Item 1. Business
GENERAL
We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company and have elected to be treated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. We were formed on December 8, 2015, as a corporation under the laws of Maryland. Our investment objective is to provide our stockholders with both current income and capital appreciation primarily through debt investments and, to a lesser extent, equity investments. Our investment strategy focuses primarily on investments in middle-market companies in the United States. We use the term “middle-market” to refer to companies that may exhibit one or more of the following characteristics: number of employees between 150 and 2,000; revenues between $15 million and $300 million; annual EBITDA, between $3 million and $50 million; generally, private companies owned by private equity firms or owners/operators; and enterprise value between $10 million and $500 million. For additional information about how we define the middle-market, see "-Investment Criteria/Guidelines."
Our investment strategy focuses primarily on middle-market companies in the United States, including senior secured loans, which includes first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans, as well as subordinated loans and, to a lesser extent, warrants and other equity securities. We also may invest up to 30% of our portfolio in opportunistic investments of portfolio companies not otherwise eligible under BDC regulations. Specifically, as part of this 30% basket, we may consider investments in investment funds that are operating pursuant to certain exceptions to the 1940 Act and in advisers to similar investment funds, as well as in debt of middle-market companies located outside of the United States and debt and equity of public companies that do not meet the definition of eligible portfolio companies because their market capitalization of publicly traded equity securities exceeds the levels provided for in the 1940 Act.
We intend to raise up to $200,000,000 through the Offering in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. In addition, we and OFS Advisor have entered into a dealer manager agreement with International Assets Advisory, LLC (the “Dealer Manager”). Placement activities are conducted by the Dealer Manager and participating broker dealers who solicit subscriptions to purchase shares of our common stock. From May 19, 2017 through June 30, 2019, OFS Advisor paid the dealer manager fee on sales of shares of our common stock in the Offering. We will pay the dealer manager fee on sales of shares of our common stock in the Offering subsequent to June 30, 2019, resulting in less proceeds to us in comparison to when OFS Advisor paid the dealer manager fees. Previous payments of dealer manager fees by OFS Advisor are not subject to reimbursement by us. On August 30, 2016, Funding I purchased 74,074 shares of our common stock in the Offering for gross proceeds of $1,000,000 (the "Minimum Offering Requirement"), or $13.50 per share. No selling commissions or dealer manager fees were paid in connection with this purchase. Since commencing operations on August 30, 2016, we have sold a total of 2,297,638 shares of common stock for net gross proceeds of $31,934,303.
Our investment activities are managed by OFS Advisor and supervised by our Board a majority of whom are independent of us, OFS Advisor and its affiliates. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement we have agreed to pay OFS Advisor an annual base management fee based on the average value of our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed funds and including assets owned by any consolidated entity) as well as an incentive fee based on our investment performance. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser to CLO funds and other assets, including OFS Capital, a publicly traded BDC with an investment strategy similar to the Company's. Evolv, a registered investment adviser, served as our sub-adviser pursuant to the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement from August 30, 2016 through March 26, 2019. Effective March 26, 2019, Evolv resigned as our sub-advisor, thereby terminating Evolv’s services under the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement. At that time, our Board determined that it is in our best interests not to appoint a new sub-advisor. See "-Management and Other Agreements-Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement." See "-Risks Related to OFS Advisor and its Affiliates."
We have also entered into an Administration Agreement with OFS Services. Under our Administration Agreement, we have agreed to reimburse OFS Services for our allocable portion (subject to the oversight of our independent directors) of overhead and other expenses incurred by OFS Services in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement. See "-Management and Other Agreements-Administration Agreement."
As a BDC, we must not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” specified in the 1940 Act unless, at the time the acquisition is made, at least 70% of our assets, as defined by the 1940 Act, are qualifying assets (with certain limited exceptions). Qualifying assets include investments in “eligible portfolio companies.” Under the relevant SEC rules, the term “eligible portfolio company” includes all private companies, companies whose securities are not listed on a national securities exchange, and certain public companies that have listed their securities on a national securities exchange and have a market capitalization of less than $250 million, in each case organized in the United States.
A BDC is generally not permitted to incur indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing it has an asset coverage ratio for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). Certain provisions of the SBCAA permit BDCs to be subject to a minimum asset coverage ratio of 150%, if specific conditions are satisfied, when issuing senior securities (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 66 2/3% of the value of our assets). As an approximation, prior to the enactment of the SBCAA, the most that a BDC could borrow for investment purposes was $1 for every $1 of investor equity. Now, for those BDCs that satisfy the SBCAA’s approval and disclosure requirements and become subject to the reduced asset coverage ratio, the BDC can borrow $2 for investment purposes for every $1 of investor equity.
BDCs, like the Company, that do not have shares of common stock listed on a national securities exchange, may take advantage of the modified asset coverage ratio if stockholders representing at least a majority of the votes cast, when quorum is met, approve a proposal to do so. If we elected to pursue such stockholder approval, we would be permitted to increase our leverage capacity on the first day after such approval. Alternatively, we could increase the maximum amount of leverage we may incur to an asset coverage ratio of 150% if the “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the independent members of our Board approved such increase with such approval becoming effective after one year. In either case, we would be required to extend to our stockholders, as of the date of such approval the opportunity to sell the shares of common stock that they hold (with 25% of such stockholders’ eligible shares being repurchased in each of the four calendar quarters following the calendar quarter in which the approval occurs) and we would be required to make certain disclosures on our website and in SEC filings regarding, among other things, the receipt of approval to increase our leverage, our leverage capacity and usage, and risks related to leverage.
On November 6, 2018, the Board, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the Board, approved the application of the modified asset coverage requirements set forth in Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, as amended by the SBCAA and we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholder as of November 6, 2018, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us was decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
We may borrow money when the terms and conditions available are favorable to do so and are aligned with our investment strategy and portfolio composition. The use of borrowed funds or the proceeds of preferred stock to make investments would have its own specific benefits and risks, and all of the costs of borrowing funds or issuing preferred stock would be borne by holders of our common stock.
We have elected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and to qualify annually thereafter, as a RIC under the Code. To qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and assets diversification requirements. Pursuant to these elections, we generally will not have to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income we distribute to our stockholders.
About OFS and Our Advisor
OFS (which refers to the collective activities and operations of OFSAM, its subsidiaries, and certain affiliates) is a full-service provider of capital and leveraged finance solutions to U.S. companies.
As of December 31, 2019, OFS had 44 full-time employees. OFS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and also has offices in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California.
Our investment activities are managed by OFS Advisor, our investment adviser. OFS Advisor is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and diligence on potential investments and equity sponsors, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring our investments and monitoring our investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. OFS Advisor is a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFSAM.
Our relationship with OFS Advisor is governed by and dependent on the Investment Advisory Agreement and may be subject to conflicts of interest. See "Item 1A.
Item 1A.
Risk Factors
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a number of significant risks. In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should consider carefully the following information before making an investment in our common stock. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us might also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Structure
We have a limited operating history.
We commenced operations on August 30, 2016 and are subject to all of the business risks and uncertainties associated with any business with a limited operating history, including the risk that we will not achieve or sustain our investment objective and that the value of our common stock could decline substantially.
We are dependent upon the OFS senior professionals for our future success and upon their access to the investment professionals and partners of OFS and its affiliates.
We do not have any internal management capacity or employees. We will depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the OFS senior professionals to achieve our investment objective. Our future success will depend, to a significant extent, on the continued service and coordination of the OFS senior management team, particularly Bilal Rashid, Senior Managing Director and President of OFSC, Jeffrey Cerny, Senior Managing Director and Treasurer of OFSC and Kyde Sharp, Managing Director of OFSC. Each of these individuals is an employee at will of OFSC. In addition, we rely on the services of Richard Ressler, Chairman of the executive committee of OFSAM and Chairman of the Advisor Investment Committees, pursuant to a consulting agreement with Orchard Capital Corporation. The departure of Mr. Ressler or any of the senior managers of OFSC, or of a significant number of its other investment professionals, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective.
We expect that OFS Advisor will continue to evaluate, negotiate, structure, close and monitor our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. We can offer no assurance, however, that OFS senior professionals will continue to provide investment advice to us. If these individuals do not maintain their existing relationships with OFS and its affiliates and do not develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we may not be able to grow our investment portfolio or achieve our investment objective. In addition, individuals with whom the OFS senior professionals have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities. Therefore, we can offer no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for us.
OFS Advisor is a subsidiary of OFSAM that has no employees and depends upon access to the investment professionals and other resources of OFS and its affiliates to fulfill its obligations to us under the Investment Advisory Agreement. OFS Advisor also depends upon OFS to obtain access to deal flow generated by the professionals of OFS and its affiliates. Under a Staffing Agreement between OFSC, a subsidiary of OFSAM that employs OFS’s personnel, and OFS Advisor, OFSC has agreed to provide OFS Advisor with the resources necessary to fulfill these obligations. The Staffing Agreement provides that OFSC will make available to OFS Advisor experienced investment professionals and access to the senior investment personnel of OFSC for purposes of evaluating, negotiating, structuring, closing and monitoring our investments. We are not a party to this Staffing Agreement and cannot assure stockholders that OFSC will fulfill its obligations under the agreement. If OFSC fails to perform, we cannot assure stockholders that OFS Advisor will enforce the Staffing Agreement or that such agreement will not be terminated by either party or that we will continue to have access to the investment professionals of OFSC and its affiliates or their information and deal flow.
The Middle Market Investment Committee that oversees our investment activities are provided by OFS Advisor under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The Middle-Market Investment Committee consists of Richard Ressler (Chairman), Jeffrey Cerny, Kyde Sharp and Bilal Rashid. The loss of any member of the Middle-Market Investment Committees or of other OFS senior professionals could limit our ability to achieve our investment objective and operate as we anticipate. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.
Our business model depends to a significant extent upon strong referral relationships with financial institutions, sponsors and investment professionals. Any inability of OFS Advisor to maintain or develop these relationships, or the failure of these relationships to generate investment opportunities, could adversely affect our business.
We depend upon OFS Advisor to maintain relationships with financial institutions, sponsors and investment professionals, and we will continue to rely to a significant extent upon these relationships to provide us with potential investment opportunities. If OFS Advisor fails to maintain such relationships, or to develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we will not be able to grow our investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom the principals of OFS Advisor have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities, and, therefore, we can offer no assurance that these relationships will generate investment opportunities for us in the future.
Our financial condition and results of operation will depend on our ability to manage our business effectively.
Our ability to achieve our investment objective and grow will depend on our ability to manage our business. This will depend, in turn, on the ability of the Advisor Investment Committees to identify, invest in and monitor companies that meet our investment criteria. The achievement of our investment objectives on a cost-effective basis will depend upon the Advisor Investment Committees' ability to execute our investment process, their ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient services to us and, to a lesser extent, our access to financing on acceptable terms. OFS Advisor has substantial responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement. OFS Advisor's senior professionals and other personnel of OFS Advisor's affiliates, including OFSC, may be called upon to provide managerial assistance to our portfolio companies. These activities may distract them or slow our rate of investment. Any failure to manage our business and our future growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have potential conflicts of interest related to obligations that OFS Advisor or its affiliates may have to other clients.
OFS Advisor and its affiliates manage other assets, including those of other BDCs and registered investment companies, separately managed accounts, accounts for which OFS Advisor or its affiliates may serve as subadviser and CLOs, and may manage other entities in the future, and these other funds and entities may have similar or overlapping investment strategies. Our executive officers, directors and members of the Advisor Investment Committees serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, or of investment funds or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor or its affiliates. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in our or our stockholders’ best interests or may require them to devote time to services for other entities, which could interfere with the time available to provide services to us. For example, OFS Advisor currently serves as the investment adviser to OFS Capital, a publicly-traded BDC, that invests in senior secured loans of middle-market companies in the United States, similar to those we target for investment, including first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans as well as subordinated loans and, to a lesser extent, warrants and other equity securities. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser to OCCI, a closed-end management investment company that primarily invests in CLO debt and subordinated securities. Therefore, many investment opportunities will satisfy the investment criteria for both OFS Capital and us and, in certain instances, investment opportunities may be appropriate for OCCI as us. OFS Capital operates as a distinct and separate entity and any investment in our common stock will not be an investment in OFS Capital. In addition, our executive officers and certain of our independent directors serve in substantially similar capacities for OFS Capital and OCCI. Similarly, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates may have other clients with, similar, different or competing investment objectives. In serving in these multiple capacities, our executive officers and directors, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates, and members of the Advisor Investment Committees may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders.
OFS Advisor and OFSAM have procedures and policies in place designed to manage the potential conflicts of interest between OFS Advisor’s fiduciary obligations to us and its fiduciary obligations to other clients. For example, such policies and procedures are designed to ensure that investment opportunities are allocated in a fair and equitable manner among us and other clients of OFS Advisor. An investment opportunity that is suitable for clients of OFS Advisor may not be capable of being shared among some or all of such clients due to the limited scale of the opportunity or other factors, including regulatory restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to participate in all investment opportunities that are suitable to us. OFS Advisor will seek to allocate investment opportunities among eligible accounts in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and consistent with its allocation policy.
Our independent directors may face conflicts of interest related to their obligations to the affiliated funds for which they also serve as independent directors.
The independent directors of our board of directors also comprise a portion of the independent directors of the board of directors of OFS Capital, an affiliated BDC that is also managed by OFS Advisor. Additionally, one of our independent
directors also serves as an independent director on the board of directors of OCCI. In their capacities as directors for an affiliated fund board, the independent directors have a duty to make decisions on behalf of that affiliated fund that are in the best interests of that affiliated fund and its stockholders. Accordingly, our independent directors may face conflicts of interest when making a decision on behalf of one affiliated fund that may not be in the best interest of the other affiliated fund(s). For example, the SEC has granted exemptive relief to us, OFS Advisor, OFS Capital, OCCI, and certain other of our affiliates to co-invest in certain transactions that would otherwise be prohibited by the 1940 Act. In accordance with that relief, the independent directors must make certain findings on behalf of each affiliated fund with respect to initial co-investment transactions, including that the terms of the proposed transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the affiliated fund and its stockholders and do not involve overreaching in respect of the affiliated fund or its stockholders on the part of any of the other participants in the proposed transaction. Under such circumstances, the independent directors may face conflicts of interest when making these determinations on behalf of us, OFS Capital and OCCI.
Members of the Advisor Investment Committees, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may, from time to time, possess material non-public information, limiting our investment discretion.
OFS senior professionals and members of the Advisor Investment Committees may serve as directors of, or in a similar capacity with, companies in which we invest, the securities of which are purchased or sold on our behalf. In the event that material nonpublic information is obtained with respect to such companies, or we become subject to trading restrictions under the internal trading policies of those companies or as a result of applicable law or regulations, we could be prohibited for a period of time from purchasing or selling the securities of such companies, and this prohibition may have an adverse effect on us and our stockholders.
To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be required to include such income in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash representing such income.
Our investments may include contractual PIK interest or PIK dividends, which represents contractual interest or dividends added to a loan balance or equity security and due at the end of such loan’s or equity security’s term. To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash. Such risks include:
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The higher interest or dividend rates of PIK instruments reflect the payment deferral and increased risk associated with these instruments, and PIK instruments often represent a significantly higher risk than non-PIK instruments.
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Even if the accounting conditions for income accrual are met, the borrower could still default when our actual collection is supposed to occur at the maturity of the obligation.
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PIK instruments may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require continuing judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any associated collateral. PIK income may also create uncertainty about the source of our cash distributions.
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For accounting purposes, any cash distributions to stockholders representing PIK income are not treated as coming from paid-in capital, even though the cash to pay them comes from the offering proceeds. As a result, despite the fact that a distribution representing PIK income could be paid out of amounts invested by our stockholders, the 1940 Act does not require that stockholders be given notice of this fact by reporting it as a return of capital.
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PIK interest or dividends have the effect of generating investment income at a compounding rate, thereby further increasing the incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor. Similarly, all things being equal, the deferral associated with PIK interest or dividends also decreases the investment principal-to-value ratio at a compounding rate.
The valuation process for certain of our portfolio holdings may create a conflict of interest.
Many of our portfolio investments may be made in the form of securities that are not publicly traded. As a result, our Board will determine the fair value of these securities in good faith as described below in “Many of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.” In connection with that determination, investment professionals from OFS Advisor may provide our Board with portfolio company valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company consolidated financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. In addition, the members of our Board who are not independent directors have a substantial indirect pecuniary interest in OFS Advisor. The participation of the OFS Advisor’s investment professionals in our valuation process, and the indirect pecuniary interest in OFS Advisor by those members of our Board, could result in a conflict of interest since OFS Advisor’s management fee is based, in part, on our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity).
We may have additional conflicts related to other arrangements with OFS Advisor or its affiliates.
We rent office space from a subsidiary of OFSAM and pay to that subsidiary our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, such as rent and our allocable portion of the cost of our officers, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer and chief accounting officer. This will create conflicts of interest that our Board must monitor.
The Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor and the Administration Agreement with OFS Services were not negotiated on an arm’s length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were negotiated between related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to OFS Advisor, may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party. In addition, we could choose not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, our rights and remedies under these agreements because of our desire to maintain our ongoing relationship with OFS Advisor, OFS Services and their respective affiliates. Any such decision, however, would breach our fiduciary obligations to our stockholders.
Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.
We generally are prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with their affiliates without the prior approval of their independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which us and one or more of its affiliates engage in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be considered an affiliate of us for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we generally are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with such affiliates, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, we are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with our officers, directors, and employees, and advisors (and its affiliates).
We may, however, invest alongside certain related parties or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including our advisor, acting on our behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other accounts.
On October 12, 2016, we received the Order from the SEC that permits us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain affiliates, provided that we comply with the conditions of the Order. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with BDCs, registered investment companies and private funds managed by OFS Advisor or any adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, OFS Advisor, and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, in a manner consistent with our investment strategy as well as applicable law, including the terms and conditions of the Order. Under the terms of the Order, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors must make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching of us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies. We have applied for the New Order, which if granted, would supercede the Order and permit us greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions. There can be no assurance that we will obtain such new exemptive relief from the SEC.
When we invest alongside clients of OFSAM and its affiliates or their respective other clients, OFS Advisor will, to the extent consistent with applicable law, regulatory guidance, or the Order, allocate investment opportunities in accordance with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
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investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
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the status of tax restrictions and tests and other regulatory restrictions and tests;
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risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
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suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
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if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
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level of available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
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total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
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the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
When not relying on the Order, priority as to opportunities will generally be given to clients that are in their “ramp-up” period, or the period during which the account has yet to reach sufficient scale such that its investment income covers its operating expenses, over the accounts that are outside their ramp-up period but still within their investment or re-investment periods. However, application of one or more of the factors listed above, or other factors determined to be relevant or appropriate, may result in the allocation of an investment opportunity to a fund no longer in its ramp-up period over a fund that is still within its ramp-up period.
In situations where co-investment with other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. These restrictions, and similar restrictions that limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates, may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
We have potential conflicts of interest related to the purchases and sales that OFS Advisor makes on our behalf and/or on behalf of Affiliated Accounts.
Conflicts may arise when we make an investment in conjunction with an investment being made by Affiliated Accounts, or in a transaction where another Affiliated Account has already made an investment. Investment opportunities are, from time to time, appropriate for more than one Affiliated Account in the same, different or overlapping securities of a portfolio company’s capital structure. Conflicts arise in determining the terms of investments, particularly where these Affiliated Accounts may invest in different types of securities in a single portfolio company. Questions arise as to whether payment obligations and covenants should be enforced, modified or waived, or whether debt should be restructured, modified or refinanced.
We may invest in debt and other securities of companies in which other Affiliated Accounts hold those same securities or different securities, including equity securities. In the event that such investments are made by us, our interests will at times conflict with the interests of such other Affiliated Accounts, particularly in circumstances where the underlying company is facing financial distress. Decisions about what action should be taken, particularly in troubled situations, raises conflicts of interest, including, among other things, whether or not to enforce claims, whether or not to advocate or initiate a restructuring or liquidation inside or outside of bankruptcy, and the terms of any work-out or restructuring. The involvement of multiple Affiliated Accounts at both the equity and debt levels could inhibit strategic information exchanges among fellow creditors, including among us and other Affiliated Accounts. In certain circumstances, we or other Affiliated Accounts may be prohibited from exercising voting or other rights and may be subject to claims by other creditors with respect to the subordination of their interest.
For example, in the event that one Affiliated Account has a controlling or significantly influential position in a portfolio company, that Affiliated Account may have the ability to elect some or all of the board of directors of such a portfolio company, thereby controlling the policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of securities, payment of dividends, incurrence of debt and entering into extraordinary transactions. In addition, a controlling Affiliated Account is likely to have the ability to determine, or influence, the outcome of operational matters and to cause, or prevent, a change in control of such a portfolio company. Such management and operational decisions may, at times, be in direct conflict with us or other Affiliated Accounts that have invested in the same portfolio company that do not have the same level of control or influence over the portfolio company.
If additional capital is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, or to finance growth or other opportunities, we or other Affiliated Accounts may or may not provide such additional capital, and if provided each Affiliated Account will supply such additional capital in such amounts, if any, as determined by OFS Advisor and/or OFS Advisor’s affiliates. Investments by more than one Affiliated Account in a portfolio company also raises the risk of using assets of an Affiliated Account of OFS Advisor to support positions taken by other Affiliated Accounts, or that a client may remain passive in a situation in which it is entitled to vote. In addition, there may be differences in timing of entry into, or exit from, a portfolio company for reasons such as differences in strategy, existing portfolio or liquidity needs, different Affiliated Account mandates or fund differences, or different securities being held. These variations in timing may be detrimental to us.
The application of our investment mandate as compared to investment mandates of other Affiliated Accounts and the policies and procedures of OFS Advisor and OFS Advisor's affiliates are expected to vary based on the particular facts and
circumstances surrounding each investment by two or more Affiliated Accounts, in particular when those Affiliated Accounts are in different classes of an issuer’s capital structure (as well as across multiple issuers or borrowers within the same overall capital structure) and, as such, there may be a degree of variation and potential inconsistencies, in the manner in which potential or actual conflicts are addressed.
We may finance our investments with borrowed money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.
The use of leverage magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested. The use of leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique and increases the risks associated with investing in our securities. We may pledge up to 100% of our assets and may grant a security interest in all of our assets, under the terms of any debt instruments we may enter into with lenders. In addition, under the terms of any credit facility or other debt instrument we enter into, we are likely to be required by its terms to use the net proceeds of any investments that we sell to repay a portion of the amount borrowed under such facility or instrument before applying such net proceeds to any other uses. If the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged, thereby magnifying losses or eliminating our equity stake in a leveraged investment. Similarly, any decrease in our revenue or income will cause our net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline would also negatively affect our ability to make dividend payments on our common stock or preferred stock. Our ability to service our debt will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. Moreover, because the management fee payable to OFS Advisor is payable based on our total assets, OFS Advisor has a financial incentive to incur leverage which may not be consistent with our stockholders’ interests. In addition, our common stockholders will bear the burden of any increase in our expenses as a result of our use of leverage, including interest expenses and any increase in the management fee payable to OFS Advisor.
As a BDC, generally we are not permitted to incur indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage ratio for total borrowings of at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% or 66 2/3% of the value of our assets). See "Regulation". In addition, we may not be permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on our outstanding common shares, or purchase any such shares, unless, at the time of such declaration or purchase, we have asset coverage of at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution, or purchase price. If this ratio declines below the applicable threshold, we may not be able to incur additional debt and may need to sell a portion of our investments to repay some debt when it is disadvantageous to do so, and we may not be able to make distributions.
On November 6, 2018, the Board, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act of the Board, approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us; and we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholder as of November 6, 2018, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, pursuant to the SBCAA, we are subject to the reduced asset coverage ratio effective November 6, 2019.
The amount of our debt outstanding increased due to the issuance of the Unsecured Notes and the establishment of the PWB Credit Facility.
Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future is, to some extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate cash flow from operations to meet the payment obligations of our debt.
Effective November 6, 2019, we became subject to 150% Asset Coverage after receiving the approval of our board of directors and meeting certain conditions.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits us from incurring indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). However, recent legislation has modified the 1940 Act by allowing a BDC to increase the maximum amount of leverage it may incur from an asset coverage ratio of 200% to an asset coverage ratio of 150%, if certain requirements are met. On November 6, 2018 a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of the reduced asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019 and we are able to increase our leverage up to an amount that reduces our asset coverage ratio from 200% to 150% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 66 2/3% of the value of our assets), assuming that additional borrowings are available.
Leverage magnifies the potential for loss on investments in our indebtedness and on invested equity capital. As we use leverage to partially finance our investments, you will experience increased risks of investing in our securities. If the value of our assets increases, then the additional leverage would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, the additional leverage would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not increased our leverage. Similarly, any increase in our income in excess of interest payable on the borrowed funds would cause our net investment income to increase more than it would without the additional leverage, while any decrease in our income would cause net investment income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to pay common stock dividends, scheduled debt payments or other payments related to our securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique.
In addition, the ability of BDCs to increase their leverage will increase the capital available to BDCs and thus competition for the investments that we seek to make. This may negatively impact pricing on the investments that we do make and adversely affect our net investment income and results of operations.
Our PWB Credit Facility contains various covenants and restrictions which, if not complied with, could accelerate our repayment obligations under the credit facility or limit its use, thereby materially and adversely affecting our liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions.
The PWB Credit Facility provides us with a senior secured revolving line of credit of up to $10.0 million, with maximum availability equal to 35% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of eligible loans included in the borrowing base and otherwise specified in the PWB Credit Facility. The PWB Credit Facility contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting requirements, a minimum tangible net asset value, a minimum quarterly net investment income after incentive fees, and a statutory asset coverage test. The PWB Credit Facility also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-default to other indebtedness, bankruptcy, change in investment advisor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change in our financial condition. The PWB Credit Facility permits us to fund additional investments as long as we are within the conditions set out in the PWB Credit Facility. Our continued compliance with these covenants depends on many factors, some of which are beyond our control, and there are no assurances that we will continue to comply with these covenants. Our failure to satisfy these covenants could result in foreclosure by our lender, which would accelerate our repayment obligations under the PWB Credit Facility and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. We had $-0- million outstanding under the PWB Credit Facility as of December 31, 2019.
Changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.
To the extent we borrow money or issue preferred stock to make investments, our net investment income will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds or pay dividends on preferred stock and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. We may use interest rate risk management techniques in an effort to limit our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Such techniques may include various interest rate hedging activities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
A rise in the general level of interest rates typically leads to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates may result in an increase of the amount of incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which are another form of leverage.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of our management of our temporary investment portfolio. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, we will effectively pledge our assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount equal to a percentage of the fair value of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, we will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back our collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest which are for the benefit of us.
Our use of reverse repurchase agreements, if any, involves many of the same risks involved in our use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities that we have sold but remain obligated to purchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by us
may decline. If a buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, we may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, we would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of such agreements at settlement are less than the fair value of the underlying securities being pledged. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements transactions, our net asset value would decline, and, in some cases, we may be worse off than if we had not used such instruments.
We may in the future determine to fund a portion of our investments with preferred stock, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss and the risks of investing in us in the same way as our borrowings.
Preferred stock, which is another form of leverage, has the same risks to our common stockholders as borrowings because the dividends on any preferred stock we issue must be cumulative. Payment of such dividends and repayment of the liquidation preference of such preferred stock must take preference over any dividends or other payments to our common stockholders, and preferred stockholders are not subject to any of our expenses or losses and are not entitled to participate in any income or appreciation in excess of their stated preference.
We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities, which could reduce returns and result in losses.
A number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we plan to make. We compete with public and private funds, other BDCs, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance companies and, to the extent they provide an alternative form of financing, private equity and hedge funds. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some of our competitors may have access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC or the source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements we must satisfy to maintain our RIC tax treatment. These characteristics could allow our competitors to consider a wider variety of instruments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing and more flexible structuring than we are able to. The competitive pressures we face may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we may not be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective.
With respect to the investments we make, we will not seek to compete based primarily on the interest rates we will offer, and we believe that some of our competitors may make loans with interest rates that will be lower than the rates we offer. In the secondary market for acquiring existing loans, we expect to compete generally on the basis of pricing terms. With respect to all investments, we may lose some investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. However, if we match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, we may experience decreased net interest income, lower yields and increased risk of credit loss. We may also compete for investment opportunities with OFSAM and its other affiliates or accounts managed by OFSAM or one of its other affiliates. Although OFS Advisor will allocate opportunities in accordance with its policies and procedures, allocations to such other accounts will reduce the amount and frequency of opportunities available to us and may not be in the best interests of us and our stockholders. Moreover, the performance of investments will not be known at the time of allocation.
We may suffer credit losses.
Investment in middle-market companies is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk of credit loss, and therefore our securities may not be suitable for someone with a low tolerance for risk. These risks are likely to increase during volatile economic periods, such as the U.S. and many other economies have recently been experiencing.
We will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to maintain our qualification as a RIC.
We have elected to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, but no assurance can be given that once elected we will be able to maintain RIC status. As a RIC, we are not required to pay corporate-level federal income taxes on our income and capital gains distributed (or deemed distributed) to our stockholders. To continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC under the Code and to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains distributed to our stockholders, we must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. The distribution requirement for a RIC is satisfied if we distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to our stockholders on an annual basis. We will be subject, to the extent we use debt financing or preferred stock, to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements or preferred stock that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain our qualification for the tax benefits available to RICs and, thus, may be subject to corporate-level federal income tax. To maintain our qualification as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these tests may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments are in private or thinly traded public companies, any such dispositions could be
made at disadvantageous prices and may result in substantial losses. If we fail to continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate-level federal income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distributions to stockholders and the amount of our distributions and the amount of funds available for new investments. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders. See “Item 1. Business-Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations-Taxation as a RIC.”
Our portfolio companies may be unable to make distributions to us that will enable us to meet RIC requirements, which could result in the imposition of an entity-level tax.
In order for us to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC and to minimize corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes, we are required to distribute on an annual basis substantially all of our taxable income, which includes income from our subsidiaries and portfolio companies. If our subsidiaries and portfolio companies are unable to make distributions to us, this may result in loss of RIC tax treatment and a consequent imposition of a corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on us.
We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before, or without, receiving cash representing such income.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as the accretion of OID. This may arise if we purchase assets at a discount, receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan or in other circumstances, or through contracted PIK interest or dividends (meaning interest or dividends paid in the form of additional principal amount of the loan or equity security instead of in cash), which represents contractual interest or dividends added to the loan balance or equity security and due at the end of the investment term. Such OID, which could be significant relative to our overall investment activities, or increases in loan or equity investment balances as a result of contracted PIK arrangements, will be included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we will not receive in cash.
Since in certain cases we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the requirement to distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs. In such a case, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations and sourcings to meet these distribution requirements. If we sell built-in-gain assets, we may be required to recognize taxable income in respect of the built-in-gain on such assets. In such a case, we would have to distribute all of our taxable gain (including the built-in-gain) in respect of such sale to avoid the imposition of entity-level tax on such gain. If we are not able to obtain such cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs and thus be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.
Because we expect to distribute substantially all of our net investment income and net realized capital gains to our stockholders, we may need additional capital to finance our growth and such capital may not be available on favorable terms or at all.
We have elected to be taxed for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. If we meet certain requirements, including source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements, and if we continue to qualify as a BDC, we will continue to qualify for tax treatment as RIC under the Code and will not have to pay corporate-level taxes on income we distribute to our stockholders as dividends, allowing us to substantially reduce or eliminate our corporate-level tax liability. As a BDC, we are generally required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 200% at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. This requirement limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. We cannot assure investors that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. In addition, as a BDC, we are generally not permitted to issue common stock priced below net asset value without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.
Capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability and we cannot predict when these conditions will occur. Such market conditions could materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global capital markets have experienced a period of disruption as evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the failure of certain major financial institutions. While the capital markets have improved, these conditions could deteriorate again in the future. For example, the recent global outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. Some economists and major investment banks have expressed concern that the continued spread of the virus
globally could lead to a world-wide economic downturn. Many manufacturers of goods in China and other countries in Asia have seen a downturn in production due to the suspension of business and temporary closure of factories in an attempt to curb the spread of the illness. As the impact of the novel coronavirus spreads to other parts of the world, similar impacts may occur with respect to affected countries. During such market disruptions, we may have difficulty raising debt or equity capital, especially as a result of regulatory constraints.
Market conditions may in the future make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required. As a result, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments. In addition, significant changes in the capital markets, including the disruption and volatility, have had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. An inability to raise capital, and any required sale of our investments for liquidity purposes, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, including in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, may continue to contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets, and may cause further economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, continue to face budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is also continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. The recent United States and global economic downturn, or a return to the recessionary period in the United States, could adversely impact our investments. We cannot predict the duration of the effects related to these or similar events in the future on the United States economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Global capital markets could enter a period of severe disruption and instability. These conditions have historically affected and could again materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and around the world and our business.
The current worldwide financial market situation, as well as various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, may contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets and may cause economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. The impact of downgrades by rating agencies to the United States government’s sovereign credit rating or its perceived creditworthiness as well as potential government shutdowns could adversely affect the United States and global financial markets and economic conditions. Since 2010, several European Union, or EU, countries have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the Euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. In addition, the fiscal policy of foreign nations, such as Russia and China, may have a severe impact on the worldwide and United States financial markets. The decision made in the United Kingdom referendum to leave the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”) has led to volatility in global financial markets and may lead to weakening in consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. Since the Brexit referendum, the EU has extended the Brexit deadline several times to allow the UK parliament to ratify a withdrawal agreement, and most recently, under current Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the House of Commons passed the Brexit deal on December 20, 2019. The European Parliment ratified the Brexit deal, and on January 31, 2020, the UK formally left the EU. The UK will now enter into a transition period until December 31, 2020, where agreements surrounding trade and other aspects of the UK's future relationship with the EU will be formalized. It is unclear what form the future relationship between the UK and the EU will take, and it may have a significant impact on the economies of the UK and EU, as well as the broader global economy, which may cause increased volatility and illiquidity. Failure to come to terms on a free trade deal could result in checks and tariffs on UK goods traveling to the EU and thus prolong economic uncertainty. Additionally, volatility in the Chinese stock markets and global markets for commodities and as a result of global health emergencies may affect other financial markets worldwide. We cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the United States and global economies and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments in economic, political and market conditions and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Events outside of our control, including public health crises, may negatively affect the results of our operations.
Periods of market volatility may continue to occur in response to pandemics or other events outside of our control. These types of events could adversely affect our operating results. For example, in December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus surfaced in Wuhan, China, which has resulted in the temporary closure of many corporate offices, retail stores, and manufacturing facilities and factories across China. As the potential impact on global markets from the coronavirus is difficult to predict, the extent to
which the coronavirus may negatively affect our operating results or the duration of any potential business disruption is uncertain. Any potential impact to our results will depend to a large extent on future developments and new information that may emerge regarding the duration and severity of the coronavirus and the actions taken by authorities and other entities to contain the coronavirus or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. These potential impacts, while uncertain, could adversely affect our operating results.
Adverse developments in the credit markets may impair our ability to secure debt financing.
During the economic downturn in the United States that began in mid-2007, many commercial banks and other financial institutions stopped lending or significantly curtailed their lending activity. In addition, in an effort to stem losses and reduce their exposure to segments of the economy deemed to be high risk, some financial institutions limited routine refinancing and loan modification transactions and even reviewed the terms of existing facilities to identify bases for accelerating the maturity of existing lending facilities. As a result, should we experience another economic downturn in the United States, it may be difficult for us to obtain desired financing to finance the growth of our investments on acceptable economic terms, or at all.
If we are unable to consummate credit facilities on commercially reasonable terms, our liquidity may be reduced significantly. If we are unable to repay amounts outstanding under any facility we may enter into and are declared in default or are unable to renew or refinance any such facility, it would limit our ability to initiate significant originations or to operate our business in the normal course. These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as inaccessibility of the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a further economic downturn or an operational problem that affects third parties or us, and could materially damage our business. Moreover, we are unable to predict when economic and market conditions may become more favorable. Even if such conditions improve broadly and significantly over the long term, adverse conditions in particular sectors of the financial markets could adversely impact our business.
Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, global health emergencies or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks, global health emergencies and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.
The failure in cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.
The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyberattack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of our managers were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.
We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyberattacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.
Third parties with whom we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risks. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as customer, counterparty, employee and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure or destruction of data, or other cybersecurity incidents, with increased costs and other consequences, including those described above.
Cybersecurity risks and cyber incidents may adversely affect our business or the business of our portfolio companies by causing a disruption to our operations or the operations of our portfolio companies, a compromise or corruption of our confidential information or the confidential information of our portfolio companies and/or damage to our business
relationships or the business relationships of our portfolio companies, all of which could negatively impact the business, financial condition and operating results of us or our portfolio companies.
A cyber incident is considered to be any adverse event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the information resources of us or our portfolio companies. These incidents may be an intentional attack or an unintentional event and could involve gaining unauthorized access to our information systems or those of our portfolio companies for purposes of misappropriating assets, stealing confidential information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. We and OFS Advisor’s employees have been and expect to continue to be the target of fraudulent calls, emails and other forms of activities. The result of these incidents may include disrupted operations, misstated or unreliable financial data, liability for stolen assets or information, increased cybersecurity protection and insurance costs, litigation and damage to business relationships. The costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means. As our and our portfolio companies’ reliance on technology has increased, so have the risks posed to our information systems, both internal and those provided by OFS Services and third-party service providers, and the information systems of our portfolio companies. OFS Advisor has implemented processes, procedures and internal controls to help mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the nature and extent of a risk of a cyber incident, do not guarantee that a cyber incident will not occur and/or that our financial results, operations or confidential information will not be negatively impacted by such an incident. In addition, cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world, and some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data. If we fail to comply with the relevant laws and regulations, we could suffer financial losses, a disruption of our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.
A significant amount of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.
We expect that many of our portfolio investments will take the form of securities that are not publicly traded. The fair value of securities and other investments that are not publicly traded may not be readily determinable. We value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board, including to reflect significant events affecting the value of our securities. All of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) are classified as Level 3 under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (ASC Topic 820). This means that our portfolio valuations are based on unobservable inputs and our own assumptions about how market participants would price the asset or liability in question. Inputs into the determination of fair value of our portfolio investments require significant management judgment or estimation. Even if observable market data are available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We presently retain the services of an independent service provider to prepare the valuation of these securities.
The types of factors that the board of directors takes into account in determining the fair value of our investments generally include, as appropriate, comparison to third-party yield benchmarks and comparison to publicly traded securities including such factors as yield, maturity and measures of credit quality, the enterprise value of a portfolio company, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and cash flow, the markets in which the portfolio company does business and other relevant factors. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of private securities and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these securities existed. Our net asset value could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments were materially higher than the values that we ultimately realize upon the disposal of such securities.
We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect our board of directors’ determination of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded in our statement of income as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.
We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.
We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including the interest rate payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, distributions from our subsidiaries and portfolio companies, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. In light of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.
Changes in the laws or regulations governing our business, or changes in the interpretations thereof, and any failure by us to comply with these laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our, and our portfolio companies’ business, results of operations or financial condition.
We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation by laws at the U.S. federal, state and local levels, including those that govern BDCs, RICs, or non-depository commercial lenders. These laws and regulations, including applicable accounting standards, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, and new laws, regulations, accounting standards and interpretations may also come into effect. Any such new or changed laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are also subject to judicial and administrative decisions that affect our operations, including our loan originations, maximum interest rates, fees and other charges, disclosures to portfolio companies, the terms of secured transactions, collection and foreclosure procedures and other trade practices. If these laws, regulations or decisions change, or if we expand our business into jurisdictions that have adopted more stringent requirements than those in which we currently conduct business, we may have to incur significant expenses in order to comply, or we might have to restrict our operations. If we do not comply with applicable laws, regulations and decisions, we may lose licenses needed for the conduct of our business and may be subject to civil fines and criminal penalties.
Over the last several years, there has been an increase in regulatory attention to the extension of credit outside of the traditional banking sector, raising the possibility that some portion of the non-bank financial sector will be subject to new or different regulation. While it cannot be known at this time whether these regulations will be implemented or what form they will take, increased regulation of non-bank credit extension could negatively impact our operations, cash flows or financial condition, impose additional costs on us, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or otherwise adversely affect our business.
Legislative or other actions relating to taxes could have a negative effect on us.
Significant U.S. federal tax reform legislation was recently enacted that, among other things, permanently reduces the maximum federal corporate income tax rate, reduces the maximum individual income tax rate (effective for taxable years 2018 through 2025), restricts the deductibility of business interest expense, changes the rules regarding the calculation of net operating loss deductions that may be used to offset taxable income, expands the circumstances in which a foreign corporation will be treated as a “controlled foreign corporation” and, under certain circumstances, requires accrual method taxpayers to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the income is taken into account as revenue in an applicable financial statement. The impact of this new legislation on us, our stockholders and the entities in which we may invest is uncertain. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the effects of the new legislation on an investment in us.
We cannot predict with certainty how any future changes in the tax laws might affect us, our investors or our portfolio investments. New legislation and any U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions interpreting such legislation could significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to us and our investors of such qualification, or could have other adverse consequences. Investors are urged to consult with their tax advisor regarding tax legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our securities.
The effect of global climate change may impact the operations of our portfolio companies.
There may be evidence of global climate change. Climate change creates physical and financial risk and some of our portfolio companies may be adversely affected by climate change. For example, the needs of customers of energy companies vary with weather conditions, primarily temperature and humidity. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of any changes. Increases in the cost of energy could adversely affect the cost of operations of our portfolio companies if the use of energy products or services is material to their business. A decrease in energy use due to weather changes may affect some of our portfolio companies’ financial condition, through decreased revenues. Extreme weather conditions in general require more systems backup, adding to costs, and can contribute to increased system stresses, including service interruptions.
Loss of status as a RIC would reduce our net asset value and distributable income.
We have elected to be treated as a RIC under the Code. As a RIC we will not pay U.S.federal income taxes on our income (including realized gains) that we distribute to our stockholders, provided that we satisfy certain distribution and other requirements. Accordingly, we will not be permitted under accounting rules to establish reserves for taxes on our unrealized capital gains. If we fail to qualify for RIC status in any year, to the extent that we had unrealized gains, we would have to establish reserves for taxes, which would reduce our net asset value and the amount potentially available for distribution. In addition, if we, as a RIC, were to decide to make a deemed distribution of net realized capital gains and retain the net realized capital gains, we would have to establish appropriate reserves for taxes that we would have to pay on behalf of stockholders. It
is possible that establishing reserves for taxes could have a material adverse effect on the value of our common stock. See “Item 1. Business - Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations - Taxation as a RIC.”
Our board of directors may change our investment objectives, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval.
Our board of directors has the authority, except as otherwise provided in the 1940 Act, to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and the price value of our common stock. Nevertheless, any such changes could adversely affect our business and impair our ability to make distributions.
OFS Advisor can resign on 60 days’ notice, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Advisor has the right, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, to resign at any time upon not less than 60 days’ written notice, whether we have found a replacement or not. If OFS Advisor resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment advisor or hire internal management with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms within 60 days, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and the value of our shares may decline. In addition, the coordination of our internal management and investment activities is likely to suffer if we are unable to identify and reach an agreement with a single institution or group of executives having the expertise possessed by the OFS Advisor and its affiliates. Even if we are able to retain comparable management, whether internal or external, the integration of such management and their lack of familiarity with our investment objectives may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Services can resign from its role as our Administrator under the Administration Agreement, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Services has the right to resign under the Administration Agreement, whether we have found a replacement or not. If OFS Services resigns, we may not be able to find a new administrator or hire internal management with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and the value of our shares may decline. In addition, the coordination of our internal management and administrative activities is likely to suffer if we are unable to identify and reach an agreement with a service provider or individuals with the expertise possessed by OFS Services. Even if we are able to retain a comparable service provider or individuals to perform such services, whether internal or external, their integration into our business and lack of familiarity with our investment objectives may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
We incur significant costs as a result of being a public company.
As a public company, we incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicable to a company registered under the Exchange Act, as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other rules implemented by the SEC.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business and the value of our common stock.
We are obligated to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, including the internal control evaluation and certification requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“Section 404”). We will not be required to comply with all of the requirements of Section 404 until we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act. Accordingly, our internal controls over financial reporting do not currently meet all of the standards contemplated by Section 404 that we will eventually be required to meet. We are required to conduct annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. However, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the date we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
If we are not able to implement the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or with adequate compliance, our operations, financial reporting or financial results could be adversely affected. Matters impacting our internal controls may cause us to be unable to report our financial information on a timely basis and thereby subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC or violations of applicable stock exchange listing rules, and result in a breach of the covenants under the agreements governing any of our financing arrangements. There could also be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in the Company and the reliability of our consolidated financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements could also suffer if we or our independent registered public accounting firm were to report a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. This could materially adversely affect us.
We are conditionally liable for costs incurred on our behalf by OFS Advisor.
OFS Advisor and its affiliates have incurred significant organizational and offering costs on our behalf. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, we are conditionally liable for these costs, meaning OFS Advisor is entitled to receive up to 1.5% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering until all of the organization and offering costs paid by OFS Advisor and its affiliates have been recovered. Additionally, OFS Advisor and its affiliates may continue to incur offering costs on our behalf throughout the Offering and for which we will also be conditionally liable.
OFS Advisor has provided us with expense support under the Expense Support Agreement that ensures no portion of our distributions to stockholders will be paid from Offering proceeds, and provides for expense-reduction payments to us in any quarterly period in which our cumulative distributions to stockholders exceed our cumulative distributable ordinary income and net realized gains. We may become obligated to reimburse OFS Advisor for expense support payments, conditioned upon maintenance of our per-share distribution rate and our realization of improved unsupported expense ratios. See “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions."
We are subject to risks related to corporate social responsibility.
Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) activities. We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as environmental stewardship, corporate governance and transparency and considering ESG factors in our investment processes. Adverse incidents with respect to ESG activities could impact the value of our brand, the cost of our operations and relationships with investors, all of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, new regulatory initiatives related to ESG could adversely affect our business.
Risks Related to BDCs
Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to and the way in which we raise additional capital. As a BDC, we will need to raise additional capital, which will expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.
We may issue debt securities or preferred stock and/or borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, as modified by the SBCAA, we are permitted as a BDC 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 represented by senior securities, after each issuance of senior securities. If the value of our assets decline, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments and, depending on the nature of our leverage, repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. Also, any amounts that we use to service our indebtedness would not be available for distributions to our common stockholders. If we issue senior securities, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including an increased risk of loss.
If we issue preferred stock, the preferred stock would rank “senior” to common stock in our capital structure, preferred stockholders would have separate voting rights on certain matters and might have other rights, preferences or privileges more favorable than those of our common stockholders, and the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in our stockholders’ best interest. Holders of our common stock will directly or indirectly bear all of the costs associated with offering and servicing any preferred stock that we issue. In addition, any interests of preferred stockholders may not necessarily align with the interests of holders of our common stock and the rights of holders of shares of preferred stock to receive dividends would be senior to those of holders of shares of our common stock. We are not generally able to issue and sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share. We may, however, sell our common stock, or warrants, options or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the then-current net asset value per share of our common stock if our board of directors determines that such sale is in the best interests of us and our stockholders, and if our stockholders approve any such sale. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be
less than a price that, in the determination of our board of directors, closely approximates the market value of such securities (less any distributing commission or discount). If we raise additional funds by issuing common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, then the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time will decrease, and our stockholders might experience dilution.
Our ability to invest in public companies may be limited in certain circumstances.
To maintain our status as a BDC, we are not permitted to acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” specified in the 1940 Act unless, at the time the acquisition is made, at least 70% of our assets, as defined by the 1940 Act, are qualifying assets (with certain limited exceptions). Subject to certain exceptions for follow-on investments and distressed companies, an investment in an issuer that has outstanding securities listed on a national securities exchange may be treated as a qualifying asset only if such issuer has a common equity market capitalization that is less than $250 million at the time of such investment and meets the other specified requirements.
If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could fail to continue to qualify as a BDC or be precluded from investing according to our current business strategy.
As a BDC, we may not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such acquisition, at least 70% of our assets, as defined by the 1940 Act, are qualifying assets.
We believe that most of the investments that we may acquire in the future will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If a sufficient portion of our assets are not qualifying assets, we could violate the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs. As a result of such violation, specific rules under the 1940 Act could prevent us, for example, from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies (which could result in the dilution of our position) or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to come into compliance with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of such investments quickly, it could be difficult to dispose of such investments on favorable terms. We may not be able to find a buyer for such investments and, even if we do find a buyer, we may have to sell the investments at a substantial loss. Any such outcomes would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we do not maintain our status as a BDC, we would be subject to regulation as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act. As a registered closed-end fund, we would be subject to substantially more regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act which would significantly decrease our operating flexibility.
Risks Related to Our Investments
Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.
We expect that many of our portfolio companies will be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing our investments and harm our operating results.
A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. In addition, lenders in certain cases can be subject to lender liability claims for actions taken by them when they become too involved in the borrower’s business or exercise control over a borrower. It is possible that we could become subject to a lender liability claim, including as a result of actions taken if we render significant managerial assistance to the borrower. Furthermore, if one of our portfolio companies were to file for bankruptcy protection, even though we may have structured our investment as senior secured debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which we provided managerial assistance to that portfolio company, a bankruptcy court might re-characterize our debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to claims of other creditors.
Our investments in the debt instruments of leveraged portfolio companies may be risky and, due to the significant volatility of such companies, we could lose all or part of our investment in bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise.
Investment in leveraged companies involves a number of significant risks. Leveraged companies in which we invest may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold due
to the significant volatility of such companies. Negative developments may be accompanied by deterioration of the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees that we may have obtained in connection with our investment. Such developments may ultimately result in the leveraged companies in which we invest entering into bankruptcy proceedings, which have a number of inherent risks. Many events in a bankruptcy proceeding are the product of contested matters and adversary proceedings and are beyond the control of the creditors. A bankruptcy filing by an issuer may adversely and permanently affect the issuer. If the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the value of the issuer may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is also difficult to predict, and a creditor’s return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization or liquidation ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Because the standards for classification of claims under bankruptcy law are vague, our influence with respect to the class of securities or other obligations we own may be lost by increases in the number and amount of claims in the same class or by different classification and treatment. In the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. In addition, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be substantial. In addition, since our mezzanine loans are generally subordinated to senior loans and are generally unsecured, other creditors may rank senior to us in the event of a bankruptcy proceeding.
Our investments in private and middle-market portfolio companies are generally considered lower credit quality obligations, are risky, and we could lose all or part of our investment.
Investment in private and middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and we rely on the ability of OFS Advisor’s investment professionals to obtain adequate information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If we are unable to uncover all material information about these companies, we may not make a fully informed investment decision, and we may lose money on our investments. Middle-market companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees we may have obtained in connection with our investment. Such companies typically have shorter operating histories, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns.
Middle-market companies are more likely to be considered lower grade investments, commonly called “junk bonds,” which are either rated below investment grade by one or more nationally-recognized statistical rating agencies at the time of investment, or may be unrated but determined by the OFS Advisor to be of comparable quality. Lower grade securities or comparable unrated securities are considered predominantly speculative regarding the issuer’s ability to pay interest and principal, and are susceptible to default or decline in market value due to adverse economic and business developments. The market values for lower grade debt tend to be very volatile and are less liquid than investment grade securities. For these reasons, an investment in our company is subject to the following specific risks: increased price sensitivity to a deteriorating economic environment; greater risk of loss due to default or declining credit quality; adverse company specific events are more likely to render the issuer unable to make interest and/or principal payments; and if a negative perception of the lower grade debt market develops, the price and liquidity of lower grade securities may be depressed. This negative perception could last for a significant period of time.
Additionally, middle-market companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons. Therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on our portfolio company and, in turn, on us. Middle-market companies also may be parties to litigation and may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence. In addition, our executive officers, directors and OFS Advisor may, in the ordinary course of business, be named as defendants in litigation arising from our investments in the portfolio companies.
Investments in equity securities involve a substantial degree of risk.
We may purchase common stock and other equity securities, including warrants, in various portfolio companies. Although equity securities historically have generated higher average total returns than debt securities over the long term, equity securities may experience more volatility in those returns than debt securities. The equity securities we acquire may fail to appreciate, decline in value or lose all value, and our ability to recover our investment will depend on our portfolio company's success. Investments in equity securities involve a number of significant risks, including the risk of further dilution in the event the portfolio company issues additional securities. Investments in preferred securities involve special risks, such as the risk of deferred distributions, illiquidity and limited voting rights.
Our equity ownership in a portfolio company may represent a control investment. Our ability to exit a control investment in a timely manner could result in a realized loss on the investment.
If we obtain a control investment in a portfolio company, our ability to divest ourselves from a debt or equity investment could be restricted due to illiquidity in a private stock, limited trading volume on a public company’s stock, inside information on a company’s performance, insider blackout periods, or other factors that could prohibit us from disposing of the investment as we would if it were not a control investment. Additionally, we may choose not to take certain actions to protect a debt investment in a control investment portfolio company. As a result, we could experience a decrease in the value of our portfolio company holdings and potentially incur a realized loss on the investment.
We may suffer a loss if a portfolio company defaults on a loan and the underlying collateral is not sufficient.
We will at times take a security interest in the available assets of our portfolio companies, including the equity interests of their subsidiaries and, in some cases, the equity interests of our portfolio companies held by their stockholders. In the event of a default by a portfolio company on a secured loan, we will only have recourse to the assets collateralizing the loan. There is a risk that the collateral securing our loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely manner, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value based upon the success or deterioration of the business and market conditions, including as a result of the inability of a portfolio company to raise additional capital. Additionally, in the case of certain of our investments, we do not have a first lien position on the collateral and may not receive the full value of the collateral upon liquidation. If the underlying collateral value is less than the loan amount, we will suffer a loss.
In the event of bankruptcy of a portfolio company, we may not have full recourse to its assets in order to satisfy our loan, or our loan may be subject to equitable subordination. In addition, certain of our loans are subordinate to other debt of the portfolio company. If a portfolio company defaults on our loan or on debt senior to our loan, or in the event of a portfolio company bankruptcy, our loan will be satisfied only after the senior debt receives payment. Where debt senior to our loan exists, the presence of inter-creditor arrangements may limit our ability to amend our loan documents, assign our loans, accept prepayments, exercise our remedies (through “standstill” periods) and control decisions made in bankruptcy proceedings relating to the portfolio company. Bankruptcy and portfolio company litigation can significantly increase collection losses and the time needed for us to acquire the underlying collateral in the event of a default, during which time the collateral may decline in value, causing us to suffer losses.
Borrowers of broadly syndicated loans may be permitted to designate unrestricted subsidiaries under the terms of their financing agreements, which would exclude such unrestricted subsidiaries from restrictive covenants under the financing agreement with the borrower. Without restriction under the financing agreement, the borrower could take various actions with respect to the unrestricted subsidiary including, among other things, incur debt, grant security on its assets, sell assets, pay dividends or distribute shares of the unrestricted subsidiary to the borrower’s shareholders. Any of these actions could increase the amount of leverage that the borrower is able to incur and increase the risk involved in our investments in broadly syndicated loans accordingly.
If the value of collateral underlying our loan declines or interest rates increase during the term of our loan, a portfolio company may not be able to obtain the necessary funds to repay our loan at maturity through refinancing. Decreasing collateral value and/or increasing interest rates may hinder a portfolio company’s ability to refinance our loan because the underlying collateral cannot satisfy the debt service coverage requirements necessary to obtain new financing. If a borrower is unable to repay our loan at maturity, we could suffer a loss which may adversely impact our financial performance.
The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.
We expect that all of our assets will be invested in illiquid securities, and a substantial portion of our investments will be in leveraged companies will be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will be otherwise less liquid than more broadly traded public securities. The illiquidity of these investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if the need arises. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded these investments. We may also face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we, OFS Advisor, OFSAM or any of its other affiliates have material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio company.
Price declines and illiquidity in the corporate debt markets may adversely affect the fair value of our portfolio investments, reducing our net asset value through increased net unrealized depreciation.
As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors. As part of the valuation process, we may take into account the following types of factors, if relevant, in determining the fair value of our investments:
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a comparison of the portfolio company’s securities to publicly traded securities;
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the enterprise value of a portfolio company;
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the nature and realizable value of any collateral;
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the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flow;
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the markets in which the portfolio company does business; and
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changes in the interest rate environment and the credit markets generally that may affect the price at which similar investments may be made in the future and other relevant factors.
When an external event such as a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent equity sale occurs, we will use the pricing indicated by the external event to corroborate our valuation. We will record decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments as unrealized depreciation. Declines in prices and liquidity in the corporate debt markets may result in significant net unrealized depreciation in our portfolio. The effect of all of these factors on our portfolio may reduce our net asset value by increasing net unrealized depreciation in our portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur substantial realized losses and may suffer additional unrealized losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.
We are classified as a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that we may invest in securities of a single issuer. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our net asset value may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. Beyond our asset diversification requirements as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in relatively few portfolio companies.
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 defaults on its obligations under any of its debt instruments or if there is a downturn in a particular industry.
Our portfolio is and may in the future be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries. Beyond the asset diversification requirements associated with our qualification as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification. As a result, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. Additionally, while we are not targeting any specific industries, our investments may be concentrated in relatively few industries. As a result, a downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could also significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize.
Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our portfolio.
Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in seeking to:
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increase or maintain in whole or in part our position as a creditor or equity ownership percentage in a portfolio company;
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exercise warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; or
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preserve or enhance the value of our investment.
We have discretion to make follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources. Failure on our part to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our level of risk, because we prefer other opportunities or because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or the desire to maintain our RIC status. Our ability to make follow-on investments may also be limited by OFS Advisor’s allocation policy.
Because we generally do not hold controlling equity interests in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by management of our portfolio companies that could decrease the value of our investments.
We generally do not hold controlling equity positions in our portfolio companies. For portfolio companies in which we do not hold a controlling equity interest, we are subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and that the management and/or stockholders of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity of the debt and equity investments that we typically hold
in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company and may therefore suffer a decrease in the value of our investments.
Defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.
A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets. This could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize such portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt or equity securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting portfolio company.
Our investments in the health care and social assistance sector face considerable uncertainties including substantial regulatory challenges.
As of December 31, 2019, our investments in the health care and social assistance sector represented 16.9% of our total portfolio at fair value. Our investments in the health care and social assistance sector, which include portfolio companies providing services such as child care, home healthcare, substance abuse treatment and mental health outpatient treatments, are subject to substantial risks. Our portfolio companies in the health care and social assistance sector are often subject to various federal, state and local laws, as well as a variety of regulatory provisions related to zoning, sanitation, licensing, curriculum, health and safety, among others. The laws and rules governing the business of social assistance companies and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change. Broad latitude is given to the agencies administering those regulations. In particular, policies and regulations regarding government and third-party reimbursement and insurance coverage of in-home healthcare and mental health and substance abuse treatment fluctuate often. Existing or future laws and rules could force our portfolio companies in the health care and social assistance sector to change how they do business, restrict revenue, increase costs, change reserve levels, change business practices and increase liability in federal and state courts. Participants in the health care and social assistance industry may be subject to certain claims, allegations or litigation involving the care, development and supervision of patients and clients. Such claims, allegations or litigation could significantly damage the reputation of the provider and have adverse effects on the social assistance industry, the financial condition of our portfolio companies, and in turn, our returns, even if such claims, allegations or litigation are proven false.
Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies.
We have invested a substantial portion of our capital in senior secured, unitranche, second-lien and mezzanine loans issued by our portfolio companies. The portfolio companies may be permitted to incur, other debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, the debt securities in which we invest. By their terms, such debt instruments may provide that the holders are entitled to receive payment of interest or principal on or before the dates on which we are entitled to receive payments in respect of the debt securities in which we invest. Also, in the event of insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of a portfolio company, holders of debt instruments ranking senior to our investment in that portfolio company would typically be entitled to receive payment in full before we receive any distribution in respect of our investment. After repaying senior creditors, the portfolio company may not have any remaining assets to use for repaying its obligation to us. In the case of debt ranking equally with debt securities in which we invest, we would have to share any distributions on an equal and ratable basis with other creditors holding such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company.
Additionally, certain loans that we make to portfolio companies may be secured on a second-priority basis by the same collateral securing first-priority debt of such companies. The senior-secured liens on the collateral will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under any outstanding senior debt and may secure certain other future debt that may be permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under the agreements governing the loans. The holders of obligations secured by first-priority liens on the collateral will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of the collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of all of the collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens after payment in full of all obligations secured by the first-priority liens on the collateral. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay amounts outstanding under the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens, then we, to the extent not repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral, would only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.
The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with more senior debt outstanding may also be limited pursuant to the terms of one or more intercreditor agreements that we enter into with the holders of such senior debt. Under a typical intercreditor agreement, at any time that obligations that have the benefit of the first-priority liens are outstanding, any of the following actions that may be taken in respect of the collateral will be at the direction of the holders of the obligations secured by the first-priority liens:
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the ability to cause the commencement of enforcement proceedings against the collateral;
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the ability to control the conduct of such proceedings;
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the approval of amendments to collateral documents;
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releases of liens on the collateral; and
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waivers of past defaults under collateral documents.
We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if our rights are adversely affected.
We may also make unsecured loans to portfolio companies, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such companies. Liens on such portfolio companies’ collateral, if any, will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under its outstanding secured debt and may secure certain future debt that is permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under its secured loan agreements. The holders of obligations secured by such liens will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of such collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of such collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of such collateral would be sufficient to satisfy our unsecured loan obligations after payment in full of all secured loan obligations. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay the outstanding secured loan obligations, then our unsecured claims would rank equally with the unpaid portion of such secured creditors’ claims against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.
If we make subordinated investments, the obligors or the portfolio companies may not generate sufficient cash flow to service their debt obligations to us.
We may make subordinated investments that rank below other obligations of the obligor in right of payment. Subordinated investments are subject to greater risk of default than senior obligations as a result of adverse changes in the financial condition of the obligor or in general economic conditions. If we make a subordinated investment in a portfolio company, the portfolio company may be highly leveraged, and its relatively high debt-to-equity ratio may create increased risks that its operations might not generate sufficient cash flow to service all of its debt obligations.
Changes to United States tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our portfolio companies and, in turn, harm us.
There has been on-going discussion and commentary regarding potential significant changes to United States trade policies, treaties and tariffs. The current administration, along with Congress, has created significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to the trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between the impacted nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our portfolio companies’ access to suppliers or customers and have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition and results of operations, which in turn would negatively impact us.
The disposition of our investments may result in contingent liabilities.
We expect that a significant portion of our investments will involve private securities. In connection with the disposition of an investment in private securities, we may be required to make representations about the business and financial affairs of the portfolio company typical of those made in connection with the sale of a business. We may also be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations turn out to be inaccurate, or with respect to potential liabilities. These arrangements may result in contingent liabilities that ultimately result in funding obligations that we must satisfy through our return of distributions previously made to us.
Our base management fee may induce OFS Advisor to cause us to incur leverage.
Our base management fee is payable based upon our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity. This fee structure may encourage OFS Advisor to cause us to borrow money to finance additional investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of borrowed money may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor holders of our common stock. Given the subjective nature of the investment decisions made by OFS Advisor on our behalf, our board of directors may not be able to monitor this potential conflict of interest effectively.
Our incentive fee may induce OFS Advisor to make certain investments, including speculative investments.
The incentive fee payable by us to OFS Advisor may create an incentive for OFS Advisor to make investments on our behalf that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The way
in which the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor is determined may encourage OFS Advisor to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor our stockholders.
OFS Advisor receives an incentive fee based, in part, upon net capital gains realized on our investments. Unlike that portion of the incentive fee based on income, there is no hurdle rate applicable to the portion of the incentive fee based on net capital gains. As a result, OFS Advisor may have a tendency to invest more capital in investments that are likely to result in capital gains as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.
We may invest, to the extent permitted by law, in the securities and instruments of other investment companies, including private funds, and, to the extent we so invest, will bear our ratable share of any such investment company’s expenses, including management and performance fees. We remain obligated to pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor with respect to the assets invested in the securities and instruments of other investment companies. With respect to each of these investments, each of our stockholders will bear his or her share of the management and incentive fee of OFS Advisor as well as indirectly bearing the management and performance fees and other expenses of any investment companies in which we invest.
Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our board of directors is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate.
Our incentive fee structure may create incentives for OFS Advisor that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders.
In the course of our investing activities, we will pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor. The base management fee is based on our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity). As a result, investors in our common stock will invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in a lower rate of return than one might achieve through direct investments. Because these fees are based on our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including any assets owned by any consolidated entity, OFS Advisor will benefit when we incur debt or use leverage. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our board of directors is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. As a result of this arrangement, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may from time to time have interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a conflict.
We may pay an incentive fee on income we do not receive in cash.
The part of the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor that relates to our pre-incentive fee net investment income is computed and paid on income that may include interest income that has been accrued but not yet received in cash. This fee structure may be considered to involve a conflict of interest for OFS Advisor to the extent that it may encourage OFS Advisor to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. OFS Advisor may have an incentive to invest in deferred interest securities in circumstances where it would not have done so but for the opportunity to continue to earn the incentive fee even when the issuers of the deferred interest securities would not be able to make actual cash payments to us on such securities. This risk could be increased because OFS Advisor is not obligated to reimburse us for any incentive fees received even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued.
OFS Advisor’s liability is limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and we have agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor against certain liabilities, which may lead OFS Advisor to act in a riskier manner on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor will not assume any responsibility to us other than to render the services called for under that agreement, and it will not be responsible for any action of our board of directors in following or declining to follow OFS Advisor’s advice or recommendations. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor and its affiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees will not be liable to us, any subsidiary of ours, our directors, our stockholders or any subsidiary’s stockholders or partners for acts or
omissions performed in accordance with and pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, except those resulting from acts constituting gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor and its affiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees from and against any claims or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred, arising out of or in connection with our business and operations or any action taken or omitted on our behalf pursuant to authority granted by the Investment Advisory Agreement, except where attributable to gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. These protections may lead OFS Advisor to act in a riskier manner when acting on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
We may be subject to additional risks if we engage in hedging transactions and/or invest in foreign securities.
The 1940 Act generally requires that 70% of our investments be in issuers each of whom is organized under the laws of, and has its principal place of business in, any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or any other possession of the United States. Our investment strategy does not presently contemplate investments in securities of non-U.S. companies. We expect that these investments would focus on the same debt investments that we make in U.S. middle-market companies and accordingly would be complementary to our overall strategy and enhance the diversity of our holdings. Investing in securities of emerging market issuers involves many risks, including economic, social, political, financial, tax and security conditions in the emerging market, potential inflationary economic environments, regulation by foreign governments, different accounting standards and political uncertainties. Economic, social, political, financial, tax and security conditions also could negatively affect the value of emerging market companies. These factors could include changes in the emerging market government’s economic and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to the emerging market companies or investments in their securities and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies.
Engaging in either hedging transactions or investing in foreign securities would entail additional risks to our stockholders. We could, for example, use instruments such as interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors and, if we were to invest in foreign securities, we could use instruments such as forward contracts or currency options and borrow under a credit facility in currencies selected to minimize our foreign currency exposure. In each such case, we generally would seek to hedge against fluctuations of the relative values of our portfolio positions from changes in market interest rates or currency exchange rates. Hedging against a decline in the values of our portfolio positions would not eliminate the possibility of fluctuations in the values of such positions or prevent losses if the values of the positions declined. However, such hedging could establish other positions designed to gain from those same developments, thereby offsetting the decline in the value of such portfolio positions. Such hedging transactions could also limit the opportunity for gain if the values of the underlying portfolio positions increased. Moreover, it might not be possible to hedge against an exchange rate or interest rate fluctuation that was so generally anticipated that we would not be able to enter into a hedging transaction at an acceptable price.
While we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce currency exchange rate and interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates could result in poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged could vary. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we might not seek to establish a perfect correlation between the hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation could prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it might not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities would likely fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations.
We may not realize gains from our equity investments.
When we invest in senior secured, unitranche, second-lien and mezzanine loans, we may acquire warrants or other equity securities of portfolio companies as well. We may also invest in equity securities directly. To the extent we hold equity investments, except as described below, we will attempt to dispose of them and realize gains upon our disposition of them. However, the equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and may decline in value. As a result, we may not be able to realize gains from our equity interests, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.
Uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process may adversely affect the value of any portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
Concerns have been publicized that some of the member banks surveyed by the British Bankers' Association (“BBA”) in connection with the calculation of LIBOR across a range of maturities and currencies may have been under-reporting or otherwise manipulating the inter-bank lending rate applicable to them in order to profit on their derivatives positions or to avoid an appearance of capital insufficiency or adverse reputational or other consequences that may have
resulted from reporting inter-bank lending rates higher than those they actually submitted. A number of BBA member banks have entered into settlements with their regulators and law enforcement agencies with respect to alleged manipulation of LIBOR, and investigations by regulators and governmental authorities in various jurisdictions are ongoing.
Actions by the BBA, regulators or law enforcement agencies may result in changes to the manner in which LIBOR is determined. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential changes may adversely affect the market for LIBOR-based securities, including our potential portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities. In addition, any further changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in reported LIBOR, which could have an adverse impact on the market for LIBOR-based securities or the value of our potential portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is expected that a transition away from the widespread use of LIBOR to alternative rates will occur over the course of the next several years. As a result of this transition, interest rates on financial instruments tied to LIBOR rates, as well as the revenue and expenses associated with those financial instruments, may be adversely affected. Further, any uncertainty regarding the continued use and reliability of LIBOR as a benchmark interest rate could adversely affect the value of our financial instruments tied to LIBOR rates. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a new index calculated by short term repurchase agreements, backed by Treasury securities, called the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The first publication of SOFR was released in April 2018. Whether or not SOFR attains market traction as a LIBOR replacement remains a question and the future of LIBOR at this time is uncertain.
Additionally, on July 12, 2019 the Staff of the SEC’s Division of Corporate Finance, Division of Investment Management, Division of Trading and Markets, and Office of the Chief Accountant issued a statement about the potentially significant effects on financial markets and market participants when LIBOR is discontinued in 2021 and no longer available as a reference benchmark rate. The Staff encouraged all market participants to identify contracts that reference LIBOR and begin transitions to alternative rates. On December 30, 2019, the SEC’s Chairman, Division of Corporate Finance and Office of the Chief Accountant issued a statement to encourage audit committees in particular to understand management’s plans to identify and address the risks associated with the elimination of LIBOR, and, specifically, the impact on accounting and financial reporting and any related issues associated with financial products and contracts that reference LIBOR, as the risks associated with the discontinuation of LIBOR and transition to an alternative reference rate will be exacerbated if the work is not completed in a timely manner.
The elimination of LIBOR or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us, or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. If LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate the credit agreements extending beyond 2021 with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established.
Risks Related to Our Securities
Our shares are not listed on an exchange or quoted through a quotation system and will not be listed for the foreseeable future, if ever. Therefore, our stockholders have limited liquidity and may not receive a full return of invested capital (including front-end commissions, fees and expenses), upon selling their shares or upon liquidation of our company.
Our shares are illiquid investments for which there is not a secondary market nor is it expected that any such secondary market will develop in the future. Our Board must contemplate a liquidity event for our stockholders on or before ten years after the completion of a private offering, which such ten-year period may be extended, in the sole discretion of the OFS Advisor for up to two additional one-year periods. A future liquidity event could include: (i) a listing of our shares on a national securities exchange; (ii) a merger or another transaction approved by our Board in which our stockholders will receive cash or shares of a listed company; or (iii) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets either on a complete portfolio basis or individually followed by a liquidation. Certain types of liquidity events, such as a listing, would allow us to retain our investment portfolio intact while providing our stockholders with access to a trading market for their securities.
We do not know at this time what circumstances will exist in the future and therefore we do not know what factors our Board will consider in determining whether to pursue a liquidity event in the future. A liquidity event may include a sale, merger or rollover transaction with one or more affiliated investment companies managed by OFS Advisor.
If our shares are listed on a national securities exchange or quoted through a quotation system, we cannot assure our stockholders that a public trading market will develop or, if one develops, that such trading market can be sustained. Shares of
companies offered in an initial public offering often trade at a discount to the initial offering price due to underwriting discounts and related offering expenses. Also, shares of closed-end investment companies and BDCs frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This characteristic of closed-end investment companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share of common stock may decline. We cannot predict whether our common stock, if listed on a national securities exchange, will trade at, above or below net asset value.
If we are unable to raise substantial funds in the Offering, we may be limited in the number and type of investments we may make, the value of an investment in us may be reduced in the event our assets under-perform and we may be unable to continue our operations.
To the extent that less than the maximum number of shares is subscribed for, the opportunity for diversification of our investments may be decreased and the returns achieved on those investments may be reduced as a result of allocating all of our expenses among a smaller capital base. In addition, if we are unable to raise substantial funds in the Offering, we may be unable to continue our operations.
Our ability to grow depends on our ability to raise additional capital.
We will need to periodically access the capital markets to raise cash to fund new investments. We may be unable to raise substantial capital, which could result in us being unable to structure our investment portfolio as anticipated. If we are unable to structure our investment portfolio as anticipated, the opportunity for diversification of our investments may be decreased and the returns achieved on those investments may be reduced as a result of allocating all of our expenses among a smaller capital base.
We expect to use debt financing and issue additional securities to fund our growth, if any. We cannot assure investors that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. As a BDC, we are generally be required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 150% at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. This requirement limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, as a BDC, we will generally not be permitted to issue common stock priced below net asset value without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our Board approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
A stockholder’s interest in us will be diluted if we issue additional shares, which could reduce the overall value of an investment in us.
Our stockholders will not have preemptive rights to any shares we issue in the future. Our charter authorizes us to issue up to 100 million shares of common stock. Pursuant to our charter, a majority of our entire Board may amend our charter to increase our authorized shares without stockholder approval. Our board may elect to sell additional shares in the future or issue equity interests in private offerings. To the extent we issue additional equity interests at or below net asset value a stockholder’s percentage ownership interest in us may be diluted. In addition, depending upon the terms and pricing of any additional offerings and the value of our investments, a stockholder may also experience dilution in the book value and fair value of its shares.
Under the 1940 Act, we are generally prohibited from issuing or selling our common stock at a price below net asset value per share, which may be a disadvantage as compared with certain public companies. We may, however, sell our common stock, or warrants, options, or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the current net asset value of our common stock if our Board and independent directors determine that such sale is in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders, and our stockholders, including a majority of those stockholders that are not affiliated with us, approve such sale. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be less than a price that, in the determination of our Board, closely approximates the fair value of such securities (less any distributing commission or discount). If we raise additional funds by issuing common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, then the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time will decrease and our stockholders will experience dilution.
Certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and of our charter and bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse impact on the value of our common stock.
The Maryland General Corporation Law contains and our charter and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage, delay or make more difficult a change in control of the Company or the removal of our directors. We are subject to the Maryland Business Combination Act, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. Our Board has adopted a resolution exempting from the Business Combination Act any business combination between us and any other person, subject to prior approval of such business combination by our board, including approval by a majority of our independent directors. If the resolution exempting business combinations is repealed or our board does not approve a business combination, the Business Combination Act may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer. Our bylaws exempt from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act acquisitions of our stock by any person. If we amend our bylaws to repeal the exemption from the Control Share Acquisition Act, the Control Share Acquisition Act also may make it more difficult for a third-party to obtain control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such a transaction.
We also adopted measures that may make it difficult for a third-party to obtain control of us, including provisions of our charter classifying our Board in three classes serving staggered three-year terms, and authorizing our Board to classify or reclassify shares of our stock in one or more classes or series, to cause the issuance of additional shares of our stock, to amend our charter without stockholder approval and to increase or decrease the number of shares of stock that we have authority to issue. These provisions, as well as other provisions of our charter and bylaws, may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. The foregoing 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. However, these provisions may deprive a stockholder of the opportunity to sell such stockholder’s shares at a premium to a potential acquirer.
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. Our Board has considered both the positive and negative effects of the foregoing provisions and determined that they are in the best interest of our stockholders.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
The investments we make in accordance with our investment objective may result in a higher amount of risk than alternative investment options and includes volatility or loss of principal. Our investments in portfolio companies may be highly speculative and aggressive and, therefore, an investment in our common stock may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
The net asset value of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.
The net asset value and liquidity, if any, of the market for shares of our common stock may be significantly affected by numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be directly related to our operating performance. These factors include:
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changes in the value of our portfolio of investments and derivative instruments as a result of changes in market factors, such as interest rate shifts, and also portfolio specific performance, such as portfolio company defaults, among other reasons;
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changes in regulatory policies or tax guidelines, particularly with respect to RICs or BDCs;
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loss of RIC or BDC status;
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distributions that exceed our net investment income and net income as reported according to GAAP;
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changes in earnings or variations in operating results;
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changes in accounting guidelines governing valuation of our investments;
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any shortfall in revenue or net income or any increase in losses from levels expected by investors;
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departure of either of OFS Advisor or certain of their respective key personnel;
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general economic trends and other external factors; and
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loss of a major funding source.
Our Unsecured Note is effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we have currently incurred or may incur in the future and will rank pari passu with, or equal to, all outstanding and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness issued by us and our general liabilities.
Our Unsecured Note is not secured by any of our assets or any of the assets of any of our subsidiaries. As a result, the Unsecured Note is effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we have outstanding (including the PWB Credit
Facility (as defined hereinafter) or that we may incur in the future (or any indebtedness that is initially unsecured as to which we subsequently grant a security interest) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. In any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other similar proceeding, the holders of any of our secured indebtedness may assert rights against the assets pledged to secure that indebtedness in order to receive full payment of their indebtedness before the assets may be used to pay other creditors, including the holder of the Unsecured Note.
There is a risk that stockholders may not receive distributions or that our distributions may not grow over time and a portion of our distributions may be a return of capital.
Subject to our board of directors’ discretion and applicable legal restrictions, we intend to authorize, declare and pay cash distributions on a quarterly basis. We expect to pay distributions out of assets legally available for distribution. We cannot assure stockholders that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. Our ability to pay distributions might be adversely affected by the impact of one or more of the risk factors described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Due to the asset coverage test applicable to us under the 1940 Act as a BDC, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions.
When we make distributions, we will be required to determine the extent to which such distributions are paid out of current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of an investor’s basis in our stock and, assuming that an investor holds our stock as a capital asset, thereafter as a capital gain. A return of capital is a return to stockholders of a portion of their original investment in us rather than income or capital gains.
We may pay distributions from offering proceeds, borrowings or the sale of assets to the extent our cash flows from operations, net investment income or earnings are not sufficient to fund declared distributions.
We may fund distributions from the uninvested proceeds of an offering and borrowings, and we have not established limits on the amount of funds we may use from such proceeds or borrowings to make any such distributions. We may pay distributions from the sale of assets to the extent distributions exceed our earnings or cash flows from operations. Distributions from offering proceeds or from borrowings could reduce the amount of capital we ultimately invest in our investment portfolio.
The existence of a large number of outstanding shares and stockholders prior to completion of the listing of our securities on a national securities exchange could negatively affect our stock price.
The ability of our stockholders to liquidate their investments is limited. If we were to list our common stock on a securities exchange in the future, a large volume of sales of these shares could decrease the prevailing market prices of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities in the future. Even if a substantial number of sales were not affected, the mere perception of the possibility of these sales could depress the market price of our common stock and have a negative effect on our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, anticipated downward pressure on our common stock price due to actual or anticipated sales of common stock from this market overhang could cause some institutions or individuals to engage in short sales of our common stock, which may itself cause the price of our stock to decline.
Because the Company is not currently a “publicly offered regulated investment company,” as defined in the Code, certain U.S. stockholders will be treated as having received a dividend from us in the amount of such U.S. stockholders’ allocable share of certain Company expenses, including a portion of its management fees, and such expenses will be treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions of such U.S. stockholders that are not currently deductible.
The Company does not currently qualify as a “publicly offered regulated investment company,” as defined in the Code. Accordingly, stockholders will be taxed as though they received a distribution of some of the Company’s expenses. A “publicly offered regulated investment company” is a RIC whose shares are either (i) continuously offered pursuant to a public offering, (ii) regularly traded on an established securities market, or (iii) held by at least 500 persons at all times during the taxable year. The Company anticipates that it will not qualify as a publicly offered RIC for the 2020 tax year, and the Company cannot determine when it will qualify as a publicly offered RIC. Since the Company is not a publicly offered RIC, a non-corporate stockholder’s allocable portion of the Company’s affected expenses, including a portion of its management fees, will be treated as an additional distribution to the stockholder. A non-corporate stockholder’s allocable portion of these expenses are treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions that are not currently deductible by such stockholders.
Item 1B.
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
Item 2.
Item 2.
Properties
We do not own or lease any real estate or other physical properties material to our operation. Our headquarters are located at 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL, 60606, and are provided by OFS Services pursuant to the Administration Agreement. Additional operations are conducted from offices in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California, which are also provided by OFS Services pursuant to the Administration Agreement. We believe that our office facilities are suitable and adequate for our business as we contemplate continuing to conduct it.
Item 3.
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings
We, OFS Advisor and OFS Services, are not currently subject to any material pending legal proceedings threatened against us as of December 31, 2019. From time to time, we may be a party to certain legal proceedings incidental to the normal course of our business including the enforcement of our rights under contracts with our portfolio companies. Furthermore, third parties may try to seek to impose liability on us in connection with the activities of our portfolio companies. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Item 4.
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5.
Item 5.
Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
There is currently no market for our common stock, nor can we give any assurance that one will develop. Until a market for our common stock develops, it may only be offered and sold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act under Section 4(2) and Regulation D.
Stockholders
As of March 19, 2020, there were 451 holders of record of our stock.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
The following table summarizes the common stock repurchases by us as of December 31, 2019:
(1) Our February 11, 2019 tender offer that was originally scheduled to end on March 27, 2019, was amended to extend the offer period to April 5, 2019. On April 5, 2019, we validly repurchased 7,407 shares.
Sales of Unregistered Securities
During the year ended December 31, 2019, we issued and sold 460,414 shares of our common stock for gross proceeds of $6,500,527 or a weighted average price of $14.12 per share.
The offer and sale of the Company’s Common Stock in the private placement was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of, and Rule 506 of Regulation D under, the Securities Act. We paid $297,881 in commissions in connection with the sale of the shares. OFS Advisor paid commissions of $122,036.
Because shares of our common stock have been acquired by investors in our more transactions "not involving a public offering," they are "restricted securities" and may be required to be held indefinitely. Our common shares may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise disposed of unless (i) the transferor provides OFS Advisor with at least 10 days written notice of the transfer; (ii) the transfer is made in accordance with applicable securities laws; and (iii) the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by these restrictions and the other restrictions imposed on the common shares and to execute such other instruments or certifications as are reasonably required by us. Accordingly, an investor must be willing to bear the economic risk of investment in the common shares until we are liquidated. No sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or involuntary, of the common shares may be made except by registration of the transfer on our books.
Distributions
We generally intend to distribute, out of assets legally available for distribution, substantially all of our available earnings, on a quarterly basis, as determined by our Board in its discretion. Distributions directly affect our taxable income. See "Item 1. Business-Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations-Taxation as a RIC."
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated ICTI are reported as returns of capital; the tax treatment to the stockholder will depend on a variety of factors including the stockholder’s tax basis in our shares. The determination of the tax attributes of our distributions is made annually as of the end of the year, and is based on our taxable income for the full year and distributions paid for the full year; therefore, determinations made on a quarterly basis may not be representative of the tax attributes of our distributions to stockholders. Each year a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the source of the distribution (i.e., paid from ordinary income, paid from net capital gains on the sale of securities, and/or a return of paid-in-
capital surplus, which is a nontaxable distribution) is mailed to our U.S. stockholders. For the year ended December 31, 2019, all of our distributions were paid from ordinary income.
Item 6.
Item 6.
Selected Consolidated Financial Data
The following selected financial and other data for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and period December 8 (inception) through December 31, 2015 are derived from our consolidated financial statements. The selected financial and other data for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been audited by KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm. The selected financial and other data for the year ended December 31, 2018, 2017, 2016 and period December 8 (inception) through December 31, 2015 have been audited by BDO USA, LLP, our former independent registered public accounting firm. The data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which are included in this annual report on Form 10-K.
(1) The determination of the tax attributes of our distributions is made annually as of the end of our fiscal year based upon our taxable income for the full year and distributions paid for the full year. Therefore, a determination made on a quarterly basis may not be representative of the actual tax attributes of our distributions for a full year. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, all of our distributions were paid from ordinary income.
(2) The weighted average yield on our debt investments is computed as (a) the annual stated accruing interest on our debt investments at the balance sheet date, plus the annualized accretion Net Loan Fees divided by (b) amortized cost of our debt investments as of the balance sheet date, excluding debt investments in non-accrual status as of the balance sheet date.
Item 7.
Item 7.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains 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 us, 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. 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:
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our limited experience operating a BDC, or qualifying and maintaining our status as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code;
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our dependence on key personnel;
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our ability to maintain or develop referral relationships;
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our limited operating history;
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the ability of OFS Advisor to identify, invest in and monitor companies that meet our investment criteria;
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actual and potential conflicts of interest with OFS Advisor and other affiliates of OFSAM;
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constraint on investment due to access to material nonpublic information;
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restrictions on our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates;
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the use of borrowed money to finance a portion of our investments;
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our increased ability to incur additional leverage pursuant to the SBCAA, and the impact of such leverage on our net investment income and results of operations;
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competition for investment opportunities;
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our ability to raise debt or equity capital as a BDC;
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the timing, form and amount of any distributions from our portfolio companies;
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the impact of a protracted decline in the liquidity of credit markets on our business;
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interest rate volatility, including the decommissioning of LIBOR;
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the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;
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uncertain valuations of our portfolio investments; and
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the effect of new or modified laws or regulations governing our operations.
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. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, those described or identified in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
We have based the forward-looking statements on information available to us on the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised to consult any additional disclosures that we may make directly to you or through reports that we in the future may file with the SEC, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements and projections contained in this annual report on Form 10-K are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act.
The following analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Estimates
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and revenues and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. Critical accounting policies are those that require management to make subjective or complex judgments about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain and may change in subsequent periods. Changes that may be required in the underlying assumptions or estimates in these areas could have a material impact on our current and future financial condition and results of operations.
Our critical accounting policies and estimates are those relating to revenue recognition, expense limitation agreements and fair value estimates. Management has discussed the development and selection of each critical accounting policy and estimate with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. For a descriptions of our revenue recognition and fair value policies, see "Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies."
Revenue recognition
Our investment activities frequently involve the acquisition of multiple financial instruments or rights either in an initial transaction, or in subsequent or "follow-on" transactions, including amendments to existing securities. These financial instruments can include loans, preferred and common stock, warrants, or membership interests in limited liability companies. Acquired rights can include fixed or variable fees that can be either guaranteed or contingent upon operating performance of the underlying portfolio companies. Moreover, these fees may be payable in cash or additional securities. Acquired rights and financial instruments together, referred to as Instruments.
The revenue recognized on these Instruments is a function of the fee or other consideration allocated to them, including amounts allocated to loan syndication fees at the time of acquisition. Additionally, subsequent amendments to these Instruments can involve both:
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a determination as to whether the amendment is
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of such significance to deem it the consummation of the initial investment transaction and the acquisition of new Instruments (i.e., a "significant modification"), or
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a modification of those Instruments to be recognized over their remaining lives, and
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an additional allocation of consideration among newly acquired Instruments.
These allocations are generally based on the relative fair value of the Instruments at the time of the transaction, a process involving fair value estimates which is also a critical accounting policy and significant estimate. Moreover, these allocations and determinations can differ between GAAP and U.S. federal income tax bases. Once determined, these allocations directly affect the discount/premium and yield on debt securities, the cost and net gains/losses on equity securities, and capital structuring fees recognized in the statements of operations; and ICTI. These allocations require an understanding of the terms and conditions of the underlying agreements and requires significant management judgment.
Expense Limitation Agreements
We benefit from two expense limitation agreements with OFS Advisor: portions of the Investment Advisory Agreement, which limit our liability to reimburse OFS Advisor for organization and offering expenses it incurs on our behalf, and the Expense Support Agreement. See “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
We considered the relevant accounting literature applicable to expense limitation agreements-particularly ASC Topic 946 Subtopic 20 Section 254 and related publications by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as publicly-available documents on industry practice and the SEC Staff’s views thereon. The application of this accounting literature requires interpretation of the reimbursement conditions in the expense limitation agreements, which requires significant judgment. An agreement whose reimbursement conditions are either non-substantive or whose occurrence is inevitable will generally fail to meet to the requirements of this literature, resulting in greater reported expense, lower reported net asset values, and an on-balance sheet liability to reimburse the agreement counterparty for any funds or support received.
We regularly evaluate the Investment Advisory Agreement’s conditions for reimbursement, and have concluded the expense-reduction recognition it has been given is appropriate because the substantive conditions for recognition of liability by the Company-specifically, the sale of shares from whose proceeds the Advisor will be paid for unreimbursed costs-have not been satisfied.
Fair value estimates
As discussed more fully in “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” GAAP requires us to categorize fair value measurements according to a three-level valuation hierarchy. The hierarchy gives the
highest priority to quoted, active market prices for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to valuation techniques that require significant management judgment because one or more of the significant inputs are unobservable in the market place (Level 3). All of our investments carried at fair value are classified as Level 2 and Level 3, with a significant portion of our investments classified as Level 3. We typically do not hold equity securities or other instruments that are actively traded on an exchange.
As described in “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 5. Fair Value of Financial Instruments.” we follow a process, under the supervision and review of the Board, to determine these unobservable inputs used to calculate the fair value of our investment. The most significant unobservable inputs in the Level 3 fair value measurement are the discount rates and EBITDA multiples. Investments classified as Level 2 are measured on the basis of NBIB provided by pricing services.
Our discounted cash flow valuations involve a determination of discount rate commensurate with the risk inherent in each investment. Management uses two primary methods to estimate discount rates: a method based upon a hypothetical recapitalization of the entity given its current operating performance and current market conditions; and a synthetic debt rating method, which assigns a surrogate debt rating to the entity based on known industry standards for assigning such ratings and then estimates the discount rate based on observed market yields for actual rated debt. Management may also use a relative value method to estimate yields, which involves measuring the discount rate of non-traded subject debt investments based on an expected or assumed relationship between NBIB or observed prices on traded debt and the subject debt for a portfolio company. All methods for estimating the discount rate generally involve calibration of the internal rate of return on the subject investment at close or purchase date to the observable inputs utilized in each method as of or near that date. These methods generally produce a range of discount rates, and we generally select the midpoint of the range for use in fair value measures, subject to limitations on the basis of the borrowers' ability to prepay the debt without penalty.
Our market approach valuations, generally applied to equity investments and investments in non-performing debt, involve a determination of an enterprise value multiple to a financial performance metric of the portfolio company, generally EBITDA. These determinations are based on identification of a comparable set of publicly traded companies and determination of a public-to-private liquidity adjustment factor, generally through calibration to transaction prices in the subject investment instrument. This method generally produces a range of multiplier values and management, under the supervision of the Board, generally select the midpoint of the range for fair value measures.
The following table illustrates the sensitivity of our fair value measures if we selected the low or high end of the range for all investments at December 31, 2019:
Related Party Transactions
We have entered into a number of business relationships with affiliated or related parties, including the following:
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The Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor to manage our operating and investment activities. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement we have agreed to pay OFS Advisor an annual base management fee based on the average value of our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity) as well as an incentive fee based on our investment performance. See “Item 1 - Business - Management and Other Agreements” and “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
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The Administration Agreement with OFS Capital Services, an affiliate of OFS Advisor, to provide us with the office facilities and administrative services necessary to conduct our operations. See “Item 1 - Business - Management and Other Agreements" and “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
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Expense Limitation Agreements: OFS Advisor limits the Company's incurred expenses under two agreements: the Investment Advisory Agreement, which contains provisions limiting organization and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses; and an Expense Support Agreement, which limits all other operating expenses. Both agreements contain conditions under which we may become obligated to reimburse OFS Advisor for expense limitations provided thereunder. See “Item 1 - Business - Management and Other Agreements” and “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
OFS Advisor’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement are not exclusive to us and OFS Advisor is free to furnish similar services to other entities, including other BDCs managed by OFS Advisor, so long as its services to us are not impaired. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser or collateral manager to CLOs and other assets, including OFS Capital, a publicly-traded BDC with an investment strategy similar to the Company, as well as OCCI. OFS Advisor provides sub-advisory services to CMFT Securities Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIM Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation that qualifies as a real estate investment trust. Additionally, OFS Advisor expects to provide sub-advisory services to CIM Real Assets & Credit Fund, a newly organized externally managed registered investment company that intends to operate as an interval fund that expects to invest primarily in a combination of real estate, credit and related investments.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits BDCs from making certain negotiated co-investments with certain affiliates absent an order from the SEC permitting the BDC to do so. On October 12, 2016, we received the Order from the SEC to permit us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain BDCs, registered investment companies and private funds managed by OFS Advisor, or any adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, OFS Adviser and is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, in a manner consistent with our investment strategy as well as applicable law, including the terms and conditions of the Order. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to participate in a co-investment transaction if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors makes certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching of us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies. We have applied for the New Order, which, if granted, would supersede the Order and would permit us greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions. There can be no assurance that we will obtain such new exemptive relief from the SEC.
Conflicts may arise when an account managed by OFS Advisor makes an investment in conjunction with an investment being made by another account managed by OFS Advisor or an affiliate of OFS Advisor (each, an "Affiliated Account"), or in a transaction where an Affiliated Account has already made an investment. Investment opportunities are, from time to time, appropriate for more than one account in the same, different or overlapping securities of a portfolio company’s capital structure. Conflicts arise in determining the terms of investments, particularly where these accounts may invest in different types of securities in a single portfolio company. Questions arise as to whether payment obligations and covenants should be enforced, modified or waived, or whether debt should be restructured, modified or refinanced. See "Item 1A. Business - Conflicts of Interest" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Business and Structure - We have potential conflicts of interest related to obligations that OFS Advisor or its affiliates may have to other clients."
Portfolio Composition and Investment Activity
Portfolio Composition
Our investment strategy focuses primarily on middle-market companies in the United States, including senior secured loans, which includes first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans, as well as subordinated loans and, to a lesser extent, preferred, common, and other equity securities. Such middle-market company investments are more likely to be considered lower grade investments, which are either rated below investment grade by one or more nationally-recognized statistical rating agencies at the time of investment, or may be unrated but determined by OFS Advisor to be of comparable quality.
As of December 31, 2019, the fair value of our debt investment portfolio totaled $39,338,242 in 33 portfolio companies, of which 96% and 4% were senior secured loans and subordinated loans, respectively. We also held $786,681 in equity investments, at fair value, in five portfolio companies in which we also held debt investments and one portfolio company we solely held an equity investment. We had unfunded commitments of $142,857 to two portfolio companies at December 31, 2019. Set forth in the tables and charts below is selected information with respect to our portfolio as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.
The following table summarizes the composition of our investment portfolio as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:
(1)
Includes debt investment in which we have entered into a contractual arrangement with co-lenders whereby, subject to certain conditions, we have agreed to receive our principal payments after the repayment of certain co-lenders pursuant to a payment waterfall. At December 31, 2019, the amortized cost and fair value of this investment was $6,067,017, respectively and $6,038,539, respectively.
As of December 31, 2019, our investment portfolio’s three largest industries by fair value, were (1) Wholesale Trade(17.5%), (2) Health Care and Social Assistance (16.9%) and (3) Manufacturing (13.7%), totaling approximately 48.1% of the investment portfolio. For a full summary of our investment portfolio by industry, see “Item 8 - Financial Statements-Note 4. Investments."
The following table presents our debt investment portfolio by investment size as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:
The following table displays the composition of our debt investment portfolio by weighted average yield as of December 31, 2019, and 2018:
(1) The weighted average yield on our performing debt investments is computed as (a) the annual stated accruing interest on our debt investments plus the annualized accretion of Net Loan Fees divided by (b) the amortized cost of our debt investments excluding debt investments in non-accrual status as of the balance sheet date.
(2) The weighted average yield on our total debt investments is computed as (a) the annual stated accruing interest on debt investments plus the annualized accretion of Net Loan Fees and (b) the sum of the amortized cost of our debt including debt investments in non-accrual status as of the balance sheet date.
As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, floating rate loans at fair value were 96% and 95% of our debt investment portfolio, respectively, and fixed rate loans at fair value were 4% and 5% of our debt investment portfolio, respectively.
Non-Accrual Loans
At December 31, 2019, we had loans to one portfolio company (Constellis Holdings, LLC) on non-accrual status with respect to all interest and Net Loan Fee amortization, with an aggregate amortized cost and fair value of $577,810 and $32,579, respectively. The change to non-accrual status for our investment in Constellis Holdings, LLC was effective November 1, 2019.
Investment Activity
The following is a summary of our investment activity for the year ended December 31, 2019:
Our level of investment activity may vary substantially from period to period depending on various factors, including, but not limited to, the amount of debt and equity capital available to middle market companies, the level of merger and acquisition activity, the general economic environment and the competitive environment for the types of investments we make.
We categorize debt investments into seven risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt. For additional information regarding our risk categories, see “Item 1. Business-Portfolio Review/Risk Monitoring.” The following table shows the classification of our debt investments portfolio by risk category as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (dollar amounts in thousands):
During the year ended December 31, 2019, we had a debt investment with a risk upgrade from risk category 3 to risk category 2 with a fair value of $1,036,579 at December 31, 2019. We had debt investments with risk rating downgrades from risk category 3 to risk category 4 with an aggregate fair value of $909,902 for the year ended December 31, 2019. We had a debt investment with risk rating downgrade from risk category 3 to risk category 5 with a fair value of $10,079 for the year ended December 31, 2019. We also had a debt investment with risk rating downgrade from risk category 3 to risk category 6 with a fair value of $22,500 for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Results of Operations
Key Financial Measures
The following is a discussion of the key financial measures that management employs in reviewing the performance of our operations.
Total Investment Income. We generate revenue primarily in the form of interest income on debt investments and dividend income from our equity investments. Our debt investments typically have a term of three to eight years and bear interest at fixed and floating rates. In some cases, our investments provide for PIK interest or PIK dividends (meaning interest or dividends paid in the form of additional principal amount of the loan or equity security instead of in cash). We may also generate revenue in the form of management, valuation, and other contractual fees, which is recognized as the related services are rendered. In the general course of business, we receive certain fees from portfolio companies which are non-recurring in nature. Such non-recurring fees include prepayment fees on certain loans repaid prior to their scheduled due date, which are recognized as earned when received, and loan syndication fees from portfolio companies, which are recognized as earned upon closing of the investment. Net Loan Fees are capitalized, and accreted or amortized over the life of the loan as interest income. When we receive principal payments on a loan in an amount that exceeds its amortized cost, we recognize the excess principal payment as income in the period it is received.
Expenses. Our primary operating expenses include professional fees, the payment of fees to OFS Advisor under the Investment Advisory Agreement, our allocable portion of overhead expenses under the Administration Agreement and other operating costs described below. Additionally, we will pay interest expense on any outstanding debt under any new credit facility or other debt instrument we may enter into. We will bear all other out-of-pocket costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, whether incurred by us directly or on our behalf by a third party, including:
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the cost of calculating our net asset value, including the cost of any third-party valuation services;
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the cost of effecting sales and repurchases of shares of our common stock and other securities;
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fees payable to third parties relating to making investments, including out-of-pocket fees and expenses associated with performing due diligence and reviews of prospective investments;
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transfer agent and custodial fees;
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out-of-pocket fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts;
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federal and state registration fees and any stock exchange listing fees;
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U.S. federal, state and local taxes;
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independent directors’ fees and expenses;
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brokerage commissions;
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fidelity bond, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and other insurance premiums;
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direct costs, such as printing, mailing and long-distance telephone;
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fees and expenses associated with independent audits and outside legal costs;
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costs associated with our reporting and compliance obligations under the 1940 Act and other applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws; and
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other expenses incurred by either OFS Services or us in connection with administering our business.
Net gain (loss) on investments consists of the sum of: (a) realized gains and losses from the sale of debt or equity securities, or the redemption of equity securities; and (b) net unrealized appreciation or depreciation on debt and equity investments, net of applicable taxes to the extent the investments are held through taxable wholly owned subsidiaries. In the period in which a realized gain or loss is recognized, such gain or loss will generally be offset by the reversal of previously recognized unrealized appreciation or depreciation, and the net gain recognized in that period will generally be smaller. The unrealized appreciation or depreciation on debt securities is also reversed when those investments are redeemed or paid off prior to maturity. In such instances, the reversal of accumulated unrealized appreciation or depreciation will be reported as a net
loss or gain, respectively, and may be partially offset by the acceleration of any premium or discount on the debt security, which is reported in interest income, and any prepayment fees on the debt security, which is reported in fee income.
We do not believe that our historical operating performance is necessarily indicative of our future results of operations that we expect to report in future periods. We are primarily focused on investments in middle-market companies in the United States, including debt investments and, to a lesser extent, equity investments, including warrants and other minority equity securities. Moreover, as a BDC and a RIC, we are also subject to certain constraints on our operations, including, but not limited to, limitations imposed by the 1940 Act and the Code.
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations can vary substantially from period to period for various reasons, including the recognition of realized gains and losses and unrealized appreciation and depreciation. As a result, annual comparisons of net increase in net assets resulting from operations may not be meaningful.
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017
Operating results for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017:
Discussion of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017
Investment Income
Investment income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017:
Investment income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, consisted primarily of interest income on our debt investments. Growth in investment income for the year ended December 31, 2019, is due to the deployment of funds raised through our Offering and the deployment of funds from the PWB Credit Facility and the Unsecured Note into portfolio securities. Fee income increased in 2019 due to syndication fees in which OFS Advisor sourced, structured, and arranged the lending group, and for which we were additionally compensated.
Gross Expenses
Our gross expenses are limited under the Investment Management Agreement and the Expense Support Agreement; see "-Expense Limitations." Investment expenses shown with respect to each governing expense limitation agreement
Expenses Limited under the Investment Management Agreement
Offering expenses. We incurred offering costs of $297,776, $134,375 and $153,908 during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Offering costs incurred prior to the commencement of the Offering on July 18, 2016, were deferred and then amortized on a straight-line basis over twelve months from July 18, 2016. All offering costs incurred subsequent to July 18, 2016, are deferred and amortized over a twelve month period from the date incurred. Offering costs in these periods consist of professional fees of attorneys and others related to the preparation of our private placement memorandum and our dealer-manager agreement, due diligence activities, and fees related to development of marketing plans and materials for our common stock.
Amortization of offering costs were $180,872, $171,649 and 322,096 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Contractual issuer expenses. We incurred contractual issuer expenses of $7,659, $14,963 and $54,854 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, related to salaries and direct expenses of personnel of OFS Advisor and its affiliates directly involved in the activities enumerated above in organization expenses and offering expenses.
Expenses Limited under the Expense Support Agreement
Interest expense. We incurred interest expense of $427,432, $61,259 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase in interest expense related to an increase in average dollar borrowings under the PWB Credit Facility and the issuance of the Unsecured Note in November 2019.
Management fees. Management fees were $405,282, $183,011, and $22,765 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase in management fees were due to an increase in our average total assets, primarily due to an increase in net investment activity from the utilization of the PWB Credit Facility, the proceeds from the issuance of the Unsecured Note and proceeds from the issuance of common stock.
Incentive fees. Incentive fees were $195,720, $0 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase in incentive fees were due to a $926,620 increase in net investment income relating to the increase in earnings due to the size of the investment portfolio.
Administrative fees. Administrative fees were $675,155, $581,294 and $368,901 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, primarily related to accounting and record-keeping services, preparation and filing of required periodic reports with the SEC, and research. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the aforementioned administration services due to an increased level of investment activity and other fund operations.
Professional fees. We incurred professional fees of $534,433, $430,107 and $416,012 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, primarily comprised of consulting fees and professional fees of our attorneys,
independent registered public accounting firm and third-party valuation service provider. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the aforementioned professional services due to an increased level of investment activity and other fund operations.
Insurance. transfer agent and other expenses. We incurred insurance, transfer agent and other expenses of $265,326, $253,117 and $230,657 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively. The increase of $12,209 during the year ended December 31, 2019 from the prior year primarily consisted of an increase in transfer agent fees due to additional services provided in relation to our quarterly tender offers.
Expense Limitations
Expense Limitations under Investment Advisory Agreement. We reimbursed OFS Advisor $96,837 and $207,734 for organization and offering expenses and Contractual Issuer Expenses during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
We are conditionally obligated to pay OFS Advisor up to 1.5% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering until all reimbursable organization and offering costs and Contractual Issuer Expenses paid by OFS Advisor and its affiliates have been recovered. Reimbursable organization and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses were $663,535 as of December 31, 2019.
The determination of expense limitations under the Investment Advisory Agreement is presented below:
Expense Limitations under Expense Support Agreement
All other gross operating expenses (operating expenses exclusive of organization and offering expenses, and contractual issuer expenses, and before limitations) are subject to limitation under the Expense Support Agreement. OFS Advisor's obligation to provide such expense support is a function of declared distributions on our common stock, and the amount of support provided is determined by reference to unsupported investment company taxable income (expense) and the amount of the declared distribution; the Expense Support Agreement provides expense support such that distributions are not paid from Offering proceeds. The determination of expense limitation under the Expense Support Agreement for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 are presented below:
(1) Expense limitation under Expense Support Agreement excludes organization costs, amortization of deferred offering costs, Contractual Issuer Expenses, and the related expense support under the Investment Advisory Agreement as such expenses are generally excluded from the determination of ICTI. See "Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 8. Federal Income Tax."
(2) Generally defined in the Expense Support Agreement as our operating expenses determined in accordance with GAAP excluding organization and offering expenses, Contractual Issuer Expenses, interested expenses, and base management fees,
and incentive fees. The annualized ratio of other operating expenses to net assets for the period support in which support is provided and the annual ratio for the year in which support is provided constitute conditions for reimbursement to OFS Advisor. See "Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions."
(3) PIK dividends are excluded from the determination of ICTI.
Expense support provided by OFS Advisor or its affiliates is reimbursable for three years from the date incurred. Expense limitation under both the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Expense Support Agreement is cancelable at any time.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
We expect to generate cash primarily from (i) the net proceeds of the Offering, (ii) cash flows from our operations, including net amounts received from OFS Advisor, (iii) the PWB Credit Facility and any financing arrangements we may enter into in the future and (iv) any future offerings of our equity or debt securities. We may fund a portion of our investments through borrowings from banks, including the PWB Credit Facility, and issuances of senior securities. Our primary use of cash will be for (i) investments in portfolio companies and other investments to comply with certain portfolio diversification requirements, (ii) the cost of operations (including paying OFS Advisor), (iii) debt service of any borrowings, including the Unsecured Note, and (iv) cash distributions to the holders of our stock. Principal sources and uses of cash and liquidity are presented below:
We used $6,344,212 and $21,415,771 in cash from operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The decrease in cash used in operations compared to prior year was primarily due to a decrease of $14,321,345 in net purchases of portfolio investments. Net cash used in operating activities benefited from the positive cash flow impact of expenses limitations under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Expense Support Agreement of $1,220,369 and $1,132,412 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, which reduced the net amount paid to OFS Advisor and affiliates. Expense support and limitation under both the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Expense Support Agreement is cancelable at any time.
We raised net proceeds from our Offering of $6,202,646 and $13,401,109 during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, we paid a $583,912 distribution to our common stockholders and sold an additional 10,972 shares of our common stock for net proceeds of $144,200.
Borrowings
PWB Credit Facility: We are party to a BLA with Pacific Western Bank, as lender, to provide us with a senior secured revolving credit facility, or PWB Credit Facility. The PWB Credit Facility is available for general corporate purposes including investment funding. The maximum availability of the PWB Credit Facility is equal to 35% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of eligible loans included in the borrowing base, which excludes subordinated loan investments and as otherwise specified in the BLA.
The BLA contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting requirements, a minimum tangible net asset value, a minimum quarterly net investment income after incentive fees, and a statutory asset coverage test. The BLA also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-
default to other indebtedness, bankruptcy, change in investment advisor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change in our financial condition. As of December 31, 2019, we were in compliance with the applicable covenants.
The key terms of the PWB Credit Facility as of December 31, 2019 are as follows:
Availability under the PWB Credit Facility was $10.0 million, based on the stated advance rate of 35% under the borrowing base, and the $-0- million outstanding as of December 31, 2019.
Unsecured Note: On November 27, 2019, we entered into an agreement with a qualified institutional investor ("Note Purchase Agreement") pursuant to which we issued the Unsecured Note. The purchase price of the Unsecured Note was $14,700,000 after deducting the offering price discount. The Unsecured Note has a fixed interest rate of 6.50% and is due on November 27, 2024, unless redeemed, purchased or prepaid prior to such date by us or its affiliates in accordance with its terms. Interest on the Unsecured Note will be due quarterly. In addition,we are obligated to repay the Unsecured Note at par if certain change in control events occur. The Unsecured Note is a general unsecured obligation that ranks pari passu with all outstanding and future unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness we may issue.
The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary terms and conditions for unsecured notes issued in a private placement, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting, maintenance of our status as a business development company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and minimum asset coverage ratio. The Note Purchase Agreement also contains customary events of default with customary cure and notice periods, including, without limitation, nonpayment, incorrect representation in any material respect, certain judgements and orders, and certain events of bankruptcy.
As of December 31, 2019, the Unsecured Note had the following terms and balances:
(1) The effective interest rate on the Unsecured Note includes deferred debt issuance cost amortization.
(2) Interest expense includes debt issuance costs amortization of $5,895 for the year ended December 31, 2019.
The average dollar borrowings and average interest rate for all of our debt the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, were as follows:
Other Liquidity Matters
We expect to fund the growth of our investment portfolio through the private placement of our common shares and issuances of senior securities or future borrowings to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. We cannot assure stockholders that our plans to raise capital will be successful. In addition, we intend to distribute to our stockholders substantially all of our taxable income in order to satisfy the requirements applicable to RICs under Subchapter M of the Code. Consequently, we may not have the funds or the ability to fund new investments or make additional investments in our portfolio companies. The illiquidity of our portfolio investments may make it difficult for us to sell these investments when desired and, if we are required to sell these investments, we may realize significantly less than their recorded value.
We are permitted to borrow money from time to time within the levels permitted by the 1940 Act which generally prohibits us from incurring indebtedness, unless immediately after such borrowing, we have an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). On March 23, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which includes the SBCAA, was signed into law. The SBCAA amends the 1940 Act to permit a BDC to reduce the required minimum asset coverage ratio applicable to it from 200% to 150%, subject to certain requirements described therein.
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019. To fund growth in our investment portfolio in the future, we anticipate needing to raise additional capital from various sources, including the equity markets and the securitization or other debt-related markets, which may or may not be available on favorable terms, if at all.
Contractual Obligations
On July 15, 2016, we, with approval by our board of directors, entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Expense Support Agreement and the Administration Agreement. The Investment Advisory Agreement became effective as of August 30, 2016, the date that we satisfied the Minimum Offering Requirement and was continued on April 4, 2019. See “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
OFS Advisor and its affiliates have incurred organizational and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses related to the Company of which $663,534 and $1,001,252 were unreimbursed as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We remain conditionally liable for organization and offering costs incurred by OFS Advisor and its affiliates on our behalf. See “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
OFS Advisor has provided operating expense support of $3,503,848 and $2,782,125 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We remain conditionally liable for operating expense support provided by OFS Advisor. See “Item 8 - Financial Statements - Note 3. Related Party Transactions.”
We may become a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financial needs of our portfolio companies. These instruments may include commitments to extend credit and involve, to varying degrees, elements of liquidity and credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet. We had $142,857 of total unfunded commitments to two portfolio companies at December 31, 2019.
Distributions
We are taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. Generally, a RIC is entitled to deduct dividends it pays to its stockholders from its income to determine “taxable income.” Taxable income includes our taxable interest, dividend and fee income, and taxable net capital gains. Taxable income generally differs from net income for financial reporting purposes due to temporary and permanent differences in the recognition of income and expenses, and generally excludes net unrealized appreciation or depreciation, as gains or losses are not included in taxable income until they are realized. In addition, gains realized for financial reporting purposes may differ from gains included in taxable income as a result of our election to recognize gains using installment sale treatment, which generally results in the deferment of gains for tax purposes until notes or other amounts, including amounts held in escrow, received as consideration from the sale of investments are collected in cash. Taxable income includes non-cash income, such as changes in accrued and reinvested interest and dividends, which includes contractual PIK interest, and the amortization of discounts and fees. Cash collections of income resulting from contractual PIK interest and dividends or the amortization of discounts and fees generally occur upon the repayment of the loans or debt securities that include such items. Non-cash taxable income is reduced by non-cash expenses, such as realized losses and depreciation, and amortization expense.
Our board of directors maintains a variable dividend policy with the objective of distributing four quarterly distributions in an amount not less than 90-100% of our taxable quarterly income or potential annual income for a particular year. In addition, at the end of the year, we may also pay an additional special dividend, or fifth dividend, such that we may distribute approximately all of our annual taxable income in the year it was earned, while maintaining the option to spill over our excess taxable income to a following year. See "Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities-Distributions." Our distributions for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, were comprised entirely of ordinary income.
The following table reflects the cash distributions per share that we declared on our common stock during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 respectively. Stockholders of record as of each respective record date were entitled to receive the distribution.
The above distributions were funded, in part, through the reimbursement of certain operating expenses by OFS Advisor under the Expense Support Agreement. The Expense Support Agreement is designed to ensure no portion of our distribution to stockholders will be paid from Offering proceeds, and will provide for expense reduction payments to us in any quarterly period in which our cumulative distributions to stockholders exceeds our cumulative ICTI and net realized gains. The Expense Support Agreement may be terminated by OFS Advisor, without payment of any penalty, with or without notice to us.
Repurchase of common stock
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019. Additionally, in November 2019, the Board approved an offering to purchase 2.5% of the weighted average number of shares of the outstanding common stock for the trailing 12-month period.
The following table summarizes the common stock repurchases by us as of December 31, 2019:
(1) Our February 11, 2019 tender offer that was originally scheduled to end on March 27, 2019, was amended to extend the offer period to April 5, 2019. On April 5, 2019, we validly repurchased 7,407 shares.
Recent Developments
On January 29, 2020, our Board declared a distribution of $0.0875 per common share, payable on April 15, 2020, to stockholders of record on each of January 29, 2020, February 26, 2020 and March 27, 2020.
On February 28, 2020, we commenced a tender offer pursuant to which we are offering to purchase up to 51,349 shares of our issued and outstanding common stock at a price equal to our net asset value per share on March 30, 2020.
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, we sold 10,972 common shares for net proceeds of $144,200.
On March 23, 2020, we determined to temporarily suspend our Offering, commencing with the closing scheduled for March 30, 2020. We intend to resume the Offering during April 2020.
We evaluated events subsequent to December 31, 2019 through March 25, 2020. The spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus has created global economic uncertainties. The potential impact on global markets from the coronavirus is difficult to predict, and the extent to which the coronavirus may negatively affect our operating results due to its impact on our portfolio holding companies and the duration of any potential business disruption is uncertain. The potential impact to our results will depend to a large extent on future developments and new information that may emerge regarding the duration and severity of the coronavirus and the actions taken by authorities and other entities to contain the coronavirus or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. These potential impacts, while uncertain, may adversely affect our financial position, operating results and cash flows.
Item 7A.
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We are subject to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates. Changes in interest rates affect both our cost of future funding and the valuation of our investment portfolio. As of December 31, 2019, 96% of our debt investments bore interest at floating interest rates and 4% of our debt investments bore interest at fixed rates, at fair value. The interest rates on our debt investments bearing floating interest rates are usually based on a floating LIBOR, and the debt investments typically contain interest rate re-set provisions that adjust applicable interest rates to current rates on a periodic basis. A significant portion of our loans that are subject to the floating LIBOR rates are also subject to a minimum base rate, or floor, that we charge on our loans if the current market rates are below the respective floors. As of December 31, 2019, substantially all of our floating rate loans were based on a floating LIBOR (not subject to a floor).
Our outstanding Unsecured Note bears interest at a fixed rate. Our PWB Credit Facility has a floating interest rate provision based on the Prime Rate with effective interest rates of 6.10% as of December 31, 2019.
Assuming that our balance sheet as of December 31, 2019, were to remain constant, and that we took no actions to alter our existing interest rate sensitivity, the following table shows the annualized impact of hypothetical base rate changes in interest rates.
(1) Our PWB Credit Facility had an outstanding balance of $-0- as of December 31, 2019, and therefore a change in the Prime Rate would not impact interest expense.
Although we believe that the foregoing analysis is indicative of our net investment income sensitivity to interest rate changes, it does not adjust for potential changes in the credit market, credit quality, size and composition of the assets in our
portfolio including the impact of prepayments, and other business developments, including future borrowings, that could affect net increase in net assets resulting from operations, or net income. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that actual results would not differ materially from the statement above.
We are subject to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates. Changes in interest rates affect the valuation of our investment. Our risk management systems and procedures are designed to identify and analyze our risk, to set appropriate policies and limits and to continually monitor these risks and limits by means of reliable administrative and information systems and other policies and programs. Our investment and investment income may be affected by changes in various interest rates, including LIBOR.
ITEM 8.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company), including the consolidated schedule of investments, as of December 31, 2019, the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019, and the results of its operations, changes in its net assets and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Such procedures also included confirmation of investments owned as of December 31, 2019, by correspondence with the custodian, loan agents, or portfolio companies, or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies were not received. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ KPMG LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.
Chicago, Illinois
March 25, 2020
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. (the “Company”), including the consolidated schedule of investments, as of December 31, 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2018, and the related notes, including the financial highlights for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018 and the period from December 8, 2015 (inception) to December 31, 2015 (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2018, and the results of their operations, the changes in their net assets, and their cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2018, and their financial highlights for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018 and for the period from December 8, 2015 (inception) to December 31, 2015, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2018 by correspondence with the custodian, loan agent, portfolio companies, or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ BDO USA, LLP
We served as the Company’s auditor from 2015 to 2019.
Chicago, Illinois
March 29, 2019
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments
December 31, 2019
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2019
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2019
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2019
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2019
(1) Equity ownership may be held in shares or units of companies affiliated with the portfolio company. The Company's investments are generally classified as "restricted securities" as such term is defined under Rule 6-03(f) of Regulation S-X or Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
(2) All of the Company’s investments were qualifying assets under Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act as of the period end. Qualifying assets must represent at least 70% of the Company's assets, as defined under Section 55 of the 1940 Act, at the time of acquisition of any additional non-qualifying assets.
(3) Substantially all of the debt investments bear interest at rates determined by reference to LIBOR (L), generally between 1.7% and 2.1% at December 31, 2019, and which are reset monthly or quarterly. For all variable-rate investments the schedule presents the spread over LIBOR and the interest rate as of December 31, 2019. Unless otherwise noted, all investments with a stated PIK rate require interest payments with the issuance of additional securities as payment of the entire PIK provision.
(4) Unless otherwise noted with footnote 9, fair value was determined using significant unobservable inputs for all of the Company's investments and are considered Level 3 under GAAP. See Note 5 for further details.
(5) The Company has entered into a contractual arrangement with co-lenders whereby, subject to certain conditions, it has agreed to receive its payment after the repayment of certain co-lenders pursuant to a payment waterfall. The table below provides additional details as of December 31, 2019:
(6) Non-income producing.
(7) Subject to unfunded commitments. See Note 6 for further details.
(8) Investments pledged as collateral under the PWB Credit Facility.
(9) Fair value was determined by reference to observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets and are considered Level 2 under GAAP. See Note 5 for further details.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2019
(10) The interest rate on these investments contains a PIK provision, whereby the issuer has the option to make interest payments in cash or with the issuance of additional securities as payment of the entire PIK provision. The interest rate in the schedule represents the current interest rate in effect for these investments. The following table provides additional details on these PIK investments, including the maximum annual PIK interest rate allowed as of December 31, 2019:
(11) Commitment fee on undrawn funds.
(12) Investment was on non-accrual status as of December 31, 2019, meaning the Company has ceased recognition of all or a portion of income on the investment.
See Note 4 for further details.
(14) All or portion of investment held by HPCI-MB, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary subject to corporate income tax.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments
December 31, 2018
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2018
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2018
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2018
(1)
Equity ownership may be held in shares or units of companies affiliated with the portfolio company. The Company's investments are generally classified as "restricted securities" as such term is defined under Rule 6-03(f) of Regulation S-X or Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
(2)
All of the Company’s investments were qualifying assets under Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act as of the period end. Qualifying assets must represent at least 70% of the Company's assets, as defined under Section 55 of the 1940 Act, at the time of acquisition of any additional non-qualifying assets.
(3)
Substantially all of the debt investments bear interest at rates determined by reference to LIBOR (L), all which are reset monthly or quarterly. For all variable-rate investments the schedule presents the spread over LIBOR and the interest rate as of December 31, 2019. All investments with a stated payment-in-kind ("PIK") rate require interest payments with the issuance of additional securities as payment of the entire PIK provision.
(4)
Fair value was determined using significant unobservable inputs for all of the Company's investments. See Note 5 for further details.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Consolidated Schedule of Investments - Continued
December 31, 2018
(5)
The Company has entered into a contractual arrangement with co-lenders whereby, subject to certain conditions, it has agreed to receive its payment after the repayment of certain co-lenders pursuant to a payment waterfall. The table below provides additional details as of December 31, 2018:
(6)
Non-income producing.
(7)
Subject to unfunded commitments. See Note 6 for further details.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1. Organization
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc. (the “Company”) is a Maryland corporation formed on December 8, 2015, as an externally managed, non-diversified, closed-end investment company. The Company has elected to be regulated as a business development company ("BDC") under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").
The Company’s objective is to provide stockholders with current income and capital appreciation through its strategic investment focus primarily on debt investments and, to a lesser extent, equity investments primarily in middle-market companies principally in the United States. OFS Capital Management, LLC ("OFS Advisor") manages the day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory services to the Company. OFS Advisor, an affiliate of the Company, a registered investment adviser, and a subsidiary of Orchard First Source Asset Management, LLC ("OFSAM"), serves as investment adviser to the Company, and Evolv Capital Advisors LLC ("Evolv"), a registered investment adviser, served as subadviser to the Company until their resignation on March 26, 2019. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser to collateralized loan obligation ("CLO") funds and other assets, including OFS Capital Corporation ("OFS Capital"). OFS Capital is a publicly-traded BDC with an investment strategy similar to the Company's. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser for OFS Credit Company, Inc. ("OCCI"), a non-diversified, externally managed, closed-end management investment company that has registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act that primarily invests in CLO debt and subordinated securities.
The Company intends to raise up to $200,000,000 through offering shares of its common stock to investors in a continuous offering (the “Offering”) in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). In addition, the Company and OFS Advisor have entered into a dealer manager agreement with International Assets Advisory, LLC (the "Dealer Manager"). Placement activities are conducted by the Dealer Manager and participating broker dealers who solicit subscriptions to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock. From May 19, 2017 through June 30, 2019, the fees and expenses paid pursuant to the Dealer Manager Agreement were paid in part by the Company and in part by OFS Advisor. The Company has agreed to pay the fees and expenses on the sales of shares of its common stock in the Offering subsequent to June 30, 2019. On August 30, 2016, OFS Funding I, LLC ("Funding I"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFSAM and an affiliate of OFS Advisor, purchased 74,074 shares of the Company’s common stock in the Offering for gross proceeds of $1,000,000 (the "Minimum Offering Requirement"), or $13.50 per share. No selling commissions or dealer manager fees were paid in connection with this purchase.
The Company may also make investments through HPCI-MB, LLC ("HPCI-MB"), a wholly owned subsidiary taxed under subchapter C of the Code and generally holds the equity investments of the Company that are taxed as pass-through entities.
Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of presentation: The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"), including Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 946, "Financial Services-Investment Companies" ("ASC Topic 946") and the requirements for reporting on Form 10-K, the 1940 Act, and Articles 6 and 12 of Regulation S-X. In the opinion of management, the consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring accruals and adjustments, necessary for fair presentation in accordance with GAAP. Certain amounts in the prior period consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Principles of consolidation: The Company consolidates majority-owned investment company subsidiaries. The Company does not own any controlled operating company whose business consists of providing services to the Company, which would also require consolidation. All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated upon consolidation.
Investments: The Company applies fair value accounting in accordance with ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements, which defines fair value, establishes a framework to measure fair value, and requires disclosures regarding fair value measurements. Fair value is defined as the price to sell an asset or transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is determined through the use of models and other valuation techniques, valuation inputs, and assumptions market participants would use to value the investment. Highest priority is given to prices for identical assets quoted in active markets (Level 1) and the lowest priority is given to unobservable valuation inputs (Level 3). The availability of observable inputs can vary significantly and is affected by many factors, including the type of product, whether the product is new to the market, whether the product is traded on an active exchange or in the secondary market, and the current market conditions. To the extent that the valuation is based on less observable or unobservable inputs, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
for financial instruments classified as Level 3 (i.e., those instruments valued using non-observable inputs), which comprise the majority of the Company’s investments. See footnote 5 for details.
Changes to the valuation policy are reviewed and approved by management and the Company’s board of directors (the "Board"). As the Company’s investments change, markets change, new products develop, and valuation inputs become more or less observable, the Company will continue to refine its valuation methodologies.
See Note 5 for more detailed disclosures of the Company’s fair value measurements of its financial instruments.
Investment classification: The Company classifies its investments in accordance with the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, “Control Investments” are defined as investments in those companies in which the Company owns more than 25% of the voting securities or has rights to maintain greater than 50% of board representation, “Affiliate Investments” are defined as investments in those companies in which the Company owns between 5% and 25% of the voting securities, and “Non-Control/Non-Affiliate Investments” are those that neither qualify as Control Investments nor Affiliate Investments.
Use of estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of investment income, expenses, gains and losses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
Cash and cash equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and highly liquid investments not held for resale with original maturities of three months or less. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with a member bank of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") and at times, such balances may be in excess of the FDIC insurance limits. Included in cash and cash equivalents is $8,814,578 and $1,250,300 held in a US Bank Money Market Deposit Account as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Organization costs: Organization costs include, among other things, legal fees related to the organization of the Company, its related documents of organization, and its initial operating agreements; independent audit of the Company’s seed-stage consolidated financial statements; and expenses related to its election to be treated as a BDC. Organization costs are charged to expense as incurred. The investment advisory and management agreement between the Company and OFS Advisor, dated July 15, 2016 ("Investment Advisory Agreement") limits the Company's liability for, and recognition of, organization costs, as discussed below and in Note 3.
Offering costs: Offering costs include legal, accounting, printing and other expenses pertaining to the preparation of the Offering; the related dealer-manager agreement; and other underwriting expenses, which include permissible due diligence reimbursements to the dealer manager and participating broker-dealers. Offering costs were deferred until the continuous offering period commenced in July 2016 and then are amortized on a straight-line basis over twelve months from the date incurred. Amortization of deferred offering costs for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, were $180,872, $171,649 and $322,096 respectively. The Investment Advisory Agreement limits the Company's liability for offering costs, and the related amortization expense, as discussed below and in Note 3.
Deferred offering costs as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, are as follows:
Expense Limitation Agreements and Contractual Issuer Expenses: The Company benefits from two expense limitation agreements with OFS Advisor: (i) portions of the Investment Advisory Agreement, and (ii) Expense Support and Conditional Reimbursement Agreement dated July 15, 2016, between the Company and OFS Advisor ("Expense Support Agreement"), which limits all other operating expenses.
The Investment Advisory Agreement contains provisions limiting the Company's obligation to recognize and pay (i) organization and offering costs, and (ii) other contractually-defined costs pertaining to the Company's organization and the Offering, including (a) costs associated with technology integration between the Company’s systems and those of its participating broker-dealers; (b) marketing expenses, which includes development of marketing materials and marketing presentations, training and educational meetings, and generally coordinating the marketing process for the Company; and (c) the salaries and direct expenses of OFS Advisor’s employees, employees of their affiliates and others while engaged in
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
organization, offering, and these other contractually-defined activities ("Contractual Issuer Expenses"). The Company recognized the reimbursement liability for expenses limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement as the substantive conditions for incurrence of the liability-specifically, the sale of shares from whose proceeds the Advisor will be paid for unreimbursed costs-become satisfied.
The Expense Support Agreement limits all other operating expenses not separately limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement such that no distribution by the Company is deemed to be a return of capital contributed by its stockholders. See Note 3. The Company has not, to date, recognized a reimbursement liability for expenses limited under the Expense Support Agreement because substantive conditions for incurrence of the liability have not been satisfied.
The initial effect of expense limitation agreements are recognized reductions in gross expenses in the consolidated statement of operations, and elimination of associated assets and liabilities in the consolidated statement of assets and liabilities in the period of limitation. The Company is conditionally liable to reimburse OFS Advisor for costs that it has paid under the expense limitation agreement. Liability for the reimbursement of amounts, and the associated expense or deferred expense, are recognized as the substantive conditions for reimbursement are satisfied.
Revenue recognition:
Interest income: Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis and reported as interest receivable until collected. Interest income is accrued daily based on the outstanding principal amount and the contractual terms of the debt investment. Certain of the Company’s investments contain a payment-in-kind interest income provision (“PIK interest”). The PIK interest, computed at the contractual rate specified in the applicable investment agreement, is added to the principal balance of the investment, rather than being paid in cash, and recorded as interest income at fair value, as applicable, on the statements of operations. The Company discontinues accrual of interest income, including PIK interest, when there is reasonable doubt that the interest income will be collected.
Loan origination fees, original issue discount (“OID”), market discount or premium, and loan amendment fees (collectively, “Net Loan Fees”) are recorded as an adjustment to the amortized cost of the investment, and accreted or amortized as an adjustment to interest income over the life of the respective debt investment using a method that approximates the effective interest method. When the Company receives a loan principal payment, the unamortized Net Loan Fees related to the paid principal is accelerated and recognized in interest income.
Further, the Company may acquire or receive equity, warrants or other equity-related securities (“Equity”) in connection with the Company’s acquisition of, or subsequent amendment to, debt investments. The Company determines the cost basis of Equity based on its fair value, and the fair value of debt investments and other securities or consideration received. Any resulting difference between the face amount of the debt and its recorded cost resulting from the assignment of value to the Equity is treated as OID, and accreted into interest income as described above.
Dividend income: Dividend income on common equity securities in limited liability companies, partnerships and other private entities, generally payable in cash, is recorded at the time dividends are declared. Dividend income on preferred equity investments is accrued daily based on the contractual terms of the preferred equity investment. Dividends on preferred equity securities may be payable in cash or in additional preferred securities, and are generally not payable unless declared or upon liquidation. Declared dividends payable in cash are reported as dividend receivables until collected. Non-cash dividends payable in additional preferred securities or contractually earned but not declared (“PIK dividends”) are recognized at fair value and recorded as an adjustment to the cost basis of the investment. Distributions in excess of the accumulated net income of the underlying portfolio company are recorded as a reduction in the cost of the common or preferred stock investment.
Fee income: The Company generates revenue in the form of management, valuation, and other contractual fees, that is recognized as the related services are rendered. In the general course of its business, the Company receives certain fees from portfolio companies which are non-recurring in nature. Such non-recurring fees include prepayment fees on certain loans repaid prior to their scheduled due date, which are recognized as earned when received, and fees for capital structuring, loan syndication or advisory services from certain portfolio companies, which are recognized as earned upon closing of the investment.
Investment Transactions and net realized and unrealized gain or loss on investments: Investment transactions are reported on a trade-date basis. Unsettled trades as of the statement of assets and liabilities date are included in payable for investments purchased. Realized gains or losses on investments are measured by the difference between the net proceeds from the disposition and the amortized cost basis of the investment. Investments are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by Company management under the supervision and review of the Board. After recording all appropriate interest, dividend, and other income, some of which is recorded as an adjustment to the cost basis of the investment as described above, the Company reports changes in the fair value of investments as net changes in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments in the consolidated statements of operations.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Non-accrual loans: When there is reasonable doubt that principal, cash interest, or PIK interest, will be collected, debt investments are placed on non-accrual status and the Company will cease recognizing cash interest, PIK interest, or Net Loan Fee amortization, as applicable. When an investment is placed on non-accrual status, all interest previously accrued but not collected is reserved against current period interest income. Interest payments subsequently received on non-accrual investments may be recognized as income or applied to principal depending upon management’s judgment. Interest accruals and Net Loan Fee amortization are resumed on non-accrual investments only when they are brought current with respect to principal, interest, and when, in the judgment of management, the investments are estimated to be fully collectible as to all principal and interest. In the opinion of management, if there is a question as to the ability of the debtor to meet the terms of the loan agreement, or interest or principal is more than 90 days contractually past due, the loan investment will be placed on non-accrual status. Past due status is based on how long after the contractual due date a principal or interest payment is received. See Note 4 for further information.
Income taxes: The Company has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify as a RIC, the Company must, among other things, meet certain source of income and asset diversification requirements, and timely distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income ("ICTI"), which is generally net ordinary income plus net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses to its stockholders.
Depending on the level of ICTI earned in a tax year, the Company may choose to retain ICTI in an amount less than that which would trigger U.S. federal income tax liability under Subchapter M of the Code. However, the Company would be liable for a 4% excise tax on such income. Excise tax liability is recognized when the Company determines its estimated current year annual ICTI, as defined in the Code, exceeds distributions from current year ICTI.
The Company may utilize HPCI-MB, a wholly owned holding company taxed under Subchapter C of the Code, when making equity investments in portfolio companies taxed as pass-through entities to meet its source-of-income requirements as a RIC. HPCI-MB is an investment company under GAAP, and is consolidated in the Company’s GAAP financial statements and may incur current and deferred federal and state income tax expense with respect to income derived from those investments. Such income, net of applicable income taxes, is not included in the Company’s tax-basis net investment income until distributed by HPCI-MB which may result in timing and character differences between the Company’s GAAP and tax-basis net investment income and realized gains and losses. Income tax expense from HPCI-MB related to net investment income is included in general and administrative expenses, or the applicable net realized or unrealized gain (loss) line item from which the federal or state income tax originated for capital gains and losses. See Note 8 for further information.
The Company evaluates tax positions taken in the course of preparing its tax returns to determine whether they are “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax benefits of positions not deemed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold could result in greater and undistributed ICTI, income and excise tax expense, and, if involving multiple years, a re-assessment of the Company’s RIC status. GAAP requires recognition of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no uncertain income tax positions at December 31, 2019 and 2018. The current and prior three tax years generally remain subject to examination by U.S. federal and most state tax authorities.
Common stock subscriptions: Common stock subscriptions received in cash prior to the issuance of the Company’s consolidated financial statements are reported as subscription receivable with corresponding amounts reported in common stock and paid-in capital in excess of par.
Distributions to common stockholders are recognized on the record date. The timing of distributions as well as the amount to be paid out as a distribution is determined by the Board each quarter. Distributions from net investment income and net realized gains are determined in accordance with the Code. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually, although the Company may decide to retain such capital gains for investment. Distributions paid in excess of ICTI and not capital gains are considered returns of capital to stockholders.
Deferred debt issuance costs: Deferred debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the Company’s borrowings. Deferred debt issuance costs are presented as a direct reduction of the related debt liability on the consolidated statements of assets and liabilities except for deferred debt issuance costs associated with the Company's line of credit, which are included in prepaid expenses and other assets on the consolidated statements of assets and liabilities. Unamortized debt issuance costs included in prepaid expenses and other assets on the consolidated statements of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 were $40,094 and $42,668, respectively. Deferred debt issuance costs are amortized to interest expense over the term of the related debt.
Interest expense: Interest expense is recognized on an accrual basis as incurred.
Concentration of credit risk: Aside from its debt instruments, financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash deposits at financial institutions. At various times during the year, the Company may exceed the federally insured limits. To mitigate this risk, the Company places cash deposits only with high credit
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
quality institutions. Management believes this risk of loss is minimal. The amount of loss due to credit risk from debt investments if borrowers fail to perform according to the terms of the contracts, and the collateral or other security for those instruments proved to be of no value to the Company, is equal to the Company's recorded investment in debt instruments and the unfunded loan commitments as disclosed in Note 6.
New accounting standards: The following table discusses recently issued Accounting Standard Updates ("ASUs") by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"):
Reclassifications: Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the presentation of the current period financial statements.
Note 3. Related Party Transactions
Investment Advisory and Management Agreement: OFS Advisor manages the day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory services to, the Company pursuant to an agreement dated July 15, 2016 ("Investment Advisory Agreement"), which became effective on August 30, 2016, when the Company satisfied the Minimum Offering Requirement through the sale of 74,074 shares of the Company's common stock in the Offering for gross proceeds of $1,000,000 to Funding I, a wholly owned subsidiary of OFSAM. As of December 31, 2019, OFSAM and its affiliates owned 3.3% of the Company's outstanding common stock. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, which are in accordance with the 1940 Act and subject to the overall supervision of the Company’s Board, OFS Advisor is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and diligence on potential investments and equity sponsors, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring investments, and monitoring investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. OFS Advisor is a subsidiary of OFSAM and a registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
OFS Advisor’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement are not exclusive to us and OFS Advisor is free to furnish similar services to other entities, including other BDCs managed by OFS Advisor, so long as its services to us are not impaired. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser or collateral manager to CLOs and other assets, including OFS Capital, a publicly traded BDC with an investment strategy similar to the Company. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser for OCCI.
OFS Advisor receives fees for providing services, consisting of two components: a base management fee and an incentive fee. The base management fee is calculated at an annual rate of 1.25% and based on the average value of the Company’s total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity) at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters, adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during the quarter. On May 19, 2017, OFS Advisor agreed to permanently reduce the base management fee from 2.0% per annum to 1.25% per annum.
The base management fee was $405,282, $183,011 and $22,765 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
The incentive fee has two parts. The first part ("Part One") is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Company’s pre-incentive fee net investment income for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, pre-incentive fee net investment income means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees such as commitment, origination and sourcing, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that the Company receives from portfolio companies but excluding fees for providing managerial assistance) accrued during the calendar quarter, minus operating expenses for the quarter (including the base management fee, any expenses payable under the Administration Agreement (as defined below) and any interest expense and dividends paid on any outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-incentive fee net investment income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest or dividend feature (such as OID, debt instruments with PIK interest, equity investments with accruing or PIK dividend and zero coupon securities), accrued income that the Company has not yet received in cash.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Pre-incentive fee net investment income is expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets (defined as total assets less indebtedness and before taking into account any incentive fees payable during the period) at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter The incentive fee with respect to pre-incentive fee net income is 100.0% of the amount, if any, by which the pre-incentive fee net investment income for the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds a 1.75% (which is 7.0% annualized) “hurdle rate” but is less than 2.1875% (or 8.75% annually), referred to as the “catch-up” provision, and 20.0% of the amount of pre-incentive fee net investment income, if any, that exceeds 2.1875%. The “catch-up” is meant to provide OFS Advisor with 20.0% of the pre-incentive fee net investment income as if a hurdle rate did not apply if pre-incentive fee net investment income exceeds 2.1875% in any calendar quarter.
Pre-incentive fee net investment income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Because of the structure of the incentive fee, it is possible that the Company may pay an incentive fee in a quarter in which the Company incurs a loss. For example, if the Company receives pre-incentive fee net investment income in excess of the quarterly minimum hurdle rate, the Company will pay the applicable incentive fee even if the Company has incurred a loss in that quarter due to realized and unrealized capital losses. The Company’s net investment income used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of the Company’s gross assets used to calculate the base management fee. These calculations are appropriately prorated for any period of less than three months and adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during such quarter.
The second part ("Part Two") of the incentive fee (the “Capital Gain Fee”) is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), and will equal 20.0% of the Company’s aggregate realized capital gains, if any, on a cumulative basis through the end of each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation through the end of such year, less all previous amounts paid in respect of the Capital Gain Fee.
The Company accrues the Capital Gain Fee if, on a cumulative basis, the sum of net realized capital gains and (losses) plus net unrealized appreciation and (depreciation) is positive. If, on a cumulative basis, the sum of net realized capital gains (losses) plus net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) decreases during a period, the Company will reverse any excess Capital Gain Fee previously accrued such that the amount of Capital Gains Fee accrued is no more than 20% of the sum of net realized capital gains (losses) plus net unrealized appreciation (depreciation).
Unless terminated earlier as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect from year-to-year if approved annually by the Company’s board of directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding voting securities, and, in either case, if also approved by a majority of the Company’s directors who are not “interested persons” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Investment Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act, and may be terminated by the Company or OFS Advisor without penalty upon not less than 60 days’ written notice to the other. The holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities may also terminate the Investment Advisory Agreement without penalty upon not less than 60 days’ written notice.
The Company incurred incentive fee expense of $195,720, $-0- and $-0- for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Incentive fees for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, included Part One incentive fees (based on net investment income) of $195,720, $-0- and $-0-, and Part Two incentive fees (based upon net realized and unrealized gains and losses, or capital gains) of $-0-, $-0- and $-0-, respectively.
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement: Evolv served as the Company’s sub-adviser pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement dated July 15, 2016, (‘‘Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement’’) among Evolv, OFS Advisor, and the Company, which became effective on August 30, 2016, when the Minimum Offering Requirement was satisfied. Effective March 26, 2019, Evolv resigned as our sub-advisor, thereby terminating Evolv’s services under the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement.
Administration Agreement: OFS Capital Services, LLC ("OFS Services"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFSAM and affiliate of OFS Advisor, furnishes the Company with office facilities and equipment, necessary software licenses and subscriptions, and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities pursuant to an administration agreement between the Company and OFS Services, dated July 15, 2016 ("Administration Agreement"). Under the Administration Agreement, OFS Services performs, or oversees the performance of, the Company’s required administrative services, which include being responsible for the financial records that the Company is required to maintain and preparing reports to its stockholders and all other reports and materials required to be filed with the SEC or any other regulatory authority. In addition, OFS Services assists the Company in determining and publishing its net asset value, oversees the preparation and filing of its tax returns and the printing and dissemination of reports to its stockholders, and generally oversees the payment of the Company’s expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Company by others. Under the Administration Agreement, OFS Services also provides managerial assistance on the Company’s behalf to those portfolio companies that have accepted the Company’s offer to provide such assistance. Payment under the Administration Agreement is equal to an amount based upon the Company’s allocable portion of OFS Services’s overhead in performing its
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
obligations under the Administration Agreement, including, but not limited to, rent, information technology services and the Company’s allocable portion of the cost of its officers, including its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, chief accounting officer, and their respective staffs. To the extent that OFS Services outsources any of its functions, the Company will pay the fees associated with such functions on a direct basis without profit to OFS Services. Amounts charged under the Administration Agreement exclude Contractual Issuer Expenses (as defined in the Expense Limitation Agreements section below)
Administrative fees were $675,155, $581,294 and $368,901 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Expense Limitation Agreements: OFS Advisor limits the Company's incurred expenses under two agreements: the Investment Advisory Agreement, which contains provisions limiting organization and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses; and an Expense Support Agreement, which limits all other operating expenses. Expense limitations (net reimbursements) provided under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Expense Support Agreement for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and 2017, are presented below:
The Company is conditionally obligated at December 31, 2019 and 2018, to reimburse OFS Advisor for aggregate expense support provided since inception, as presented below:
Organization and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expense limitations: OFS Advisor and its affiliates have incurred aggregate organizational and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses related to the Company of $1,688,913 and $1,383,478 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Company is conditionally liable for these costs under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. Additionally, OFS Advisor and its affiliates expect to continue incurring offering costs on behalf of the Company throughout the Offering. The Investment Advisory Agreement entitles OFS Advisor to receive up to 1.5% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering until all of the organization and offering costs paid by OFS Advisor and its affiliates have been recovered. The Company reimbursed OFS Advisor organization and offering costs of $96,836 and $207,734 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Organization and offering expenses incurred by OFS Advisor or its affiliates will be eligible for reimbursement for three years from the date incurred. The Company has recognized an aggregate liability for reimbursement of organizational and offering costs to OFS Advisor of $479,062 and $382,226 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. These liabilities are generally settled on a net basis with management fees, incentive fees and amounts due to or due from OFS Advisor under the Expense Support Agreement.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Unreimbursed organization and offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses as of December 31, 2019 are summarized below based on the quarter in which the costs were incurred:
(1)
Expenses are pooled monthly for the determination of their reimbursement expiration date. Therefore, the unreimbursed totals each consist of three monthly expense pools. The expiration of reimbursement eligibility occurs over the three month-ends within each three-month period presented above.
Expense Support Agreement: The Expense Support Agreement is designed to ensure no portion of the Company’s distribution to stockholders will be paid from its Offering proceeds, and provides for expense-reduction payments from OFS Advisor to the Company in any quarterly period in which the Company’s cumulative distributions to stockholders exceeds its cumulative distributable ordinary income and net realized gains ("Cumulative Taxable Income"). Cumulative distributions to stockholders may exceed Cumulative Taxable Income to the extent of cumulative tax-basis return of capital distributions received by the Company from its investments without resulting in an expense limitation payment from OFS Advisor. The Expense Support Agreement provides for conditional reimbursement of these payments by the Company to OFS Advisor, however, such liability shall only accrue (i) to the extent they do not cause the then-current annualized year-to-date and quarterly "Other Operating Expense Ratio" (defined below) to exceed such ratios for the annual and quarterly periods, respectively, for which the Company will reimburse OFS Advisor as presented in the table below, and (ii) if the then-current annualized rate of distribution per share equals or exceeds the annualized rate of distribution per share of the supported period for which the Company will reimburse OFS Advisor. The Other Operating Expense Ratio is defined as total operating expenses reported in the statement of operations excluding interest expense, management fees, incentive fees, organization cost, amortization of deferred offering costs, and Contractual Issuer Expenses as a percentage of net assets. All reimbursement payments shall be deemed to relate to the earliest unreimbursed expense payments made by the Adviser to the Company within three years prior to the last business day of the quarter in which such reimbursement payment obligation is incurred.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Unreimbursed support for operating expenses provided under the Expense Support Agreement as of December 31, 2019, is summarized below:
(1)
The annualized rate of distributions per share is expressed as a percentage equal to the annualized distribution amount as of the end of the applicable period (which is calculated by annualizing the regular quarterly cash distribution per share as of such date without compounding), divided by our public offering price per share as of such date.
Amounts Due to Adviser and Affiliates: Amounts due to adviser and affiliates of $107,024 and $162,997 reported in the consolidated statements of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, represents amounts payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Administration Agreement net of amounts receivable under the Expense Support Agreement.
Note 4. Investments
As of December 31, 2019, the Company had loans to 33 portfolio companies, of which 96% were senior secured loans and 4% were subordinated loans, at fair value, as well as equity investments in five of these portfolio companies. The Company also held an equity investment in a portfolio company in which it did not hold a debt investment. At December 31, 2019, investments consisted of the following:
(1) Includes debt investments in which we have entered into contractual arrangements with co-lenders whereby, subject to certain conditions, we have agreed to receive our principal payments after the repayment of certain co-lenders pursuant to a payment waterfall. Amortized cost and fair value of these investments were $6,067,017 and $6,038,539, respectively.
At December 31, 2019, the Company had one portfolio company, Constellis Holdings, LLC, on non-accrual status with respect to all interest and Net Loan Fee amortization, with an aggregate amortized cost and fair value of $577,810 and $32,579,
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
respectively. The change to non-accrual status for the Company's investments in Constellis Holdings, LLC was effective November 1, 2019.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
At December 31, 2019, all of the Company’s investments were domiciled in the United States. Geographic composition is determined by the location of the corporate headquarters of the portfolio company. The industry compositions of the Company’s portfolio were as follows:
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had loans to 31 portfolio companies, of which 95% were senior secured loans and 5% were subordinated loans, at fair value, as well as equity investments in three of these portfolio companies. The Company also held an equity investment in a portfolio company in which it did not hold a debt investment. At December 31, 2018, investments consisted of the following:
At December 31, 2018, all of the Company’s investments were domiciled in the United States. Geographic composition is determined by the location of the corporate headquarters of the portfolio company. The industry compositions of the Company’s portfolio were as follows:
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 5. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Investments
The Company’s investments are valued at fair value as determined by the Company's board of directors. These fair values are determined in accordance with a documented valuation policy and a consistently applied valuation process.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair values are determined with models or other valuation techniques, valuation inputs, and assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. Valuation inputs are organized in a hierarchy that gives the highest priority to prices for identical assets or liabilities quoted in active markets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of inputs in the fair value hierarchy are described below:
Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity can access at the measurement date.
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. If the asset or liability has a specified term, a Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include: (i) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, (ii) quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, (iii) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, and situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
The inputs into the determination of fair value are based upon the best information under the circumstances and may require significant management judgment or estimation. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the investment. The Company generally categorizes its investment portfolio into Level 2 and Level 3 of the hierarchy.
The Company assesses the levels of the investments at each measurement date, and transfers between levels are recognized on the measurement date. Senior securities with a fair value of $347,450, $-0- and $-0- were transfered from Level 3 to Level 2 during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
Certain of the Company's investments are exchanged in the non-public market among banks, CLOs and other institutional investors for loans to large U.S. corporations. The Company classifies these loan investments as Level 2 when a sufficient number of market quotations or indicative prices from pricing services or broker/dealers (collectively, “Indicative Prices”) are available, and the depth of the market is sufficient to transact to those prices in amounts approximating the Company's investment position at the measurement date. Additionally, observed transactions at or near the measurement date are also considered Indicative Prices. Investments for which sufficient Indicative Prices exist are generally valued consistent with such Indicative Prices.
Investments that are not valued using Indicative Prices or Transaction Prices are typically valued using two different valuation techniques. The Company typically estimates the fair value of debt investments by a discounted cash flows technique in which a current price is imputed for the investment based upon an assessment of the expected market yield (or discount rate) for similarly structured investments with a similar level of risk. The Company considers the current contractual interest rate, the
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
maturity and other terms of the investment relative to risk of the portfolio company and various market indices. A key determinant of portfolio-company risk is the leverage through the investment relative to earnings metrics of the portfolio company. The fair value of Company’s equity investments as well as certain of its non-performing debt investments are estimated through analysis of the portfolio companies’ enterprise value under a market approach. Enterprise value means the entire value of the portfolio company to a market participant, including the sum of the values of debt and equity securities used to capitalize the enterprise at a point in time. The primary method for determining enterprise value under the market approach involves multiple analysis whereby appropriate multiples are applied to an earnings metric of the portfolio company, typically earnings before net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”). EBITDA multiples are typically determined based upon review of market comparable transactions and publicly traded comparable companies, if any. The Company may also utilize other portfolio-company earnings metrics to determine enterprise value, such as recurring monthly revenue ("RMR”) or a delineated measure of portfolio company EBITDA. Application of these valuation methodologies involves a significant degree of judgment by management. In addition, each quarter, the Company assesses whether an arm’s length transaction occurred in the same security, including the Company's new investments during the quarter, the cost of which (“Transaction Prices”), may be considered a reasonable indication of fair value for up to three months after the transaction date.
Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of Level 3 investments, the fair value of the investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market or observable inputs existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values that may ultimately be received or settled. Further, such investments are generally subject to legal and other restrictions, or otherwise are less liquid than publicly traded instruments. If the Company were required to liquidate a portfolio investment in a forced or liquidation sale, the Company might realize significantly less than the value at which such investment had previously been recorded. The Company’s investments are subject to market risk. Market risk is the potential for changes in the value due to market changes. Market risk is directly impacted by the volatility and liquidity in the markets in which the investments are traded.
The following tables presents the Company's investment portfolio measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following table provides quantitative information about the Company's significant Level 3 fair value inputs to the Company's fair value measurements as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. In addition to the techniques and inputs noted in the tables below, according to the Company’s valuation policy, the Company may also use other valuation techniques and methodologies when determining the Company’s fair value measurements. The table below provides information on the significant Level 3 inputs as they relate to the Company’s fair value measurements.
Averages in the preceding two tables were weighted by the fair value of the related instruments.
Changes in market credit spreads or events impacting the credit quality of the underlying portfolio company (both of which could impact the discount rate), as well as changes in EBITDA and/or EBITDA multiples, among other things, could have a significant impact on fair values, with the fair value of a particular debt investment susceptible to change in inverse relation to the changes in the discount rate. Changes in EBITDA and/or EBITDA multiples, as well as changes in the discount rate, could have a significant impact on fair values, with the fair value of an equity investment susceptible to change in tandem with the changes in EBITDA and/or EBITDA multiples, and in inverse relation to changes in the discount rate. Due to wide range of approaches towards developing input assumptions to these valuation techniques and the degree of subjectivity used in making the estimates, comparisons between the Company’s disclosures and those of other companies may not be meaningful.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following tables present changes in the investments measured at fair value using Level 3 inputs for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018:
The net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) reported in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, attributable to the Company’s Level 3 assets still held at those respective period ends was as follows:
The information presented should not be interpreted as an estimate of the fair value of the entire Company since fair value measurements are only required for a portion of the Company’s assets and liabilities. Due to the wide range of valuation techniques and the degree of subjectivity used in making the estimates, comparisons between the Company’s disclosures and those of other companies may not be meaningful.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Other Financial Assets and Liabilities
ASC Topic 825 requires disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments for which it is practical to estimate such value. The Company believes that the carrying amounts of its other financial instruments such as cash, receivables and payables approximate the fair value of such items due to the short maturity of such instruments. The PWB Credit Facility is a variable rate instrument and fair value approximates book value as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.
The following tables present the fair value measurements of the Company's debt and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the significant unobservable inputs utilized by the Company to determine such fair values as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:
(1) For Level 3 measurements, fair value is estimated by discounting remaining payments using current market rates for similar instruments at the measurement date and considering such factors as the legal maturity date.
The following are the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:
Note 6. Commitments and Contingencies
The Company has the following unfunded commitments to portfolio companies during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectfully:
From time to time, the Company is involved in legal proceedings in the normal course of its business. Although the outcome of such litigation cannot be predicted with any certainty, management is of the opinion, based on the advice of legal counsel, that final disposition of any litigation should not have a material adverse effect on the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019.
Additionally, the Company is subject to periodic inspection by regulators to assess compliance with applicable BDC regulations.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into contracts and agreements that contain a variety of representations and warranties that provide general indemnifications. The Company’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Company that have not occurred. The Company believes the risk of any material obligation under these indemnifications to be low.
Note 7. Borrowings
PWB Credit Facility: The Company is party to the business loan agreement ("BLA") with Pacific Western Bank, as lender, to provide the Company with a $10.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility ("PWB Credit Facility"). The PWB Credit Facility is available for general corporate purposes including investment funding and is scheduled to mature on February 28, 2021. The maximum availability of the PWB Credit Facility is equal to 35% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of eligible loans included in the borrowing base, which excludes subordinated loan investments and as otherwise specified in the BLA. The PWB Credit Facility bears interest at a variable rate of the Prime Rate plus a 0.75% margin, with a 5.50% floor, and includes an unused commitment fee for any unused portion in excess of $3.0 million, payable monthly in arrears, equal to 0.50% per annum on any unused portion. As of December 31, 2019, the interest rate on the PWB Credit Facility was 5.50%.
The effective interest rate, which includes amortization of deferred debt issuance costs as of December 31, 2019, was 6.10% based on the maximum amount available under the PWB Credit Facility. Deferred debt issuance costs, net of accumulated amortization, was $40,094 as of December 31, 2019. Amortization of debt issuance costs were $53,354 and $20,082 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Maximum availability under the PWB Credit Facility as of December 31, 2019, was $10.0 million based on the stated advance rate of 35% of the borrowing base, of which $-0- million was drawn.
The BLA contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting requirements, a minimum tangible net asset value, a minimum quarterly net investment income after incentive fees, and a statutory asset coverage test. The BLA also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-default to other indebtedness, bankruptcy, change in investment advisor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change in our financial condition. As of December 31, 2019, the Company was in compliance with the applicable covenants.
Unsecured Note: On November 27, 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with a qualified institutional investor ("Note Purchase Agreement") in which the Company sold in a private placement an unsecured note in an aggregate principal amount of $15,000,000 (the "Unsecured Note"). The purchase price of the Unsecured Note was $14,690,655 after deducting the offering price discount and legal costs. The Unsecured Note has a fixed interest rate of 6.50% and is due on November 27, 2024, unless redeemed, purchased or prepaid prior to such date by the Company or its affiliates in accordance with its terms. Interest on the Unsecured Note will be due quarterly. In addition, the Company is obligated to repay the Unsecured Note at par if certain change in control events occur. The Unsecured Note is a general unsecured obligation of the Company that ranks pari passu with all outstanding and future unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness issued by the Company.
The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary terms and conditions for unsecured notes issued in a private placement, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting, maintenance of the Company’s status as a business development company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and minimum asset coverage ratio. The Note Purchase Agreement also contains customary events of default with customary cure and notice periods, including, without limitation, nonpayment, incorrect representation in any material respect, certain judgements and orders, and certain events of bankruptcy.
As of December 31, 2019, the Unsecured Note had the following terms and balances:
(1) The effective interest rate on the Unsecured Note includes deferred debt issuance cost amortization.
(2) Interest expense includes debt issuance costs amortization of $5,895 for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The average dollar borrowings and average interest rate for all Company debt in the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, were as follows:
Note 8. U.S. Federal Income Tax
The Company has elected to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to maintain its status as a RIC, the Company is required to distribute annually to its stockholders at least 90% of its ICTI, as defined by the Code. Additionally, to avoid a 4% U.S. federal excise tax on undistributed earnings the Company is required to distribute each calendar year the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such calendar year (ii) 98.2% of its net capital gains for the one-year period ending October 31 of that calendar year, and (iii) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years and on which the Company paid no U.S. federal income tax. Maintenance of the Company's RIC status also requires adherence to certain source of income and asset diversification requirements. The Company has met the required distribution, source of income and asset diversification requirements and intends to continue to meet these requirements. Accordingly, there is no provision for U.S. federal income or excise taxes for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
The Company’s ICTI differs from the net increase in net assets resulting from operations primarily due to differences in income recognition for PIK dividends, net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments, and expense recognition related to organization costs, amortization of deferred offering costs, Contractual Issuer Expenses, and the related expense support under the Investment Advisory Agreement (together, "Net O&O Costs").
The distributions paid to stockholders consisted entirely of ordinary income during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
There was no undistributed taxable income at December 31, 2019 and 2018.
The Company records reclassifications to its capital accounts related to permanent differences between the GAAP and tax treatment of Net O&O Costs; and temporary differences between GAAP and tax treatment of realized gains and losses, PIK dividends, and other temporary differences. The Company recorded reclassifications to decrease additional paid-in capital against total distributable earnings (accumulated loss) of $96,836, $207,734 and $161,019 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively,
The tax-basis cost of investments and associated tax-basis gross unrealized appreciation (depreciation) inherent in the fair value of investments as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, were as follows:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Deferred taxes: The Company recognizes deferred taxes on the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of securities held through Taxable Blockers. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted corporate federal tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those unrealized gains and losses are realized. The recoverability of deferred tax assets is assessed and a valuation allowance is recorded to the extent that it is more likely than not that any portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized on the basis of the projected taxable income or other taxable events in the Taxable Blocker. Deferred tax assets and liabilities, and related valuation allowance, as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, were as follows:
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments reported in the statements of operations includes $20,570, $2,717 and $-0- of net deferred tax expense (benefit) for the year ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Note 9. Financial Highlights
The financial highlights for the Company since inception are as follows:
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(1)
The per share data for distributions is the actual amount of distributions declared per share during the period. The determination of the tax attributes of the Company’s distributions is made annually as of the end of its fiscal year based upon its ICTI for the full year and distributions paid for the full year. The Company anticipates its distributions to be comprised 100% from net investment income.
(2)
The issuance of common stock on a per share basis reflects the incremental net asset value change as a result of the issuance of shares of common stock in the Company’s continuous public offering and the dilutive or anti-dilutive impact from significant changes in weighted-average shares outstanding during the period.
(3)
Calculated as ending net asset value less beginning net asset value, adjusting for distributions reinvested at the Company’s most recent quarter-end net asset value prior to the respective payment date of the distributions.
(4)
Based on the average of the net asset value as the beginning of the indicated period and the end of each calendar quarter within the period indicated.
(5)
Portfolio turnover rate is calculated using the lesser of period-to-date sales and principal payments or period-to-date purchases over the average of the invested assets at fair value.
(6)
Calculated on the average share method.
Note 10. Capital Transactions
Common stock transactions
Below is a summary of transactions with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock issued in the Offering during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017:
From May 19, 2017 through June 30, 2019, OFS Advisor paid the dealer manager fee on sales of shares of our common stock in the Offering. Payments of dealer manager fees by OFS Advisor were not subject to reimbursement by the Company. The Company has agreed to pay the dealer manager fees on sales of shares of our common stock in the Offering subsequent to June 30, 2019.
Repurchase of common stock transactions
The SBCAA ("Small Business Credit Availability Act") permits a BDC to reduce its asset coverage ratio from 200% to 150% so long as such BDC complies with certain requirements contained within the SBCAA. For BDCs, like the Company, that do not have shares of common stock listed on a national securities exchange, in order to take advantage of the modified asset coverage ratio, they must, among other things, extend to each of the BDC’s stockholders as of the date of approval from the BDC’s board of directors, the opportunity to sell the securities held by that stockholder as of that date.
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019. Additionally, the Company's Board approved an offering to purchase 2.5% of the weighted average number of shares of the outstanding Common Stock for the trailing 12-month period.
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The following table summarizes the common stock repurchases by the Company as of December 31, 2019:
(1) The Company's February 11, 2019 tender offer that was originally scheduled to end on March 27, 2019, was amended to extend the offer period to April 5, 2019. On April 5, 2019, the Company validly repurchased 7,407 shares.
Distributions
The following tables reflects the cash distributions per share that the Company declared on its common stock during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Stockholders of record as of each respective record date were entitled to receive the distribution.
(1) The annual per share amount distribution was $1.05 for each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
The above distributions were funded, in part, through the reimbursement of certain operating expenses by OFS Advisor under the Expense Support Agreement. The Expense Support Agreement is designed to ensure no portion of the Company's distribution to stockholders will be paid from Offering proceeds, and will provide for expense reduction payments to the Company in any quarterly period in which the Company's cumulative distributions to stockholders exceeds the Company's
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
cumulative ICTI and net realized gains. The Expense Support Agreement may be terminated by OFS Advisor, without payment of any penalty, with or without notice to the Company.
Note 11. Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
(1)
Based on weighted average shares outstanding for the respective period.
(2)
Based on shares outstanding at the end of the respective period.
Note 12. Subsequent Events Not Disclosed Elsewhere
On January 29, 2020, the Company's Board declared a distribution of $0.0875 per common share, payable on April 15, 2020, to stockholders of record on each of January 29, 2020, February 26, 2020 and March 27, 2020.
On February 28, 2020, the Company commenced a tender offer pursuant to which it is offering to purchase up to 51,349 shares of its issued and outstanding common stock at a price equal to its net asset value per share on March 30, 2020.
Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the Company sold 10,972 common shares for net proceeds of $144,200.
On March 23, 2020, the Company determined to temporarily suspend its Offering, commencing with the closing scheduled for March 30, 2020. The Company intends to resume the Offering during April 2020.
The Company evaluated events subsequent to December 31, 2019 through March 25, 2020. The spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus has created global economic uncertainties. The potential impact on global markets from the coronavirus is difficult to predict, and the extent to which the coronavirus may negatively affect our operating results due to its impact on our portfolio holding companies and the duration of any potential business disruption is uncertain. The potential impact to our results will depend to a large extent on future developments and new information that may emerge regarding the duration and severity of the coronavirus and the actions taken by authorities and other entities to contain the coronavirus or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. These potential impacts, while uncertain, may adversely affect our financial position, operating results and cash flows.
Item 9.
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Not applicable.
Item 9A.
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2019. The term “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the foregoing evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2019, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that the transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and that the receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with polices or procedures may deteriorate.
Our management (with the supervision and participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued in 2013 by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2019.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
No change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act), occurred during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2019, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B.
Item 9B.
Other Information
None.
PART III
Item 10.
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. The responsibilities of our board of directors will include, among other things, the oversight of our investment activities, the quarterly valuation of our assets, oversight of our financing arrangements and corporate governance activities. Our board of directors consists of three members, two of whom are not “interested persons” of the Company or of OFS Advisor as defined in Section 2(a) (19) of the 1940 Act and are “independent,” as determined by our board of directors. We refer to these individuals as our independent directors. Our board of directors elects our executive officers, who serve at the discretion of our board of directors.
Board of Directors
Under our charter, our directors are divided into three classes. Each class of directors holds office for a three year term. However, the initial members of the three classes have initial terms of one, two and three years respectively. At each annual meeting of our stockholders, the successors to the class of directors whose terms expire at such meeting will be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director will hold office for the term to which he or she is elected and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified.
Information regarding our board of directors is as follows:
Executive Officers
Our executive officers hold their office until their successors are chosen and qualified, or until the earlier of the resignation or removal. Information regarding the Company’s executive officers who are not directors is as follows:
Biographical Information
The following is information concerning the business experience of our board of directors and executive officers. The directors have been divided into two groups - interested directors and independent directors. Interested directors are “interested persons” as defined in the 1940 Act.
Interested Director
Bilal Rashid is the Chairman of our board of directors, the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, and is the Chairman of the board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer of OFS Capital, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of OFS Credit Company, Inc. ("OFS Credit"), President and a Senior Managing Director of Orchard First Source Capital, Inc. (“OFSC”) and OFS Advisor, Chief Executive Officer at OFSAM and a member of the investment and executive committees of OFSAM and OFS Advisor. Prior to joining OFSC in 2008, Mr. Rashid was a managing director in the global markets and investment banking division at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Rashid has more than 20 years of experience in investment banking, debt capital markets and investing as it relates to structured credit and corporate credit. Over the years, he has advised and arranged financing for investment management companies and commercial finance companies including BDCs. Before joining Merrill Lynch in 2005, he was a vice president at Natixis Capital Markets, which he joined as part of a large team move from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”). Prior to CIBC, he worked as an investment
analyst in the project finance area at the International Finance Corporation, which is part of the World Bank. Prior to that, Mr. Rashid was a financial analyst at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Rashid has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from Columbia University. Through his years of work in investment banking, capital markets and in sourcing, leading and managing investments, Mr. Rashid has developed expertise and skills that are relevant to understanding the risks and opportunities that the Company faces and which are critical to implementing our strategic goals and evaluating our operational performance.
Independent Directors
Robert J. Cresci has been a managing director of Pecks Management Partners Ltd., an investment management firm, since 1990. He currently serves on the boards of directors of j2 Global, Inc., CIM Commercial Trust Corporation, OCCI, and OFS Capital. Mr. Cresci holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a M.B.A. in Finance from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. By virtue of his time with Pecks Management Partners and the other business entities mentioned, Mr. Cresci brings to our board of directors his broad expertise and experience in investment strategies, accounting issues, and public company matters. His experience on the board of directors of other public companies and his insight on financial and operational issues are particularly valuable to our board of directors.
Marc Abrams is the founder and former leader of the public company business sector of SingerLewak LLP, a certified public accounting firm founded in 1995. He has over 40 years of public accounting experience. Mr. Abrams’ expertise includes audits of publicly held companies, initial public offerings, private offerings, corporate reorganizations and acquisitions, evaluating business plans and litigation support. Additionally, Mr. Abrams’ broad practice includes expertise in several industries including technology, life sciences, real estate, retail and franchise, hotels and casinos, and manufacturing. He currently serves on the board of directors of OFS Capital and previously served on the board of UnifiedOnline, Inc. (f/k/a IceWEB, Inc.). Mr. Abrams graduated from American University in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Through 2011, he was an active member of AICPA, the California Society of CPAs and the Los Angeles Venture Association. Mr. Abrams brings to our board of directors extensive accounting experience and expertise, which is invaluable to our company. His knowledge of accounting principles, financial reporting rules and regulations, the evaluation of financial results and the oversight of the financial reporting process makes him an asset to our board of directors.
Executive Officers Who Are Not Directors
Jeffrey A. Cerny serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company and is a director, the Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of OFS Capital and OCCI. Mr. Cerny also serves as a Senior Managing Director of OFS Advisor and OFSC, as a Vice President of OFSAM, and as a member of OFSAM’s investment and executive committees. Mr. Cerny oversees the finance and accounting functions of the aforementioned entities as well as underwriting, credit monitoring and CLO portfolio compliance for OFS Advisor’s syndicated senior loan business. Prior to joining OFSC in 1999, Mr. Cerny held various positions at Sanwa Business Credit Corporation, American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago and Charter Bank Group, a multi-bank holding company. Mr. Cerny holds a B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University, a Masters of Management in Finance and Economics from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg School of Management, and a J.D. from DePaul University’s School of Law.
Mukya S. Porter serves as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Company and is the Chief Compliance Officer of OFS Capital, OCCI, OFSC, and OFS Advisor, in which capacity she oversees the compliance and risk management functions. Ms. Porter has over 10 years of experience advising investment advisers, investment banks and other financial institutions. Prior to joining OFSC, Ms. Porter served as a Senior Vice President of Compliance at Oaktree Capital Management, an alternative investment adviser from 2012 to 2016, where she was responsible for oversight of the firm’s code of ethics program and the day-to-day management of an affiliated limited-purpose broker dealer. Prior to Oaktree, Ms. Porter held the position of Vice President and Senior Compliance Officer at Pacific Investment Management Company (“PIMCO”) from 2010 to 2012 and prior to that, from 2004 to 2010, worked, first, as a Vice President in the Legal department at Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management and, subsequently, as a Vice President of Compliance at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Ms. Porter received a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, in Biology from Howard University in 1996 and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2001.
Jeffery S. Owen serves as the Chief Accounting Officer of the Company and is the Chief Accounting Officer of OFS Capital and OCCI, and the Controller and Treasurer of OFS Advisor and OFSC. Mr. Owen has over 25 years of experience in public and private accounting. Prior to joining OFSC in November of 2015, Mr. Owen served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Accounting for Northern Trust Corporation. Before joining Northern Trust Corporation in 2010, he held various positions at Aon Corporation, Web Street, Inc., CNA Financial Corporation, and Ernst & Young LLP, a international public accounting firm. Mr. Owen holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters of Business Administration from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Mr. Owen is also a Certified Public Accountant and a CFA charterholder.
Tod K. Reichert currently serves as our Corporate Secretary and as the Corporate Secretary of OFS Capital and OCCI, and as Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of OFS Advisor, in which capacity he oversees the legal and administration functions of the firm. Mr. Reichert has over 20 years of experience as a strategic business partner, providing advice on general corporate governance and transactional matters, with a focus on securities laws, compliance, corporate finance, debt and equity investments, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining OFS Advisor, Mr. Reichert served as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of MCG Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: MCGC), managing the legal and compliance departments, overseeing complex litigation, and providing securities law, disclosure and transactional advice to the Board of Directors and senior management team, while serving as a member of the MCG credit committee and SBIC investment committee. Prior to joining MCG, Mr. Reichert worked as an attorney in private practice in New York, Princeton and Boston. Mr. Reichert received his J.D. from the Rutgers University School of Law - Newark and his BFA from the University of North Carolina.
Code of Business Conduct
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct that applies to, among others, our executive officers, including our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as well as every officer, director and employee of the Company. The Company’s Code of Business Conduct is available on our website at www.hancockparkbdc.com.
If we make any substantive amendment to, or grant a waiver from, a provision of our Code of Business Conduct, we will promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on our website at www.hancockparkbdc.com. as well as file a Form 8-K with the SEC.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors currently has two committees: an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Audit Committee. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our board of directors. The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Audit Committee. The primary function of the Audit Committee is to serve as an independent and objective party to assist our board of directors in selecting, engaging and discharging our independent accountants, reviewing the plans, scope and results of the audit engagement with our independent accountants, approving professional services provided by our independent accountants (including compensation therefor), reviewing the independence of our independent accountants and reviewing the adequacy of our internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is composed of Messrs. Abrams and Cresci, both of whom are considered independent for purposes of the 1940 Act. Mr. Abrams serves as the chair of the Audit Committee. Each of Messrs. Abrams and Cresci qualify as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in Item 407 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act. Each of the members of the Audit Committee meet the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and, in addition, is not an “interested person” of the Company or of OFS Advisor as defined in Section 2(a) (19) of the 1940 Act.
A charter of the Audit Committee is available in print to any stockholder who requests it and it is also available on the Company’s website.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our board of directors. The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, including making nominations for the appointment or election of independent directors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Messrs. Abrams and Cresci, both of whom are considered independent for purposes of the 1940 Act. Mr. Cresci serves as the chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider nominees to our board of directors recommended by a stockholder, if such stockholder complies with the advance notice provisions of our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that a stockholder who wishes to nominate a person for election as a director at a meeting of stockholders must deliver written notice to our Corporate Secretary. This notice must contain, as to each nominee, all of the information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement meeting the requirements of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and certain other information set forth in the bylaws. In order to be eligible to be a nominee for election as a director by a stockholder, such potential nominee must deliver to our Corporate Secretary a written questionnaire providing the requested information about the background and qualifications of such person and a written representation and agreement that such person is not and will not become a party to any voting agreements, any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to any compensation or indemnification in connection with service on our board of directors, and would be in compliance with all of our publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines.
A charter of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is available in print to any stockholder who requests it, and it is also available on the Company’s website.
Compensation Committee. Our board of directors does not currently intend to delegate any authority to a compensation committee because our executive officers will not receive any direct compensation from us.
Board Leadership Structure
Our board of directors monitors and performs an oversight role with respect to our business and affairs, including with respect to investment practices and performance, compliance with regulatory requirements and the services, expenses and performance of service providers to us. Among other things, our board of directors approves the appointment of our investment adviser and our officers, reviews and monitors the service and activities performed by our investment adviser and our executive officers, and approves the engagement, and reviews the performance of, our independent registered public accounting firm.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Our board of directors combines the role of Chairman of the Board with the role of Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), coupled with a Lead Independent Director position to further strengthen the governance structure. Our board of directors believes this provides an efficient and effective leadership model for the Company. Combining the Chairman and CEO roles fosters clear accountability, effective decision-making, and alignment on corporate strategy.
No single leadership model is right for all companies at all times. Our board of directors recognizes that depending on the circumstances, other leadership models, such as a separate independent chairman of the board of directors, might be appropriate. Accordingly, our board of directors will periodically review its leadership structure.
Moreover, our board of directors believes that its governance practices provide adequate safeguards against any potential risks that might be associated with having a combined Chairman and CEO. Specifically:
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Two of the Company’s three directors are independent directors;
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All of the members of the Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent directors;
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Our board of directors and its committees intend to regularly conduct scheduled meetings in executive session, out of the presence of Mr. Rashid and other members of management;
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Our board of directors and its committees intend to regularly conduct meetings that specifically include Mr. Rashid; and
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Our board of directors and its committees intend to remain in close contact with, and receive reports on various aspects of the Company’s management and enterprise risk directly from the Company’s senior management and independent auditors.
Lead Independent Director
Our board of directors has appointed a Lead Independent Director to provide an additional measure of balance, ensure our board of directors’ independence, and enhance its ability to fulfill its management oversight responsibilities. Robert J. Cresci currently serves as the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director:
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Presides over all meetings of the directors at which the Chairman is not present, including executive sessions of the independent directors;
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Frequently consults with the Chairman and CEO about strategic policies;
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Provides the Chairman and CEO with input regarding meetings of our board of directors;
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Serves as a liaison between the Chairman and CEO and the independent directors; and
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Otherwise assumes such responsibilities as may be assigned to him by the independent directors.
Having a combined Chairman and CEO, coupled with a majority of independent, experienced directors who evaluate our board of directors and themselves at least annually, including a Lead Independent Director with specified responsibilities on behalf of the independent directors, provides the right leadership structure for the Company and is best for the Company at this time.
Board Role in Risk Oversight
Our board of directors performs its risk oversight function primarily through (i) its standing committees, which report to the entire board of directors and are comprised solely of independent directors, and (ii) active monitoring of our Chief Compliance Officer and our compliance policies and procedures. For example, management of cybersecurity risks is the responsibility of the full board of directors. Oversight of other risks is delegated to the committees.
Oversight of our investment activities extends to oversight of the risk management processes employed by OFS Advisor as part of its day-to-day management of our investment activities. Our board of directors anticipates reviewing risk management processes at both regular and special board meetings throughout the year, consulting with appropriate representatives of OFS Advisor as necessary and periodically requesting the production of risk management reports or presentations. The goal of our board of director’s risk oversight function is to ensure that the risks associated with our investment activities are accurately identified, thoroughly investigated and responsibly addressed. Investors should note, however, that our board of directors’ oversight function cannot eliminate all risks or ensure that particular events do not adversely affect the value of investments.
We believe that the role of our board of directors in risk oversight is effective and appropriate given the extensive regulation to which we are subject as a BDC. As a BDC, we are required to comply with certain regulatory requirements that control the levels of risk in our business and operations. For example, we are limited in our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates, including investing in any portfolio company in which one of our affiliates currently has an investment.
Portfolio Management
The management of our investment portfolio is the responsibility of OFS Advisor and the Middle-Market Investment Committee (as defined herein). The Middle-Market Investment Committee meets regularly to consider our investments, direct our strategic initiatives and supervise the actions taken by OFS Advisor on its behalf. In addition, the Middle-Market Investment Committee reviews and determines whether to make prospective investments, and monitors the performance of the investment portfolio. Follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies may require the Middle-Market Investment Committee’s approval beyond that obtained when the initial investment in the company was made.
None of OFS Advisor’s investment professionals receive any direct compensation from us in connection with the management of our portfolio. All of the Middle-Market Investment Committee members have ownership and financial interests in, and may receive compensation and/or profit distributions from, OFSAM and/or its subsidiaries.
The Adviser
OFS Capital Management, LLC serves as the Company’s investment adviser. Subject to the overall supervision of our board of directors, OFS Advisor manages the day-to-day operations of, and provides investment advisory and management services to, the Company.
OFS Advisor capitalizes on the deal origination and sourcing, credit underwriting, due diligence, investment structuring, execution, portfolio management and monitoring experience of OFSAM's senior management. These managers have developed a broad network of contacts within the investment community, averaging over 20 years of experience investing in debt and equity securities of middle-market companies. In addition, these managers have gained extensive experience investing in assets that will constitute our primary focus and have expertise in investing across all levels of the capital structure of middle-market companies.
Former Sub-Adviser
Effective March 26, 2019, Evolv resigned as our sub-advisor, thereby terminating Evolv’s services under the Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement.
Investment Committees
The Advisor Investment Committees are responsible for the overall asset allocation decisions and the evaluation and approval of investments of OFS Advisor’s advisory clients.
The purpose of the Middle-Market Investment Committee is to evaluate and approve our prospective investments, subject at all times to the oversight of our board of directors. The Middle-Market Investment Committee, which is comprised of Richard Ressler (Chairman), Jeffrey Cerny, Kyde Sharp and Bilal Rashid, is responsible for the evaluation and approval of all the investments made by us.
The process employed by the Advisor Investment Committees, including the Middle-Market Investment Committee, is intended to bring the diverse experience and perspectives of the committee members to the investment process. The Middle-Market Investment Committee serves to provide investment consistency and adherence to our core investment philosophy and policies. The Middle-Market Investment Committee also determines appropriate investment sizing and implements ongoing monitoring requirements of our investments.
In certain instances, management may seek the approval of our board of directors prior to the making of an investment. In addition to reviewing investments, the meetings of the Middle-Market Investment Committee serve as a forum to discuss credit views and outlooks. Potential transactions and deal flow are reviewed on a regular basis. Members of the investment team are encouraged to share information and views on credits with members of the Middle-Market Investment
Committee early in their analysis. We believe this process improves the quality of the analysis and assists the deal team members in working efficiently.
None of OFS Advisor’s investment professionals receive any direct compensation from us in connection with the management of our portfolio. All of the Middle-Market Investment Committee members have ownership and financial interests in, and may receive compensation and/or profit distributions from, OFSAM and/or its subsidiaries.
Information regarding the Middle-Market Investment Committee is as follows:
Biographical information regarding members of the Investment Committee who are not directors or executive officers of the Company is as follows:
Richard S. Ressler is the founder and President of Orchard Capital Corp. ("Orchard Capital"), a firm through which Mr. Ressler oversees companies in which Orchard Capital or its affiliates invest. Through his affiliation with Orchard Capital, Mr. Ressler serves in various senior capacities with, among others, CIM Group, LLC (together with its controlled affiliates, "CIM"), a vertically-integrated owner, operator and developer of real assets, as well as a lender of debt secured by real assets, OFSAM, a full-service provider of capital and leveraged finance solutions to U.S. corporations, and OCV Management, LLC ("OCV"), an investor, owner and operator of technology companies. Mr. Ressler also serves as a board member for various public and private companies in which Orchard Capital or its affiliates invest, including as chairman of j2 Global, Inc. (NASDAQ "JCOM"), director of Presbia PLC (NASDAQ "LENS"), and chairman of CIM Commercial Trust Corporation (NASDAQ "CMCT"). Mr. Ressler served as Chairman and CEO of JCOM from 1997 to 2000 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, currently serves as its non-executive Chairman. Mr. Ressler has served as a director of LENS since January 2015 and as chairman of CMCT since March 2014. Since February 2018, Mr. Ressler has also served as chief executive officer, president and a director of CIM Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc., CIM Income NAV, Inc. and Cole Office & Industrial REIT (CCIT III), Inc., three publicly held non-listed REITs managed by affiliates of CIM, and as chairman of the board for each of these entities since August 2018. Mr. Ressler has also served as a director of Cole Credit Property Trust V, Inc. and Cole Office & Industrial REIT (CCIT II), Inc., two other public non-traded REITs managed by affiliates of CIM, since January 2019. Mr. Ressler co-founded CIM in 1994 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive, investment, credit, allocation and asset management committees. CIM Capital, LLC, its relying advisers, and CIM Capital IC Management, affiliates of CIM, are registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as registered investment advisers. Mr. Ressler co-founded the predecessor of OFSAM in 2001 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive committee. OFS Capital Management, LLC and OFS CLO Management, LLC, affiliates of OFSAM, are registered with the SEC as registered investment advisers. Mr. Ressler co-founded OCV in 2016 and, through an agreement with Orchard Capital, chairs its executive committee. OCV relies on an exemption from registration with the SEC.
Kyde Sharp is a Managing Director of OFSC and OFS Advisor and is responsible for sourcing and evaluating investment opportunities for the middle market lending business as well as portfolio management. Prior to joining OFSC in 2017, Mr. Sharp was a Managing Director of Fifth Street Asset Management (NASDAQ: FSAM), a credit-focused asset manager located in Greenwich, CT. Earlier in his career he was an Associate with The Ben Barnes Group (formerly Entrecorp) where he priced, structured and negotiated equity-based consulting engagements. Mr. Sharp holds a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Hamilton College.
Item 11.
Item 11.
Executive Compensation
Compensation of Executive Officers
None of our officers receive direct compensation from us. Our officers, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, chief accounting officer, and corporate secretary are paid by OFSC, subject to reimbursement by us, pursuant to the Administration Agreement, for an allocable portion of such compensation for services rendered by such persons to us. To the extent that OFS Services outsources any of its functions under the Administration Agreement, we pay the fees associated with such functions on a direct basis without profit to OFS Services. See “Item 1. Business-Administration Agreement.”
Compensation of Directors
Our independent directors are entitled to receive annual cash retainer fees, determined based on our net assets as of the end of each fiscal quarter. In addition, our independent directors receive an additional annual fee for serving on one or more committees of our board of directors. Amounts payable under this arrangement are determined and paid quarterly in arrears as follows:
Compensation paid to our independent directors for the year ended December 31, 2019 are as follows:
(1) No compensation is paid to directors who are "interested persons."
(2) The "Fund Complex" includes the Company, OFS Capital and OCCI.
Item 12.
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholders Matters
The following table sets forth, as of March 19, 2020, the beneficial ownership of the nominee for director, the Company’s executive officers, each person known to us to beneficially own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock, and the executive officers and directors as a group. Percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 2,250,746 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 19, 2020.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities. Ownership information for those persons who beneficially own 5% or more of our shares of common stock is based upon information furnished by the Company’s transfer agent and other information obtained from such persons, if available.
Unless otherwise indicated, the Company believes that each beneficial owner set forth in the table has sole voting and investment power and has the same address as the Company. The Company’s directors are divided into two groups - interested directors and independent directors. Interested directors are “interested persons” of the Company as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of all executive officers and directors is c/o Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc., 10 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60606; and the address for the other investors is their registered investment advisor or broker-dealer.
Item 13.
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters and Certain Control Persons
Investment Advisory Agreement; Administration Agreement
We entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor on July 15, 2016, pursuant to which we pay management fees and incentive fees to OFS Advisor. See “Item 1. Business-Investment Advisory Agreement,” and “Item 1. Business-Administration Agreement.” The Investment Advisory Agreement was approved by our Board on July 15, 2016, and became effective on August 30, 2016, when we satisfied the Minimum Offering Requirement. The Administration Agreement was approved by our board of directors on March 31, 2016, and became effective of July 15. 2016. The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were each continued by our Board on April 4, 2019. Unless earlier terminated, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement will remain in effect from year-to-year if approved annually by a majority of our board of directors, including a majority of independent directors, or by the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities.
Relationship with OFS Advisor and Potential Conflicts of Interest
OFS Advisor and its affiliates manage other assets including those of other BDCs and registered investment companies, separately managed accounts, accounts for which OFS Advisor or its affiliates may serve as a subadviser and CLOs, and may manage other entities in the future, and these other funds and entities may have similar or overlapping investment strategies. Our executive officers, directors and members of the Middle-Market Investment Committee serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, or of investment funds or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor or its affiliates. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in our or our stockholders’ best interests or may require them to devote time to services for other entities, which could interfere with the time available to provide services to us. For example, OFS
Advisor, currently serves as the investment adviser to OFS Capital, a publicly-traded BDC, that invests in senior secured loans of middle-market companies in the United States, similar to those we target for investment, including first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans as well as subordinated loans and, to a lesser extent, warrants and other equity securities. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser to OCCI, a closed-end management investment company that primarily invests in CLO debt and subordinated securities. Therefore, many investment opportunities will satisfy the investment criteria for both OFS Capital and us and, in certain instances, investment opportunities may be appropriate for OCCI and us. OFS Capital operates as a distinct and separate public company and any investment in our common stock will not be an investment in OFS Capital. In addition, our executive officers and both of our independent directors serve in substantially similar capacities for OFS Capital and OCCI. Similarly, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates may have other clients with, similar, different or competing investment objectives. In serving in these multiple capacities, our executive officers and directors, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates, and members of the Middle-Market Investment Committee may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. As a result, we may not be given the opportunity to participate in certain investments made by investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles managed by OFSAM and its other affiliates or by members of the Middle-Market Investment Committee. However, in order to fulfill its fiduciary duties to its clients, OFS Advisor intends to allocate investment opportunities in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and is consistent with its allocation policy, investment objective and strategies so that we are not disadvantaged in relation to any other client. Furthermore, an affiliate of OFS Advisor owns $1 million of shares of our common stock. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors-We have potential conflicts of interest related to obligations that OFS Advisor or its affiliates may have to other clients.”
OFS Advisor, OFSAM and their other affiliates have both subjective and objective procedures and policies in place designed to manage the potential conflicts of interest between OFS Advisor’s fiduciary obligations to us and its similar fiduciary obligations to other clients. For example, such policies and procedures are designed to ensure that investment opportunities are allocated in a fair and equitable manner among us OFS Advisor’s other clients. An investment opportunity that is suitable for multiple clients of OFS Advisor and its affiliates may not be capable of being shared among some or all of such clients and affiliates due to the limited scale of the opportunity or other factors, including regulatory restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act.
Conflicts may arise when we make an investment in conjunction with an investment being made by Affiliated Accounts, or in a transaction where another Affiliated Account has already made an investment. Investment opportunities are, from time to time, appropriate for more than one Affiliated Account in the same, different or overlapping securities of a portfolio company’s capital structure. Conflicts arise in determining the terms of investments, particularly where these Affiliated Accounts may invest in different types of securities in a single portfolio company. Questions arise as to whether payment obligations and covenants should be enforced, modified or waived, or whether debt should be restructured, modified or refinanced.
We may invest in debt and other securities of companies in which other Affiliated Accounts hold those same securities or different securities, including equity securities. In the event that such investments are made by us, our interests will at times conflict with the interests of such other Affiliated Accounts, particularly in circumstances where the underlying company is facing financial distress. Decisions about what action should be taken, particularly in troubled situations, raises conflicts of interest, including, among other things, whether or not to enforce claims, whether or not to advocate or initiate a restructuring or liquidation inside or outside of bankruptcy, and the terms of any work-out or restructuring. The involvement of multiple Affiliated Accounts at both the equity and debt levels could inhibit strategic information exchanges among fellow creditors, including among us and other Affiliated Accounts. In certain circumstances, we or other Affiliated Accounts may be prohibited from exercising voting or other rights and may be subject to claims by other creditors with respect to the subordination of their interest.
For example, in the event that one Affiliated Account has a controlling or significantly influential position in a portfolio company, that Affiliated Account may have the ability to elect some or all of the board of directors of such a portfolio company, thereby controlling the policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of securities, payment of dividends, incurrence of debt and entering into extraordinary transactions. In addition, a controlling Affiliated Account is likely to have the ability to determine, or influence, the outcome of operational matters and to cause, or prevent, a change in control of such a portfolio company. Such management and operational decisions may, at times, be in direct conflict with us or other Affiliated Accounts that have invested in the same portfolio company that do not have the same level of control or influence over the portfolio company.
If additional capital is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, or to finance growth or other opportunities, we or other Affiliated Accounts may or may not provide such additional capital, and if provided each Affiliated Account will supply such additional capital in such amounts, if any, as determined by OFS Advisor and/or OFS Advisor’s affiliates. Investments by more than one Affiliated Account in a portfolio company also raises the risk of using assets of an Affiliated Account of OFS Advisor to support positions taken by other Affiliated Accounts, or that a client may remain passive
in a situation in which it is entitled to vote. In addition, there may be differences in timing of entry into, or exit from, a portfolio company for reasons such as differences in strategy, existing portfolio or liquidity needs, different Affiliated Account mandates or fund differences, or different securities being held. These variations in timing may be detrimental to us.
The application of our investment mandate as compared to investment mandates of other Affiliated Accounts and the policies and procedures of OFS Advisor and OFS Advisor's affiliates are expected to vary based on the particular facts and circumstances surrounding each investment by two or more Affiliated Accounts, in particular when those Affiliated Accounts are in different classes of an issuer’s capital structure (as well as across multiple issuers or borrowers within the same overall capital structure) and, as such, there may be a degree of variation and potential inconsistencies, in the manner in which potential or actual conflicts are addressed.
There can be no assurance that OFS Advisor’s or its affiliates’ efforts to allocate any particular investment opportunity fairly and equitably among all clients for whom such opportunity is appropriate will result in an allocation of all or part of such opportunity to us. Not all conflicts of interest can be expected to be resolved in our favor.
Under OFS Advisor’s allocation policy, if OFS Advisor is actively seeking investments for two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities under law or in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor considers the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
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investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, under law or set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
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status of tax restrictions and tests and other regulatory restrictions and tests;
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risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
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suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
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if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
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the level of investments and available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
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total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
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the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
When not relying on the Order, priority as to opportunities will generally be given to clients that are in their “ramp-up” period over the accounts that are outside their ramp-up period but still within their investment or re-investment periods. However, application of one or more of the factors listed above, or other factors determined to be relevant or appropriate, may result in the allocation of an investment opportunity to a fund no longer in its ramp-up period over a fund that is still within its ramp-up period.
In situations where co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, such as when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made.
We may co-invest on a concurrent basis with OFS Advisor and its affiliates, unless doing so is impermissible under existing regulatory guidance, applicable regulations and OFS Advisor’s allocation policy. On October 12, 2016, we received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain other funds managed by OFS Advisor (“Affiliated Funds”) in a manner consistent with our investment objective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors, subject to compliance with certain conditions (the “Order”). Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with Affiliated Funds if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transactions, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching by us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies. As a result of exemptive relief, there could be significant overlap in the Company’s investment portfolio and the investment portfolios of OFS Capital and/or other portfolio funds established by the Adviser that could avail themselves of the exemptive relief. We have applied for the New Order, which if granted, would supercede the Order and permit us greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions. There can be no assurance that we will obtain such new exemptive relief from the SEC.
We will not make any loans or other financing to OFS Advisor. OFS Advisor is prohibited from commingling our funds with the funds of any other entity or person for which it provides investment advisory or other services. We are permitted to invest in general partnerships and joint ventures with affiliates of OFS Advisor and non-affiliates provided certain conditions are met.
Our senior management, members of the Middle-Market Investment Committee and other investment professionals from OFS Advisor, OFSAM or its affiliates may serve as directors of, or in a similar capacity with, companies in which we invest or in which we are considering making an investment. Through these and other relationships with a company, these individuals may obtain material non-public information that might restrict our ability to buy or sell the securities of such company under the policies of the company or applicable law.
We entered into the Expense Support Agreement, pursuant to which OFS Advisor will pay to us a portion of our operating Expenses for each quarter in which we declare a distribution to our stockholders. OFS Advisor will not be entitled to reimbursement if our distribution rate is lower than the distribution rate made at the time the expenses were reimbursed or if the other operating expense ratio at the time of reimbursement exceeds the expense ratio that was in effect at the time the expenses were reimbursed. For this purpose, “other operating expenses” means all of our operating expenses, excluding organizational and offering expenses, base management fees and incentive fees, distribution and stockholder servicing fees, financing fees and interest, and brokerage commissions and extraordinary expenses. In addition, all reimbursement payments shall be deemed to relate to the earliest unreimbursed expense payments made by the Adviser to the us within three years prior to the last business day of the quarter in which such reimbursement payment obligation is incurred. The Expense Support Agreement may be terminated by OFS Advisor, without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to us. In addition, the Expense Support Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of (i) our termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, or (ii) our dissolution or liquidation. The expense reimbursement may not be made for the purpose or effect of increasing the amount of the incentive fee to be paid by the Company to OFS Advisor.
Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons
The Audit Committee of our Board is required to review and approve any transactions with related persons (as such term is defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K).
Director Independence
For information regarding the independence of our directors, see “Item 10. Directors Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.”
Certain Business Relationships
Our directors and officers are directors or officers of OFS Advisor, OFS Services, OFS Capital and OCCI, as applicable.
Indebtedness of Management
None.
Promoters and Certain Control Persons
OFS Advisor may be deemed a promoter of the Company. We have entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor. OFS Advisor, for its services to us, is entitled to receive management fees and incentive fees in addition to the reimbursement of certain expenses. In addition, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, we expect, to the extent permitted by applicable law and in the discretion of our board of directors, to indemnify OFS Advisor and certain of its affiliates. See “Item 1. Business-General.”
Item 14.
Item 14.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The following table presents fees incurred by the Company for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 for professional services rendered by the Company’s principal accounting firm, KPMG LLP ("KPMG") in 2019, and our former principal accounting firm BDO USA, LLP in 2018, respectively.
(1)
Includes estimated billings for fiscal year 2019.
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed, including out-of-pocket expenses, for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end consolidated financial statements, 10-Q reviews, and services that are normally provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings.
Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related services consist of fees billed, including out-of-pocket expenses, for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards.
Tax Fees. Tax fees consist of fees billed, including out-of-pocket expenses, for professional services for tax compliance. These services include assistance regarding federal, state, and local tax compliance.
All Other Fees. All other fees would include fees for products and services other than the services reported above.
The Company’s Audit Committee reviews, negotiates and approves in advance the scope of work, any related engagement letter and the fees to be charged by the independent auditors for audit services and permitted non-audit services for the Company and for permitted non-audit services for the Company’s investment adviser and any affiliates thereof that provide services to the Company if such non-audit services have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the Company. All of the audit and non-audit services described above for which KPMG billed or has yet to bill the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
PART IV
Item 15.
Item 15.
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Documents Filed as Part of this Report
1.
Financial Statements: See "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this report for a list of financial statements.
2.
Exhibits required to be filed by Item 601 of Regulation S-K: See Item 15b. below.
Exhibits
The following table lists exhibits filed as part of this report, according to the number assigned to them in Item 601 of Regulation S-K. All exhibits listed in the following table are incorporated by reference except for those exhibits denoted in the last column. Please note that the agreements included as exhibits to this Form 10-K are included to provide information regarding their terms and are not intended to provide any other factual or disclosure information about us or the other parties to the agreements. The agreements contain representations and warranties by each of the parties to the applicable agreement that have been made solely for the benefit of the other parties to the applicable agreement and may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time.
*
Filed herewith.
+
Included in statement of operations contained in this report
†
Furnished herewith.
Item 16.
Form 10-K Summary
None.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
HANCOCK PARK CORPORATE INCOME, INC.
Date: March 25, 2020
/s/ Bilal Rashid
Bilal Rashid
Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacity and on the dates indicated.