized by the Board and declared by us out of funds legally available therefrom. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, conversion or redemption rights and are freely transferable, except when their transfer is restricted by U.S. federal and state securities laws or by contract. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each Share would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after we pay all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of our preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time. Each Share is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, holders of Shares will possess exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors.
Preferred Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the Board to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of preferred stock into other classes or series of preferred stock without stockholder approval. If we issue preferred stock, costs of the offering will be borne immediately at such time by the stockholders and result in a reduction of the NAV per Share at that time. We may issue preferred stock within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series of preferred stock, the Board is required by Delaware law and by our Certificate of Incorporation to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series of preferred stock. Thus, the Board could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of Shares or otherwise be in their best interest. You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires that (1) immediately after issuance of preferred stock and before any dividend or other distribution is made with respect to Shares and before any purchase of Shares is made, we maintain an asset coverage ratio of at least 200%, as measured at the time of the issuance of any such shares of preferred stock and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation preference of any outstanding shares of preferred stock, after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if dividends on such preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more. Some matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions.
Provisions of the DGCL and Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses.
The indemnification of our officers and directors is governed by Section 145 of the DGCL, our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. Subsection (a) of DGCL Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if (1) such person acted in good faith, (2) in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and (3) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.
Subsection (b) of DGCL Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court deems proper.
DGCL Section 145 further provides that to the extent that a present or former director or officer is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person will be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding. In all cases in which indemnification is permitted under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 (unless ordered by a court), it will be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the applicable standard of conduct has been met by the party to be indemnified. Such determination must be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (4) by the stockholders.
The statute authorizes the corporation to pay expenses incurred by an officer or director in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to whom the advance will be made, to repay the advances if it is ultimately determined that he or she was not entitled to indemnification. DGCL Section 145 also provides that indemnification and advancement of expenses permitted under such Section are not to be exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. DGCL Section 145 also authorizes the corporation to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of its directors, officers, employees and agents regardless of whether the corporation would have the statutory power to indemnify such persons against the liabilities insured.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our directors will not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the current DGCL or as the DGCL may hereafter be amended. DGCL Section 102(b)(7) provides that the personal liability of a director to a corporation or its stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty as a director may be eliminated except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL, relating to unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemption of stock, or (4) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides for the indemnification of any person to the full extent permitted, and in the manner provided, by the current DGCL or as the DGCL may hereafter be amended.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law.
The DGCL and our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquirer to acquire us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board. These measures may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. These provisions could have the effect of depriving stockholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control over us. Such attempts could have the effect of increasing our expenses and disrupting our normal operations. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms. Our Board has considered these provisions and has determined that the provisions are in the best interests of us and our stockholders generally.
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL regulating corporate takeovers. In general, these provisions prohibit a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
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prior to such time, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
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upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced; or
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on or after the date the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized at a meeting of stockholders, by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.
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Section 203 defines “business combination” to include the following:
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any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;
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any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the corporation or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;
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subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
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any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation owned by the interested stockholder; or
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the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
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In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by any of these entities or persons.
If our Board does not approve a business combination, Section 203 of the DGCL may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer.
Election of Directors.
Under the DGCL, unless our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws provide otherwise (which our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not), a plurality of all the votes cast is sufficient to elect a director.
Classified Board of Directors.
Our Board is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms, with the term of office of only one of the three classes expiring each year. A classified board may render a change in control of us or removal of our incumbent management more difficult. We believe, however, that the longer time required to elect a majority of a classified board of directors helps to ensure the continuity and stability of our management and policies.
Number of Directors; Removal; Vacancies.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that the number of directors will be set only by the Board in accordance with our Bylaws. Our Bylaws provide that a majority of our entire Board may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, unless our Bylaws are amended, the number of directors may never be less than four nor more than nine. Under our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, any vacancy on the Board, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of the Board, may be filled only by vote of a majority of the directors then in office. The limitations on the ability of our stockholders to fill vacancies could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discourage a third-party from seeking to acquire, control of us.
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director may be removed only for cause, as defined in our Certificate of Incorporation, and then only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors.
Action by Stockholders.
Stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders in accordance with the procedures set forth in our Bylaws. These provisions, combined with the requirements of our Bylaws regarding special meetings of stockholders discussed below, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal until the next annual meeting.
Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals.
Our Bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, (b) pursuant to our notice of meeting or (c) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the Bylaws. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at a special meeting may be made only by or at the direction of the Board, and provided that the Board has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the Bylaws.
The purpose of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford our Board a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by our Board, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders. Although our Bylaws do not give our Board any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.
Stockholder Meetings.
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders can only be called by the chairman of the Board, the vice chairman of the Board, the chief executive officer, or two or more Board members. In addition, our Bylaws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, including proposed nominations of candidates for election to the Board. Stockholders at an annual meeting may only consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board, or by a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has delivered timely written notice in proper form to the secretary of the stockholder’s intention to bring such business before the meeting. These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholder meeting stockholder actions that are favored by the holders of our outstanding voting securities.
Conflict with the 1940 Act.
Our Bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of the DGCL or any provision of our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control.
Potential Conversion to Open-End Fund
We may be converted to an open-end management investment company at any time if approved by each of the following: (i) a majority of the directors then in office, (ii) the holders of not less than 75% of our outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon and (iii) such vote or votes of the holders of any class or classes or series of shares as may be required by the 1940 Act. The composition of our portfolio likely could prohibit us from complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end management investment companies. Accordingly, conversion likely would require significant changes in our investment policies and may require liquidation of a substantial portion of relatively illiquid portions of our portfolio, to the extent such positions are held. In the event of conversion, our Shares would cease to be listed on the Nasdaq or any other national securities exchange or market system. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end structure is desirable, given our investment objectives and policies. Investors should assume, therefore, that it is unlikely that the Board would vote to convert us to an open-end management investment company.
Repurchase of Shares and Other Discount Measures
Because shares of closed-end management investment companies that are listed on an exchange frequently trade at a discount to their NAVs, the Board may from time to time determine that it may be in the interest of our stockholders to take certain actions intended to reduce such discount. The Board, in consultation with the Advisor, will review at least annually the possibility of open market repurchases and/or tender offers for our Shares and will consider such factors as the market price of our Shares, the NAV of our Shares, the liquidity of our assets, the effect on our expenses, whether such transactions would impair our status as a RIC or result in a failure to comply with applicable asset coverage requirements, general economic conditions and such other events or conditions, which may have a material effect on our ability to consummate such transactions. There are no assurances that the Board will, in fact, decide to undertake either of these actions or, if undertaken, that such actions will result in our Shares trading at a price which is equal to or approximates their NAV.
UNDERWRITING
[ ] is acting as representative of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, each underwriter named below has agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to that underwriter, the number of Shares set forth opposite the underwriter’s name.
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase our Shares are subject to certain conditions precedent such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers' certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all our Shares (other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below) if they purchase any of our Shares.
The underwriters propose to initially offer some of our Shares directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and some of our Shares to certain dealers at the public offering price less a concession not in excess of $ per Share. The sales load of $[ ] per Share is equal to [ ]% of the initial offering price and will be paid solely by the Advisor. If all of our Shares are not sold at the initial offering price, the representative may change the public offering price and other selling terms. Investors must pay for any shares purchased on or before. The representative has advised us that the underwriters do not intend to confirm any sales to any accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.
The underwriters hold an option, exercisable for [ ] days from the date of this Prospectus, to purchase from us up to an additional [ ] Shares at the public offering price less the sales load. The underwriters may exercise the option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, in connection with this offering. To the extent such option is exercised, each underwriter must purchase a number of additional Shares approximately proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment.
We, our executive officers and director and OFSAM have agreed that, without the prior written consent of [ ], on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not, during the period ending [180] days after the date of this prospectus (the "restricted period"):
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sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Shares;
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establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to any Shares;
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enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Shares, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Shares, stock or such other securities, in case or otherwise;
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publicly announce the intention to effect any transaction described above; or
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file, or participate in the filing of, any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any Shares.
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This lockup provision applies to Shares, any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares and warrants or other rights to purchase Shares, but does not apply to shares of preferred stock. In addition, we and each such person agrees that, without the prior written consent of [ ]. on behalf of the underwriters, we or such other person will not, during the restricted period, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of Shares, any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares, or warrants or other rights to purchase Shares.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph to not apply to:
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the sale of Shares to the underwriters;
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transfers of Shares or any security convertible into Shares as a bona fide gift;
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transfers of Shares to a corporation, trust, family limited partnership or other entity for the direct benefit of the holder or an immediate family member; or
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issuance of Shares by us pursuant to our DRIP.
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[ ], in its sole discretion, may release the shares of our common stock and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time.
We have applied to list our Shares on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “OCCI.”
As part of our payment of our offering expenses, the Advisor has agreed to pay expenses related to the fees and disbursements of counsel to the underwriters, in an amount not to exceed $[ ] in the aggregate, in connection with the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the terms of the sale of our Shares.
The following table shows the sales load to be paid to the underwriters solely by the Advisor in connection with this offering. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional Shares.
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Per Share
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No Exercise
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Full Exercise
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Public Offering Price
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$
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$
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$
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Sales Load (Payable by the Advisor)
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$
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$
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$
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Total
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$
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$
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$
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This offering will conform with the requirements set forth in FINRA Rule 2310. The sum of all compensation to the underwriters in connection with this offering of shares, including the sales load, will not exceed 10% of the total public offering price of the shares sold in this offering.
We, the Advisor and the Administrator have each agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.
Certain underwriters may make a market in our Shares. No underwriter is, however, obligated to conduct market-making activities and any such activities may be discontinued at any time without notice, at the sole discretion of the underwriter. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, our Shares as a result of any market-making activities undertaken by any underwriter. This prospectus is to be used by any underwriter in connection with the offering and, during the period in which a prospectus must be delivered, with offers and sales of the Shares in market-making transactions in the over-the-counter market at negotiated prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of the sale.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell Shares in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve syndicate sales of Shares in excess of the number of Shares to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. “Covered” short sales are sales of Shares made in an amount up to the number of Shares represented by the underwriters’ over-allotment option. In determining the source of Shares to close out the covered syndicate short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of Shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase Shares through the over-allotment option. Transactions to close out the covered syndicate short position involve either purchases of Shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed or the exercise of the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also make “naked” short sales of Shares in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing Shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of Shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids for or purchases of Shares in the open market while the offering is in progress.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. A penalty bid is an arrangement permitting the underwriters to reclaim the selling concession otherwise accruing to a syndicate member in connection with the offering if the Shares originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction and therefore have not been effectively placed by such syndicate member.
Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of Shares. They may also cause the price of Shares to be higher than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on Nasdaq, or in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, excluding the sales load, but including up to $[ ] in reimbursement of certain underwriters' counsel fees in connection with the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of Shares in this offering will be approximately $[ ] million.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by one or more of the underwriters. The representatives may agree to allocate a number of Shares to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. The representatives will allocate Shares to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, Shares may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell shares to online brokerage account holders.
We anticipate that, from time to time, certain underwriters may act as brokers or dealers in connection with the execution of our portfolio transactions after they have ceased to be underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, may act as brokers while they are underwriters.
The underwriters may have performed investment banking and financial advisory services for the Advisor and our affiliates from time to time, for which they have received customary fees and expenses. Certain underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions with or perform services for us, the Advisor and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
The principal business addresses of the representative of the underwriters is [ ].
REGULATION AS A CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY
General
As a registered closed-end management investment company, we are subject to regulation under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, unless authorized by vote of a majority of our outstanding voting securities, we may not:
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change our classification to an open-end management investment company;
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alter any of our fundamental policies, which are set forth below in “
— Investment Restrictions
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change the nature of our business so as to cease to be an investment company.
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A majority of our outstanding voting securities means the lesser of: (a) 67% of our Shares present or represented by proxy at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares are present or represented at the meeting; or (b) more than 50% of our outstanding Shares.
Fidelity Bond; Indemnification
. As with other companies regulated by the 1940 Act, a registered closed-end management investment company must adhere to certain substantive regulatory requirements. We will be required to provide and maintain a bond issued by a reputable fidelity insurance company to protect us. Furthermore, as a registered closed-end management investment company, we will be prohibited from protecting any director or officer against any liability to us or our stockholders arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.
Issuance Price of Shares
. We will generally not be able to issue and sell Shares at a price below the then current NAV per Share (exclusive of any distributing commission or discount). See “
Risk Factors — Risks Related to an Investment in our Securities — Regulations governing our operation as a registered closed-end management investment company affect our ability to raise additional capital and the way in which we do so. The raising of debt capital may expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage
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” We may generally issue new Shares at a price below NAV in rights offerings to existing stockholders, in payment of dividends and in certain other limited circumstances.
Senior Securities
. As a registered closed-end management investment company, we may use leverage to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. We are permitted to obtain leverage using any form of financial leverage instruments, including funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions, margin facilities, notes or preferred stock and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements or similar transactions. We currently anticipate incurring leverage in an amount up to [ ]% of our total assets (as determined immediately before the leverage is incurred) through the issuance of preferred stock or by entering into a credit facility within the first twelve months following the completion of this offering. Instruments that create leverage are generally considered to be senior securities under the 1940 Act. With respect to senior securities representing indebtedness (i.e., borrowing or deemed borrowing), other than temporary borrowings as defined under the 1940 Act, we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 300%, as measured at the time of borrowing and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount of our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness. With respect to senior securities that are stocks (i.e., shares of preferred stock), we are required to have an asset coverage ratio of at least 200%, as measured at the time of the issuance of any such shares of preferred stock and calculated as the ratio of our total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) over the aggregate amount our outstanding senior securities representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation preference of any outstanding shares of preferred stock. If our asset coverage ratio declines below 300% (or 200%, as applicable), we would not be able to incur additional debt or issue additional preferred stock, and could be required by law to sell a portion of our investments to repay some debt when it is disadvantageous to do so, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations, and we would not be able to make certain distributions or pay dividends. In addition, we may borrow for temporary, emergency or other purposes as permitted under the 1940 Act, which indebtedness would be in addition to the asset coverage ratios described above.
Asset Segregation and Coverage
. We may “set aside” liquid assets (often referred to as “asset segregation”), or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain portfolio management techniques, such as entering into certain Derivative Transactions, or purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, that may be considered senior securities under the 1940 Act. We intend to “cover” our derivative positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time. “Covered” positions that would otherwise be deemed to create leverage are not counted as senior securities for the purposes of calculating asset coverage ratios under the 1940 Act. We may not cover an applicable derivative transaction if it is not necessary to do so to comply with the 1940 Act limitations on the issuance of senior securities and, in the view of the Advisor, the assets that would have been used to cover could be better used for a different purpose. However, these transactions, even if covered, may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. The potential loss on derivative instruments may be substantial relative to the initial investment therein. In addition, these segregation and coverage requirements could result in us maintaining securities positions that we would otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.
Investment Restrictions
Our investment objectives and our investment policies and strategies described in this prospectus, except for the seven investment restrictions designated as fundamental policies under this caption, are not fundamental and may be changed by the Board without stockholder approval.
As referred to above, the following seven investment restrictions are designated as fundamental policies and as such cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities:
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1.
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We may not borrow money, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction;
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2.
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We may not engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by others, except to the extent that we may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities;
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3.
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We may not purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts for the purchase or sale of physical commodities. Physical commodities do not include futures contracts with respect to securities, securities indices, currency or other financial instruments;
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4.
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We may not purchase or sell real estate, which term does not include securities of companies which deal in real estate or mortgages or investments secured by real estate or interests therein, except that we reserve freedom of action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of our ownership of securities;
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5.
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We may not make loans, except to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction;
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6.
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We may not issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, the SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction; and
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7.
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We may not invest in any security if as a result of such investment, 25% or more of the value of our total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, are in the securities of issuers in any particular industry except (a) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities or tax-exempt securities of state and municipal governments or their political subdivisions (however, not including private purpose industrial development bonds issued on behalf of non-government issuers), or (b) as otherwise provided by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and as modified or supplemented from time to time by (i) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) any exemption or other relief applicable to us from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time. For purposes of this restriction, in the case of investments in loan participations between us and a bank or other lending institution participating out the loan, we will treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the borrower as “issuers.” For purposes of this restriction, an investment in a CLO, collateralized bond obligation, collateralized debt obligation or a swap or other derivative will be considered to be an investment in the industry (if any) of the underlying or reference security, instrument or asset.
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The latter part of certain of our fundamental investment restrictions (
i.e.
, the references to “except to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, the SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction”) provides us with flexibility to change our limitations in connection with changes in applicable law, rules, regulations or exemptive relief. The language used in these restrictions provides the necessary flexibility to allow our Board to respond efficiently to these kinds of developments without the delay and expense of a stockholder meeting.
Whenever an investment policy or investment restriction set forth in this prospectus states a maximum percentage of assets that may be invested in any security or other asset or describes a policy regarding quality standards, such percentage limitation or standard shall be determined immediately after and as a result of our acquisition of such security or asset. Accordingly, any later increase or decrease resulting from a change in values, assets or other circumstances or any subsequent rating change made by a rating agency (or as determined by the Advisor if the security is not rated by a rating agency) will not compel us to dispose of such security or other asset. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we must always be in compliance with the borrowing policies set forth above.
Code of Ethics
We and OFS Advisor have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that establishes procedures for personal investments and restricts certain personal securities transactions. Personnel subject to each code may invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by us, so long as such investments are made in accordance with the code’s requirements. Our code of ethics is available, free of charge, on our website at
www.ofscreditcompany.com
. You may also read and copy the code of ethics at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. You may obtain information
on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at (202) 942-8090. In addition, the code of ethics is attached as an exhibit to our annual report on Form 10-K and is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov
. You may also obtain copies of the code of ethics, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
We have delegated our proxy voting responsibility to the Advisor. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures of the Advisor are set forth below. The guidelines will be reviewed periodically by the Advisor and our Independent Directors, and, accordingly, are subject to change. For purposes of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures described below, “we,” “our” and “us” refers to OFS Capital Management, LLC.
Introduction
An investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act has a fiduciary duty to act solely in the best interests of its clients. As part of this duty, we recognize that we must vote client securities in a timely manner free of conflicts of interest and in the best interests of our clients.
These policies and procedures for voting proxies for our investment advisory clients are intended to comply with Section 206 of, and Rule 206(4)-6 under, the Advisers Act.
Proxy Policies
Based on the nature of our investment strategy, we do not expect to receive proxy proposals but may from time to time receive amendments, consents or resolutions applicable to investments held by us. It is our general policy to exercise our voting or consult authority in a manner that serves the interests of our stockholders. We may occasionally be subject to material conflicts of interest in voting proxies due to business or personal relationships it maintains with persons having an interest in the outcome of certain votes. If at any time we becomes aware of a material conflict of interest relating to a particular proxy proposal, our CCO will review the proposal and determine how to vote the proxy in a manner consistent with interests of our stockholders.
Proxy Voting Records
Information regarding how we voted proxies relating to portfolio securities will be available: (1) without charge, upon request, by calling collect (847) 734-2000; and (2) on the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov
. You may also obtain information about how we voted proxies by making a written request for proxy voting information to: OFS Capital Management, LLC, 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606.
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is very important to us. This Privacy Notice sets forth our policies with respect to non-public personal information about our stockholders and prospective and former stockholders. These policies apply to stockholders in our Company and may be changed at any time, provided a notice of such change is given to you.
You may provide us with personal information, such as your name, address, e-mail address, social security and/or tax identification number, assets and/or income information: (i) in a trading confirmation or other related account or transaction documentation; (ii) in correspondence and conversations with us and our representatives; and (iii) through transactions in the Company.
We do not disclose any of this non-public personal information about our stockholders, or prospective or former stockholders to anyone, other than to our affiliates, such as our investment adviser, and to certain service providers such as our accountants, attorneys, auditors and brokers in each case, only as necessary to facilitate the acceptance and management of your investment or account and our relationship with you, and to regulators and otherwise as permitted by applicable law. We will comply with all federal and state laws regarding the protection of consumer information.
We will also release information about you if you direct us to do so, if compelled to do so by law, or in connection with any government or self-regulatory organization request or investigation. For example, it may be necessary, under anti-money laundering and similar laws, to disclose information about stockholders in order to accept investments from and provide reports to them.
We seek to carefully safeguard your private information and, to that end, restrict access to non-public personal information about you to those employees and other persons who need to know the information to enable us to provide services to you. We also maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your non-public personal information.
If you have any questions regarding this policy or the treatment of your non-public personal information, please contact our Chief Compliance Officer at (847) 734-2000.
Exemptive Relief
We are generally prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our board of directors who are not interested persons and, in some cases, prior approval by the SEC. The SEC has interpreted the prohibition on transactions with affiliates to prohibit all “joint transactions” between entities that share a common investment adviser. Further, the 1940 Act generally prohibits registered closed-end funds and BDCs from making certain negotiated co-investments with certain affiliates absent an order from the SEC permitting the funds to do so. On October 12, 2016, OFS Advisor received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit certain of its BDC and registered closed-end fund clients to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain Affiliated Funds in a manner consistent with their respective investment objective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors, subject to compliance with the Order. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with Affiliated Funds if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transactions, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching by us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies.
The staff of the SEC has granted no-action relief permitting purchases of a single class of privately placed securities provided that the adviser negotiates no term other than price and certain other conditions are met. As a result, unless under the Order, we only expect to co-invest on a concurrent basis with certain funds advised by OFS Advisor when each of us will own the same securities of the issuer and when no term is negotiated other than price. Any such investment would be made, subject to compliance with existing regulatory guidance, applicable regulations and OFS Advisor’s allocation policy. If opportunities arise that would otherwise be appropriate for us and for another fund advised by OFS Advisor to invest in different securities of the same issuer, OFS Advisor will need to decide which fund will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, we will be unable to invest in any issuer in which another fund advised by OFS Advisor has previously invested.
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION
Since we will acquire and dispose of many of our investments in privately negotiated transactions, many of the transactions that we engage in will not require the use of broker-dealers or the payment of brokerage commissions or dealer spreads. Subject to policies established by our Board, the Advisor will be primarily responsible for selecting brokers and dealers to execute transactions with respect to the publicly traded securities portion of our portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage commissions. The Advisor does not expect to execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer but will seek to obtain the best net results for us under the circumstances, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. The Advisor generally will seek reasonably competitive trade execution costs but will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to applicable legal requirements and consistent with Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act, the Advisor may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided. In return for such services, we may pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the Advisor determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters in connection with our Shares will be passed upon for us by Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Dechert LLP, Washington, DC.
CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT
Our portfolio securities are held pursuant to a custodian agreement between us and U.S. Bank National Association. The principal business address of U.S. Bank is 190 S. LaSalle Street, 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603.
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC serves as our transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursement agent and stockholder servicing agent, as well as agent for our DRIP Plan. The principal business address of American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
[ ], an independent registered public accounting firm located at [ ], provides audit services, tax return preparation, and assistance and consultation with respect to the preparation of filings with the SEC.
SEC FILING INFORMATION
We have filed this prospectus with the SEC on Form N-2 (file numbers 333-220794 and 811-23299), together with all amendments and related exhibits, a “Registration Statement,” under the Securities Act, with respect to our capital stock offered by this Registration Statement. Our Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC at
www.sec.gov
. See the cover page of this prospectus for information about how to obtain a paper copy of the prospectus without charge.
Upon completion of this offering, we will file with or submit to the SEC annual, semi-annual, and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information meeting the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. You may inspect and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information, as well as the registration statement and related exhibits and schedules, at the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1 (800) SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information filed electronically by us with the SEC which are available on the SEC’s website at
http://www.sec.gov.
Copies of these reports, proxy and information statements and other information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. This information will also be available free of charge by contacting us at OFS Credit Company, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, by telephone at (847) 734-2000, or on our website at
www.ofscreditcompany.com.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
[To be provided by amendment]
Shares
OFS CREDIT COMPANY, INC.
Common Stock
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
, 2018
Until [ ], 2018 all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments and subscriptions.
PART C — OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 25. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
1. Financial Statements:
The following financial statements of OFS Credit Company, Inc. (the “Company” or the “Registrant”) are included in Part A of the Registration Statement:
[To be provided by amendment.]
2. Exhibits:
(a) Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation*
(b) Form of Bylaws*
(c) Not applicable
(d) Form of Common Stock Certificate*
(e) Distribution Reinvestment Plan*
(f) Not applicable
(g) Form of Investment Advisory Agreement by and between Registrant and OFS Capital Management, LLC*
(h) Form of Underwriting Agreement*
(i) Not applicable
(j) Form of Custodian Agreement*
(k)(1) Form of Administration Agreement by and between Registrant and OFS Capital Services, LLC*
(k)(2) Form of License Agreement between Registrant and Orchard First Source Asset Management, LLC
(k)(3) Form of Transfer Agency and Registrar Services Agreement*
(l) Opinion and Consent of Counsel*
(m) Not applicable
(n)(1) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm with respect to Registrant*
(n)(2) Consent of Wolfgang Schubert
(1)
(n)(3) Consent of Kathleen M. Griggs
(1)
(n)(4) Consent of Romita Shetty
(1)
(o) Not applicable
(p) Form of Subscription Agreement*
(q) Not applicable
(r)(1) Code of Ethics of the Registrant*
(r)(2) Joint Code of Ethics of OFS Capital Management, LLC *
(s) Power of attorney*
* To be filed by amendment.
(1) Previously filed on December 13, 2017 with the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 333-220794 and 811-14909) and incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 26. MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS
The information contained under the heading “Underwriting” on this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference. See also Form of Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit (h) to this Registration Statement and incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 27. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
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SEC registration fee
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$
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0.25
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FINRA filing fee
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*
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Nasdaq listing fee
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*
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Printing and postage
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*
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Legal fees and expenses
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*
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Accounting fees and expenses
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*
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Miscellaneous
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*
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Total
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*
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Note: Except the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee and the Nasdaq listing fee, all listed amounts are estimates.
* To be added by pre-effective amendment.
ITEM 28. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL
The information contained under the headings “Management,” “Certain Relationships and Transactions” and “Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities” in the prospectus contained herein is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 29. NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock as of [ ], 20[ ]:
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Title of Class
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Number of
Record Holders
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Shares, par value $0.001 per share
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[ ]
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ITEM 30. INDEMNIFICATION
Directors and Officers
As permitted by Section 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL"), the Registrant has adopted provisions in its certificate of incorporation, as amended, that limit or eliminate the personal liability of its directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for: any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders; any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or payment of dividends; or any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. These limitations of liability do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.
The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that all directors, officers, employees and agents of the Registrant shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Under Section 145 of the DGCL, the Registrant is permitted to offer indemnification to its directors, officers, employees and agents.
Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), because the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other enterprise. Such indemnity may be against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and if, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the person did not have reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.
Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor because the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other enterprise, against any expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 145(g) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other enterprise, against any liability asserted against the person in any such capacity, or arising out of the person’s status as such, regardless of whether the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions of the law. We have obtained liability insurance for the benefit of our directors and officers.
Adviser and Administrator
The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, OFS Capital Management, LLC (the “Advisor”) and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to
indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the Advisor’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement or otherwise as an Advisor of the Registrant.
The Administration Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, OFS Capital Services, LLC and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of OFS Capital Services, LLC’s services under the Administration Agreement or otherwise as administrator for the Registrant.
The law also provides for comparable indemnification for corporate officers and agents. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors. The indemnification agreements are intended to provide the Registrant’s directors the maximum indemnification permitted under Delaware law and the 1940 Act. Each indemnification agreement provides that the Registrant shall indemnify the director who is a party to the agreement (an “Indemnitee”), including the advancement of legal expenses, if, by reason of his or her corporate status, the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to or a witness in any threatened, pending, or completed proceeding, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant.
ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER
A description of any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which OFS Advisor, and each managing director, director or officer of OFS Advisor, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the sections entitled “Management.” Additional information regarding the OFS Advisor and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the SEC (File No. 801-71366), and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 32. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS
All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:
(1) the Registrant, OFS Credit Company, Inc., 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606;
(2) the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219;
(3) the Custodian, U.S. Bank National Association, 190 S. LaSalle Street, 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603;
(4) the Advisor, OFS Capital Management, LLC, 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606.
ITEM 33. MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Not applicable.
ITEM 34. UNDERTAKINGS
(1) Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of Shares covered hereby until it amends its prospectus contained herein if (a) subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, its net asset value per Share declines more than 10% from its net asset value per Share as of the effective date of this Registration Statement, or (b) its net asset value per Share increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus contained herein.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) Registrant undertakes that:
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a.
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For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
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b.
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For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
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(6) Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Chicago, Illinois, on the 22nd day of June, 2018.
OFS Credit Company, Inc.
By:
/s/ Bilal Rashid
Bilal Rashid
Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant, and in the capacities indicated, on the 22nd day of June, 2018.
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Signature
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Title
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Date
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/s/ Bilal Rashid
Bilal Rashid
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Director and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
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June 22, 2018
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/s/ Jeffrey A. Cerny
Jeffrey A. Cerny
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Director and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
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June 22, 2018
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/s/ Jeffery S. Owen
Jeffery S. Owen
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Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)
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June 22, 2018
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