N-2
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2021

Securities Act File No. 333-            

 

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-2

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

 

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

 

 

SLR INVESTMENT CORP.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including Area Code: (212) 993-1670

Michael S. Gross

Bruce J. Spohler

Co-Chief Executive Officers

SLR Investment Corp.

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

COPIES TO:

 

Steven B. Boehm

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

700 Sixth Street, NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20001

(202) 383-0100

 

Vlad M. Bulkin

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

2900 K Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20007

(202) 625-3838

 

 

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

 

Check box if the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans.

 

Check box 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 (“Securities Act”), other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 or a post-effective amendment thereto.

 

Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction B or a post-effective amendment thereto that will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act.

 

Check box if this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction B to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act.

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

☐ when declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act.

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

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


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

 

This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is:                .

 

This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is:                .

Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:

 

Registered Closed-End Fund (closed-end company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”)).

 

Business Development Company (closed-end company that intends or has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act).

 

Interval Fund (Registered Closed-End Fund or a Business Development Company that makes periodic repurchase offers under Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act).

 

A.2 Qualified (qualified to register securities pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of this Form).

 

Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (as defined by Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

 

Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”).

 

If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.

 

New Registrant (registered or regulated under the Investment Company Act for less than 12 calendar months preceding this filing).

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Title of Securities Being Registered  

Proposed

Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)

  Amount of
Registration Fee(2)

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

       

Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share(3)

       

Subscription Rights(3)

       

Debt Securities(4)

       

Warrants(5)

       

Total

       

 

 

(1)

An unspecified amount of securities or aggregate principal amount, as applicable, of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be sold at unspecified prices.

(2)

Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant is carrying forward to this Registration Statement $1,000,000,000 in aggregate offering price of unsold securities that the Registrant previously registered on its registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-223663) initially filed on March 14, 2018 (the “Prior Registration Statement”). In accordance with Rules 456(b), 457(r) and 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act, the Registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fees, except that the filing fees previously paid with respect to the unsold securities that are being carried forward to this Registration Statement will continue to be applied to such unsold securities. Registration fees will be paid subsequently on a pay-as-you-go basis. Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act, the offering of unsold securities under the Prior Registration Statement will be deemed terminated as of the date of effectiveness of this Registration Statement.

(3)

Subject to Note 1 above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights, from time to time.

(4)

Subject to Note 1 above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities as may be sold, from time to time.

(5)

Subject to Note 1 above, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of warrants as may be sold, from time to time, representing rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities.

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

SLR Investment Corp.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Subscription Rights

Warrants

 

 

We are an externally managed, non-diversified closed-end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Our investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. We invest directly and indirectly in leveraged middle-market companies primarily in the form of senior secured loans, stretch first lien loans, financing leases and loans, and to a lesser extent, unsecured loans and traditional equity securities. Securities rated below investment grade, including the investments we target, are speculative and are often referred to as “leveraged loans,” “high yield” or “junk” securities, and may be considered “high risk” compared to debt instruments that are rated investment grade.

We are managed by SLR Capital Partners, LLC. SLR Capital Management, LLC provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate.

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

In the event we offer common stock, the offering price per share of our common stock less any underwriting commissions or discounts will generally not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering. However, we may issue shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus at a price per share that is less than our net asset value per share (a) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (b) with the prior approval of the majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of our common stockholders, or (c) under such other circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) may permit.

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

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “SLRC.” On April 27, 2021, the last reported sales price on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for our common stock was $18.40 per share.

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to an offering of our securities. We will provide the specific terms of these offerings and securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read and retain for future reference this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein, before buying any of the securities being offered. We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information about us with the SEC. This information is available free of charge by contacting us by mail at 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (212) 993-1670, on our website at https://www.slrinvestmentcorp.com or by sending an email to us at IRTeam@slrcp.com. The SEC also maintains a website at https://www.sec.gov that contains such information. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider that information to be part of this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

 

An investment in our common stock is very risky and highly speculative. Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page  17 of this prospectus, in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in Part II, Item 1A of our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and in, or incorporated by reference into, the applicable prospectus supplement and in any free writing prospectuses we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our common stock.

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

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of shares of common stock unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

 

April 30, 2021


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You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus prepared by, or on behalf of, us or to which we have referred you. We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus prepared by, or on behalf of, us or to which we have referred you. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained in this prospectus, any such prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses as if we had authorized it. This prospectus, any such prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus, any such prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses is, or will be, accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since then.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

Summary

     1  

Offerings

     9  

Fees and Expenses

     13  

Financial Highlights

     14  

Selected Financial and Other Data

     16  

Risk Factors

     17  

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     18  

Use of Proceeds

     20  

Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions

     21  

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

     22  

Senior Securities

     23  

Business

     24  

Portfolio Companies

     25  

Management

     34  

Portfolio Management

     35  

Investment Advisory and Management Agreement

     36  

Administration Agreement

     37  

License Agreement

     37  

Certain Relationships and Transactions

     38  

Control Persons and Principal Stockholders

     39  

Regulation as a Business Development Company

     40  

Determination of Net Asset Value

     41  

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

     43  

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

     45  

Sales of Common Stock Below Net Asset Value

     52  

Issuance of Warrants or Securities to Subscribe for or Convertible into Shares of Our Common Stock

     58  

Description of Our Capital Stock

     59  

Description of Our Preferred Stock

     66  

Description of Our Subscription Rights

     67  

Description of Our Warrants

     69  

Description of Our Debt Securities

     71  

Plan of Distribution

     87  

Custodian, Transfer and Distribution Paying Agent and Registrar

     89  

Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices

     89  

Legal Matters

     89  

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     89  

Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference

     89  

Available Information

     91  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of an automatic “shelf” registration statement that we have filed with the SEC as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, our common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities or subscription rights representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities on the terms to be determined at the time of the offering. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker, into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.

We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. In a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we may also add, update, or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will include all material information relating to the applicable offering. Before buying any of the securities being offered, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with any exhibits and the additional information described in the sections titled “Available Information,” “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference,” “ Summary” and “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.

This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described in this prospectus, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed, or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described in the section titled “Available Information” in this prospectus.


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SUMMARY

The following summary contains basic information about offerings pursuant to this prospectus. It may not contain all the information that is important to you. For a more complete understanding of offerings pursuant to this prospectus, we encourage you to read this entire prospectus and the documents to which we have referred in this prospectus, together with any accompanying prospectus supplements or free writing prospectuses, including the risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in Part II, Item 1A of our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in any other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, and the information set forth under the caption “Available Information” in this prospectus.

We were formed in February 2007 as Solar Capital LLC, a Maryland limited liability company, and commenced operations in March 2007, after conducting a private placement of units of membership interest (“units”), with initial capital of $1.2 billion of which 47.04% was funded by affiliated parties. On February 9, 2010, Solar Capital LLC was merged with and into SLR Investment Corp. (f/k/a Solar Capital Ltd.), a Maryland corporation, which we refer to as the “Solar Capital Merger,” concurrent with the pricing of our initial public offering, leaving SLR Investment Corp. as the surviving entity. Except where the context suggests otherwise, the terms “we,” “us,” “our”, the “Company” and “SLR Investment” refer to SLR Investment Corp. In addition, the terms “SLR Capital Partners” or the “investment adviser” refer to SLR Capital Partners, LLC, and “SLR Capital Management” or the “administrator” refers to SLR Capital Management, LLC.

In this prospectus, we use the term “leveraged” to refer to companies of any size with non-investment grade debt outstanding or, if not explicitly rated, those which we believe would be rated as non-investment grade based on their leverage levels and other terms. In addition, we use the term “middle-market” to refer to companies with annual revenues typically between $50 million and $1 billion. We also use the term “unitranche” to refer to debt instruments that combine both senior and subordinated debt into one debt instrument. Unitranche debt instruments typically pay a higher rate of interest than traditional senior debt instruments, but also pose greater risk associated with a lesser amount of asset coverage.

SLR Investment Corp.

SLR Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, is a closed-end, externally managed, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Furthermore, as the Company is an investment company, it continues to apply the guidance in the Financial Accounting Standard Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946. In addition, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

In February 2010, we completed our initial public offering and concurrent private offering of shares of our common stock to our senior management team (the “Concurrent Private Placement”).

We invest primarily in privately held U.S. middle-market companies, where we believe the supply of primary capital is limited and the investment opportunities are most attractive. Our investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. We invest directly and indirectly in leveraged middle-market companies primarily in the form of senior secured loans, stretch first lien loans, financing leases and loans, and to a lesser extent, unsecured loans and traditional equity securities. We define “middle market” to refer to companies with annual revenues typically between $50 million and $1 billion.



 

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Our investments in stretch first lien loans represent loans where the amount of senior debt of the portfolio company is larger than a traditional senior secured loan but is less than a unitranche loan. From time to time, we may also invest directly in the debt and equity of public companies, some of which could be thinly traded and such investments will not be limited to any minimum or maximum market capitalization. Our business is focused primarily on the direct origination of investments through portfolio companies or their financial sponsors. Our investments generally range between $5 million and $100 million each, although we expect that this investment size will vary proportionately with the size of our capital base and/or with strategic initiatives.

In addition, we may invest a portion of our portfolio in other types of investments, which we refer to as opportunistic investments, which are not our primary focus but are intended to enhance our overall returns. These investments may include, but are not limited to, direct investments in public companies that are not thinly traded and securities of leveraged companies located in select countries outside of the United States. The securities that we invest in are typically rated below investment grade. Securities rated below investment grade are often referred to as “leveraged loans,” “high yield” or “junk” securities, and may be considered “high risk” compared to debt instruments that are rated investment grade. In addition, some of our debt investments will not fully amortize during their lifetime, which means that a borrower may be unable to payoff its debt due to bankruptcy or other reasons and therefore we may write-off such debt investment prior to its scheduled maturity. Upon such an occurrence, we may realize a loss or a substantial amount of unpaid principal and interest due upon maturity.

Our investment activities are managed by SLR Capital Partners and supervised by our board of directors, a majority of whom are non-interested directors, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. SLR Capital Management provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate.

As of December 31, 2020, our investment portfolio totaled $1.5 billion and our net asset value was $852.0 million. Our portfolio was comprised of debt and equity investments in 105 portfolio companies.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, we invested approximately $427 million in 40 portfolio companies. Investments sold or prepaid during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 totaled approximately $363 million.

About SLR Capital Partners

SLR Capital Partners, our investment adviser, is controlled and led by Michael S. Gross, our Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, and Bruce Spohler, our Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer. They are supported by a team of investment professionals. SLR Capital Partners’ investment team has extensive experience in leveraged lending and private equity, as well as significant contacts with financial sponsors.

In addition, at December 31, 2020, SLR Capital Partners serves as investment adviser to private funds and managed accounts as well as to SLR Senior Investment Corp., another publicly traded BDC that primarily invests in leveraged middle market companies in the form of senior secured loans and stretch first lien loans, SCP Private Credit Income BDC LLC, an unlisted BDC that primarily invests in first lien and stretch first lien loans to upper middle market private leveraged companies, and SLR HC BDC LLC, an unlisted BDC that primarily invests in senior secured loans and other debt instruments typically to middle market companies within the healthcare industry. Through December 31, 2020, the investment team led by Messrs. Gross and Spohler has invested approximately $10.0 billion in more than 400 different portfolio companies involving over 200 different financial sponsors. As of March 1, 2021, Mr. Gross and Mr. Spohler beneficially owned, either directly or indirectly, approximately 6.6% of our outstanding common stock.



 

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Mr. Gross has over 25 years of experience in private equity and leveraged lending. Prior to his current role as our Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, Mr. Gross founded Apollo Investment Corporation, a publicly traded BDC. He served as its chairman from February 2004 to July 2006 and its chief executive officer from February 2004 to February 2006. Under his management, Apollo Investment Corporation raised approximately $930 million in gross proceeds in an initial public offering in April 2004, built a dedicated investment team and infrastructure and invested approximately $2.3 billion in over 65 companies in conjunction with 50 different private equity sponsors. Mr. Gross was also a founder and a former senior partner of Apollo Management, L.P., a leading private equity firm. During his tenure at Apollo Management, L.P., Mr. Gross was a member of the investment committee that was responsible for overseeing more than $13 billion of investments in over 150 companies.

Mr. Gross also currently serves on the boards of directors of three public companies, and in the past has served on the boards of directors of more than 20 public and private companies. As a result, Mr. Gross has developed an extensive network of private equity sponsor relationships as well as relationships with management teams of public and private companies, investment bankers, attorneys and accountants that we believe should provide us with significant business opportunities.

We also rely on the over 25 years of experience of Mr. Spohler, who has served as our Chief Operating Officer and a managing partner of SLR Capital Partners since its inception and as Co-Chief Executive Officer since June 2019. Previously, Mr. Spohler was a managing director and a former co-head of U.S. Leveraged Finance for CIBC World Markets. He held numerous senior roles at CIBC World Markets, including serving on the U.S. Management Committee, Global Executive Committee and the Deals Committee, which approves all of CIBC World Markets’ U.S. corporate finance debt capital decisions. During Mr. Spohler’s tenure, he was responsible for senior loan, high yield and mezzanine origination and execution, as well as CIBC World Markets’ below investment grade loan portfolio in the United States. As a co-head of U.S. Leveraged Finance, Mr. Spohler oversaw over 300 capital raising and merger and acquisition transactions, comprising over $40 billion in market capitalization.

SLR Capital Partners’ senior investment professionals have been active participants in the primary and secondary leveraged credit markets throughout their careers. They have effectively managed portfolios of senior secured loans, distressed and mezzanine debt as well as other investment types. The depth of their prior experience and credit market expertise has led them through various stages of the economic cycle as well as several market disruptions.

Market Opportunity

SLR Investment invests directly and indirectly in leveraged middle-market companies, including in senior secured loans, stretch first lien loans, financing leases and loans, and to a lesser extent, unsecured loans and traditional equity securities. We believe that the size of this market, coupled with leveraged companies’ need for flexible sources of capital at attractive terms and rates, creates an attractive investment environment for us. See “Business — Market Opportunity” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

   

Middle-market companies continue to face increasing difficulty in accessing the capital markets. While many middle-market companies were formerly able to raise funds by issuing high-yield bonds, we believe this approach to financing has become more difficult in recent years as institutional investors have sought to invest in larger, more liquid offerings. In addition, many private finance companies that historically financed their lending and investing activities through securitization transactions have lost that source of funding and reduced lending significantly. Moreover, consolidation of lenders and market participants and the illiquid nature of investments have resulted in fewer middle-market lenders and market participants.



 

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There is a large pool of uninvested private equity capital likely to seek additional capital to support their investments. We believe there is more than $600 billion of uninvested private equity capital seeking debt financing to support acquisitions. We expect that middle-market private equity firms will continue to invest in middle-market companies and that those private equity firms will seek to support their investments with senior loans from other sources such as SLR Investment.

 

   

The significant amount of debt maturing through 2024 should provide additional demand for capital. A high volume of financings are expected to mature over the next few years. We believe that this supply of prospective lending opportunities coupled with a lack of available credit in the middle-market lending space may offer attractive risk-adjusted returns to investors. Risk-adjusted return compares returns against the amount of risk incurred. The term “risk-adjusted return” does not imply that an investment is no risk or low risk.

 

   

Investing in private middle-market debt provides an attractive risk reward profile. In general, terms for illiquid, middle-market subordinated debt have been more attractive than those for larger corporations which are typically more liquid. We believe this is because fewer institutions are able to invest in illiquid asset classes.

Therefore, we believe that there is an attractive opportunity to invest in leveraged middle-market companies, including in senior secured loans, stretch first lien loans, unitranche loans and to a lesser extent, unsecured loans and equity securities, and that we are well positioned to serve this market.

Competitive Advantages and Strategy

We believe that we have the following competitive advantages over other providers of financing to leveraged companies. See “Business — Competitive Advantages and Strategy” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Management Expertise

As managing partner, Mr. Gross has principal management responsibility for SLR Capital Partners, to which he currently dedicates substantially all of his time. Mr. Gross has over 25 years of experience in private equity and leveraged lending. Mr. Spohler, our Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and a partner of SLR Capital Partners, has over 25 years of experience in evaluating and executing leverage finance transactions.

Investment Capacity

The proceeds from our public offerings and the Concurrent Private Placement, the borrowing capacity under the senior secured credit facility led by Citibank, N.A. (the “Credit Facility”), our $50 million NEFPASS SPV credit facility (the “NEFPASS Facility”), our $75 million of unsecured senior notes due 2023 (the “2023 Unsecured Notes”), our $150 million of unsecured senior notes due 2022 (the “2022 Unsecured Notes”), our $21 million of unsecured senior notes due 2022 (the “2022 Tranche C Notes”), our $125 million of unsecured notes due 2024 (the “2024 Unsecured Notes”), our $75 million of unsecured notes due 2026 (the “2026 Unsecured Notes”), the available capital at our significant subsidiaries and the expected repayments of existing portfolio company investments provide us with a substantial amount of capital available for deployment into new investment opportunities. We believe we are well positioned for the current marketplace.

SLR Investment’s Limited Leverage

As of December 31, 2020, we had total outstanding borrowings of approximately $677.0 million. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted to issue senior securities in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 150% of gross assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not



 

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represented by senior securities, after each issuance of senior securities. As of December 31, 2020, our asset coverage ratio was 225.9%. We believe our relatively low level of leverage provides us with a competitive advantage as proceeds from our investments are available for reinvestment as opposed to being consumed by debt repayment. We may increase our relative level of debt in the future. However, we do not currently anticipate operating with a substantial amount of debt relative to our total assets.

Proprietary Sourcing and Origination

We believe that SLR Capital Partners’ senior investment professionals’ longstanding relationships with financial sponsors, commercial and investment banks, management teams and other financial intermediaries provide us with a strong pipeline of proprietary origination opportunities. We expect to continue leveraging the relationships Mr. Gross established while sourcing and originating investments at Apollo Investment Corporation (“Apollo”) as well as the financial sponsor relationships Mr. Spohler developed while he was a co-head of CIBC World Markets’ U.S. Leveraged Finance Group.

Versatile Transaction Structuring and Flexibility of Capital

We believe SLR Capital Partners’ senior investment team’s broad expertise and ability to draw upon its extensive experience enable us to identify, assess and structure investments successfully across all levels of a company’s capital structure and to manage potential risk and return at all stages of the economic cycle. The attempt to manage risk does not imply low risk or no risk. While we are subject to significant regulation as a BDC, we are not subject to many of the regulatory limitations that govern traditional lending institutions, such as banks. As a result, we believe that we can be more flexible than such lending institutions in selecting and structuring investments, adjusting investment criteria, transaction structures and, in some cases, the types of securities in which we invest.

Emphasis on Achieving Strong Risk-Adjusted Returns

SLR Capital Partners uses a structured investment and risk management process that emphasizes research and analysis. SLR Capital Partners seeks to build our portfolio on a “bottom-up” basis, choosing and sizing individual positions based on their relative risk/reward profiles as a function of the associated downside risk, volatility, correlation with the existing portfolio and liquidity. At the same time, SLR Capital Partners takes into consideration a variety of factors in managing our portfolio and imposes portfolio-based risk constraints promoting a more diverse portfolio of investments and limiting issuer and industry concentration. We do not pursue short-term origination targets. We believe this approach enables us to build an attractive investment portfolio that meets our return and value criteria over the long term. We believe it is critical to conduct extensive due diligence on investment targets. In evaluating new investments we, through SLR Capital Partners, conduct a rigorous due diligence process.

Dedication of Resources to Industries with Substantial Information Flow

We dedicate our investing resources to industries characterized by strong cash flow and in which SLR Capital Partners’ investment professionals have deep investment experience. As a result of their investment experience, Messrs. Gross and Spohler, together with SLR Capital Partners’ other senior investment professionals, have long-term relationships with management consultants and management teams in the industries we target, as well as substantial information concerning those industries.

Longer Investment Horizon

Unlike private equity and venture capital funds, we will not be subject to standard periodic capital return requirements. Such requirements typically stipulate that the capital of these funds, together with any capital gains on such invested funds, can only be invested once and must be returned to investors after a pre-agreed time period. We believe that our flexibility to make investments with a long-term view and without the capital return requirements of traditional private investment vehicles provides us with the opportunity to generate favorable returns relative to the risks of our invested capital and enables us to be a better long-term partner for our portfolio companies.



 

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Summary Risk Factors

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

Risks Relating to Our Investments

 

   

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

 

   

Our investments are very risky and highly speculative.

 

   

The lack of liquidity in our investments may make it difficult for us to dispose of our investments at a favorable price, which may adversely affect our ability to meet our investment objectives.

 

   

Our portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies performs poorly or defaults on its obligations under any of its debt instruments or if there is a downturn in a particular industry.

 

   

If we cannot obtain additional capital because of either regulatory or market price constraints, we could be forced to curtail or cease our new lending and investment activities, our net asset value could decrease and our level of distributions and liquidity could be affected adversely.

 

   

Changes relating to the LIBOR calculation process may adversely affect the value of our portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.

 

   

Events outside of our control, including public health crises, could negatively affect our portfolio companies and our results of our operations.

 

   

We are currently operating in a period of capital markets disruption and economic uncertainty.

 

   

The continued uncertainty related to the sustainability and pace of economic recovery in the U.S. and globally could have a negative impact on our business.

 

   

We may suffer a loss if a portfolio company defaults on a loan and the underlying collateral is not sufficient.

 

   

Prepayments of our debt investments by our portfolio companies could adversely impact our results of operations and reduce our return on equity.

Risks Relating to an Investment in Our Securities

 

   

Our shares may trade at a substantial discount from net asset value and may continue to do so over the long term.

 

   

Our common stock price may be volatile and may decrease substantially.

 

   

Our business and operation could be negatively affected if we become subject to any securities litigation or shareholder activism, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder execution of investment strategy and impact our stock price.

 

   

If the current period of capital market disruption and instability continues for an extended period of time, there is a risk that investors in our equity securities may not receive distributions consistent with historical levels or at all or that our distributions may not grow over time and a portion of our distributions may be a return of capital.

 

   

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we may not be able to increase our dividends and may reduce or defer our dividends and choose to incur U.S. federal excise tax in order preserve cash and maintain flexibility.



 

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

 

   

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.

 

   

The net asset value per share of our common stock may be diluted if we issue or sell shares of our common stock at prices below the then current net asset value per share of our common stock or securities to subscribe for or convertible into shares of our common stock.

 

   

To the extent we use debt or preferred stock to finance our investments, changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.

Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure

 

   

We are dependent upon SLR Capital Partners’ key personnel for our future success.

 

   

Our business model depends to a significant extent upon strong referral relationships with financial sponsors, and the inability of the senior investment professionals of our investment adviser to maintain or develop these relationships, or the failure of these relationships to generate investment opportunities, could adversely affect our business.

 

   

Our financial condition and results of operations will depend on SLR Capital Partners’ ability to manage our future growth effectively by identifying, investing in and monitoring companies that meet our investment criteria.

 

   

We may need to raise additional capital to grow because we must distribute most of our income.

 

   

Any failure on our part to maintain our status as a BDC would reduce our operating flexibility and we may be limited in our investment choices as a BDC.

 

   

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

 

   

We have and will continue to borrow money, which would magnify the potential for loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.

 

   

There will be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments, which may impact our net asset value.

 

   

There are significant potential conflicts of interest, including SLR Capital Partners’ management of other investment funds such as SLR Senior Investment Corp., SCP Private Credit Income BDC LLC, and SLR HC BDC LLC, which could impact our investment returns, and an investment in SLR Investment Corp. is not an investment in SLR Senior Investment Corp., SCP Private Credit Income BDC LLC, or SLR HC BDC LLC.

 

   

We may be obligated to pay our investment adviser incentive compensation even if we incur a loss.

 

   

Our incentive fee may induce SLR Capital Partners to pursue speculative investments.

 

   

We may become subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to qualify and maintain our qualification for tax treatment as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.

See “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other information included in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus for additional discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our securities.

 



 

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Operating and Regulatory Structure

As a BDC, we are required to meet regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in “qualifying assets.” Qualifying assets generally include, among other things, securities of “eligible portfolio companies.” “Eligible portfolio companies” generally include U.S. companies that are not investment companies and that do not have securities listed on a national exchange. See “Business—Business Development Company Regulations” in Part 1, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. We may also borrow funds to make investments. In addition, we have elected, and intend to qualify annually, to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. See “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in this prospectus.

Our investment activities are managed by SLR Capital Partners and supervised by our board of directors. SLR Capital Partners is an investment adviser that is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Under our investment advisory and management agreement, (the “Investment Advisory and Management Agreement”), we have agreed to pay SLR Capital Partners an annual base management fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. See “Business—Investment Advisory Fees” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. We have also entered into an administration agreement, (the “Administration Agreement”), under which we have agreed to reimburse SLR Capital Management for the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by SLR Capital Management in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including furnishing us with office facilities, equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities, as well as providing us with other administrative services. See “Business—SLR Capital Management” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our Corporate Information

Our offices are located at 500 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and our telephone number is (212) 993-1670.



 

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Offerings

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, or warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We, however, do not have any current intent to issue subscription rights, preferred stock, or warrants in the next twelve months following the effectiveness of this prospectus. We will offer our securities at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The offering price per share of our common stock, less any underwriting commissions or discounts, generally will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of an offering. However, we may issue shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus at a price per share that is less than our net asset value per share (a) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (b) with the prior approval of the majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of our common stockholders, or (c) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit.

At our 2020 Annual Stockholders Meeting, our stockholders approved our ability to sell or otherwise issue shares of our common stock, not exceeding 25% of our then outstanding common stock immediately prior to each such offering, at a price or prices below the then current net asset value per share, in each case subject to the approval of our board of directors and compliance with the conditions set forth in the proxy statement pertaining thereto, during a period beginning on October 6, 2020 and expiring on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the date of the 2020 Annual Stockholders Meeting and the date of our 2021 Annual Stockholders Meeting. However, notwithstanding such stockholder approval, since our IPO on February 9, 2010, we have not sold any shares of our common stock in an offering that resulted in proceeds to us of less than our then current net asset value per share. Any offering of our common stock that requires stockholder approval must occur, if at all, within one year after receiving such stockholder approval. However, any such issuance of shares of our common stock below net asset value will be dilutive to the net asset value of our common stock. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to an Investment in Our Securities” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and “Sale of Common Stock Below Net Asset Value” in this prospectus.

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

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

 

Use of Proceeds

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities for general corporate purposes, which includes, among other things, (a) investing in portfolio companies in accordance with our investment objective and strategies and market conditions and (b) repaying indebtedness. Each supplement to this prospectus or free writing prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering. See “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus.

 

NASDAQ Global Select Market Symbol

“SLRC”


 

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Distributions

To the extent that we have income available, we intend to distribute quarterly distributions to our stockholders. The amount of our distributions, if any, will be determined by our board of directors. Any distributions to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution. The specific tax characteristics of our distributions will be reported to shareholders after the end of each calendar year. We may issue preferred stock from time to time, although we have no immediate intention to do so. If we issue shares of preferred stock, holders of such preferred stock will be entitled to receive cash distributions at an annual rate that will be fixed or will vary for the successive distribution periods for each series. In general, the distribution periods for fixed rate preferred stock will be quarterly.

 

Taxation

We have elected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and intend to continue to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally will not have to pay U.S. corporate-level federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we timely distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To continue to maintain our RIC tax treatment, we must meet specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute annually at least 90% of our ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. See “Price Range of Common Stock and Distributions” in Part II, Item 5 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in this prospectus.

 

Leverage

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

 

Investment Advisory Fees

We pay SLR Capital Partners a fee for its services under the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement consisting of two components — a base management fee and an incentive fee. The base management fee is calculated at an annual rate of 1.75% of our gross assets, which includes any borrowings for investment purposes. Effective January 1, 2018, the annual rate for the base management fee changed from 2.00% to 1.75% and effective August 2, 2018 the annual rate is 1.00% on gross assets that exceed 200% of our total net assets as of the immediately preceding quarter. The incentive fee consists of two parts. The first part 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. The second part is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement) in an amount equal to 20% of our realized capital gains, if



 

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any, on a cumulative basis from inception through the end of each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gain incentive fees. See “Business—Investment Advisory Fees” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Administration Agreement

We reimburse SLR Capital Management for the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by SLR Capital Management in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including furnishing us with office facilities, equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities, as well as providing us with other administrative services. In addition, we reimburse SLR Capital Management for the fees and expenses associated with performing compliance functions, and our allocable portion of the compensation of our chief compliance officer and our chief financial officer and their respective staffs. See “Business—SLR Capital Management” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Trading

Ticker: SLRC; Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. The risk that our shares may trade at a discount to our net asset value is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share may decline. We cannot predict whether our shares will trade above, at or below net asset value.

 

License Agreement

We have entered into a license agreement with SLR Capital Partners, pursuant to which SLR Capital Partners has agreed to grant us a non-exclusive license to use the licensed marks “SOLAR” and “SLR.” See “License Agreement” in this prospectus.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

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

 

Certain Anti-Takeover Measures

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



 

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opportunity to realize a premium over the market price for our common stock. See “Description of Our Capital Stock” in this prospectus.

 

Available Information

We are required to file periodic reports, current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This information is available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. This information is also available free of charge by contacting us at SLR Investment Corp., 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (212) 993-1670, on our website at https://slrinvestmentcorp.com, or by sending an email to us at IRTeam@slrcp.com.

 

Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. In accordance with the Small Business Credit Availability Act, we are allowed to “incorporate by reference” the information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to documents containing such information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to comprise a part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus and before the date that any offering of any securities by means of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus.


 

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FEES AND EXPENSES

The information in the section entitled “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities—Fees and Expenses” in Part II, Item 5 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following tables of financial highlights are intended to help a prospective investor understand the Company’s financial performance for the periods shown. The financial data set forth in the following table as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 are derived from our consolidated financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose reports thereon are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, certain documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement, or our Annual Reports on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, which may be obtained from www.sec.gov or upon request. You should read these financial highlights in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in this prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement, or our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC.

 

    Year ended
December 31,
2020
    Year ended
December 31,
2019
    Year ended
December 31,
2018
    Year ended
December 31,
2017
    Year ended
December 31,
2016
 

Per Share Data: (a)

         

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 21.44     $ 21.75     $ 21.81     $ 21.74     $ 20.79  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

    1.40       1.71       1.77       1.62       1.68  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    (1.04     (0.38     (0.19     0.05       0.84  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations

    0.36       1.33       1.58       1.67       2.52  

Distributions to stockholders (see note 8a):

         

From net investment income

    (1.15     (1.55     (1.64     (1.60     (1.60

From return of capital

    (0.49     (0.09     —         —         —    

Anti-dilution

    —         —         —         —         0.03  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 20.16     $ 21.44     $ 21.75     $ 21.81     $ 21.74  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per share market value, end of year

  $ 17.51     $ 20.62     $ 19.19     $ 20.21     $ 20.82  

Total Return(b)

    (5.72 %)      16.22     2.77     4.47     37.49

Net assets, end of year

  $ 852,023     $ 905,880     $ 919,171     $ 921,605     $ 918,507  

Shares outstanding, end of year

    42,260,826       42,260,826       42,260,826       42,260,826       42,248,525  

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Net investment income

    6.93     7.83     8.10     7.43     7.91
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses

    4.14     5.76     5.83     5.80     6.25

Interest and other credit facility expenses

    3.18     3.13     2.67     2.35 %*     2.73 %*
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

    7.32     8.89     8.50     8.15     8.98
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Average debt outstanding

  $ 556,104     $ 561,249     $ 508,445     $ 414,264     $ 495,795  

Portfolio turnover ratio

    26.0     24.1     39.3     24.9     31.0

 

(a)

Calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(b)

Total return is based on the change in market price per share during the year and takes into account distributions, if any, reinvested in accordance with the dividend reinvestment plan. Total return does not include a sales load.

 

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*

Ratios are shown without the non-recurring upfront costs that were expensed in the period associated with the amendment and establishment of the Credit Facility and 2022 Unsecured Notes. Ratios excluding those non-recurring upfront costs would be 2.29% and 2.39% for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.

 

     Year ended
December 31,
2015
    Year ended
December 31,
2014
    Year ended
December 31,
2013
    Year ended
December 31,
2012
    Year ended
December 31,
2011
 

Per Share Data: (a)

          

Net asset value, beginning of year

   $ 22.05     $ 22.50     $ 22.70     $ 22.02     $ 22.73  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net investment income

     1.52       1.56       1.91       2.20       2.25  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

     (1.18     (0.43     (0.22     0.91       (0.57
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations

     0.34       1.13       1.69       3.11       1.68  

Distributions to stockholders (see note 9a):

          

From net investment income

     (1.60     (1.55     (1.55     (2.27     (2.02

From net realized gains

     —         —         (0.46     (0.16     (0.38

From other sources

     —         (0.05 )(c)     —         —         —    

Anti-dilution (dilution)

     —         0.02       0.12       —         0.01  

Offering costs

     —         —         —         —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

   $ 20.79     $ 22.05     $ 22.50     $ 22.70     $ 22.02  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Per share market value, end of period

   $ 16.43     $ 18.01     $ 22.55     $ 23.91     $ 22.09  

Total Return(b)

     (0.29 )%      (13.58 )%      2.82     20.03     (1.07 )% 

Net assets, end of period

   $ 882,698     $ 936,568     $ 995,637     $ 878,273     $ 805,941  

Shares outstanding, end of period

     42,464,762       42,465,162       44,244,195       38,694,060       36,608,038  

Ratios to average net assets:

          

Net investment income

     6.94     6.93     8.43     9.79     9.97
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses

     3.84 %*     4.24     5.82     6.25     5.82

Interest and other credit facility expenses**

     1.68     1.50     1.99     2.28     1.12
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total expenses

     5.52 %*     5.74     7.81     8.53     6.94
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Average debt outstanding

   $ 262,341     $ 225,000     $ 318,186     $ 237,859     $ 152,047  

Portfolio turnover ratio

     13.0     53.7     25.6     54.7     34.5

 

(a)

Calculated using the average shares outstanding method.

(b)

Total return is based on the change in market price per share during the period and takes into account distributions, if any, reinvested in accordance with the dividend reinvestment plan.

(c)

Represents tax return of capital.

*

The ratio of operating expenses to average net assets and the ratio of total expenses to average net assets is shown net of a voluntary incentive fee waiver (see note 3). For the year ended December 31, 2015, the ratios of operating expenses to average net assets and total expenses to average net assets would be 4.02% and 5.70%, respectively, without the voluntary incentive fee waiver.

**

Ratios shown without the non-recurring costs associated with the amendments and establishment of the Credit Facility would be 1.68%, 1.50%, 1.74%, 1.41% and 1.12%, respectively for the periods shown.

 

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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

The information in “Selected Financial and Other Data” in Part II, Item 6 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated by reference herein.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings we have made with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, together with other information in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with any offering made pursuant to this prospectus. The risks described in these documents are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. This could cause our net asset value and the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section titled “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this prospectus.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains, and any accompanying prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus, and any documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, may contain, forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about SLR Investment, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus, and any documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

   

our future operating results, including our ability to achieve objectives as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

   

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

   

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

   

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon;

 

   

the impact of any protracted decline in the liquidity of credit markets on our business and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon;

 

   

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

the valuation of our investments in portfolio companies, particularly those having no liquid trading market, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon;

 

   

market conditions and our ability to access alternative debt markets and additional debt and equity capital, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon;

 

   

our expected financings and investments;

 

   

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital;

 

   

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon; and

 

   

the ability of our investment adviser to locate suitable investments for us and to monitor and administer our investments and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic thereon.

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

 

   

an economic downturn, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

   

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

   

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

 

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

 

   

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other filings with the SEC that we make from time to time and elsewhere contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus, and any documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in Part II, Item 1A of our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and elsewhere in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus, and any documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, and elsewhere in this prospectus. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us as of the applicable date of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including any documents incorporated by reference, any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, and while we believe such information forms, or will form, a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities pursuant to this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include investing in debt or equity securities consistent with our investment objective, repayment of outstanding indebtedness, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes. We are continuously identifying, reviewing and, to the extent consistent with our investment objective, funding new investments. As a result, we typically raise capital as we deem appropriate to fund such new investments. Any supplement to this prospectus or free writing prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering.

We estimate that it will take three to six months for us to substantially invest the net proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus, depending on the availability of attractive opportunities and market conditions. However, we can offer no assurance that we will be able to achieve this goal. We expect that it may take more than three months to invest all of the proceeds of any offering made pursuant to this prospectus, in part because investments in private companies often require substantial prior research and due diligence.

Pending such uses, we will invest the net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, and U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment. These securities may have lower yields than the types of investments we would typically make in accordance with our investment objective and, accordingly, may result in lower distributions, if any, during such period. See “Business — Business Development Company Regulations” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information about temporary investments we may make while waiting to make longer-term investments in pursuit of our investment objective. The management fee payable by us to our investment adviser will not be reduced while our assets are invested in such securities.

 

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The information in the section entitled “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities — Common Stock” in Part II, Item 5 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources — Distributions” in Part II, Item 7 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The information included in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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SENIOR SECURITIES

Information about our senior securities as of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2011 to 2020 is located in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations —Liquidity and Capital Resources — Debt — Senior Securities” in Part II, Item 7 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and is incorporated by reference herein. The report of our independent registered public accounting firm on the senior securities table as of December  31, 2020 is included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on February 24, 2021, and is incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

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BUSINESS

The information in the section entitled “Business” in Part I, Item 1, “Properties” in Part I, Item 2 and “Legal Proceedings” in Part I, Item 3 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

The following table sets forth certain information as of December 31, 2020 for each portfolio company in which we had a debt or equity investment. The general terms of our debt and equity investments are described in “Business — Investments” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Other than these investments, our only formal relationships with our portfolio companies are the managerial assistance we may provide upon request and the board observer or participation rights we may receive in connection with our investment. All information required by Item 8.6 of Form N-2 is reflected in the table below except for the amount, terms and value of investments, which are listed in the schedule of investments included in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, which are included in “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in Part II, Item 8 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Aegis Toxicology Sciences Corporation

515 Great Circle Road

Nashville, TN 37228

  

Health Care Providers &

Services

   Senior secured loan   

Alimera Sciences, Inc.

6120 Windward Parkway, Suite 290

Alpharetta, GA 30005

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

Alteon Health, LLC

2201 Timberloch Place, Suite 175

The Woodlands, TX 77380

  

Health Care Providers &

Services

   Senior secured loan   

American Teleconferencing Services, Ltd. (PGI)

3280 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1000

Atlanta, GA 30305

   Communications Equipment    Senior secured loan   

AmeraMex International, Inc.

3930 Esplanade

Chico, CA 95973

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Apollo Endosurgery, Inc.

1120 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Bldg 1, Suite 300

Austin, TX 78746

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

Ardelyx, Inc.

34175 Ardenwood Blvd, Suite 200

Freemont, CA 94555

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

Atria Wealth Solutions, Inc.

295 Madison Avenue, Suite 1407

New York, NY 10017

   Diversified Financial Services    Senior secured loan   

aTyr Pharma, Inc.

3545 John Hopkins Court, Suite 250

San Diego, CA 92121

   Pharmaceuticals   

Warrants

   <1%

AviatorCap SII, LLC

18851 Northeast 29th Avenue, Suite 518

Aventura, FL 33180

   Aerospace & Defense    Senior secured loan   

Axcella Health Inc.

840 Memorial Drive, Third Floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Basic Fun, Inc.

301 Yamato Road, Suite 4200

Boca Raton, FL 33431

   Specialty Retail    Senior secured loan   

B Riley Financial Inc.

21860 Burbank Blvd.

Suite 300 South

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

   Research & Consulting Services    Common equity    2%

Blackhawk Mining, LLC

4189 Collins Highway

Pikeville, KY 41501

   Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels    Equipment financing   

Boart Longyear Company

2455 South 3600 West

West Valley City, UT 84119

   Metals & Mining    Equipment financing   

C&H Paving, Inc.

204 Main Street

Thomson, GA 30824

   Construction & Engineering    Equipment financing   

Capital City Jet Center, Inc.

2000 Norton Rd

Columbus, OH 43228

   Airlines    Equipment financing   

CardioFocus, Inc.

500 Nickerson Road,

Suite 500-200

Marlborough, MA 01752

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Warrants    <1%

Cardiva Medical, Inc.

888 W. Maude Avenue

Sunnyvale, CA 94085

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

Central Freight Lines, Inc.

5601 W. Waco Drive

Waco, TX 76710

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Centrexion Therapeutics, Inc.

200 State Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02109

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan, warrants    <1%

Cerapedics, Inc.

11025 Dover Street, Suite 1600

Westminster, CO 80021

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

Champion Air, LLC

1675 Dale Earnhardt Highway #3

Mooresville, NC 28115

   Airlines    Equipment financing   

Conventus Orthopaedics, Inc.

10200 73rd Avenue North

Suite 122

Maple Grove, MN 55369

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Warrants    <1%

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Delphinus Medical Technologies, Inc.

46701 Commerce Center Drive

Plymouth, MI 48170

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan, warrants    <1%

Easton Sales and Rentals, LLC

14740 Highway 59 South

Humble, TX 77396

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Enhanced Permanent Capital, LLC

201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 3400

New Orleans, LA 70170

   Capital Markets    Senior secured loan   

Environmental Protection & Improvement Company LLC

451 North Cannon Ave

Lansdale, PA 19446

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Equipment Operating Leases LLC

501 Merritt Seven

Norwalk, CT 06851

   Multi-Sector Holdings    Equipment financing   

EquipmentShare.com, Inc.

5710 Bull Run Dr.

Columbia, MO 65201

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Essence Group Holdings

Corporation (Lumeris)

13900 Riverport Drive

St. Louis, MO 63043

   Health Care Technology    Warrants    <1%

Family First Freight, LLC

1191 East Blue Lick Road

Shepherdsville, KY 40165

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Freightsol LLC

12115 Doc Adams

Laredo Drive, TX 78045

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Garda CL Technical Services, Inc.

200 Corporate Blvd NW

Boca Raton, FL 33431

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

GenMark Diagnostics, Inc.

5964 La Place Court

Carlsbad, CA 92008

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

Georgia Jet, Inc.

530 Briscoe Blvd.

Lawrenceville, GA 30045

   Airlines    Equipment financing   

Globecomm Systems Inc.

45 Oser Ave

Hauppauge, NY 11788

   Wireless Telecommunication Services    Equipment financing   

GMT Corporation

2112 Bremer Ave

Waverly, IA 50677

   Machinery    Equipment financing   

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Greystone Select Holdings LLC &

Greystone & Co., Inc.

152 West 57th Street, 60th Floor

New York, NY 10019

   Thrifts & Mortgage Finance    Senior secured loan   

Haljoe Coaches USA, LLC

2563 208th Street

Lake City, FL 32024

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

HTI Logistics Corporation

1191 East Blue Lick Road

Shepherdsville, KY 40165

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

HyPro, Inc.

600 S. Jefferson St.

P.O. Box 370

Waterford, WI 53185

   Machinery    Equipment financing   

iCIMS, Inc.

101 Crawfords Corner Road, Suite 3-100

Holmdel, NJ 07733

   Software    Senior secured loan   

Interstate NDT, Inc.

25 Carson Street

Belle Vernon, PA 15012

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

ISR Holdings, LLC

12730 Fair Lakes Circle, Suite 600

Fairfax, VA 22033

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

KBH Topco, LLC

150 North Field Drive, Suite 193

Lake Forest, IL 60045

   Multi-Sector Holdings    Common equity    87.5%

JP Motorsports, Inc.

11067 Ounda Street

Sun Valley, CA 91352

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Kindred Biosciences, Inc.

1499 Bayshore Highway Suite 226

Burlingame, CA 94010

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

Kingsbridge Holdings, LLC

150 N. Field Drive, Suite 193

Lake Forest, IL 60045

   Multi-Sector Holdings    Senior secured loan   

Kool Pak, LLC

4550 Kruse Way

Lake Oswego, OR 97035

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

KORE Wireless Group, Inc.

3700 Mansell Road, Suite 250

Alpharetta, GA 30022

   Wireless Telecommunication Services    Senior secured loan   

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Legility, LLC

216 Centerview Dr #250

Brentwood, TN 37027

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

Lineal Industries, Inc.

350 Presto Sygan Rd

Bridgeville, PA 15017

   Construction & Engineering    Equipment financing   

Logix Holding Company, LLC

2950 N. Loop West, 8th Floor

Houston, TX 77092

   Communications Equipment    Senior secured loan   

Loyer Capital LLC

501 Merritt Seven

Norwalk, CT 06851

   Multi-Sector Holdings    Equipment financing   

Mountain Air Helicopters, Inc.

14 Elaine Dr.

Los Lunas, NM 87031

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Neuronetics, Inc.

3222 Phoenixville Pike

Malvern, PA 19355

  

Health Care Equipment &

Supplies

   Senior secured loan   

OmniGuide Holdings, Inc.

4 Maguire Road

Lexington, MA 02421

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

One Touch Direct, LLC

4902 W Sligh Ave,

Tampa, FL 33634

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Senior secured loan   

Pet Holdings ULC & Pet Supermarket, Inc.

1100 International Parkway

Sunrise, FL 33323

   Specialty Retail    Senior secured loan   

PhyMed Management LLC

110 29th Avenue North, Suite 301

Nashville, TN 37203

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

Phynet Dermatology LLC

720 Cool Springs Boulevard, Suite 150

Franklin, TN 37067

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

Pinnacle Treatment Centers, Inc.

1317 Route 73, Suite 200

Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

PPT Management Holdings LLC

333 Earle Ovington Blvd, Suite 225

Uniondale, NY 11553

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

PQ Bypass, Inc.

269 North Mathilda Avenue

Sunnyvale, CA 94086

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Senior secured loan, warrants    <1%

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Rane Light Metal Castings, Inc.

232 Hopkinsville Rd

Russellville, KY 42276

   Machinery    Equipment financing   

Rango, Inc.

4215 E McDowell Rd

Mesa, AZ 85215

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Rossco Crane & Rigging, Inc.

410 74th Street, SE

Minot, ND 58701

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Royal Coach Lines, Inc.

1010 Nepperhan Ave

Yonkers, NY 10703

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Royal Express Inc.

12125 Jef Drive

Laredo, TX 78045

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

RD Holdco Inc. (Rug Doctor LLC)

4701 Old Shepard Place

Plano, TX 75093

   Diversified Consumer Services    Common stock, class b common stock, warrants    26%

Rubius Therapeutics, Inc.

325 Vassar Street, Suite 1A

Cambridge, MA 02139

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

Rug Doctor LLC

2201 West Plano Parkway Suite 100

Plano, TX 75075

   Diversified Consumer Services    Senior secured loan   

scPharmaceuticals, Inc.

131 Hartwell Avenue, Suite 215

Lexington, MA 02421

   Pharmaceuticals    Senior secured loan   

Scynexis, Inc.

101 Hudson Street, Suite 3610

Jersey City, NY 07302

   Pharmaceuticals    Warrants    <1%

Sentry Data Systems, Inc.

800 Fairway Drive, Suite 400

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

   Software    Senior secured loan   

Senseonics Holdings, Inc.

20451 Seneca Meadows Parkway

Germantown, MD 20876

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Warrants    <1%

SI-Bone, Inc.

471 El Camino Real, Suite 101

Santa Clara, CA 95050

  

Health Care Equipment &

Supplies

   Senior secured loan   

Sidelines Tree Service LLC

1090 Gregg Station Road

Oakdale, PA 15071

   Diversified Consumer Services    Equipment financing   

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

SLR Credit Solutions (f/k/a Crystal Financial LLC)

Two International Place 17th Floor

Boston, MA 02110

   Diversified Financial Services    Common equity    100%

SLR Equipment Finance (f/k/a NEF Holdings LLC)

501 Merritt Seven, 6th Floor

Norwalk, CT 06851

   Multi-sector Holdings    Equipment financing, equity interests    100%

Smile Doctors LLC

295 SE Inner Loop

Georgetown, Texas 78626

   Personal Products    Senior secured loan   

SOAGG, LLC

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Aerospace & Defense    Preferred stock    100%

SOINT, LLC

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Aerospace & Defense    Preferred stock    100%

Soleo Health Holdings, Inc.

2801 Network Boulevard Suite 505

Frisco, TX 75034

   Health Care Providers & Services    Senior secured loan   

South Texas Oilfield Solutions, LLC

411 N. Flournoy, Suite 102

Alice, TX 78332

   Energy Equipment & Services    Equipment financing   

ST Coaches, LLC

1302 S 8th Street

Leesburg, FL 34748

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Stafford Logistics, Inc.

3842 Highlands Pkwy SE

Smyrna, GA 30082

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Star Coaches Inc.

2051 Marietta Road

Atlanta, GA 30318

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Sturgeon Services International Inc.

905 South Boulevard East

Rochester Hills, MI 48307

   Energy Equipment & Services    Equipment financing   

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

395 Oyster Point Boulevard, Suite 400

South San Francisco, CA 94080

   Pharmaceuticals    Warrants    <1%

Sun-Tech Leasing of Texas, L.P.

7200 Midway Road

Fort Worth, TX 76118

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Superior Transportation, Inc.

1940 Hanahan Road

North Charleston, SC 29405

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

 

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Name and Address of

Portfolio Company:

  

Industry

  

Type of

Investment

   % of
Class
Held

Tailwinds, LLC

7555 Ipswich Rd

Houston, TX 77061

   Air Freight & Logistics    Equipment financing   

The Children’s Place, Inc.

500 Plaza Drive

Secaucus, NJ 07094

   Specialty Retail    Senior secured loan   

The Smedley Company

& Smedley Services, Inc.

40 Flax Mill Road

Branford, CT 06405

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Thora Capital, LLC

150 N Riverside Plaza Suite 4270

Chicago, IL 60606

   Airlines    Equipment financing   

Trinity Equipment Rentals, Inc.

13052 Whittram Ave

Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Trolleys, Inc.

2400 Queen City Drive

Charlotte, NC 28208

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

Up Trucking Services, LLC

1100 E Double E Drive

Hidalgo, TX 78557

   Road & Rail    Equipment financing   

USR Parent, Inc. (Staples)

500 Staples Dr.

Framingham, MA 01702

   Specialty Retail    Senior secured loan   

Varilease Finance, Inc.

2800 East Cottonwood Pkwy, 2nd Fl

Salt Lake City, Utah 84121

   Multi-Sector Holdings    Senior secured loan   

Venus Concept Ltd.

235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 900

Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8 Canada

   Health Care Equipment & Supplies    Warrants    <1%

Warrior Crane Services, LLC

3303 N County Rd 1108

Midland, TX 79706

   Commercial Services & Supplies    Equipment financing   

Wind River Environmental, LLC

46 Lizotte Drive

Marlborough, MA 78557

   Diversified Consumer Services    Equipment financing   

Womble Company, Inc.

12821 Industrial Road

Houston, TX 77015

   Energy Equipment & Services    Equipment financing   

 

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To maintain our status as a BDC, we must invest a sufficient portion of our assets in “qualifying assets.” Specifically, qualifying assets must represent at least 70% of our total assets at the time of acquisition of any additional non-qualifying assets. In addition, if we fail to invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could be prevented from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies or could be required to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to comply with the 1940 Act. As of December 31, 2020, 25.9% of our total assets constituted non-qualifying assets, on a fair value basis.

Set forth below is a brief description of each portfolio company in which we have made an investment that represents greater than 5% of our total assets as of December 31, 2020.

SLR Credit Solutions

SLR Credit Solutions is an independent commercial finance company that provides primarily senior secured loans for both asset-based and cash flow financings to middle-market companies. Its team of experienced, responsive professionals has underwritten, closed and managed more than $20 billion in secured debt commitments across a wide range of industries. As of December 31, 2020, SLR Credit Solutions had 30 funded commitments to 24 different issuers with total funded loans of approximately $404.1 million on total assets of $433.9 million. SLR Credit Solutions’ competitors include other specialty finance companies and small banks. As with any lender, SLR Credit Solutions is exposed to interest rate risk, which it mitigates by issuing loans with floating rates.

SLR Equipment Finance

On July 31, 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of SLR Equipment Finance, which conducts its business through its wholly-owned subsidiary Nations Equipment Finance, LLC. SLR Equipment Finance is an independent equipment finance company that provides senior secured loans and leases primarily to U.S. based companies. The Company invested $209.9 million in cash to effect the transaction, of which $145.0 million was invested in the equity of SLR Equipment Finance through our wholly-owned consolidated taxable subsidiary NEFCORP LLC and our wholly-owned consolidated subsidiary NEFPASS LLC and $64.9 million was used to purchase certain leases and loans held by SLR Equipment Finance through NEFPASS LLC. At July 31, 2017, SLR Equipment Finance also had two securitizations outstanding, with an issued note balance of $94.6 million which were later redeemed in 2018. As of December 31, 2020, SLR Equipment Finance had 138 funded equipment-backed leases and loans to 61 different customers with a total net investment in leases and loans of approximately $188.5 million on total assets of $263.4 million.

Kingsbridge Holdings, LLC

On November 3, 2020, the Company acquired 87.5% of Kingsbridge Holdings, LLC (“KBH”) through KBH Topco LLC (“KBHT”), a newly formed Delaware corporation. KBH is a residual focused independent mid-ticket lessor of equipment primarily to U.S. investment grade companies. The Company invested $216.6 million to effect the transaction, of which $136.6 million was invested to acquire 87.5% of KBHT’s equity and $80.0 million in KBH’s debt. The existing management team of KBH committed to continue to lead KBH after the transaction. Post the transaction, the Company owns 87.5% of KBHT equity and the KBH management team owns the remaining 12.5% of KBHT’s equity. As of December 31, 2020, KBHT had total assets of $744.7 million.

 

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MANAGEMENT

The information in the section entitled “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” in Part III, Item 10 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

The management of our investment portfolio is the responsibility of our investment adviser, SLR Capital Partners, and its investment committee, which is led by Messrs. Gross and Spohler. For more information regarding the business experience of Messrs. Gross and Spohler, see “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance” in Part III, Item 10 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. SLR Capital Partners’ investment committee must approve each new investment that we make. The members of SLR Capital Partners’ investment committee are not employed by us, and receive no compensation from us in connection with their portfolio management activities. However, Messrs. Gross and Spohler, through their financial interests in SLR Capital Partners, will be entitled to a portion of any investment advisory fees paid by SLR Investment to SLR Capital Partners.

Investment Personnel

We consider Messrs. Gross and Spohler to be our portfolio managers. In addition to managing our investments, Messrs. Gross and Spohler supervise a team of highly experienced investment professionals who are involved in our management as well as manage investments for other pooled investment vehicles and separately managed accounts totaling more than $1.7 billion in total assets.

The table below shows the dollar range of shares of our common stock to be beneficially owned by each of our portfolio managers.

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

   Dollar
Range of Equity

Securities in  SLR
Investment(1)(2)
 

Michael S. Gross

     Over $1 million  

Bruce Spohler

     Over $1 million  

 

(1) 

Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1 — $10,000, $10,001 — $50,000, $50,001 — $100,000, $100,001 — $500,000; $500,001 — $1,000,000 or Over $1,000,000.

(2) 

The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in us is based on the closing price for our common stock of $18.40 on April 27, 2021 on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

Compensation

None of SLR Capital Partners’ investment professionals receive any direct compensation from us in connection with the management of our portfolio. Messrs. Gross and Spohler, through their financial interests in SLR Capital Partners, are entitled to a portion of any profits earned by SLR Capital Partners, which includes any fees payable to SLR Capital Partners under the terms of our Investment Advisory and Management Agreement, less expenses incurred by SLR Capital Partners in performing its services under our Investment Advisory and Management Agreement.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

The information in the section entitled “Business — Investment Advisory Fees” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence” in Part III, Item 13 in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT

The information in the sections entitled “Business — SLR Capital Management,” “Business — Staffing,” “Business — Investment Advisory Fees” and “Significant Managerial Assistance to Portfolio Companies” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

LICENSE AGREEMENT

We have entered into the First Amended and Restated Trademark License Agreement with SLR Capital Partners pursuant to which SLR Capital Partners has agreed to grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the licensed marks “SOLAR” and “SLR”. Under this agreement, we have a right to use the SLR Investment Corp. name for so long as the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement with our investment adviser is in effect. Other than with respect to this limited license, we have no legal right to the “SLR Investment Corp.” name.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSACTIONS

The information in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence” in Part III, Item 13 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The information in the section entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” in Part III, Item 12 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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REGULATION AS A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

The information in the section entitled “Business—Business Development Company Regulations” in Part I, Item 1 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

Quarterly Determinations

We determine the net asset value of our investment portfolio each quarter by subtracting our total liabilities from the fair value of our total assets.

We conduct the valuation of our assets, pursuant to which our net asset value shall be determined, at all times consistent with GAAP and the 1940 Act. Our valuation procedures are set forth in more detail below:

Securities for which market quotations are readily available on an exchange shall be valued at such price as of the closing price on the day of valuation. We may also obtain quotes with respect to certain of our investments from pricing services or brokers or dealers in order to value assets. When doing so, we determine whether the quote obtained is sufficient according to GAAP to determine the fair value of the security. If determined adequate, we use the quote obtained.

Securities for which reliable market quotations are not readily available or for which the pricing source does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of SLR Capital Partners or our board of directors, does not represent fair value, shall each be valued in accordance with our valuation policy, which has been approved by our board of directors, as follows: (i) each portfolio company or investment is initially valued by the investment professionals responsible for the portfolio investment; (ii) preliminary valuation conclusions are documented and discussed with our Adviser’s senior management; (iii) independent third-party valuation firms engaged by, or on behalf of, the board of directors will conduct independent appraisals and review management’s preliminary valuations and make their own assessment for all material assets; (iv) the Audit Committee reviews the valuation recommendation of the independent valuation firm, which is in part based on the preliminary valuation provided by the Adviser, and responds to the valuation recommendation of the independent valuation firm to reflect any comments; and (v) the board of directors will discuss valuations and determine the fair value of each investment in our portfolio in good faith based on the input of the investment adviser and, where appropriate, the respective third-party valuation firms.

The recommendation of fair value will generally be based on the following factors, as relevant:

 

   

the nature and realizable value of any collateral;

 

   

the portfolio company’s ability to make payments;

 

   

the portfolio company’s earnings and discounted cash flow;

 

   

the markets in which the issuer does business; and

 

   

comparisons to publicly traded securities.

Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or for which a pricing source is not sufficient may include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

private placements and restricted securities that do not have an active trading market;

 

   

securities whose trading has been suspended or for which market quotes are no longer available;

 

   

debt securities that have recently gone into default and for which there is no current market;

 

   

securities whose prices are stale;

 

   

securities affected by significant events; and

 

   

securities that the investment adviser believes were priced incorrectly.

Determination of fair value involves subjective judgments and estimates. Accordingly, the notes to our financial statements express the uncertainty with respect to the possible effect of such valuations, and any change in such valuations, on our financial statements.

 

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Determinations in Connection with Offerings

In connection with future offering of shares of our common stock, to the extent we do not have stockholder approval to sell below NAV, our board of directors or an authorized committee thereof will be required to make a good faith determination that we are not selling shares of our common stock at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made. Our board of directors or an authorized committee thereof will consider the following factors, among others, in making such determination:

 

   

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

 

   

our management’s assessment of whether any material change in the net asset value of our common stock has occurred (including through the realization of gains on the sale of our portfolio securities) during the period beginning on the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock and ending as of a time within 48 hours (excluding Sundays and holidays) of the sale of our common stock; and

 

   

the magnitude of the difference between (i) a value that our board of directors or an authorized committee thereof has determined reflects the current (as of a time within 48 hours excluding Sundays and holidays) net asset value of our common stock, which is based upon the net asset value of our common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report we filed with the SEC, as adjusted to reflect our management’s assessment of any material change in the net asset value of our common stock since the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock, and (ii) the offering price of the shares of our common stock in the proposed offering.

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

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

 

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DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan that provides for reinvestment of our dividends and other distributions on behalf of our stockholders, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash as provided below. As a result, if our board of directors authorizes, and we declare, a cash distribution, then our stockholders who have not opted out of our dividend reinvestment plan will have their cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving the cash distributions.

No action will be required on the part of a registered stockholder to have his cash distribution reinvested in shares of our common stock. A registered stockholder may elect to receive an entire distribution in cash by notifying American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the plan administrator and our transfer agent and registrar, in writing so that such notice is received by the plan administrator no later than the record date for distributions to stockholders. The plan administrator will set up an account for shares acquired through the plan for each stockholder who has not elected to receive distributions in cash and hold such shares in non-certificated form. Upon request by a 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 of our common stock and a check for any fractional share.

Those stockholders whose shares are held by a broker or other financial intermediary may receive distributions in cash by notifying their broker or other financial intermediary of their election.

We may use newly issued shares to implement the plan, whether our shares are trading at a premium or at a discount to our net asset value per share. However, we reserve the right to purchase shares in the open market in connection with our implementation of the plan. If we declare a distribution to stockholders, the plan administrator may be instructed not to credit accounts with newly-issued shares and instead to buy shares in the market if (i) the price at which newly-issued shares are to be credited does not exceed 110% of the last determined net asset value of the shares; or (ii) we have advised the plan administrator that since such net asset value was last determined, we have become aware of events that indicate the possibility of a material change in per share net asset value as a result of which the net asset value of the shares on the payment date might be higher than the price at which the plan administrator would credit newly-issued shares to stockholders. The number of shares to be issued to a stockholder is determined by dividing the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to such stockholder by the market price per share of our common stock at the close of regular trading on the valuation date for such distribution. Market price per share on that date will be the closing price for such shares on the national securities exchange on which our shares are then listed or, if no sale is reported for such day, at the average of their reported bid and asked prices. The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after giving effect to payment of the distribution cannot be established until the value per share at which additional shares will be issued has been determined and elections of our stockholders have been tabulated.

There will be no brokerage charges or other charges to stockholders who participate in the plan. The plan administrator’s fees under the plan 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 transaction fee of $15 plus a per share brokerage commissions from the proceeds.

Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of stock are subject to the same U.S. federal, state and local tax consequences as are stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash. A stockholder’s basis for determining gain or loss upon the sale of stock received in a distribution from us will be equal to the amount of cash they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, or the fair market value of the distributed shares if such shares have a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value. Any stock received in a distribution will have a new holding period for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the U.S. stockholder’s account.

 

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The plan may be terminated by us upon notice in writing mailed to each participant at least 30 days prior to any record date for the payment of any distribution by us. All correspondence concerning the plan should be directed to the plan administrator by mail at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219 or by phone at (800) 937-5449.

 

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CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion is a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us and to an investment in our common stock. This summary does not purport to be a complete description of the income tax considerations applicable to such an investment. For example, we have not described tax consequences that we assume to be generally known by investors or certain considerations 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, 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 in effect as of the date of this registration statement and all of which are subject to change, possibly retroactively, which could affect the continuing validity of this discussion. We have not sought and will not seek any ruling from the Internal Revenue Service regarding any offering made pursuant to this prospectus. 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 in which we do not currently intend to invest.

This summary does not discuss the consequences of an investment in shares of our preferred stock, debt securities, subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, or warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred 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:

 

   

a citizen or individual resident of the United States including an alien individual who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States or meets the “substantial presence” test under Section 7701(b) of the Code;

 

   

a corporation or other entity taxable 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;

 

   

a trust, if a court in the United States has primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all decisions of the trust, or the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person; or

 

   

an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

A “non-U.S. stockholder” is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock that is an individual, corporation, trust or estate and is not a U.S. stockholder.

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 who is a partner of a partnership holding shares of our common stock should consult its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.

Tax matters are very complicated and the tax consequences to an investor of an investment in our shares will depend on the facts of its particular situation. We encourage investors to consult their own tax advisors regarding the specific consequences of such an investment, including tax reporting requirements, the applicability of U.S. 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.

As a BDC, we have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, beginning with our 2010 taxable year. As a RIC, we generally will not have to pay corporate-level

 

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U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we timely distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To continue to qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements (as described below). In addition, to qualify for RIC tax treatment we must distribute to our stockholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of our “investment company taxable income,” which is generally our ordinary income plus the excess of our realized net short-term capital gains over our realized net long-term capital losses (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”).

Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company

If we:

 

   

qualify as a RIC; and

 

   

satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement;

then we will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our investment company taxable income and net capital gain (i.e., realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) we timely distribute to stockholders. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate rates on any income or capital gain 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 net ordinary income and capital gain net income that we recognized in preceding years, but were not distributed during such years, and on which we paid no U.S. federal income tax (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”). We currently intend to make sufficient distributions each taxable year to satisfy the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.

In order to maintain our qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must, among other things:

 

   

at all times during each taxable year, have in effect an election to be treated as a BDC under the 1940 Act;

 

   

derive in each taxable year at least 90% of our gross income from (a) distributions, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale of stock or other securities or currencies, or other income derived with respect to our business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and (b) net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership;” and

 

   

diversify our holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year:

 

   

at least 50% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of our assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer; and

 

   

no more than 25% of the value of our assets is invested in (i) the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, (ii) the securities of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable tax rules, by us and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or (iii) the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”

We may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which we do not receive cash. For example, if we hold debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with PIK interest or, in certain cases, increasing interest rates or debt instruments issued with warrants), we must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation, regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by us in the same

 

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taxable year. Because any original issue discount accrued will be included in our investment company taxable income for the year of accrual, we may be required to make a distribution to our stockholders in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, even though we will not have received any corresponding cash amount.

Because we may use debt financing, we will be subject to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources or are otherwise limited in our ability to make distributions, we could fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.

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; (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% gross 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.

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. Except as set forth below in “Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company,” the remainder of this discussion assumes we will qualify for tax treatment as a RIC for each taxable year.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

Distributions by us generally will be taxable to U.S. stockholders as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of our investment company taxable income 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. Distributions of our net capital gains (that is, the excess of our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) properly reported by us as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable to a U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of the U.S. stockholder’s holding period for its common stock and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. Distributions of investment company taxable income that are reported by us as being derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed in the hands of non-corporate U.S. stockholders at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided that holding period and other requirements are met by both the stockholders and us. Dividends distributed by us will generally not be attributable to qualified dividend income. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such U.S. stockholder’s common stock and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. stockholder. For a summary of the tax rates applicable to capital gains, including capital gain dividends, see the discussion below.

Under the dividend reinvestment plan, if a U.S. stockholder owns shares of common stock registered in its own name, the U.S. stockholder will have all cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of common stock unless the U.S. stockholder opts out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent prior to the record date of the next dividend or distribution. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.” Any distributions reinvested under the plan will nevertheless remain taxable to the U.S. stockholder. The U.S. stockholder will have an adjusted basis in the additional common shares purchased

 

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through the plan equal to the amount of cash they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, or the fair market value of the distributed shares if such shares have a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value. 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.

Although we currently intend to distribute realized net capital gains (i.e., net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses), if any, at least annually, we may in the future decide to retain some or all of our net capital gains, but to designate the retained amount as a “deemed distribution.” In that case, among other consequences, we will pay corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on the retained amount, each U.S. stockholder will be required to include 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 or refund equal to its allocable share of the corporate-level U.S. federal income tax we pay on the retained capital gain. The amount of the deemed distribution net of such tax will be added to the U.S. stockholder’s cost basis for its common stock. Since we expect to pay U.S. federal income tax on any retained capital gains at our regular corporate capital gain tax rate, and since that rate is in excess of the maximum rate currently payable by non-corporate U.S. stockholders on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that non-corporate U.S. stockholders will be treated as having paid will exceed the tax they owe on the capital gain distribution. Such excess generally may be claimed as a credit or refund against the U.S. stockholder’s other U.S. federal income tax obligations. A U.S. stockholder that is not subject to U.S. federal income tax or otherwise required to file a U.S. federal income tax return would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return on the appropriate form in order to claim a refund for the taxes we paid. In order to utilize the deemed distribution approach, we must provide written notice to our U.S. stockholders.

For purposes of determining (i) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of distributions paid for that year, we may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a distribution 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 generally will still be treated as receiving the distribution in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any distribution 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 distribution was declared.

You should consider the tax implications of buying common stock just prior to a distribution. Even if the price of the common stock includes the amount of the forthcoming distribution, and the distribution economically represents a return of your investment, you will be taxed upon receipt of the distribution and will not be entitled to offset the distribution against the tax basis in your common stock.

You may recognize taxable gain or loss if you sell or exchange your common stock. The amount of the gain or loss will be measured by the difference between your adjusted tax basis in your common stock and the amount of the proceeds you receive in exchange for such stock. Any gain or loss arising from the sale or exchange of our common stock (or, in the case of distributions in excess of the sum of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and your tax basis in the stock, treated as arising from the sale or exchange of our common stock) generally will be a capital gain or loss if the common stock is held as a capital asset. This capital gain or loss normally will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your common stock 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 exchange of common stock held for six months or less generally will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or treated as deemed distributed, with respect to such stock. For this purpose, certain special rules, including rules relating to periods when your risk of loss with respect to your common stock has been diminished, generally apply in determining the holding period of such stock. The ability to deduct capital losses may be subject to other limitations under the Code.

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

 

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otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

In general, individual U.S. stockholders currently are subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% on their net capital gain, i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss for a taxable year, including a long-term capital gain derived from an investment in our common stock. In addition, individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly or $125,000 in the case of married individuals filing separately) and certain estates and trusts are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, and rents, and net capital gains (other than certain amounts earned from trades or businesses). Corporate U.S. stockholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Dividends distributed by us to corporate U.S. stockholders generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Tax rates imposed by states and local jurisdictions on capital gain and ordinary income may differ.

We (or the applicable withholding agent) will send to each of our U.S. stockholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a report detailing the amounts includible in such U.S. stockholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income, long-term capital gain and “qualified dividend income,” if any. In addition, the U.S. federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local, and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. stockholder’s particular situation.

Backup withholding may apply to distributions on the common stock with respect to certain non-exempt U.S. stockholders. Such U.S. stockholders generally will be subject to backup withholding unless the U.S. stockholder provides its correct taxpayer identification number and certain other information, certified under penalties of perjury, to the dividend paying agent, or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding. Any amount withheld under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the proper information is provided to the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

Whether an investment in our common stock is appropriate for a non-U.S. stockholder will depend upon that stockholder’s particular circumstances. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors before investing in our common stock.

Distributions of our investment company taxable income to stockholders that are non-U.S. stockholders will currently be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income 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 the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. stockholders, and, if an income tax treaty applies, attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States. In that case, the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the ordinary income rates applicable to U.S. stockholders and we will not have to withhold U.S. federal withholding tax if the non-U.S. stockholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements. 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 advisors.

In addition, U.S. source withholding taxes are not imposed on distributions paid by us to the extent the distributions are reported as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends.” Under this exemption, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends generally represent distributions of interest or short-term capital gains that would not have been subject to U.S. withholding tax at the source if they had been received directly by a foreign person, and that satisfy certain other requirements.

 

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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 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). Accordingly, investment in our stock may not be appropriate for a non-U.S. stockholder.

Under our dividend reinvestment plan, if a non-U.S. stockholder owns shares of common stock registered in its own name, the non-U.S. stockholder will have all cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of common stock unless it opts out of our dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to our dividend paying agent prior to the record date of the next distribution. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.” If the distribution is a distribution of our investment company taxable income, is not reported by us as a short-term capital gains dividend or interest-related dividend and it is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. stockholder (or, 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 withholding of U.S. federal income 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, 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 of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash, or the fair market value of the distributed shares if such shares have a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value. 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 nonresident alien individual, and who is otherwise subject to withholding of U.S. federal income 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 Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or 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 the non-U.S. stockholder otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act

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 (“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

 

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owners) or (ii) reside in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement (“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. While existing U.S. Treasury regulations would also require withholding on payments of the gross proceeds from the sale of any property that could produce U.S. source interest or dividends, the U.S. Treasury Department has indicated its intent to eliminate this requirement in subsequent proposed regulations, which state that taxpayers may rely on the proposed regulations until final regulations are issued. 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 stockholder and the status of the intermediaries through which it hold its units, a stockholder could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on our common stock and potentially proceeds from the sale of our common stock. Under certain circumstances, a stockholder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.

You are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the specific tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and sale of our common stock.

Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company

If we were unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on all of our taxable income at regular corporate rates. We would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders, nor would they be required to be made. Such distributions would be taxable to our stockholders as dividends and, provided certain holding period and other requirements were met, could qualify for treatment as “qualified dividend income” in the hands of non-corporate stockholders (and thus eligible for the current 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 us during the period in which we failed to qualify as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent 5 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 our requalification as a RIC.

 

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SALES OF COMMON STOCK BELOW NET ASSET VALUE

At our 2020 Annual Stockholders Meeting, our stockholders approved our ability to sell or otherwise issue shares of our common stock, not exceeding 25% of our then outstanding common stock immediately prior to each such offering, at a price or prices below the then current net asset value per share, in each case subject to the approval of our board of directors and compliance with the conditions set forth in the proxy statement pertaining thereto, during a period beginning on October 6, 2020 and expiring on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the date of the 2020 Annual Stockholders Meeting and the date of our 2021 Annual Stockholders Meeting (the “Stockholder Approval”). However, notwithstanding the Stockholder Approval, since our IPO on February 9, 2010, we have not sold any shares of our common stock in an offering that resulted in proceeds to us of less than our then current net asset value per share. Any offering of our common stock that requires stockholder approval must occur, if at all, within one year after receiving such stockholder approval.

In order to sell shares of common stock pursuant to this authorization, no further authorization from our stockholders will need to be solicited, but a majority of our directors who have no financial interest in the sale and a majority of our independent directors will have to (a) find that the sale is in our best interests and in the best interests of our stockholders and (b) in consultation with any underwriter or underwriters of the offering, make a good faith determination as of a time either immediately prior to the first solicitation by us or on our behalf of firm commitments to purchase such shares of common stock, or immediately prior to the issuance of such common stock, that the price at which such shares of common stock are to be sold is not less than a price which closely approximates the market value of those shares of common stock, less any distributing commission or discount.

Any offering of common stock below its net asset value per share will be designed to raise capital for investment in accordance with our investment objective.

In making a determination that an offering of common stock below its net asset value per share is in our and our stockholders’ best interests, our board of directors will consider a variety of factors including:

 

   

the effect that an offering below net asset value per share would have on our stockholders, including the potential dilution to the net asset value per share of our common stock our stockholders would experience as a result of the offering;

 

   

the amount per share by which the offering price per share and the net proceeds per share are less than our most recently determined net asset value per share;

 

   

the relationship of recent market prices of par common stock to net asset value per share and the potential impact of the offering on the market price per share of our common stock;

 

   

whether the estimated offering price would closely approximate the market value of shares of our common stock;

 

   

the potential market impact of being able to raise capital during the current financial market difficulties;

 

   

the nature of any new investors anticipated to acquire shares of our common stock in the offering;

 

   

the anticipated rate of return on and quality, type and availability of investments; and

 

   

the leverage available to us.

Our board of directors will also consider the fact that sales of shares of common stock at a discount will benefit our investment adviser as the investment adviser will earn additional investment management fees on the proceeds of such offerings, as it would from the offering of any other of our securities or from the offering of common stock at a premium to net asset value per share.

We will not sell shares of our common stock under this prospectus or an accompanying prospectus supplement pursuant to the Stockholder Approval without first filing a new post-effective amendment to the

 

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registration statement if the cumulative dilution to our net asset value per share from offerings under the registration statement, as amended by any post-effective amendments, exceeds 15%. This would be measured separately for each offering pursuant to the registration statement, as amended by any post-effective amendments, by calculating the percentage dilution or accretion to aggregate net asset value from that offering and then summing the percentage from each offering. For example, if our most recently determined NAV per share at the time of the first offering is $23.00 and we have 37 million shares outstanding, the sale of 9.25 million shares at net proceeds to us of $11.50 per share (a 50% discount) would produce dilution of 10.0%. If we subsequently determined that our NAV per share increased to $24.00 on the then 46.25 million shares outstanding and then made an additional offering, we could, for example, sell approximately an additional 5.15 million shares at net proceeds to us of $12.00 per share, which would produce dilution of 5.0%, before we would reach the aggregate 15% limit. If we file a new post-effective amendment, the threshold would reset.

In addition, it should be noted that the maximum number of shares issuable below NAV per share that could result in such dilution is limited to 25% of our then outstanding common stock. As a result, the maximum amount of dilution to existing stockholders under the Stockholder Approval will be limited to no more than 20% of our then current NAV per share, assuming we were to issue the maximum number of shares at no more than par value, or $0.01 per share.

Sales by us of our common stock at a discount from net asset value per share pose potential risks for our existing stockholders whether or not they participate in the offering, as well as for new investors who participate in the offering. Any sale of common stock at a price below net asset value per share would result in an immediate dilution to existing common stockholders who do not participate in such sale on at least a pro-rata basis. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to an Investment in Our Securities — The net asset value per share of our common stock may be diluted if we issue or sell shares of our common stock at prices below the then current net asset value per share of our common stock or securities to subscribe for or convertible into shares of our common stock” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following three headings and accompanying tables explain and provide hypothetical examples on the impact of an offering of our common stock at a price less than net asset value per share on three different types of investors:

 

   

existing stockholders who do not purchase any shares in the offering;

 

   

existing stockholders who purchase a relatively small amount of shares in the offering or a relatively large amount of shares in the offering; and

 

   

new investors who become stockholders by purchasing shares in the offering.

Impact On Existing Stockholders Who Do Not Participate in the Offering

Our current stockholders who do not participate in an offering below net asset value per share or who do not buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price as we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) face the greatest potential risks. These stockholders will experience an immediate dilution in the net asset value of the shares of common stock they hold and their net asset value per share. These stockholders will also experience a disproportionately greater decrease in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than the increase we will experience in our assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to such offering. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases. Further, if current stockholders do not purchase any shares to maintain their percentage interest, regardless of whether such offering is above or below the then current net asset value, their voting power will be diluted.

The following chart illustrates the level of net asset value dilution that would be experienced by a nonparticipating stockholder in three different hypothetical offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from net asset value per share. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

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The chart illustrates the dilutive effect on Stockholder A of (a) an offering of approximately 1.83 million shares of common stock (5% of the outstanding shares) at $21.55 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 5% discount from net asset value), (b) an offering of approximately 3.66 million shares of common stock (10% of the outstanding shares) at $20.41 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 10% discount from net asset value), (c) an offering of approximately 7.32 million shares of common stock (20% of the outstanding shares) at $18.14 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 20% discount from net asset value), and (d) an offering of approximately 9.15 million shares of common stock (25% of the outstanding shares) at $0.01 per share, the par value of our common stock (a 100% discount from net asset value). The prospectus supplement pursuant to which any discounted offering is made will include a chart based on the actual number of shares of common stock in such offering and the actual discount to the most recently determined net asset value. For example, if we issue 9,152,010 shares of our common stock (25% of the outstanding shares) at $0.01 per share, the par value of our common stock (a 100% discount from net asset value), then our net asset value per share following such offering will be $18.15, which will reflect a 20.00% decrease in net asset value per share to those stockholders who do not participate in this offering. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

          Example 1     Example 2     Example 3     Example 4  
          5% Offering at
5% Discount
    10% Offering at
10% Discount
    20% Offering at
20% Discount
    25% Offering at
100% Discount
 
    Prior to Sale     Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
 

Offering Price

                 

Price per Share to Public

    $ 22.68       $ 21.49       $ 19.10       $ 0.01    

Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer

    $ 21.55       $ 20.41       $ 18.14       $ 0.01    

Decrease to Net Asset Value

                 

Total Shares Outstanding

    36,608,038       38,438,440       5.00     40,268,842       10.00     43,929,646       20.00     45,760,048       25.00

Net Asset Value per Share

  $ 22.68     $ 22.63       (0.24 )%    $ 22.47       (0.91 )%    $ 21.92       (3.33 )%    $ 18.15       (19.99 )% 

Dilution to Nonparticipating Stockholder

                 

Shares Held by Stockholder A

    36,608       36,608       —       36,608       —       36,608       —       36,608       —  

Percentage Held by Stockholder A

    0.10     0.10     (4.76 )%      0.09     (9.09 )%      0.08     (16.67 )%      0.08     (20.00 )% 

Total Net Asset Value Held by Stockholder A

  $ 830,270     $ 828,293       (0.24 )%    $ 822,722       (0.91 )%    $ 802,595       (3.33 )%    $ 664,289       (19.99 )% 

Total Investment by Stockholder A (Assumed to be Current NAV per Share)

  $ 830,270     $ 830,270       $ 830,270       $ 830,270       $ 830,270    
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

Total Dilution to Stockholder A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)

    $ (1,977     $ (7,548     $ (27,676     $ (165,981  

Investment per Share Held by Stockholder A (Assumed to be NAV per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale)

  $ 22.68     $ 22.68       $ 22.68       $ 22.68       $ 22.68    

Net Asset Value per Share Held by Stockholder A

    $ 22.63       $ 22.47       $ 21.92       $ 18.15    
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

Dilution per Share Held by Stockholder A (Net Asset Value per Share Less Investment per Share)

    $ (0.05     $ (0.21     $ (0.76     $ (4.53  

Percentage Dilution to Stockholder A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share)

        (0.24 )%        (0.91 )%        (3.33 )%        (19.99 )% 

 

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Impact On Existing Stockholders Who Do Participate in the Offering

Our existing stockholders who participate in an offering below net asset value per share or who buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price as we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) will experience the same types of net asset value dilution as the nonparticipating stockholders, although at a lower level, to the extent they purchase less than the same percentage of the discounted offering as their interest in shares of our common stock immediately prior to the offering. The level of net asset value dilution will decrease as the number of shares such stockholders purchase increases. Existing stockholders who buy more than such percentage will experience net asset value dilution but will, in contrast to existing stockholders who purchase less than their proportionate share of the offering, experience accretion in net asset value per share over their investment per share and will also experience a disproportionately greater increase in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to such offering. The level of accretion will increase as the excess number of shares such stockholder purchases increases. Even a stockholder who over-participates will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional discounted offerings in which such stockholder does not participate, in which case such a stockholder will experience net asset value dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

The following chart illustrates the level of dilution and accretion in the hypothetical 20% discount offering from the prior chart (Example 3) for a stockholder that acquires shares equal to (a) 50% of its proportionate share of the offering (i.e., 3,000 shares, which is 0.05% of an offering of 6 million shares) rather than its 0.10% proportionate share and (b) 150% of such percentage (i.e. 9,000 shares, which is 0.15% of an offering of 6 million shares rather than its 0.10% proportionate share). The prospectus supplement pursuant to which any discounted offering is made will include a chart for these examples based on the actual number of shares in such offering and the actual discount from the most recently determined net asset value per share. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

    Prior to Sale     50% Participation     150% Participation  
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
 

Offering Price

         

Price per Share to Public

    $ 19.10       $ 19.10    

Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer

    $ 18.14       $ 18.14    

Decrease/Increase to Net Asset Value

         

Total Shares Outstanding

    36,608,038       43,929,646       20.00     43,929,646       20.00

Net Asset Value per Share

  $ 22.68     $ 21.92       (3.33 )%    $ 21.92       (3.33 )% 

Dilution/Accretion to Participating Stockholder

         

Shares Held by Stockholder A

    36,608       40,269       10.00     47,590       30.00

Percentage Held by Stockholder A

    0.10     0.09     (8.33 )%      0.11     8.33

Total Net Asset Value Held by Stockholder A

  $ 830,270     $ 882,854       6.33   $ 1,043,373       25.67

Total Investment by Stockholder A (Assumed to be Current NAV per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale)

    $ 900,188       $ 1,040,023    
   

 

 

     

 

 

   

Total Dilution/Accretion to Stockholder A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)

    $ (17,334     $ 3,350    

Investment per Share Held by Stockholder A (Assumed to be Net Asset Value on Shares Held Prior to Sale)

  $ 22.68     $ 22.35       (1.44 )%    $ 21.85       (3.64 )% 

Net Asset Value per Share Held by Stockholder A

    $ 21.92       $ 21.92    
   

 

 

     

 

 

   

Dilution/Accretion per Share Held by Stockholder A (Net Asset Value per Shares Less Investment per Share)

    $ (0.43     $ 0.07    

Percentage Dilution/Accretion to Stockholder A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share)

        (1.96 )%        0.32

 

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Impact On New Investors

Investors who are not currently stockholders and who participate in an offering of shares of our common stock below net asset value, but whose investment per share is greater than the resulting net asset value per share due to selling compensation and expenses paid by the Company, will experience an immediate decrease, although small, in the net asset value of their shares and their net asset value per share compared to the price they pay for their shares. Investors who are not currently stockholders and who participate in an offering of shares of our common stock below net asset value per share and whose investment per share is also less than the resulting net asset value per share due to selling compensation and expenses paid by the Company being significantly less than the discount per share, will experience an immediate increase in the net asset value of their shares and their net asset value per share compared to the price they pay for their shares. These investors will experience a disproportionately greater participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to such offering. These investors will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional discounted offerings in which such new stockholder does not participate, in which case such new stockholder will experience dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These investors may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

The following chart illustrates the level of dilution or accretion for new investors that would be experienced by a new investor in the same hypothetical 5%, 10%, 20% and 25% discounted offerings as described in the first chart above. The illustration is for a new investor who purchases the same percentage (0.10%) of the shares in the offering as Stockholder A in the prior examples held immediately prior to the offering. The prospectus supplement pursuant to which any discounted offering is made will include a chart for these examples based on the actual number of shares in such offering and the actual discount from the most recently determined net asset value per share. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

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          Example 1     Example 2     Example 3     Example 4  
          5% Offering at
5% Discount
    10% Offering at
10% Discount
    20% Offering at
20% Discount
    25% Offering at
100% Discount
 
    Prior to Sale     Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
    Following
Sale
    %
Change
 

Price per Share to Public

    $ 22.68       $ 21.49       $ 19.10       $ 0.01    

Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer

    $ 21.55       $ 20.41       $ 18.14       $ 0.01    

Total Shares Outstanding

    36,608,038       38,438,440       5.00     40,268,842       10.00     43,929,646       20.00     45,760,048       25.00

Net Asset Value per Share

  $ 22.68     $ 22.63       (0.24 )%    $ 22.47       (0.91 )%    $ 21.92       (3.33 )%    $ 18.15       (19.99 )% 

Dilution/Accretion to New Investor A

                 

Shares Held by Investor A

      1,830         3,661         7,322         9,152    

Percentage Held by Stockholder A

      0.00       0.01       0.02       0.02  

Total Net Asset Value Held by Investor A

    $ 41,415       $ 82,272       $ 160,519       $ 166,072    

Total Investment by Investor A (At Price to Public)

  $ —       $ 41,514       $ 78,657       $ 139,835       $ 92    
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

Total Dilution/Accretion to Investor A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)

    $ (99     $ 3,615       $ 20,684       $ 165,981    

Investment per Share Held by Investor A

  $ —       $ 22.68       $ 21.49       $ 19.10       $ 0.01    

Net Asset Value per Share Held by Investor A

    $ 22.63       $ 22.47       $ 21.92       $ 18.15    
   

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

Dilution/Accretion per Share Held by Investor A (Net Asset Value per Share Less Investment per Share)

    $ (0.05     $ 0.99       $ 2.83       $ 18.14    

Percentage Dilution/Accretion to Investor A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share)

        (0.24 )%        4.60       14.79       181,360

 

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ISSUANCE OF WARRANTS OR SECURITIES TO SUBSCRIBE FOR OR CONVERTIBLE INTO SHARES OF OUR COMMON STOCK

At our 2011 Annual Stockholders Meeting, our stockholders authorized us to sell or otherwise issue warrants or securities to subscribe for or convertible into shares of our common stock, not exceeding 25% of our then outstanding common stock, at an exercise or conversion price that, at the date of issuance, will not be less than the market value per share of our common stock. Such authorization has no expiration. Any exercise of warrants or securities to subscribe for or convertible into shares of our common stock at an exercise or conversion price that is below net asset value at the time of such exercise or conversion would result in an immediate dilution to existing common stockholders. This dilution would include reduction in net asset value as a result of the proportionately greater decrease in the stockholders’ interest in our earnings and assets and their voting interest than the increase in our assets resulting from such offering.

In order to sell or issue warrants or securities to subscribe for or convertible into shares of our common stock, (a) the exercise, conversion or subscription rights in such securities must expire by their terms within 10 years, (b) with respect to any warrants, options or rights to subscribe or convert to our common stock that are issued along with other securities, such warrants, options or rights must not be separately transferable, (c) the exercise or conversion price of such securities must not be less than the greater of the market value per share of our common stock and the net asset value per share of our common stock at the date of issuance of such securities, (d) the issuance of such securities must be approved by a majority of the board of directors who have no financial interest in the transaction and a majority of the non-interested directors on the basis that such issuance is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and (e) the number of shares of our common stock that would result from the exercise or conversion of such securities and all other securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into shares of our common stock outstanding at the time of issuance of such securities must not exceed 25% of our outstanding common stock at such time.

We could also sell shares of common stock below net asset value per share in certain other circumstances, including through subscription rights issued in rights offerings. See “Description of Our Subscription Rights” in this prospectus.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

The following description is based on relevant portions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and on our charter and bylaws. This summary is not necessarily complete, and we refer you to the Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below. We also urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any common stock being offered.

Stock

The authorized stock of SLR Investment Corp. consists of 200,000,000 shares of stock, par value $0.01 per share, all of which are initially designated as common stock. Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “SLRC”. There are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase our stock. No stock has been authorized for issuance under any equity compensation plans. Under Maryland General Corporation Law, our stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations.

The following are our outstanding classes of securities as of April 27, 2021:

 

        (1)

Title of Class

   (2)
Amount
Authorized
     (3)
Amount Held by
Us or for Our
Account
     (4)
Amount
Outstanding
Exclusive of
Amounts Shown
Under(3)
 

Common stock

     200,000,000        —          42,260,826  

Under our charter our board of directors is authorized to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock without obtaining stockholder approval. As permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that the board of directors, without any action by our stockholders, may amend the charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue.

Common Stock

All shares of our common stock have equal rights as to earnings, assets, voting, and distributions and, when they are issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Distributions may be paid to the holders of our common stock if, as and when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor. Shares of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or redemption rights and are freely transferable, except where their transfer is restricted by federal and state securities laws or by contract. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after we pay all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of our preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of our common stock will possess exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of our directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director.

Preferred Stock

Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock, including preferred stock. The cost of any such reclassification would be borne by our existing common stockholders. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, the board of directors is

 

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required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Thus, the board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any other distribution is made with respect to our common stock and before any purchase of common stock is made, such preferred stock together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of our total assets after deducting the amount of such 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 distributions on such preferred stock are in arrears by two full years or more. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. For example, holders of preferred stock would vote separately from the holders of common stock on a proposal to cease operations as a BDC. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions. However, we do not currently have any plans to issue preferred stock.

Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.

Our charter authorizes us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of us in any of the capacities described above and any of our employees or agents or any employees or agents of our predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, we will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any

 

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proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received unless, in either case, a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer in advance of final disposition of a proceeding upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors. The indemnification agreements provide our directors the maximum indemnification permitted under Maryland law and the 1940 Act.

Our insurance policy does not currently provide coverage for claims, liabilities and expenses that may arise out of activities that our present or former directors or officers have performed for another entity at our request. There is no assurance that such entities will in fact carry such insurance. However, we note that we do not expect to request our present or former directors or officers to serve another entity as a director, officer, partner or trustee unless we can obtain proof of insurance providing coverage for such persons for any claims, liabilities or expenses that may arise out of their activities while serving in such capacities.

Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Our Charter and Bylaws

The Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquiror to acquire us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. These measures may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of shareholders. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms.

Classified Board of Directors

Our board of directors is divided into three classes of directors. The current terms of the first, second and third classes expire at the annual meeting of stockholders in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively, and in each case, those directors will serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Upon expiration of their current terms, directors of each class will be elected to serve until the third annual meeting of stockholders following their election and until their successors are duly elected and qualify and each year one class of directors will be elected by the stockholders. A classified board may render a change in control of us or removal of our incumbent management more difficult. We believe, however, that the longer time required to elect a majority of a classified board of directors will help to ensure the continuity and stability of our management and policies.

Election of Directors

Under our charter and bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of all the votes cast in the election of directors at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present will be required to elect a director. Pursuant to our charter our board of directors may amend the bylaws to alter the vote required to elect directors.

 

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Number of Directors; Vacancies; Removal

Our charter provides that the number of directors will be set only by the board of directors in accordance with our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that a majority of our entire board of directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, unless our bylaws are amended, the number of directors may never be less than one nor more than twelve. Our charter provides that, at such time as we have at least three independent directors and our common stock is registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we elect to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation Law regarding the filling of vacancies on the board of directors. Accordingly, except as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any and all vacancies on the board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act.

Our charter provides that, subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director may be removed only for cause, as defined in our charter, 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

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or (with respect to the holders of common stock, unless the charter provides for stockholder action by less than unanimous written consent, which our charter does not) by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting. These provisions, combined with the requirements of our bylaws regarding the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders discussed below, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal until the next annual meeting.

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of meeting, (2) by the board of directors or (3) by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving notice and at the time of the meeting who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of our bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the board of directors at a special meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by the board of directors or (3) provided that the board of directors has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving notice and at the time of the meeting who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.

The purpose of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford our board of directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by our board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders. Although our bylaws do not give our board of directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

 

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Calling of Special Meetings of Stockholders

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by our board of directors and certain of our officers. Additionally, our bylaws provide that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders will be called by the secretary of the corporation upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting.

Approval of Extraordinary Corporate Action; Amendment of Charter and Bylaws

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, convert, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter generally provides for approval of charter amendments and extraordinary transactions by the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter also provides that certain charter amendments, any proposal for our conversion, whether by charter amendment, merger or otherwise, from a closed-end company to an open-end company and any proposal for our liquidation or dissolution requires the approval of the stockholders entitled to cast at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter. However, if such amendment or proposal is approved by a majority of our continuing directors (in addition to approval by our board of directors), such amendment or proposal may be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on such a matter. The “continuing directors” are defined in our charter as (1) our current directors, (2) those directors whose nomination for election by the stockholders or whose election by the directors to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of our current directors then on the board of directors or (3) any successor directors whose nomination for election by the stockholders or whose election by the directors to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of continuing directors or the successor continuing directors then in office. In any event, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, any amendment or proposal that would have the effect of changing the nature of our business so as to cause us to cease to be, or to withdraw our election as, a BDC would be required to be approved by a majority of our outstanding voting securities, as defined under the 1940 Act.

Our charter and bylaws provide that the board of directors will have the exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal any provision of our bylaws.

No Appraisal Rights

Except with respect to appraisal rights arising in connection with the Control Share Act (defined and discussed below), as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that stockholders will not be entitled to exercise appraisal rights unless a majority of the board of directors shall determine such rights apply.

Control Share Acquisitions

The Maryland General Corporation Law provides that a holder of control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition has no voting rights with respect to those shares except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter (the “Control Share Act”). Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

 

   

one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

 

   

one-third or more but less than a majority; or

 

   

a majority or more of all voting power.

 

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The requisite stockholder approval must be obtained each time an acquiror crosses one of the thresholds of voting power set forth above. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of the corporation to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations, including, as provided in our bylaws compliance with the 1940 Act. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

The Control Share Act does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation. Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Control Share Act any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares of stock. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future. However, we will amend our bylaws to be subject to the Control Share Act only if the board of directors determines that it would be in our best interests to do so, including in light of the duties of the board of directors, applicable federal and state laws, and the particular facts and circumstances surrounding the decision of the board of directors.

Business Combinations

Under Maryland law, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder (the “Business Combination Act”). These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:

 

   

any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or

 

   

an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

A person is not an interested stockholder under this statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the stockholder otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

 

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After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

 

   

80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and

 

   

two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has adopted a resolution that any business combination between us and any other person is exempted from the provisions of the Business Combination Act, provided that the business combination is first approved by the board of directors, including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons as defined in the 1940 Act. This resolution may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time; however, our board of directors will adopt resolutions so as to make us subject to the provisions of the Business Combination Act only if the board of directors determines that it would be in our best interests and if the SEC staff does not object to our determination that our being subject to the Business Combination Act does not conflict with the 1940 Act. If this resolution is repealed, or the board of directors does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

Conflict with 1940 Act

Our bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of the Maryland General Corporation Law, including the Control Share Act (if we amend our bylaws to be subject to such Act) and the Business Combination Act, or any provision of our charter or bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED STOCK

In addition to shares of common stock, our charter authorizes the issuance of preferred stock. Although we do not have any current plans to issue preferred stock in the next twelve months following the effectiveness of this prospectus, we may issue preferred stock from time to time, although we have no immediate intention to do so. If we offer preferred stock under this prospectus, we will issue an appropriate prospectus supplement. We may issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, without stockholder approval. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Any such an issuance must adhere to the requirements of the 1940 Act, Maryland law and any other limitations imposed by law.

The following is a general description of the terms of the preferred stock we may issue from time to time. Particular terms of any preferred stock we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus relating to such preferred stock.

If we issue preferred stock, it will pay dividends to the holders of the preferred stock at either a fixed rate or a rate that will be reset frequently based on short-term interest rates, as described in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus accompanying each preferred share offering.

The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any distribution is made with respect to common stock, the liquidation preference of the preferred stock, together with all other senior securities, must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of our total assets (taking into account such distribution), (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 the preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more and (3) such shares be cumulative as to dividends and have a complete preference over our common stock to payment of their liquidation preference in the event of a dissolution.

For any series of preferred stock that we may issue, our board of directors will determine and the articles supplementary and prospectus supplement relating to such series will describe:

 

   

the designation and number of shares of such series;

 

   

the rate, whether fixed or variable, and time at which any dividends will be paid on shares of such series, as well as whether such dividends are participating or non-participating;

 

   

any provisions relating to convertibility or exchangeability of the shares of such series;

 

   

the rights and preferences, if any, of holders of shares of such series upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

 

   

the voting powers, if any, of the holders of shares of such series;

 

   

any provisions relating to the redemption of the shares of such series;

 

   

any limitations on our ability to pay dividends or make distributions on, or acquire or redeem, other securities while shares of such series are outstanding;

 

   

any conditions or restrictions on our ability to issue additional shares of such series or other securities;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

any other relative powers, preferences and participating, optional or special rights of shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.

All shares of preferred stock that we may issue will be identical and of equal rank except as to the particular terms thereof that may be fixed by our board of directors, and all shares of each series of preferred stock will be identical and of equal rank except as to the dates from which dividends, if any, thereon will be cumulative. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any preferred stock being offered, as well as the complete certificate of designation that contain the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

General

Although we do not have any current plans to issue subscription rights in the next twelve months following the effectiveness of this prospectus, we may issue subscription rights to our stockholders to purchase common stock. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. In connection with a subscription rights offering to our stockholders, we would distribute certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a prospectus supplement to our stockholders on the record date that we set for receiving subscription rights in such subscription rights offering. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any subscription rights offering.

The applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus would describe the following terms of subscription rights in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

 

   

the period of time the offering would remain open (which shall be open a minimum number of days such that all record holders would be eligible to participate in the offering and shall not be open longer than 120 days);

 

   

the title of such subscription rights;

 

   

the exercise price for such subscription rights (or method of calculation thereof);

 

   

the ratio of the offering (which, in the case of transferable rights, will require a minimum of three shares to be held of record before a person is entitled to purchase an additional share);

 

   

the number of such subscription rights issued to each stockholder;

 

   

the extent to which such subscription rights are transferable and the market on which they may be traded if they are transferable;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance or exercise of such subscription rights;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which such right shall expire (subject to any extension);

 

   

the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities and the terms of such over-subscription privilege;

 

   

any termination right we may have in connection with such subscription rights offering; and

 

   

any other terms of such subscription rights, including exercise, settlement and other procedures and limitations relating to the transfer and exercise of such subscription rights.

Exercise Of Subscription Rights

Each subscription right would entitle the holder of the subscription right to purchase for cash such amount of shares of common stock at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Subscription rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for such subscription rights set forth in the prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights would become void.

Subscription rights may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the

 

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prospectus supplement we will forward, as soon as practicable, the shares of common stock purchasable upon such exercise. To the extent permissible under applicable law, we may determine to offer any unsubscribed offered securities directly to persons other than stockholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Dilutive Effects

Any stockholder who chooses not to participate in a rights offering should expect to own a smaller interest in us upon completion of such rights offering. Any rights offering will dilute the ownership interest and voting power of stockholders who do not fully exercise their subscription rights. Further, because the net proceeds per share from any rights offering may be lower than our current net asset value per share, the rights offering may reduce our net asset value per share. The amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience could be substantial, particularly to the extent we engage in multiple rights offerings within a limited time period. In addition, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected while a rights offering is ongoing as a result of the possibility that a significant number of additional shares may be issued upon completion of such rights offering. All of our stockholders will also indirectly bear the expenses associated with any rights offering we may conduct, regardless of whether they elect to exercise any rights.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR WARRANTS

The following is a general description of the terms of the warrants we may issue from time to time. Particular terms of any warrants we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any warrants offering.

Although we do not have any current plans to issue warrants in the next twelve months following the effectiveness of this prospectus, we may issue warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. Such warrants may be issued independently or together with shares of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be attached or separate from such securities. We will issue each series of warrants under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency for or with holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

A prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants we may issue, including the following:

 

   

the title of such warrants;

 

   

the aggregate number of such warrants;

 

   

the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued;

 

   

the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the price of such warrants may be payable;

 

   

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

   

in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right will expire;

 

   

whether such warrants will be issued in registered form or bearer form;

 

   

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

   

the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

   

any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.

 

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We and the warrant agent may amend or supplement the warrant agreement for a series of warrants without the consent of the holders of the warrants issued thereunder to effect changes that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and that do not materially and adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants.

Prior to exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including, in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive principal, premium, if any, or interest payments, on the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture or, in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise any voting rights.

Under the 1940 Act, we may generally only offer warrants provided that (a) the warrants expire by their terms within ten years, (b) the exercise or conversion price is not less than the current market value at the date of issuance, (c) our stockholders authorize the proposal to issue such warrants, and our board of directors approves such issuance on the basis that the issuance is in the best interests of SLR Investment and its stockholders and (d) if the warrants are accompanied by other securities, the warrants are not separately transferable unless no class of such warrants and the securities accompanying them has been publicly distributed. The 1940 Act also provides that the amount of our voting securities that would result from the exercise of all outstanding warrants, as well as options and rights, at the time of issuance may not exceed 25% of our outstanding voting securities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

We may issue debt securities in one or more series. The specific terms of each series of debt securities will be described in the particular prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus relating to that series. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may or may not modify the general terms found in this prospectus and will be filed with the SEC. For a complete description of the terms of a particular series of debt securities, you should read each of this prospectus, the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus relating to that particular series.

As required by federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, the debt securities are governed by a document called an “indenture.” An indenture is a contract between us and a financial institution acting as trustee on your behalf, and is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, described in the second paragraph under “Events of Default — Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs.” Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties for us with respect to the debt securities.

Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities and the indenture. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. A copy of the form of indenture is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We will file a supplemental indenture with the SEC in connection with any debt offering, at which time the supplemental indenture would be publicly available. See “Available Information” in this prospectus for information on how to obtain a copy of the indenture.

The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, which will accompany this prospectus, will describe the particular series of debt securities being offered by including:

 

   

the designation or title of the series of debt securities;

 

   

the total principal amount of the series of debt securities;

 

   

the percentage of the principal amount at which the series of debt securities will be offered;

 

   

the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

 

   

the rate or rates (which may be either fixed or variable) and/or the method of determining such rate or rates of interest, if any;

 

   

the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable;

 

   

whether any interest may be paid by issuing additional securities of the same series in lieu of cash (and the terms upon which any such interest may be paid by issuing additional securities);

 

   

the terms for redemption, extension or early repayment, if any;

 

   

the currencies in which the series of debt securities are issued and payable;

 

   

whether the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on a series of debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which could be based on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices) and how these amounts will be determined;

 

   

the place or places, if any, other than or in addition to the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

 

   

the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued (if other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof for registered securities or $5,000 for bearer securities);

 

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the provision for any sinking fund;

 

   

any restrictive covenants;

 

   

any Events of Default;

 

   

whether the series of debt securities are issuable in certificated form;

 

   

any provisions for defeasance or covenant defeasance;

 

   

any special federal income tax implications, including, if applicable, federal income tax considerations relating to original issue discount;

 

   

whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts (and the terms of this option);

 

   

any provisions for convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities into or for any other securities;

 

   

whether the debt securities are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination;

 

   

whether the debt securities are secured and the terms of any security interests;

 

   

the listing, if any, on a securities exchange; and

 

   

any other terms.

The debt securities may be secured or unsecured obligations. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted, as a BDC, to issue debt only in amounts such that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 150% after each issuance of debt. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to an Investment in Our Securities—We have and will continue to borrow money, which would magnify the potential for loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, will be paid by us in immediately available funds.

General

The indenture provides that any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement (“offered debt securities”) and any debt securities issuable upon the exercise of warrants or upon conversion or exchange of other offered securities (“underlying debt securities”), may be issued under the indenture in one or more series.

For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of or premium or interest, if any, on debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities.

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder from time to time. Debt securities issued under the indenture, when a single trustee is acting for all debt securities issued under the indenture, are called the “indenture securities”. The indenture also provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more different series of indenture securities. See “Resignation of Trustee” below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term “indenture securities” means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under the indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures.

Except as described under “—Events of Default” and “—Merger or Consolidation” below, the indenture does not contain any provisions that give you protection in the event we issue a large amount of debt or we are acquired by another entity.

 

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We refer you to the prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or our covenants that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk or similar protection.

We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created.

Conversion and Exchange

If any debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the prospectus supplement will explain the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio (or the calculation method), the conversion or exchange period (or how the period will be determined), if conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, provisions for adjusting the conversion price or the exchange ratio and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the underlying debt securities. These terms may also include provisions under which the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement.

Issuance of Securities in Registered Form

We may issue the debt securities in registered form, in which case we may issue them either in book-entry form only or in “certificated” form. Debt securities issued in book-entry form will be represented by global securities. We expect that we will usually issue debt securities in book-entry only form represented by global securities.

Book-Entry Holders

We will issue registered debt securities in book-entry form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means debt securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary that will hold them on behalf of financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the debt securities held by the depositary or its nominee. These institutions may hold these interests on behalf of themselves or customers.

Under the indenture, only the person in whose name a debt security is registered is recognized as the holder of that debt security. Consequently, for debt securities issued in book-entry form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities to the depositary. The depositary will then pass along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn will pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities.

As a result, investors will not own debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the debt securities are represented by one or more global securities, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

 

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Street Name Holders

In the future, we may issue debt securities in certificated form or terminate a global security. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own names or in “street name.” Debt securities held in street name are registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution chosen by the investor, and the investor would hold a beneficial interest in those debt securities through the account he or she maintains at that institution.

For debt securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders of those debt securities and we will make all payments on those debt securities to them. These institutions will pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the applicable trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the applicable trustee, run only to the legal holders of the debt securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a debt security or has no choice because we are issuing the debt securities only in book-entry form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose (for example, to amend an indenture or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture), we would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the debt securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders.

When we refer to you, we mean those who invest in the debt securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect holders of those debt securities. When we refer to your debt securities, we mean the debt securities in which you hold a direct or indirect interest.

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out:

 

   

how it handles securities payments and notices,

 

   

whether it imposes fees or charges,

 

   

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required,

 

   

whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities,

 

   

how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests, and

 

   

if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

 

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Global Securities

As noted above, we usually will issue debt securities as registered securities in book-entry form only. A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “Special Situations when a Global Security Will Be Terminated”. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

Special Considerations for Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The depositary that holds the global security will be considered the holder of the debt securities represented by the global security.

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

   

An investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in his or her name, and cannot obtain certificates for his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the special situations we describe below.

 

   

An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities, as we describe under “Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above.

 

   

An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form.

 

   

An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective.

 

   

The depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way.

 

   

If we redeem less than all the debt securities of a particular series being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount to be redeemed from each of its participants holding that series.

 

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An investor is required to give notice of exercise of any option to elect repayment of its debt securities, through its participant, to the applicable trustee and to deliver the related debt securities by causing its participant to transfer its interest in those debt securities, on DTC’s records, to the applicable trustee.

 

   

DTC requires that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security deposited in its book-entry system use immediately available funds. Your broker or bank may also require you to use immediately available funds when purchasing or selling interests in a global security.

 

   

Financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Termination of a Global Security

If a global security is terminated, interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-book-entry form (certificated securities). After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the certificated debt securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of legal holders and street name investors under “Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above.

The prospectus supplement may list situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we or the applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those debt securities.

Payment and Paying Agents

We will pay interest (either in cash or by delivery of additional indenture securities, as applicable) to the person listed in the applicable trustee’s records as the owner of the debt security at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the “record date.” Because we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period. This prorated interest amount is called “accrued interest.”

Payments on Global Securities

We will make payments on a global security in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will make payments directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security. An indirect holder’s right to those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants, as described under “ — Special Considerations for Global Securities.”

 

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Payments on Certificated Securities

We will make payments on a certificated debt security as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date to the holder of debt securities as shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date at our office in New York, NY and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement. We will make all payments of principal and premium, if any, by check at the office of the applicable trustee in New York, NY and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement or in a notice to holders against surrender of the debt security.

Alternatively, at our option, we may pay any cash interest that becomes due on the debt security by mailing a check to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date or by transfer to an account at a bank in the United States, in either case, on the due date.

Payment When Offices Are Closed

If any payment is due on a debt security on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments made on the next business day in this situation will be treated under the indenture as if they were made on the original due date, except as otherwise indicated in the attached prospectus supplement. Such payment will not result in a default under any debt security or the indenture, and no interest will accrue on the payment amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.

Events of Default

You will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of your series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

The term “Event of Default” in respect of the debt securities of your series means any of the following:

 

   

We do not pay the principal of, or any premium on, a debt security of the series on its due date.

 

   

We do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date.

 

   

We do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series within 2 business days of its due date.

 

   

We remain in breach of a covenant in respect of debt securities of the series for 60 days after we receive a written notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the series.

 

   

We file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur and remain undischarged or unstayed for a period of 90 days.

 

   

Any class of debt securities has an asset coverage of less than 100 per centum on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months.

 

   

Any other Event of Default in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement occurs.

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the same or any other indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default, except in the payment of principal, premium or interest, if it in good faith considers the withholding of notice to be in the interests of the holders.

 

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Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

If an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series if (1) we have deposited with the trustee all amounts due and owing with respect to the securities (other than principal that has become due solely by reason of such acceleration) and certain other amounts, and (2) any other Events of Default have been cured or waived.

Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability (called an “indemnity”). If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in certain circumstances. No delay or omission in exercising any right or remedy will be treated as a waiver of that right, remedy or Event of Default.

Before you are allowed to bypass your trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

 

   

You must give your trustee written notice that an Event of Default with respect to the relevant series of debt securities has occurred and remains uncured.

 

   

The holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default and must offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action.

 

   

The trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity.

 

   

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series must not have given the trustee a direction inconsistent with the above notice during that 60-day period.

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt securities on or after the due date.

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may waive any past defaults other than

 

   

the payment of principal, any premium or interest or

 

   

in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and how to declare or cancel an acceleration of maturity.

Each year, we will furnish to each trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities or else specifying any default.

 

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Merger or Consolidation

Under the terms of the indenture, we are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another entity. We are also permitted to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

 

   

we are the continuing corporation, or the corporation (if other than us) formed by such consolidation or into which we are merged or the person which acquires by conveyance or transfer our properties and assets substantially as an entirety expressly assumes, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the trustee, in form satisfactory to the trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on the debt securities and the performance of every covenant of the indenture on our part to be performed or observed;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no default or event of default shall have happened and be continuing, as described under “— Events of Default” above; for purposes of this no-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and has not been cured, as described under “— Events of Default” above. A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if the requirements for giving us a notice of default or our default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded;

 

   

we and the successor person have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with the relevant covenant in the indenture and that all conditions precedent therein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with; and

 

   

we satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities.

Modification or Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder.

Changes Requiring Your Approval

First, there are changes that we cannot make to your debt securities without your specific approval. The following is a list of those types of changes:

 

   

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or interest on, a debt security;

 

   

reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

 

   

reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a security following a default;

 

   

adversely affect any right of repayment at the holder’s option;

 

   

change the place (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement) or currency of payment on a debt security;

 

   

impair your right to sue for payment;

 

   

adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms;

 

   

modify the subordination provisions in the indenture in a manner that is adverse to holders of the debt securities;

 

   

reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the indenture;

 

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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults;

 

   

modify any other aspect of the provisions of the indenture dealing with supplemental indentures, modification and waiver of past defaults, changes to the quorum or voting requirements or the waiver of certain covenants; and

 

   

change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts.

Changes Not Requiring Approval

The second type of change does not require any vote by the holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the outstanding debt securities in any material respect. We also do not need any approval to make any change that affects only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the change takes effect.

Changes Requiring Majority Approval

Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

 

   

If the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of that series.

 

   

If the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the same indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series affected by the change, with all affected series voting together as one class for this purpose.

In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series of debt securities issued under an indenture, voting together as one class for this purpose, may waive our compliance with some of our covenants in that indenture. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or of any of the matters covered by the bullet points included above under “ — Changes Requiring Your Approval.”

Further Details Concerning Voting

When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security:

 

   

For original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of these debt securities were accelerated to that date because of a default.

 

   

For debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is based on an index), we will use the principal face amount at original issuance or a special rule for that debt security described in the prospectus supplement.

 

   

For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent.

Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption or if we, any other obligor, or any affiliate of us or any obligor own such debt securities. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described later under “Defeasance — Full Defeasance.”

 

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We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding indenture securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. However, the record date may not be more than 30 days before the date of the first solicitation of holders to vote on or take such action. If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of one or more series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding indenture securities of those series on the record date and must be taken within eleven months following the record date.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or request a waiver.

Defeasance

The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and full defeasance will not be applicable to that series.

Covenant Defeasance

Under current U.S. federal income tax law and the indenture, we can make the deposit described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture under which the particular series was issued. This is called “covenant defeasance”. In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay your debt securities. If applicable, you also would be released from the subordination provisions described under “Indenture Provisions — Subordination” below. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

 

   

We must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of a series of debt securities a combination of cash (in such currency in which such securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at stated maturity) or government obligations applicable to such securities and coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the currency in which such securities and coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at stated maturity) that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments.

 

   

We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that, under current U.S. federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity.

 

   

We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the 1940 Act, as amended, and a legal opinion and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with.

 

   

Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or result in a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

 

   

No default or event of default with respect to such debt securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing and no defaults or events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization shall occur during the next 90 days.

 

   

Satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit or the trustee is prevented from making payment. In fact, if one of the

 

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remaining Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities became immediately due and payable, there might be a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall.

Full Defeasance

If there is a change in U.S. federal income tax law or we obtain an IRS ruling, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a particular series (called “full defeasance”) if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid:

 

   

We must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of a series of debt securities a combination of cash (in such currency in which such securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at stated maturity) or government obligations applicable to such securities and coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the currency in which such securities and coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at stated maturity) that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments.

 

   

We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change in current U.S. federal income tax law or an IRS ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves at maturity. Under current U.S. federal income tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we paid you your share of the cash and notes or bonds at the time the cash and notes or bonds were deposited in trust in exchange for your debt securities and you would recognize gain or loss on the debt securities at the time of the deposit.

 

   

We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the 1940 Act, as amended, and a legal opinion and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to defeasance have been complied with.

 

   

Defeasance must not result in a breach of the indenture or any of our other material agreements.

 

   

Satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever became bankrupt or insolvent. If applicable, you would also be released from the subordination provisions described later under “Indenture Provisions — Subordination”.

Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities

If registered debt securities cease to be issued in book-entry form, they will be issued:

 

   

only in fully registered certificated form,

 

   

without interest coupons, and

 

   

unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and amounts that are multiples of $1,000.

Holders may exchange their certificated securities for debt securities of smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed and as long as the denomination is greater than the minimum denomination for such securities.

 

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Holders may exchange or transfer their certificated securities at the office of their trustee. We have appointed the trustee to act as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders transferring debt securities. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourselves.

Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their certificated securities, but they may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership.

If we have designated additional transfer agents for your debt security, they will be named in your prospectus supplement. We may appoint additional transfer agents or cancel the appointment of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts.

If any certificated securities of a particular series are redeemable and we redeem less than all the debt securities of that series, we may block the transfer or exchange of those debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of any certificated securities selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security that will be partially redeemed.

If a registered debt security is issued in book-entry form, only the depositary will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection, since it will be the sole holder of the debt security.

Resignation of Trustee

Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to these series and has accepted such appointment. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under the indenture, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee.

Indenture Provisions — Subordination

Upon any distribution of our assets upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities is to be subordinated to the extent provided in the indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Designated Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), but our obligation to you to make payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected. In addition, no payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking fund or interest, if any, may be made on such subordinated debt securities at any time unless full payment of all amounts due in respect of the principal (and premium, if any), sinking fund and interest on Designated Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money’s worth.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by us is received by the trustee in respect of subordinated debt securities or by the holders of any of such subordinated debt securities before all Designated Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness or on their behalf for application to the payment of all the Designated Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all the Designated Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Designated Senior Indebtedness upon this distribution by us, the holders of such subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness out of the distributive share of such subordinated debt securities.

 

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By reason of this subordination, in the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, certain of our senior creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of any subordinated debt securities or the holders of any indenture securities that are not Designated Senior Indebtedness. The indenture provides that these subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

Designated Senior Indebtedness is defined in the indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on:

 

   

our indebtedness (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by us), whenever created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed, that we have designated as “Designated Senior Indebtedness” for purposes of the indenture and in accordance with the terms of the indenture (including any indenture securities designated as Designated Senior Indebtedness), and

 

   

renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any of this indebtedness.

If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with the offering of a series of indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the approximate amount of our Designated Senior Indebtedness and of our other indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.

Secured Indebtedness and Ranking

Certain of our indebtedness, including certain series of indenture securities, may be secured. The prospectus supplement for each series of indenture securities will describe the terms of any security interest for such series and will indicate the approximate amount of our secured indebtedness as of a recent date. Any unsecured indenture securities will effectively rank junior to any existing and future secured indebtedness, including any credit facilities or secured indenture securities, that we incur to the extent of the value of the assets securing such secured indebtedness. Our debt securities, whether secured or unsecured, will rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by our subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities, with respect to claims on the assets of any such subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities.

In the event of bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up, any of our assets that secure secured debt will be available to pay obligations on unsecured debt securities only after all indebtedness under such secured debt has been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all unsecured debt securities then outstanding after fulfillment of this obligation. As a result, the holders of unsecured indenture securities may recover less, ratably, than holders of any of our secured indebtedness.

The Trustee under the Indenture

U.S. Bank National Association will serve as the trustee under the indenture.

Certain Considerations Relating to Foreign Currencies

Debt securities denominated or payable in foreign currencies may entail significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved and will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Book-Entry Procedures

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in book-entry form, and the Depository Trust Company, or DTC, will act as securities depository for the debt securities. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued

 

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as fully registered securities registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC’s partnership nominee) or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. One fully-registered certificate will be issued for the debt securities, in the aggregate principal amount of such issue, and will be deposited with DTC.

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments from over 100 countries that DTC’s participants, or Direct Participants, deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC.

DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly, or Indirect Participants. DTC has a Standard & Poor’s rating of AA+. The DTC Rules applicable to its participants are on file with the SEC. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com and www.dtc.org.

Purchases of debt securities under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the debt securities on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each security, or the “Beneficial Owner,” is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the debt securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in debt securities, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the debt securities is discontinued.

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all debt securities deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co. or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of debt securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the debt securities; DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such debt securities are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

Redemption notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the debt securities within an issue are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed.

 

 

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Redemption proceeds, distributions, and interest payments on the debt securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit Direct Participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or the trustee on the payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC nor its nominee, the trustee, or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions, and interest payments to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is the responsibility of us or the trustee, but disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities depository with respect to the debt securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or to the trustee. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor securities depository is not obtained, certificates are required to be printed and delivered. We may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, certificates will be printed and delivered to DTC.

The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, or warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, in one or more underwritten public offerings, at-the-market offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades, best efforts or a combination of these methods. The holders of our common stock will indirectly bear any fees and expenses in connection with any such offerings. We may sell the securities through underwriters or dealers, directly to one or more purchasers, including existing stockholders in a rights offering, through agents or through a combination of any such methods of sale. In the case of a rights offering, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of each right and the other terms of such rights offering. We, however, do not have any current intent to issue subscription rights, preferred stock, or warrants in the next twelve months following the effectiveness of this prospectus. Any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of the securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. A prospectus supplement or supplements will also describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including: the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; the public offering price; any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices, provided, however, that the offering price per share of our common stock, less any underwriting commissions or discounts, must equal or exceed the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of the offering except (a) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (b) with the prior approval of the majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of our common stockholders, or (c) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit. The price at which securities may be distributed may represent a discount from prevailing market prices.

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions they receive from us and any profit realized by them on the resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be identified and any such compensation received from us will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The maximum aggregate commission or discount to be received by any member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or independent broker-dealer, including any reimbursements to underwriters or agents for certain fees and legal expenses incurred by them, will not be greater than 8% of the gross proceeds of the sale of securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are

 

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purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

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

We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no trading market, other than our common stock, which is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any exchanges, but we are not obligated to do so. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

Under agreements that we may enter, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of shares of our securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase our securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of our securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts. Such contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of such contracts.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, our securities offered hereby will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

 

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CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AND DISTRIBUTION PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR

Our securities are held under a custody agreement by Citibank, N.A. The address of the custodian is 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company will act as our transfer agent, distribution paying agent and registrar. The principal business address of our transfer agent, distribution paying agent and registrar is 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, telephone number: (800)  937-5449.

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

Since we will generally acquire and dispose of our investments in privately negotiated transactions, we will infrequently use brokers in the normal course of our business. Subject to policies established by our board of directors, our investment adviser will be primarily responsible for the execution of the publicly traded securities portion of our portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage commissions. Our investment adviser does not expect to execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but will seek to obtain the best net results for SLR Investment, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While our investment adviser generally will seek reasonably competitive trade execution costs, SLR Investment will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to applicable legal requirements, our investment adviser may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided to the investment adviser and SLR Investment and any other clients. In return for such services, we may pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the investment adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP and/or Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Washington, DC and Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will also be passed upon for the underwriters, if any, by the counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

KPMG LLP is an independent registered public accounting firm and is located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. We are allowed to “incorporate by reference” the information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to comprise a part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus and before the date that any offering of any securities by means of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

 

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We incorporate by reference into this prospectus our filings listed below and any future filings that we may file with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this prospectus, until all of the securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement have been sold or we otherwise terminate the offering of these securities, including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of this registration statement and prior to its effectiveness; provided, however, that information “furnished” under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or other information “furnished” to the SEC which is not deemed filed is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. Information that we file with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus will automatically update and may supersede information in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and information previously filed with the SEC.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents below that have previously been filed with the SEC:

 

   

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020;

 

   

Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 25, 2021; and

 

   

The description of our common stock contained Exhibit 4.4 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31, 2020, which updated the description thereof in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-34629), as filed with the SEC on February 9, 2010, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description prior to the termination of the offering of the common stock registered hereby.

To obtain copies of these filings, see “Available Information” in this prospectus you may request a copy of these filings (other than exhibits, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into these documents) at no cost by writing or calling Investor Relations at the following address and telephone number:

SLR Investment Corp.

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

(212) 993-1670

IRTeam@slrcp.com

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information, and you should not rely on such information if you receive it. We are not making an offer of or soliciting an offer to buy, any securities in any state or other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus or those documents.

 

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AVAILABLE INFORMATION

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form N-2 we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the securities we are offering under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits filed as a part of the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or other document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit.

We are required to file with or submit to the SEC annual, quarterly and current periodic reports, proxy statements and other information meeting the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. 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 https://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. This information will also be available free of charge by contacting us at SLR Investment, 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (212) 993-1670, on our website at https://slrinvestmentcorp.com or by sending an e-mail to us at IRTeam@slrcp.com. Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus.

 

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LOGO

SLR Investment Corp.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Subscription Rights

Warrants

 

 

P R O S P E C T U S

April 30, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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PART C — OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 25.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

1. Financial Statements

The audited consolidated financial statements of SLR Investment Corp. as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020 have been incorporated by reference in this registration statement in “Part A—Information Required in a Prospectus” in reliance on the report of KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

2. Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

  a.   Articles of Amendment and Restatement(1)
  b.   Articles of Amendment(16)
  c.   Amended and Restated Bylaws(1)
  d.1   Form of Common Stock Certificate(2)
  d.2   Form of Indenture(4)
  d.3   Form of Supplemental Indenture(6)
  d.4   Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank National Association on Form T-1*
  d.5   Indenture, dated as of November 16, 2012, between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association as trustee(7)
  d.6   Second Supplemental Indenture, dated November  22, 2017, relating to the 4.50% Senior Notes due 2023, between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee(10)
  d.7   Form of 4.50% Senior Notes due 2023 (contained in the Second Supplemental Indenture filed as Exhibit d.6 hereto)(10)
  e.   Dividend Reinvestment Plan(1)
  g.   Third Amended and Restated Investment Advisory and Management Agreement by and between the Registrant and Solar Capital Partners, LLC(12)
  h.   Form of Underwriting Agreement(4)
   j.   Form of Custodian Agreement(9)
  k.1   Amended and Restated Administration Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Management, LLC(8)
  k.2   Form of Indemnification Agreement by and between Registrant and each of its directors(1)
  k.3   First Amended and Restated Trademark License Agreement, dated February  25, 2021, by and between SLR Investment Corp. and SLR Capital Partners, LLC(16)
  k.4   Form of Registration Rights Agreement(3)
  k.5   Form of Subscription Agreement(3)
  k.6   Form of Share Purchase Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Investors II, LLC(2)

 

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Exhibit
Number

 

Description

  k.7   Form of Senior Secured Credit Agreement by and between the Registrant, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as syndication agent(13)
  k.8   Form of Note Purchase Agreement by and between the Registrant and the lenders party thereto(14)
  k.9   Form of First Supplement to Note Purchase Agreement by and between the Registrant and the lenders party thereto(14)
  k.10   Form of Second Supplement to Note Purchase Agreement by and between the Registrant and the lenders party thereto(14)
  k.11   Form of Third Supplement to Note Purchase Agreement by and between the Registrant and the lenders party thereto(14)
   l.1   Opinion and Consent of Venable LLP*
   l.2   Opinion and Consent of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP*
  n.1   Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Supplemental Information(15)
  n.2   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm(15)
  n.3   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*
  r.   Code of Ethics(15)
99.1   Code of Business Conduct(9)
99.2   Form of Preliminary Prospectus Supplement For Common Stock Offerings(5)
99.3   Form of Preliminary Prospectus Supplement For Preferred Stock Offerings(5)
99.4   Form of Preliminary Prospectus Supplement For Debt Offerings(5)
99.5   Form of Preliminary Prospectus Supplement For Warrant Offerings(5)
99.6   Crystal Financial LLC (A Delaware Limited Liability Company) Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December  31, 2020 and December 31, 2019(15)
99.7   NEF Holdings, LLC and Subsidiaries (A Limited Liability Company) Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December  31, 2020 and December 31, 2019(15)
99.8   KBH Topco, LLC (A Delaware Limited Liability Company) Consolidated Financial Statements for the period November  3, 2020 to December 31, 2020(15)

 

(1) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Pre-Effective Amendment No. 7 (File No. 333-148734) filed on January 7, 2010.

(2) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Pre-Effective Amendment No. 9 (File No. 333-148734) filed on February 9, 2010.

(3) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 8-K filed on November 29, 2010.

(4) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 (File No. 333-172968) filed on July 6, 2011.

(5) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 (File No. 333-172968) filed on June 8, 2012.

(6) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 (File No. 333-172968) filed on November 8, 2012.

(7) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 (File No. 333-172968) filed on November 16, 2012.

 

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(8) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 (File No. 333-172968) filed on November 12, 2013.

(9) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s annual report on Form 10-K filed on February 25, 2014.

(10) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 (File No. 333-194870) filed on November 22, 2017.

(11) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 10-Q filed on May 6, 2019.

(12) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 10-Q filed on August 6, 2018.

(13) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 10-Q filed on November 4, 2019.

(14) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 10-K filed on February 20, 2020.

(15) 

Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s report on Form 10-K filed on February 24, 2021.

(16) 

Previously filed in connection with SLR Investment Corp.’s report on Form 8-K filed on February 25, 2021.

*

Filed herewith.

ITEM 26.    MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS

The information contained under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the prospectus that is part of this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 27.    OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

 

SEC registration fee

   $   (1) 

NASDAQ Global Select Market Listing Fee

     (2) 

Printing and postage

     (2) 

Legal fees and expenses

     (2) 

Accounting fees and expenses

     (2) 

Miscellaneous

     (2) 
  

 

 

 

Total

   $                    
  

 

 

 

 

(1) 

Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Registrant is carrying forward to this Registration Statement $1,000,000,000 in aggregate offering price of unsold securities that the Registrant previously registered on its registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-223663) initially filed on March 14, 2018 (the “Prior Registration Statement”). In accordance with Rules 456(b), 457(r) and 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act, the Registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fees, except that the filing fees previously paid with respect to the unsold securities that are being carried forward to this Registration Statement will continue to be applied to such unsold securities. Registration fees will be paid subsequently on a pay-as-you-go basis.

(2) 

These fees will be calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. These fees, if any, will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement.

ITEM 28.    PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL

We may be deemed to control certain portfolio companies. See “Portfolio Companies” in the prospectus that is a part of this Registration Statement.

Consolidated Subsidiaries

The following list sets forth each of our consolidated subsidiaries, the state or country under whose laws the subsidiary is organized, and the percentage of voting securities or membership interests owned by us in such subsidiary:

 

NEFCORP LLC (Delaware)

     100

NEFPASS LLC (Delaware)

     100

SLRC ADI Corp. (Delaware)

     100

 

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Each of our subsidiaries listed above is consolidated for financial reporting purposes.

ITEM 29.    NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock at April 27, 2021:

 

Title of Class

   Number of
Record Holders

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

   18

ITEM 30.    INDEMNIFICATION

Directors and Officers

Reference is made to Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, Article VII of the Registrant’s charter and Article XI of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Bylaws.

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. The Registrant’s charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

The Registrant’s charter authorizes the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The Registrant’s bylaws obligate the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit the Registrant to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of the Registrant in any of the capacities described above and any of the Registrant’s employees or agents or any employees or agents of the Registrant’s predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Registrant will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which the Registrant’s charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and

 

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deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received unless, in either case, a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer in advance of final disposition of a proceeding upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

Adviser and Administrator

The Investment Advisory and Management 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, SLR Capital Partners, LLC (the “Adviser”) and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the Adviser’s services under the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Registrant.

The Administration Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, SLR Capital Management, 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 SLR Capital Management, 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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 Maryland 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.

 

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ITEM 31.    BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which the Adviser, and each managing director, director or executive officer of the Adviser, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the sections entitled “Management — Board of Directors and Executive Officers,” “Investment Advisory and Management Agreement” and “Portfolio Management — Investment Personnel.” Additional information regarding the Adviser and its officers and directors will be set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-68710), under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, 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, SLR Investment Corp., 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022;

 

  (2)

the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219;

 

  (3)

the Custodian, Citibank, N.A., 399 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022; and

 

  (4)

the Adviser, SLR Capital Partners, LLC, 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022.

ITEM 33.    MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Not applicable.

ITEM 34.    UNDERTAKINGS

(1) Not applicable.

(2) Not applicable.

(3) The Registrant hereby undertakes:

(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement:

(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b), if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

 

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Provided, however, that paragraphs a(1), a(2) and a(3) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;

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

(1) if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

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

(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

(2) if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the

 

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following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424, under the Securities Act;

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

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

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

(4) that for the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act:

(a) the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of a registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

(b) each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

(6) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us 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, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

(7) The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, in the State of New York, on the 30th day of April, 2021.

SLR INVESTMENT CORP.

 

/s/ Michael S. Gross

  

/s/ Bruce J. Spohler

Michael S. Gross
Co-Chief Executive Officer, President, Chairman

of the Board and Director

   Bruce J. Spohler
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating
Officer and Director

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this 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 30th day of April, 2021.

 

Signature

 

Title

/s/ Michael S. Gross

  Co-Chief Executive Officer, President, Chairman of the Board and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Michael S. Gross  

/s/ Bruce Spohler

  Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Director
Bruce Spohler  

/s/ Steven Hochberg

  Director
Steven Hochberg  

/s/ David S. Wachter

  Director
David S. Wachter  

/s/ Leonard A. Potter

  Director
Leonard A. Potter  

/s/ Richard L. Peteka

  Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial
Richard L. Peteka  

Officer), Treasurer and Secretary

 

C-9

EX-99.(d)(4)

Exhibit d.4

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

31-0841368

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

 

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota

  55402
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Orlando Jones

U.S. Bank National Association

100 Wall Street, 6th Fl.

New York, NY 10005

(212) 951-8542

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

 

SLR Investment Corp.

(Issuer with respect to the Securities)

 

 

 

Maryland   26-1381340

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

500 Park Avenue

3rd Floor

New York, NY

  10022
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

Debt Securities

(Title of the Indenture Securities)

 

 

 


FORM T-1

 

Item 1.

GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.

 

  a)

Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, D.C.

 

  b)

Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes

 

Item 2.

AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None

 

Items 3-15

Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.

 

Item 16.

LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.

 

  1.

A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee.*

 

  2.

A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.

 

  3.

A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, attached as Exhibit 3.

 

  4.

A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee.**

 

  5.

A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.

 

  6.

The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.

 

  7.

Report of Condition of the Trustee as of December 31, 2020 published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.

 

*

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to Amendment No. 2 to registration statement on S-4, Registration Number 333-128217 filed on November 15, 2005.

**

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to registration statement on form S-3ASR, Registration Number 333-199863 filed on November 5, 2014.

 

2


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of New York, State of New York on the 22nd of April, 2021.

 

By:  

/s/ Orlando J. Jones

  Orlando J. Jones
  Assistant Vice President

 

3


Exhibit 2

 

LOGO  

 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, DC 20219

CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE

I, Brian Brooks, Acting Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

1. The Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and is authorized thereunder to transact the business of banking on the date of this certificate.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, December 4, 2020,1 have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.

 

LOGO

 

Acting Comptroller of the Currency

 

LOGO

2021-00217-C

 

4


Exhibit 3

 

LOGO  

 

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, DC 20219

CERTIFICATE OF FIDUCIARY POWERS

I, Brian Brooks, Acting Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

1. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), was granted, under the hand and seal of the Comptroller, the right to act in all fiduciary capacities authorized under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved September 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 668, 12 USC 92a, and that the authority so granted remains in full force and effect on the date of this certificate.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, December 4, 2020,1 have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.

 

LOGO

 

Acting Comptroller of the Currency

 

LOGO

2021-00217-C

 

5


Exhibit 6

CONSENT

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

Dated: April 22, 2021

 

By:  

/s/ Orlando J. Jones

  Orlando J. Jones
  Assistant Vice President

 

6


Exhibit 7

U.S. Bank National Association

Statement of Financial Condition

As of 12/31/2020

($000’s)

 

     12/31/2020  

Assets

  

Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions

   $ 62,424,852  

Securities

     135,372,305  

Federal Funds

     149  

Loans & Lease Financing Receivables

     299,153,643  

Fixed Assets

     7,454,095  

Intangible Assets

     12,786,750  

Other Assets

     27,582,366  
  

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 544,774,160  

Liabilities

  

Deposits

   $ 442,835,836  

Fed Funds

     1,175,229  

Treasury Demand Notes

     0  

Trading Liabilities

     1,036,903  

Other Borrowed Money

     27,992,840  

Acceptances

     0  

Subordinated Notes and Debentures

     3,850,000  

Other Liabilities

     14,494,315  
  

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $ 491,385,123  

Equity

  

Common and Preferred Stock

     18,200  

Surplus

     14,266,915  

Undivided Profits

     38,303,599  

Minority Interest in Subsidiaries

     800,323  
  

 

 

 

Total Equity Capital

   $ 53,389,037  

Total Liabilities and Equity Capital

   $ 544,774,160  

 

7

EX-99.(l)(1)

Exhibit l.1

[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]

April 30, 2021

SLR Investment Corp.

500 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

 

  Re:

Registration Statement on Form N-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to SLR Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) and a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration of the following securities of the Company (collectively, the “Securities”): (i) common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), (ii) preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”), (iii) debt securities (“Debt Securities”), (iv) subscription rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (“Subscription Rights”) and (v) warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (“Warrants”), covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on or about the date hereof.

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

1. The Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein;

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

3. The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

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

5. Resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company relating to, among other matters, the authorization of the filing of the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Securities, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 2

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. The issuance of, and certain terms of, the Securities to be issued by the Company from time to time will be authorized and approved by the Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Charter, the Bylaws and the Resolutions (such approval referred to herein as the “Corporate Proceedings”).

6. Articles Supplementary creating and designating the number of shares and the terms of any class or series of Preferred Stock to be issued by the Company will be filed with and accepted for record by the SDAT prior to the issuance of such Preferred Stock.


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 3

 

7. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are Common Stock (“Common Securities”), including Common Securities which may be issued upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Securities, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.

8. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are Preferred Stock (“Preferred Securities”), including Preferred Securities which may be issued upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Securities, the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, and the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the applicable class or series of Preferred Stock designated pursuant to the Charter, will not exceed the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or the number of shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.

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

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

2. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to Common Securities, the issuance of the Common Securities will be duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions and the Corporate Proceedings, the Common Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to Preferred Securities, the issuance of the Preferred Securities will be duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions and the Corporate Proceedings, the Preferred Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

4. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Debt Securities, the issuance of the Debt Securities will be duly authorized.

5. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Subscription Rights, the issuance of the Subscription Rights will be duly authorized.

6. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Warrants, the issuance of the Warrants will be duly authorized.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of the 1940 Act or other federal securities laws, or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter.


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 4

 

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

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

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Venable LLP
EX-99.(l)(2)

Exhibit l.2

 

LOGO

April 30, 2021

SLR Investment Corp.

500 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

  Re:

SLR Investment Corp.

   

Registration Statement on Form N-2

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to SLR Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a registration statement on Form N-2 on April 30, 2021 (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the offer, issuance and sale from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of the following securities (the “Securities”):

 

  (a)

shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), including shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of the Rights and/or Warrants (as such terms are defined below), or upon the conversion of any Preferred Shares (as such term is defined below) (the “Common Shares”);

 

  (b)

shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), including shares of Preferred Stock to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Preferred Shares”);

 

  (c)

subscription rights to purchase Common Stock (the “Rights”);

 

  (d)

debt securities of the Company, including debt securities to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Debt Securities”); and

 

  (e)

warrants representing rights to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”).

The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be issued from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”) to the final prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it becomes effective (the “Prospectus”).


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 2

 

The Debt Securities are to be issued under (a) a base indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated November 16, 2012, entered into by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”) and (b) one or more supplemental indentures containing the specific terms and conditions for each issuance of the Debt Securities (each a “Supplemental Indenture” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Warrants are to be issued under warrant agreements (each a “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into by and between the Company and the purchasers thereof, or a warrant agent to be identified in the applicable warrant agreement. The Rights are to be issued under rights agreements to be entered into by and between the Company and the purchasers thereof, or a rights agent to be identified in the applicable rights agreement (the “Rights Agreement”).

As counsel to the Company, we have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and have examined the originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true copies of the following:

 

  (i)

The Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company (the “Charter”), certified as of a recent date by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

 

  (ii)

The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company (the “Bylaws”);

 

  (iii)

The Base Indenture;

 

  (iv)

A Certificate of Good Standing with respect to the Company issued by the SDAT as of a recent date (the “Certificate of Good Standing”); and

 

  (v)

The resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) relating to, among other things, (a) the authorization and approval of the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, and (b) the authorization of the issuance, offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company (collectively, the “Resolutions”).

With respect to such examination and our opinions expressed herein, we have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification, (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all documents submitted to us for examination, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed or reproduced copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copied documents, and (v) that all certificates issued by public officials have been properly issued. We also have assumed without independent investigation or verification the accuracy and completeness of all corporate records made available to us by the Company.

As to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions in this opinion letter, we have relied upon certificates of public officials (which we have assumed remain accurate as of the date of this opinion letter) and upon certificates of officers of the Company. We have not independently established the facts, or in the case of certificates of public officials, the other statements, so relied upon.


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 3

 

The opinions set forth below are limited to the effect of the laws of the State of New York as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the preceding sentence, we express no opinion as to any federal or state securities or broker-dealer laws or regulations thereunder relating to the offer, issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

This opinion letter has been prepared, and should be interpreted, in accordance with customary practice followed in the preparation of opinion letters by lawyers who regularly give, and such customary practice followed by lawyers who on behalf of their clients regularly advise opinion recipients regarding, opinion letters of this kind.

The opinions expressed below are subject to the effect of (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally, (ii) general principles of equity (including without limitation the availability of specific performance or injunctive relief and the application of concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing), regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity, and (iii) federal and state securities laws or principles of public policy that may limit enforcement of rights to indemnity, contribution and exculpation.

On the basis of, and subject to the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth in this opinion letter, and further assuming that:

 

  (i)

the Base Indenture has been, and each Supplemental Indenture will have been, duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Base Indenture;

 

  (ii)

Base Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligations of the parties thereto (other than the Company);

 

  (iii)

each Supplemental Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Company and the Trustee;

 

  (iv)

the Debt Securities will not include any provision that is unenforceable against the Company;

 

  (v)

each Warrant Agreement, including any amendments or supplements thereto, and the Warrants issued thereunder will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto in accordance with the terms of such Warrant Agreement;


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 4

 

  (vi)

each Warrant Agreement will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the parties thereto;

 

  (vii)

each Rights Agreement, including any amendments, or supplements thereto, and the Rights issued thereunder, will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement;

 

  (viii)

each Rights Agreement will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Company and the other parties thereto;

 

  (ix)

each Supplemental Indenture, Warrant Agreement and Rights Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of New York;

 

  (x)

the issuance, offer and sale of the Securities from time to time and the final terms of such issuance, offer and sale, including those relating to price and amount of the Securities to be issued, offered and sold, and certain terms thereof, will have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof in accordance with the Charter, if applicable, the Indenture, if applicable, the Warrant Agreement, if applicable, the Rights Agreement, if applicable, and the Bylaws, if applicable, and are consistent with the terms and conditions for such issuance, offer and sale set forth in the Resolutions and the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement (such authorization or action being hereinafter referred to as the “Corporate Proceedings”);

 

  (xi)

the terms of the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Rights as established and the issuance thereof (a) will not violate any applicable law, (b) will not violate or result in a default under or breach of any agreement, instrument or other document binding upon the Company, and (c) will comply with all requirements or restrictions imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company;

 

  (xii)

each issuance of the Debt Securities will have been duly executed by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Base Indenture, as supplemented by the applicable Supplemental Indenture, and delivered to, and the agreed consideration will have been fully paid at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof;

 

  (xiii)

at the time of issuance of the Debt Securities, after giving effect to such issuance of the Debt Securities, the Company will be in compliance with Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, giving effect to Section 61(a) thereof;

 

  (xiv)

the Debt Securities will not include any provision that is unenforceable against the Company;


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 5

 

  (xv)

the Warrants will have been duly executed by the Company and duly authenticated by the Warrant Agent in accordance with the Warrant Agreement, and delivered to, and the agreed consideration will have been fully paid at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof;

 

  (xvi)

the Certificate of Good Standing remains accurate, the Resolutions and the applicable Corporate Proceedings remain in effect, without amendment, and the Registration Statement will have become effective under the Securities Act and remains effective at the time of the issuance, offer and/or sale of the Securities,

we are of the opinion that:

 

  1.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the issuance of the Rights will be duly authorized and when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Rights Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions, and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Rights will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

 

  2.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, and when issued and paid for in accordance with the Base Indenture, the applicable Supplemental Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, each issuance of the Debt Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

 

  3.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, and when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Warrant Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Warrants will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

The opinions expressed in this opinion letter (i) are strictly limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter, and without limiting the foregoing, no other opinions are to be inferred and (ii) are only as of the date of this opinion letter, and we are under no obligation, and do not undertake, to advise the Company or any other person or entity either of any change of law or fact that occurs, or of any fact that comes to our attention, after the date of this opinion letter, even though such change or such fact may affect the legal analysis or a legal conclusion in this opinion letter.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference of our firm in the “Legal Matters” section of the Registration Statement. We do not admit by giving this consent that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.


SLR Investment Corp.

April 30, 2021

Page 6

 

Respectfully submitted,
/s/ EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (US) LLP
EX-99.(n)(3)

Exhibit n.3

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

SLR Investment Corp. (formerly, Solar Capital Ltd.):

We consent to the use of our reports, dated February 24, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the senior securities table of SLR Investment Corp., in each case, incorporated by reference in the registration statement. We also consent to the references to our firm under the headings, “Financial Highlights,” “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm,” and “Financial Statements and Exhibits” in the registration statement.

/s/ KPMG LLP

New York, New York

April 30, 2021