Filed Pursuant to Rule 497
File No. 333-174756
We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Our investment objective is to provide our stockholders with current income and capital appreciation through debt and minority equity investments in middle-market companies.
GC Advisors LLC serves as our investment adviser. GC Service Company, LLC serves as our administrator. GC Advisors LLC and GC Service Company, LLC are affiliated with Golub Capital, a leading lender to middle-market companies that had over $5.0 billion of capital under management as of September 30, 2011.
All of the 3,500,000 shares of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement are being sold by us. Our common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol GBDC. Golub Capital Employee Grant Program Rabbi Trust, a trust organized for the purpose of awarding equity incentive compensation to employees of Golub Capital, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of $3.1 million of shares in this offering at the public offering price per share. In addition, Mr. William M. Webster IV, one of our directors, has agreed to purchase 15,000 shares in this offering at the public offering price per share, and Mr. John T. Baily, one of our directors, has agreed to purchase $75,000 of shares in this offering at the public offering price per share. The last reported closing price for our common stock on January 30, 2012 was $15.62 per share. The net asset value of our common stock on September 30, 2011 (the last date prior to the date of this prospectus supplement on which we determined net asset value) was $14.56 per share. Net asset value as of December 31, 2011 is estimated to be between $14.50 and $14.55 per share. The offering price per share of our common stock less any underwriting commissions or discounts will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make this offering.
Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. If our shares trade at a discount to our net asset value, it will likely increase the risk of loss for purchasers in this offering. Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any securities, you should read the discussion of the material risks of investing in our common stock, including the risk of leverage, in Risk Factors beginning on page 14 of the accompanying prospectus.
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information you should know before investing in our common stock. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information about us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. This information is available free of charge by contacting us at 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Attention: Investor Relations, or by calling us collect at (312) 205-5050. The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains such information.
None of the SEC, any state securities commission or any regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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Per Share | Total | |||||||
Public offering price | $ | 15.35 | $ | 53,725,000 | ||||
Sales load (underwriting discounts and commissions) | $ | 0.43 | $ | 1,505,000 | ||||
Proceeds to us (before expenses) | $ | 14.92 | $ | 52,220,000 |
In addition, the underwriters may purchase up to an additional 525,000 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the sales load payable by us, to cover overallotments, if any, within 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement. If the underwriters exercise this option in full, the total sales load paid by us will be $1,730,750, and total proceeds, before expenses, will be $60,053,000.
The underwriters are offering the common stock as set forth in Underwriting. Delivery of the common stock will be made on or about February 3, 2012.
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Wells Fargo Securities | UBS Investment Bank |
The date of this prospectus supplement is January 31, 2012
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus supplement. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects may have changed since that date. We will update these documents to reflect material changes only as required by law. We are offering to sell and seeking offers to buy, securities only in jurisdictions where offers are permitted.
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and disclosure. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, the information in this prospectus supplement shall control. You should read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus together with the additional information described under the heading, Available Information before investing in our common stock.
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This summary highlights some of the information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all of the information that you may want to consider. You should read the more detailed information set forth under Risk Factors and the other information included in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus carefully.
| we, us, our and Golub Capital BDC refer to Golub Capital BDC, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including the Securitization Issuer and Holdings, and, for the periods prior to consummation of the BDC Conversion (as defined below), Golub Capital BDC LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its consolidated subsidiaries; |
| Holdings refers to Golub Capital BDC 2010-1 Holdings LLC, our direct subsidiary, and Securitization Issuer refers to Golub Capital BDC 2010-1 LLC, our indirect subsidiary; |
| Controlling Class refers to the most senior class of notes of the Securitization Issuer then outstanding; |
| Debt Securitization refers to the $300 million term debt securitization that we completed on July 16, 2010; |
| GC Advisors refers to GC Advisors LLC, our investment adviser; |
| GC Service refers to GC Service Company, LLC, an affiliate of GC Advisors and our administrator; and |
| Golub Capital refers, collectively, to the activities and operations of Golub Capital Incorporated and Golub Capital LLC (formerly Golub Capital Management LLC), which entities employ all of Golub Capitals investment professionals, as well as GC Advisors, GC Service, associated investment funds and their respective affiliates. |
On April 13, 2010, we converted from a limited liability company into a corporation. In this conversion, Golub Capital BDC, Inc. succeeded to the business of Golub Capital BDC LLC and its consolidated subsidiary, and the members of Golub Capital BDC LLC became stockholders of Golub Capital BDC, Inc. In this prospectus, we refer to such transactions as the BDC Conversion. Prior to the BDC Conversion, Golub Capital BDC LLC held all of the outstanding limited liability company interests in our predecessor, Golub Capital Master Funding LLC, or GCMF.
We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the 1940 Act. In addition, for tax purposes, we have elected to be treated as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. We were formed in November 2009 to continue and expand the business of our predecessor, GCMF, which commenced operations in July 2007, to make investments in senior secured, unitranche (a loan that combines characteristics of traditional first lien senior secured loans and second lien or subordinated loans), mezzanine (a loan that ranks senior only to a borrowers equity securities and ranks junior to all of such borrowers other indebtedness in priority of payment), second lien loans and equity securities of middle-market companies that are, in most cases, sponsored by private equity firms. In this prospectus, the term middle-market generally refers to companies having earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of between $5 million and $50 million annually.
Our investment objective is to maximize the total return to our stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation through debt and minority equity investments. We intend to achieve our investment objective by (1) accessing the established loan origination channels developed by Golub Capital, a leading lender to middle-market companies with over $5.0 billion of capital under management as of September 30, 2011, (2) selecting investments within our core middle-market company focus, (3) partnering with experienced private equity firms, or sponsors, in many cases with whom we have invested alongside in
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the past, (4) implementing the disciplined underwriting standards of Golub Capital and (5) drawing upon the aggregate experience and resources of Golub Capital.
As of September 30, 2011, our portfolio at fair value was comprised of 44.3% senior secured loans, 38.7% unitranche loans, 4.8% second lien loans, 10.2% mezzanine loans and 2.0% equity. Over time we expect that senior secured loans will represent a smaller percentage of our investment portfolio as we grow our business, these investments are repaid and we invest in a different mix of assets.
We seek to create a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans and warrants and minority equity securities by primarily investing approximately $5 million to $25 million of capital, on average, in the securities of U.S. middle-market companies. We may also selectively invest more than $25 million in some of our portfolio companies and generally expect that the size of our individual investments will vary proportionately with the size of our capital base.
In the current environment, we continue to focus on unitranche investments given the greater principal protection from the first lien nature of these loans. However, we have recently seen some compelling risk/reward opportunities in mezzanine debt.
Our investment activities are managed by our investment adviser, GC Advisors. GC Advisors is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and due diligence on prospective investments and equity sponsors, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring our investments and monitoring our investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. GC Advisors was organized in September 2008 and is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or the Advisers Act. Under our amended and restated investment advisory agreement with GC Advisors, or the Investment Advisory Agreement, we pay GC Advisors a base management fee and an incentive fee for its services. See Management Agreements Management Fee in the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of the base management fee and incentive fee, including the cumulative income incentive fee and the income and capital gains incentive fee, payable by us to GC Advisors. Unlike most closed-end funds whose fees are based on assets net of leverage, our base management fee is based on our average-adjusted gross assets (including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, leverage, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian but adjusted to exclude cash and cash equivalents so that investors do not pay the base management fee on such assets) and, therefore, GC Advisors benefits when we incur debt or use leverage. For purposes of the Investment Advisory Agreement, cash equivalents means U.S. government securities and commercial paper instruments maturing within 270 days of purchase (which is different than the definition under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP, which defines cash equivalents as U.S. government securities and commercial paper instruments maturing within 90 days of purchase). Additionally, under the incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when capital gains are recognized and, because it determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of capital gains. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how GC Advisors addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While not expected to review or approve each borrowing, our independent directors periodically review GC Advisors services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. See Management Agreements Board Approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement in the accompanying prospectus.
GC Advisors is an affiliate of Golub Capital and has entered into a staffing agreement, or the Staffing Agreement, with two Golub Capital affiliates, Golub Capital Incorporated and Golub Capital Management LLC. Under the Staffing Agreement, these companies make experienced investment professionals available to GC Advisors and provide access to the senior investment personnel of Golub Capital and its affiliates. The Staffing Agreement provides GC Advisors with access to investment opportunities, which we refer to in the aggregate as deal flow, generated by Golub Capital and its affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses and commits the members of GC Advisors investment committee to serve in that capacity. As our investment adviser, GC Advisors is obligated to allocate investment opportunities among us and its other clients fairly and
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equitably over time in accordance with its allocation policy. See Related Party Transactions and Certain Relationships in the accompanying prospectus. However, there can be no assurance that such opportunities will be allocated to us fairly or equitably in the short-term or over time. GC Advisors seeks to capitalize on the significant deal origination, credit underwriting, due diligence, investment structuring, execution, portfolio management and monitoring experience of Golub Capitals investment professionals.
An affiliate of GC Advisors, GC Service, provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate. See Management Agreements Administration Agreement in the accompanying prospectus for a discussion of the fees and expenses we are required to reimburse to GC Service.
Golub Capital, founded in 1994, is a leading lender to middle-market companies with a long track record of investing in unitranche and junior capital financings, which is our long-term investment focus. Golub Capital invested more than $2.6 billion in unitranche and mezzanine transactions across a variety of market environments and industries between 2001 and September 30, 2011. From 2005 through 2010, Golub Capital invested in more than 250 middle-market companies and as of September 30, 2011, it held debt investments in more than 160 middle-market companies.
Golub Capitals middle-market lending group is managed by a four-member senior management team consisting of Lawrence E. Golub, David B. Golub, Gregory W. Cashman and Andrew H. Steuerman. As of September 30, 2011, Golub Capitals 52 investment professionals had an average of over 11 years of investment experience and were supported by 75 administrative and back office personnel that focus on operations, finance, legal and compliance, accounting and reporting, marketing, information technology and office management.
We intend to pursue an investment strategy focused on investing in senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans of, and warrants and minority equity securities in, U.S. middle-market companies.
Target Market. We believe that small and middle-market companies in the United States with annual revenues between $10 million and $2.5 billion represent a significant growth segment of the U.S. economy and often require substantial capital investments to grow. Middle-market companies have generated a significant number of investment opportunities for investment funds managed or advised by Golub Capital and we believe that this market segment will continue to produce significant investment opportunities for us.
Specialized Lending Requirements. We believe that several factors render many U.S. financial institutions ill-suited to lend to U.S. middle-market companies. For example, based on the experience of our management team, lending to U.S. middle-market companies (1) is generally more labor intensive than lending to larger companies due to the smaller size of each investment and the fragmented nature of information for such companies, (2) requires due diligence and underwriting practices consistent with the demands and economic limitations of the middle-market and (3) may also require more extensive ongoing monitoring by the lender.
Demand for Debt Capital. We believe there is a large pool of uninvested private equity capital for middle-market companies. We expect private equity firms will seek to leverage their investments by combining equity capital with senior secured loans and mezzanine debt from other sources.
Pricing and Deal Structures. We believe that as a result of current macroeconomic issues such as the downgrade of U.S. debt, a weakened U.S. economy and the European sovereign debt crisis, there has been reduced access to, and availability of, debt capital to middle-market companies, which has resulted in a widening of interest spreads, more conservative deal structures and stronger covenants. We believe these market conditions may continue to create favorable opportunities to invest at attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Deep, Experienced Management Team. We are managed by GC Advisors, which has access through the Staffing Agreement to the resources and expertise of Golub Capitals 127 employees, led by our chairman, Lawrence E. Golub, and our chief executive officer, David B. Golub. As of September 30, 2011, the
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52 investment professionals of Golub Capital had an average of over 11 years of investment experience and were supported by 75 administrative and back office personnel that focus on operations, finance, legal and compliance, accounting and reporting, marketing, information technology and office management. Golub Capital seeks to hire and retain high-quality investment professionals and reward those personnel based on investor returns. In 2009, Buyouts Magazine named Golub Capital Middle-Market Lender of the Year for the second consecutive year and M&A Advisor named Golub Capital the Mezzanine Financing Agent of the Year in 2009. These awards do not constitute an endorsement by any such publication or organization of the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement.
Leading U.S. Debt Platform Provides Access to Proprietary Relationship-Based Deal Flow. GC Advisors gives us access to the deal flow of Golub Capital, one of the leading middle-market lenders in the United States. Reuters Loan Pricing Corporation ranked Golub Capital as the leading senior lender for middle-market leveraged buyouts (total debt financing of under $100 million) for 2009, based both on deal volume and number of deals. Since its inception, Golub Capital has closed deals with over 170 middle-market sponsors and repeat transactions with over 80 sponsors. We believe that Golub Capital receives relationship-based early looks and last looks at many investment opportunities in the U.S. middle-market market, allowing it to be highly selective in the transactions it pursues.
Disciplined Investment and Underwriting Process. GC Advisors utilizes the established investment process of Golub Capital for reviewing lending opportunities, structuring transactions and monitoring investments. Using its disciplined approach to lending, GC Advisors seeks to minimize credit losses through effective underwriting, comprehensive due diligence investigations, structuring and the implementation of restrictive debt covenants.
Regimented Credit Monitoring. Following each investment, GC Advisors implements a regimented credit monitoring system. This careful approach, which involves ongoing review and analysis by teams of professionals, has enabled us to identify problems early and to assist borrowers before they face difficult liquidity constraints.
Concentrated Middle-Market Focus. Because of our focus on the middle-market, we understand the following general characteristics of middle-market lending:
| middle-market companies are generally less leveraged than large companies and, we believe, offer more attractive investment returns in the form of upfront fees, prepayment penalties and higher interest rates; |
| middle-market issuers are more likely to have simple capital structures; |
| carefully structured covenant packages enable middle-market lenders to take early action to remediate poor financial performance; and |
| middle-market lenders can undertake thorough due diligence investigations prior to investment. |
Set forth below are certain preliminary estimates of our financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2011. These estimates are subject to the completion of our financial closing procedures and are not a comprehensive statement of our financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011. We advise you that our actual results may differ materially from these estimates as a result of the completion of our financial closing procedures, final adjustments and other developments arising between now and the time that our financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011 are finalized.
Net investment income is estimated to have totaled between $0.28 and $0.31 per share for the three months ended December 31, 2011.
Net asset value as of December 31, 2011 is estimated to be between $14.50 and $14.55 per share.
We originated $164.1 million in new middle market investment commitments during the three months ended December 31, 2011. Approximately 38% of the new investment commitments were in unitranche loans, 29% were subordinated debt/second lien investments, 30% were senior secured loans and 3% were equity
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securities. Of the new investment commitments, $148.6 million funded at close. During the same period, sales of portfolio investments were $42.9 million. Overall, total investments in portfolio companies at fair value increased by $102.2 million during the three months ended December 31, 2011 after factoring in debt repayments.
For purposes of determining our compliance with the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us as a business development company, we have agreed with the staff, or Staff, of the SEC to treat the outstanding notional amount of the total return swap, or TRS, between GCMF and Citibank, N.A., or Citibank, less the initial amount of any cash collateral required to be posted by us under the TRS, as a senior security for the life of that instrument. Further, for purposes of determining our compliance with the 70% qualifying assets requirement of the 1940 Act, we have agreed to treat the TRS, as a whole, as a non-qualifying asset. We may, however, accord different treatment to the TRS in the future in accordance with any applicable new rules or interpretations adopted by the Staff of the SEC. Due to this treatment, our ability to incur additional debt or issue stock senior to our common stock will be limited because we are required to maintain asset coverage, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, of at least equal to 200% immediately after each such issuance. See Risk Factors We have entered into a total return swap and may enter into other derivative transactions which expose us to certain risks, including risks similar to those associated with the use of leverage, in the accompanying prospectus. As of December 31, 2011, we were in compliance with our asset coverage test.
We intend to announce final results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2011 on February 6, 2012 after the close of the financial markets. We will host an earnings conference call on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 to discuss the quarterly financial results.
The preliminary financial data included herein have been prepared by, and is the responsibility of, management. McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, has not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to these preliminary estimates. Accordingly, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. See Risk Factors There are material limitations with making preliminary estimates of our financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011 prior to the completion of our and our auditors financial review procedures for such period in this prospectus supplement.
Our investment activities are managed by GC Advisors and supervised by our board of directors, a majority of whom are independent of us, GC Advisors and its affiliates.
As a business development company, we are required to comply with certain regulatory requirements. For example, while we are permitted to finance investments using leverage, which may include the issuance of shares of preferred stock, or notes and other borrowings, our ability to use leverage is limited in significant respects. See Regulation in the accompanying prospectus. Any decision on our part to use leverage will depend upon our assessment of the attractiveness of available investment opportunities in relation to the costs and perceived risks of such leverage. Our board of directors determines our leverage policy, including approving in advance the occurrence of material indebtedness and the execution of material contracts, and directs GC Advisors to implement such policies. GC Advisors makes recommendations to our board of directors with respect to such policies. The use of leverage to finance investments creates certain risks and potential conflicts of interest. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure There are significant potential conflicts of interest that could affect our investment returns, Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Our management and incentive fee structure may create incentives for GC Advisors that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders, Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Regulations governing our operation as a business development company affect our ability to, and the way in which we, raise additional capital. As a business development company, the necessity of raising additional capital exposes us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage and Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure We intend to finance our investments with borrowed money, which will magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us in the accompanying prospectus.
Also, as a business development company, we are generally prohibited from acquiring assets other than qualifying assets unless, after giving effect to any acquisition, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying
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assets. Qualifying assets generally include securities of eligible portfolio companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments maturing in one year or less from the time of investment. Under the rules of the 1940 Act, eligible portfolio companies include (1) private domestic operating companies, (2) public domestic operating companies whose securities are not listed on a national securities exchange (e.g., the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex Equities and The NASDAQ Global Market) or registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and (3) public domestic operating companies having a market capitalization of less than $250 million. Public domestic operating companies whose securities are quoted on the over-the-counter bulletin board and through Pink Sheets LLC are not listed on a national securities exchange and therefore are eligible portfolio companies. See Regulation in the accompanying prospectus.
Subject to certain 1940 Act restrictions on co-investments with affiliates, GC Advisors offers us the right to participate in all investment opportunities that it determines are appropriate for us in view of our investment objective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other relevant factors. Such offers are subject to the exception that, in accordance with GC Advisors code of ethics and allocation policies, we might not participate in each individual opportunity but will, on an overall basis, be entitled to participate equitably with other entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates.
To the extent that we compete with entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates for a particular investment opportunity, GC Advisors will allocate investment opportunities across the entities for which such opportunities are appropriate, consistent with (1) its internal conflict of interest and allocation policies, (2) the requirements of the Advisers Act and (3) certain restrictions under the 1940 Act regarding co-investments with affiliates. GC Advisors allocation policies are intended to ensure that, over time, we may generally share equitably in investment opportunities with other investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles, together referred to as accounts, sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, particularly those involving a security with limited supply or involving differing classes of securities of the same issuer which may be suitable for us and such other accounts.
GC Advisors and its affiliates have other clients with similar or competing investment objectives, including several private funds that are pursuing an investment strategy similar to ours, some of which are continuing to seek new capital commitments. In serving these clients, GC Advisors may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities. Our investment objective may overlap with such affiliated accounts. GC Advisors allocation procedures are designed to allocate investment opportunities among the accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and consistent with its obligations under the Advisers Act and its allocation procedures. GC Advisors has put in place a conflict-resolution policy that addresses the co-investment restrictions set forth under the 1940 Act. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Conflicts related to obligations GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or its affiliates have to other clients in the accompanying prospectus.
GC Advisors seeks to ensure the equitable allocation of investment opportunities when we are able to invest alongside other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. When we invest alongside such other accounts, such investments are made consistent with GC Advisors allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, GC Advisors will determine separately the amount of any proposed investment to be made by us and similar eligible accounts. We expect that these determinations will be made similarly for other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. If sufficient securities or loan amounts are available to satisfy our and each such accounts proposed investment, the opportunity will be allocated in accordance with GC Advisors pre-transaction determination. Where there is an insufficient amount of an investment opportunity to fully satisfy us and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, the allocation policy further provides that allocations among us and other accounts will generally be made pro rata based on the amount that each such party would have invested if sufficient securities or loan amounts were available. In situations in which co-investment with other entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates is not permitted or appropriate, such as when, in the absence of exemptive relief described below, we and such other entities would be making different investments in the same issuer, GC
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Advisors will need to decide whether we or such other entity or entities will proceed with the investment. GC Advisors will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures, which generally require that such opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on a basis that will be fair and equitable over time, including, for example, through random or rotational methods. We and GC Advisors have submitted an exemptive application to the SEC to permit greater flexibility to negotiate the terms of co-investments if our board of directors determines that it would be advantageous for us to co-invest with other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates in a manner consistent with our investment objectives, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors. See Related Party Transactions and Certain Relationships in the accompanying prospectus.
Additionally, under our incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when we recognize capital gains and, because GC Advisors determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of such capital gains. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Our management and incentive fee structure may create incentives for GC Advisors that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders in the accompanying prospectus. In addition, because the base management fee that we pay to GC Advisors is based on our average adjusted gross assets, including those assets acquired through the use of leverage, GC Advisors has a financial incentive to incur leverage.
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Our principal executive offices are located at 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60606, and our telephone number is (312) 205-5050. Our corporate website is located at www.golubcapitalbdc.com. Information on our website is not incorporated into or a part of this prospectus supplement.
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Common Stock Offered by Us |
3,500,000, excluding 525,000 shares issuable pursuant to the overallotment option granted to the underwriters. |
Common Stock to be Outstanding after this Offering |
25,258,955, excluding shares issuable pursuant to the overallotment option granted to the underwriters. |
Use of Proceeds |
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities to invest in portfolio companies in accordance with our investment objective and strategies and for general corporate purposes. We expect that our new investments will consist primarily of senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans. We will also pay operating expenses, including management and administrative fees, and may pay other expenses such as due diligence expenses of potential new investments, from the net proceeds of any offering of our securities. See Use of Proceeds in this prospectus supplement for more information. |
NASDAQ Global Select Market Symbol |
GBDC |
Trading at a Discount |
Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. We are not generally able to issue and sell our common stock at a price below our net asset value per share unless we have stockholder approval. The risk that our shares may trade at a discount to our net asset value is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share may decline. We cannot predict whether our shares will trade above, at or below net asset value. See Risk Factors in the accompanying prospectus. |
Dividend Reinvestment Plan |
We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan for our stockholders, which is an opt out dividend reinvestment plan. Under this plan, if we declare a distribution, cash distributions to our stockholders are automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock unless a stockholder specifically opts out of our dividend reinvestment plan. If a stockholder opts out, that stockholder receives cash dividends or other distributions. Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of shares of common stock generally are subject to the same U.S. federal, state and local tax consequences as stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash but do not receive any corresponding cash distributions with which to pay any applicable taxes. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the accompanying prospectus. |
Custodian and Transfer Agent |
U.S. Bank National Association serves as our custodian, and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC serves as our transfer and dividend paying agent and registrar. See Custodian, Transfer and Dividend Paying Agent and Registrar in the accompanying prospectus. |
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The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that an investor in shares of our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. However, we caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Actual costs and expenses incurred by investors in shares of our common stock may be greater than the percentage estimates in the table below. The following table excludes one-time fees payable to third parties not affiliated with GC Advisors that were incurred in connection with the Debt Securitization but includes all of the applicable ongoing fees and expenses of the Debt Securitization. Whenever this prospectus supplement contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by us or Golub Capital BDC, or that we will pay fees or expenses, our common stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses.
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Stockholder transaction expenses: |
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Sales load (as a percentage of offering price) | 2.80 | %(1) | ||
Offering expenses (as a percentage of offering price) | 1.12 | %(2) | ||
Dividend reinvestment plan expenses | 0.00 | %(3) | ||
Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price) | 3.92 | % | ||
Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock): |
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Management fees | 1.57 | %(4) | ||
Incentive fees payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement (20%) | 0.09 | %(5) | ||
Interest payments on borrowed funds | 1.78 | %(6) | ||
Other expenses | 0.99 | %(7) | ||
Total annual expenses | 4.43 | %(8) |
(1) | The underwriting discounts and commissions with respect to the shares sold in this offering, which is a one-time fee, is the only sales load paid in connection with this offering. |
(2) | Amount reflects estimated offering expenses of approximately $600,000 and is based on the 3,500,000 shares offered in this offering at the public offering price of $15.35 per share. |
(3) | The expenses associated with the dividend reinvestment plan are included in Other expenses. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the accompanying prospectus. |
(4) | Our management fee is calculated at an annual rate equal to 1.375% and is based on the average adjusted gross assets (including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, leverage, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian but adjusted to exclude cash and cash equivalents so that investors do not pay the base management fee on such assets), at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters and is payable quarterly in arrears. See Management Agreements Management Fee in the accompanying prospectus. The management fee referenced in the table above is based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011 by GC Advisors in its capacity as investment adviser to us and collateral manager to the Securitization Issuer. The term collection period refers to a quarterly period running from the day after the end of the prior collection period to the fifth business day of the calendar month in which a payment date occurs. |
GC Advisors, as collateral manager for the Securitization Issuer under the collateral management agreement, is entitled to receive an annual fee in an amount equal to 0.35% of the adjusted principal balance of the portfolio loans held by the Securitization Issuer at the beginning of the collection period relating to each payment date, which is payable in arrears on each payment date. This fee, which is less than the management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement, is paid directly by the Securitization Issuer to GC Advisors and offset against such management fee. Accordingly, the 1.375% management fee paid by us to GC Advisors under the Investment Advisory Agreement on all of our assets, including those indirectly held through the Securitization Issuer, is reduced, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, by an amount equal to such 0.35% fee paid to GC Advisors by the Securitization Issuer. This fee may be waived by the collateral manager. The collateral management agreement does not include any incentive fee payable to GC Advisors.
S-9
For purposes of this table, the SEC requires that the Management fees percentage be calculated as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stockholders, rather than total assets, including assets that have been funded with borrowed monies because common stockholders bear all of this cost. If the base management fee portion of the Management fees percentage were calculated instead as a percentage of our total assets, our base management fee portion of the Management fees percentage would be approximately 1.03% of total assets. The base management fee in the table above is based on net assets of $316.5 million and leverage of $237.7 million as of September 30, 2011.
(5) | The incentive fee referenced in the table above is based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011. We have structured the calculation of the incentive fee to include a fee limitation such that no incentive fee will be paid to GC Advisors for any quarter if, after such payment, the cumulative incentive fees paid to GC Advisors since the effective date of our election to become a business development company would be greater than 20.0% of our Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income. |
We accomplish this limitation by subjecting each quarterly incentive fee payable under the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation to a cap (the Incentive Fee Cap). The Incentive Fee Cap in any quarter is equal to the difference between (a) 20.0% of Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income and (b) cumulative incentive fees of any kind paid to GC Advisors by Golub Capital BDC since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to become a business development company. To the extent the Incentive Fee Cap is zero or a negative value in any quarter, no incentive fee would be payable in that quarter. Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income is equal to the sum of (a) Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for each period since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to be regulated as a business development company, and (b) cumulative aggregate realized capital gains, cumulative aggregate realized capital losses, cumulative aggregate unrealized capital depreciation and cumulative aggregate unrealized capital appreciation since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to be regulated as a business development company.
The income and capital gain incentive fee calculation (the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation) has two parts. The income component is calculated quarterly in arrears based on our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For purposes of the computation of the incentive fee, we:
| treat the interest spread between the interest received on the reference assets underlying the TRS and the interest paid to Citibank on the settled notional value of the TRS as part of the income component of the incentive fee; and |
| treat the realized gains and losses on the sale or maturity of reference assets underlying the TRS and futures contracts as part of the capital gains component of the incentive fee. |
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 income component, it is possible that an incentive fee may be calculated under this formula with respect to a period in which we have incurred a loss. For example, if we receive Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income in excess of the hurdle rate (as defined below) for a calendar quarter, the income component will result in a positive value and an incentive fee will be paid unless the payment of such incentive fee would cause us to pay incentive fees on a cumulative basis that exceed 20.0% of our Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income.
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of our 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, is compared to a fixed hurdle rate of 2.0% quarterly. If market interest rates rise, we may be able to invest our funds in debt instruments that provide for a higher return, which would increase our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income and make it easier for GC Advisors to surpass the fixed hurdle rate and receive an incentive fee based on such net investment income. Our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of our total assets (excluding cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets,
S-10
unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian) used to calculate the 1.375% base management fee.
We calculate the income component of the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation with respect to our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income quarterly, in arrears, as follows:
| zero in any calendar quarter in which the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle rate; |
| 100.0% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income with respect to that portion of such Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.5% in any calendar quarter. We refer to this portion of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (which exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.5%) as the catch-up provision. The catch-up is meant to provide GC Advisors with 20.0% of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle rate did not apply if this net investment income exceeds 2.5% in any calendar quarter; and |
| 20.0% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.5% in any calendar quarter. |
The sum of these calculations yields the Income Incentive Fee. This amount is appropriately adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during the quarter.
The second part of the Incentive Fee Calculation (the Capital Gain Incentive Fee) equals (a) 20.0% of our Capital Gain Incentive Fee Base, if any, calculated in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), commencing with the calendar year ending December 31, 2010, less (b) the aggregate amount of any previously paid Capital Gain Incentive Fees. Our Capital Gain Incentive Fee Base equals the sum of (1) our realized capital gains, if any, on a cumulative positive basis from April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to become a business development company, through the end of each calendar year, (2) all realized capital losses on a cumulative basis and (3) all unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis.
| The cumulative aggregate realized capital losses are calculated as the sum of the amounts by which (a) the net sales price of each investment in our portfolio when sold is less than (b) the accreted or amortized cost base of such investment. |
| The cumulative aggregate realized capital gains are calculated as the sum of the differences, if positive, between (a) the net sales price of each investment in our portfolio when sold and (b) the accreted or amortized cost basis of such investment. |
| The aggregate unrealized capital depreciation is calculated as the sum of the differences, if negative, between (a) the valuation of each investment in our portfolio as of the applicable Capital Gain Incentive Fee calculation date and (b) the accreted or amortized cost basis of such investment. |
As described above, the incentive fee will not be paid at any time where after such payment the cumulative incentives fees paid to date would be greater than 20.0% of the Cumulative Pre-Incentive Net Income since April 13, 2010. We will accrue the Capital Gain Incentive Fee if, on a cumulative basis, the sum of net realized gains/(losses) plus net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) is positive. The Capital Gain Incentive Fee is calculated on a cumulative basis from the date we elected to become a business development company through the end of each calendar year. For the year ended September 30, 2011, the Capital Gain Incentive Fee was zero. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of the incentive fee, see Management Agreements Management Fee in the accompanying prospectus.
(6) | Interest payments on borrowed funds represents our annualized interest expense as of September 30, 2011 and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the year ended September 30, 2011, the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of debt issuance costs on the Debt Securitization, was 3.2%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the Debt Securitization. These fees include a $1.74 million one-time structuring and placement fee paid to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as |
S-11
well as legal fees, accounting fees, rating agency fees, and all other costs associated with the Debt Securitization. We do not currently anticipate issuing debt securities or preferred stock in the next 12 months. |
There are no commitment fees or minimum usage fees payable under the TRS. The interest expense payable under the TRS has not been included under the Interest payments on borrowed funds line item because the amounts subject to the TRS are not treated as our debt obligations but instead are reflected on our balance sheet as part of the value of the TRS. If the Interest payments on borrowed funds line item were calculated with inclusion of the $668,181 of interest expense (representing $167,045 of interest expense paid on the TRS for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, the first full quarter in which the TRS was in effect, annualized for a full year), it would have been 1.96%.
(7) | Includes our overhead expenses, including payments under the Administration Agreement based on our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by GC Service and any acquired fund fees and expenses that are not required to be disclosed separately. See Management Agreements Administration Agreement in the accompanying prospectus. Other expenses are based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011. Other expenses also includes the ongoing administrative expenses to the trustee, collateral manager, independent accountants, legal counsel, rating agencies and independent managers in connection with developing and maintaining reports and providing required services in connection with the administration of the Debt Securitization. The administrative expenses are paid by the Securitization Issuer on each payment date in two parts: (1) a component that is paid in a priority to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, subject to a cap equal to the sum of 0.04% per annum on the adjusted principal balance of the portfolio loans and other assets held by the Securitization Issuer on the last day of the collection period relating to such payment date, plus $150,000 per annum, and (2) a component that is paid in a subordinated position relative to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, equal to any amounts that exceed the aforementioned administrative expense cap. |
(8) | All of our expenses, including all expenses of the Debt Securitization, are disclosed in the appropriate line items under Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock). Total annual expenses as a percentage of consolidated net assets attributable to common stock are higher than the total annual expenses percentage would be for a company that is not leveraged. We borrow money to leverage our net assets and increase our total assets. The SEC requires that the Total annual expenses percentage be calculated as a percentage of net assets (defined as total assets less indebtedness and after taking into account any incentive fees payable during the period), rather than the total assets, including assets that have been funded with borrowed monies. The reason for presenting expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stockholders is that our common stockholders bear all of our fees and expenses. |
The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. This example and the expenses in the table above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses (including the cost of debt, if any, and other expenses) may be greater or less than those shown. These amounts assume (1) a 2.80% sales load (underwriting discounts and commissions), (2) offering expenses totaling 1.12% and (2) total net annual expenses of 4.34% of net assets attributable to common shares as set forth in the table above (other than performance-based incentive fees). Transaction expenses are not included in the following example. For purposes of this table, we have assumed leverage of $237.7 million, which was our actual leverage as of September 30, 2011.
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1 year | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | |||||||||||||
You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return | $ | 82 | $ | 168 | $ | 254 | $ | 476 |
S-12
While the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have an immaterial impact on the expense amounts shown above, is not included in the example. Under our Investment Advisory Agreement, no incentive fee would be payable if we have a 5% annual return. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments, including through the realization of capital gains, to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. The example assumes that all dividends and other distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Under certain circumstances, reinvestment of dividends and other distributions under our dividend reinvestment plan may occur at a price per share that differs from net asset value. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the accompanying prospectus for more information.
S-13
The preliminary financial estimates contained in Prospectus Supplement Summary Recent Developments are not a comprehensive statement of our financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011, and have not been audited by our independent registered public accounting firm. Our consolidated financial statements for the three months ended December 31, 2011 will not be available until after this offering is completed and, consequently, will not be available to you prior to investing in this offering. Our actual financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011 may differ materially from the preliminary financial estimates we have provided as a result of the completion of our financial closing procedures, final adjustments and other developments arising between now and the time that our financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2011 are finalized. The preliminary financial data included herein have been prepared by, and are the responsibility of, management. McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, has not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to such preliminary estimates. Accordingly, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto.
S-14
Some of the statements in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus constitute forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or our future performance or financial condition. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:
| our future operating results; |
| our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies; |
| preliminary estimates of our financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2011; |
| the effect of investments that we expect to make; |
| our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties; |
| actual and potential conflicts of interest with GC Advisors and other affiliates of Golub Capital; |
| the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its effect on the industries in which we invest; |
| the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives; |
| the use of borrowed money to finance a portion of our investments; |
| the adequacy of our financing sources and working capital; |
| the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies; |
| the ability of GC Advisors to locate suitable investments for us and to monitor and administer our investments; |
| the ability of GC Advisors or its affiliates to attract and retain highly talented professionals; |
| our ability to qualify and maintain our qualification as a RIC and as a business development company; |
| the impact on our business of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the rules and regulations issued thereunder; and |
| the effect of changes to tax legislation and our tax position. |
Such forward-looking statements may include statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words may, might, will, intend, should, could, can, would, expect, believe, estimate, anticipate, predict, potential, plan or similar words. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those implied or expressed in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth as Risk Factors in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
We have based the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus supplement on information available to us on the date of this prospectus supplement, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance. Although 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 have filed or 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.
You should understand that, under Sections 27A(b)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 do not apply to statements made in connection with any offering of securities pursuant to this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in periodic reports we file under the Exchange Act.
S-15
We estimate that net proceeds we will receive from the sale of 3,500,000 shares of our common stock in this offering will be approximately $51.6 million (or approximately $59.5 million if the underwriters fully exercise their overallotment option), in each case based on a public offering price of $15.35 per share, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us and estimated offering expenses of approximately $600,000 payable by us.
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our common stock to invest in portfolio companies in accordance with our investment objective and strategies and for general corporate purposes. We expect that our new investments will consist primarily of senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans. We will also pay operating expenses, including management and administrative fees, and may pay other expenses such as due diligence expenses of potential new investments, from the net proceeds of any offering of our securities.
We anticipate that we will use substantially all of the net proceeds of an offering for the above purposes within approximately six months after the completion of any offering of our securities, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. We cannot assure you that we will achieve our targeted investment pace.
Until such appropriate investment opportunities can be found, we will invest the net proceeds of any offering of our securities primarily in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment. These temporary investments may have lower yields than our other investments and, accordingly, may result in lower distributions, if any, during such period. See Regulation Temporary Investments in the accompanying prospectus for additional information about temporary investments we may make while waiting to make longer-term investments in pursuit of our investment objective.
S-16
The following table sets forth:
| our actual capitalization as of September 30, 2011; and |
| our pro forma capitalization to give effect to (i) the sale of 3,500,000 shares of common stock in this offering based on the public offering price of $15.35 per share, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us and estimated offering expenses of approximately $600,000 payable by us and (ii) the issuance of 25,052 shares under our dividend reinvestment program on December 30, 2011. |
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As of September 30, 2011 | ||||||||
Actual | Pro Forma | |||||||
(dollars in thousands) | ||||||||
Assets: |
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Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 69,766 | $ | 121,386 | ||||
Investment at fair value | 459,827 | 459,827 | ||||||
Other assets | 30,051 | 30,051 | ||||||
Total assets | 559,644 | 611,264 | ||||||
Liabilities: |
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Debt | 237,683 | 237,683 | ||||||
Other liabilities | 5,412 | 5,412 | ||||||
Total liabilities | 243,095 | 243,095 | ||||||
Net assets: |
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Common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 100,000,000 shares authorized, 21,733,903 shares issued and outstanding 25,258,955 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma | 22 | 26 | ||||||
Paid in capital in excess of par | 318,302 | 369,919 | ||||||
Capital distributions in excess of net investment income | (398 | ) | (398 | ) | ||||
Net unrealized (depreciation) appreciation on investments and derivative instruments | (1,519 | ) | (1,519 | ) | ||||
Net realized gains (losses) on investments and derivative instruments | 142 | 142 | ||||||
Total stockholders equity | 316,549 | 368,169 | ||||||
Net asset value per common share | $ | 14.56 | 14.58 |
S-17
The following selected consolidated financial data of Golub Capital BDC as of September 30, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007, and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and for the fiscal period from July 27, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007, is derived from our consolidated financial statements that have been audited by McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, independent auditors. For the periods prior to September 20, 2009, the financial data refers to the financial condition and results of operation of our predecessor, GCMF. This financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto and with Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations and Cash Flows, each of which is included in the accompanying prospectus.
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Golub Capital BDC(1) | GCMF | |||||||||||||||||||
Period from July 27 (inception) through September 30, 2007 |
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Years Ended | Years Ended | |||||||||||||||||||
September 30, 2011 |
September 30, 2010 |
September 30, 2009 |
September 30, 2008 |
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(in thousands, except per share data) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Statement of Operations Data: |
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Total investment income | $ | 39,150 | $ | 33,150 | $ | 33,338 | $ | 20,686 | $ | 1,868 | ||||||||||
Base management fee | 5,789 | 3,328 | 2,849 | 1,726 | 134 | |||||||||||||||
Incentive fee | 348 | 55 | | | | |||||||||||||||
All other expenses | 10,197 | 6,400 | 5,011 | 8,916 | 1,117 | |||||||||||||||
Net investment income | 22,816 | 23,367 | 25,478 | 10,044 | 617 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized gain/(loss) on investments and derivative instruments | 2,037 | (40 | ) | (3,972 | ) | (4,503 | ) | | ||||||||||||
Net change in unrealized (depreciation)/appreciation on investments and derivative instruments | (3,514 | ) | 2,921 | (1,489 | ) | (8,957 | ) | (558 | ) | |||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 21,339 | 26,248 | 20,017 | (3,416 | ) | 59 | ||||||||||||||
Per share data: |
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Net asset value | $ | 14.56 | $ | 14.71 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 1.16 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Net realized gain on investments and derivative instruments | 0.11 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Net change in unrealized (depreciation)/appreciation on investments and derivative instruments | (0.17 | ) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | 1.09 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Per share distributions declared | 1.27 | 0.55 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||||
Dollar amount of distributions declared | 25,069 | 9,742 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||||
Other data: |
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Weighted average annualized yield on income producing assets at fair value(3) |
8.6 | % | 8.4 | % | 8.1 | % | 9.3 | % | 6.4 | % | ||||||||||
Number of portfolio companies at period end | 103 | 94 | 95 | 60 | 56 |
(1) | Includes the financial information of GCMF for the period prior to our conversion to a Delaware corporation. |
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(2) | Per share data are not provided as we did not have shares of common stock outstanding or an equivalent prior to the initial public offering on April 14, 2010. |
(3) | Weighted average yield on income producing investments is computed by dividing (a) annualized interest income (other than interest income resulting from amortization of fees and discounts) on accruing loans and debt securities by (b) total income producing investments at fair value. |
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Golub Capital BDC | GCMF | |||||||||||||||||||
September 30, 2011 | September 30, 2010 | September 30, 2009 | September 30, 2008 | Period from July 27 (inception) through September 30, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Balance sheet data at period end: |
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Investments, at fair value | $ | 459,827 | $ | 344,869 | $ | 376,294 | $ | 135,476 | $ | 201,147 | ||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 69,766 | 92,990 | 30,614 | 4,252 | 4,237 | |||||||||||||||
Other assets | 30,051 | 4,904 | 2,214 | 1,213 | 2,819 | |||||||||||||||
Total assets | 559,644 | 442,763 | 409,122 | 140,941 | 208,203 | |||||||||||||||
Total debt | 237,683 | 174,000 | 315,306 | 123,083 | 173,540 | |||||||||||||||
Total liabilities | 243,095 | 182,222 | 316,370 | 124,088 | 174,722 | |||||||||||||||
Total net assets | 316,549 | 260,541 | 92,752 | 16,853 | 33,481 |
S-19
We are offering the common stock described in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus through a number of underwriters. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and UBS Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
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Underwriter | Number of Shares | |||
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | 1,750,000 | |||
UBS Securities LLC | 1,750,000 | |||
Total | 3,500,000 |
The underwriters are committed to purchase all of the shares of common stock offered by us if they purchase any common stock. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or this offering may be terminated.
The underwriters have an option to buy up to 525,000 additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters which exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement to exercise this overallotment option. If any shares are purchased with this overallotment option, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.
The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $0.258 per share. After the public offering of the shares, the offering price and other selling terms may be changed by the underwriters. Sales of shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters. The representatives have advised us that the underwriters do not intend to confirm discretionary sales in excess of 5.0% of the shares of common stock offered in this offering.
Golub Capital Employee Grant Program Rabbi Trust, a trust organized for the purpose of awarding equity incentive compensation to employees of Golub Capital, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of $3.1 million of shares in this offering at the public offering price per share. In addition, Mr. William M. Webster IV, one of our directors, has agreed to purchase 15,000 shares in this offering at the public offering price per share, and Mr. John T. Baily, one of our directors, has agreed to purchase $75,000 of shares in this offering at the public offering price per share.
The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $0.43 per share. The following table shows the per share of common stock and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters option to purchase additional shares of common stock.
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Per Share | Total | |||||||||||||||
Without Over-Allotment |
With Over-Allotment |
Without Over-Allotment |
With Over-Allotment | |||||||||||||
Public offering price | $ | 15.35 | $ | 15.35 | $ | 53,725,000 | $ | 61,783,750 | ||||||||
Sales load (underwriting discounts and commissions) |
$ | 0.43 | $ | 0.43 | $ | 1,505,000 | $ | 1,730,750 | ||||||||
Proceeds before expenses | $ | 14.92 | $ | 14.92 | $ | 52,220,000 | $ | 60,053,000 |
We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $600,000, or approximately $0.17 per share excluding the overallotment option and approximately $0.15 per share including the overallotment option. All of these offering expenses will be borne indirectly by investors in this offering and, therefore, immediately reduce the net asset value of each investors shares. The underwriters will reimburse us for certain other expenses related to this offering.
During the period from the date of this prospectus supplement continuing through the date 90 days after the date of this prospectus, we, GC Advisors, GC Service, our officers and directors, Golub Capital Employee Grant Program Rabbi Trust and Golub Capital and certain of its affiliates have agreed with the representatives of the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to:
(1) | offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or |
(2) | enter into any swap or other agreement, arrangement or transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any common stock. |
Moreover, if (1) during the last 17 days of such 90-day restricted period, we issue an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of such 90-day restricted period, we announce that we will release earnings results or become aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of such 90-day restricted period, the restrictions described above shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as the case may be, unless the representatives of the underwriters waive, in writing, such extension.
In connection with this offering, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and UBS Securities LLC may purchase and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve sales by the underwriters of common stock in excess of the number of securities required to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. Covered short sales are sales of securities made in an amount up to the number of securities represented by the underwriters overallotment option. Transactions to close out the covered syndicate short involve either purchases of such securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed or the exercise of the overallotment option. In determining the source of securities to close out the covered syndicate short position, the underwriters may consider the price of securities available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase securities through the overallotment option. The underwriters may also make naked short sales, or sales in excess of the overallotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the securities in the open market after pricing that could adversely
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affect investors who purchase in this offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids for or purchases of securities in the open market while this offering is in progress for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the securities.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from an underwriter or syndicate member when the underwriters repurchase securities originally sold by that underwriter or syndicate member in order to cover syndicate short positions or make stabilizing purchases.
Any of these activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities. As a result, the price of the securities may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or otherwise. Neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our securities. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation that the underwriters will engage in these transactions. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in our securities on The NASDAQ Global Select Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of securities and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market makers bid, that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of our common stock, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus or any other material relating to us or the common stock in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, our common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and none of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with our common stock may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.
Each of the underwriters may arrange to sell our common stock offered hereby in certain jurisdictions outside the United States, either directly or through affiliates, where it is permitted to do so. In that regard, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC may arrange to sell shares of our common stock in certain jurisdictions through an affiliate, Wells Fargo Securities International Limited, or WFSIL. WFSIL is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company and an affiliate of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. WFSIL is a U.K. incorporated investment firm regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Wells Fargo Securities is the trade name for certain corporate and investment banking services of Wells Fargo & Company and its affiliates, including Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and WFSIL.
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make an offer of shares of our common stock to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares of our common stock which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:
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(a) | to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities; |
(b) | to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43 million and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50 million, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts, |
(c) | to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or |
(d) | in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the issuer of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive; |
provided that no such offer of our common stock shall result in a requirement for the publication by us or any underwriter of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer of shares to the public in relation to any shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:
| it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000, or the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the shares of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and |
| it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom. |
In addition, each underwriter: (a) has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of shares of our common stock in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us, and (b) has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to our common stock in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
Without limitation to the other restrictions referred to in this prospectus, this prospectus is directed only at (1) persons outside the United Kingdom; (2) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of investment professionals in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005; or (3) high net worth bodies corporate, unincorporated associations and partnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described in Article 49(2) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005. Without limitation to the other restrictions referred to herein, any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, such persons, and persons within the United Kingdom who receive this communication (other than persons who fall within (2) or (3) above) should not rely or act upon this communication.
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The prospectus (including any amendment, supplement or replacement thereto) has not been prepared in connection with the offering of our securities that has been approved by the Autorité des marchés financiers or by the competent authority of another State that is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité des marchés financiers; no security has been offered or sold and will be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France within the meaning of Article L. 411-1 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier except to permitted investors, or Permitted Investors, consisting of persons licensed to provide the investment service of portfolio management for the account of third parties, qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) acting for their own account and/or corporate investors meeting one of the four criteria provided in article D. 341-1 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier and belonging to a limited circle of investors (cercle restreint dinvestisseurs) acting for their own account, with qualified investors and limited circle of investors having the meaning ascribed to them in Article L. 411-2, D. 411-1, D. 411-2, D. 734-1, D. 744-1, D. 754-1 and D. 764-1 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier; none of this prospectus or any other materials related to the offer or information contained in this prospectus relating to our common stock has been released, issued or distributed to the public in France except to permitted investors; and the direct or indirect resale to the public in France of any securities acquired by any permitted investors may be made only as provided by articles L. 411-1, L. 411-2, L. 412-1 and L. 621-8 to L. 621-8-3 of the French Code Monétaire et Financier and applicable regulations thereunder.
Shares of our common stock may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a prospectus within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of shares of our common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may shares of our common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where shares of our common stock are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares of our common stock under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.
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Our common stock has not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan, or the Securities and Exchange Law, and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any shares of our common stock, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
This document as well as any other material relating to the shares of our common stock which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus do not constitute an issue prospectus pursuant to Article 652a of the Swiss Code of Obligations. Our common stock will not be listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and, therefore, the documents relating to our common stock, including, but not limited to, this document, do not claim to comply with the disclosure standards of the listing rules of SWX Swiss Exchange and corresponding prospectus schemes annexed to the listing rules of the SWX Swiss Exchange.
Our common stock is being offered in Switzerland by way of a private placement, i.e. to a small number of selected investors only, without any public offer and only to investors who do not purchase shares of our common stock with the intention to distribute them to the public. The investors will be individually approached by us from time to time.
This document as well as any other material relating to our common stock is personal and confidential and does not constitute an offer to any other person. This document may only be used by those investors to whom it has been handed out in connection with the offering described herein and may neither directly nor indirectly be distributed or made available to other persons without our express consent. It may not be used in connection with any other offer and shall in particular not be copied and/or distributed to the public in (or from) Switzerland.
This document relates to an exempt offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority. This document is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in those rules. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The Dubai Financial Services Authority has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with exempt offers. The Dubai Financial Services Authority has not approved this document nor taken steps to verify the information set out in it, and has no responsibility for it. The shares of our common stock which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares of our common stock offered should conduct their own due diligence on our common stock. If you do not understand the contents of this document you should consult an authorized financial adviser.
The underwriters may make this prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus available in an electronic format. The prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by any of the underwriters, and the underwriters may distribute such documents electronically. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a limited number of securities for sale to their online brokerage customers. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations.
We estimate that our share of the total expenses of this offering, excluding underwriting discounts, will be approximately $600,000.
We and GC Advisors have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have from time to time performed and may in the future perform various commercial banking, financial advisory and investment banking services for us and our affiliates for which they have received or will receive customary compensation. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and UBS Securities LLC acted as underwriters in our initial public offering, which was completed in April 2010 and our subsequent public offering, which was completed in April 2011, and received customary underwriting discounts and commissions. In addition, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC also served as initial purchaser for the Class A Notes and the Class B Notes sold in the Debt Securitization for which it received a one-time structuring and placement fee of $1.74 million with respect to the Class A Notes and a one-time structuring fee of $50,000 with respect to the Class B Notes. Additionally, on July 21, 2011, Golub Capital BDC Funding LLC, our wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a $75 million senior, secured revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as administrative agent and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as lender, collateral agent, account bank and collateral custodian. In this offering, Golub Capital Employee Grant Program Rabbi Trust, a trust organized for the purpose of awarding equity incentive compensation to employees of Golub Capital, has agreed to purchase an aggregate of $3.1 million of shares at the public offering price per share. An affiliate of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC serves as trustee of Golub Capital Employee Grant Program Rabbi Trust and receives customary fees in connection with its role as trustee. In addition, the underwriters or their affiliates may execute transactions with or on behalf of Golub Capital. In addition, the underwriters or their affiliates may act as arrangers, underwriters or placement agents for companies whose securities are sold to Golub Capital.
The underwriters or their affiliates may also trade in our securities, securities of our portfolio companies or other financial instruments related thereto for their own accounts or for the account of others and may extend loans or financing directly or through derivative transactions to Golub Capital or any of the portfolio companies.
We may purchase securities of third parties from the underwriters or their affiliates after the offering. However, we have not entered into any agreement or arrangement regarding the acquisition of any such securities, and we may not purchase any such securities. We would only purchase any such securities if, among other things, we identified securities that satisfied our investment needs and completed our due diligence review of such securities.
After the date of this prospectus supplement, the underwriters and their affiliates may from time to time obtain information regarding specific portfolio companies or us that may not be available to the general public. Any such information is obtained by the underwriters and their affiliates in the ordinary course of its business and not in connection with the offering of the common stock. In addition, after the offering period for the sale of our common stock, the underwriters or their affiliates may develop analyses or opinions related to Golub Capital or our portfolio companies and buy or sell interests in one or more of our portfolio companies on behalf of their proprietary or client accounts and may engage in competitive activities. There is no obligation on behalf of these parties to disclose their respective analyses, opinions or purchase and sale activities regarding any portfolio company or regarding Golub Capital to our stockholders.
The principal business addresses of the underwriters are: Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 375 Park Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10152; and UBS Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10171.
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Certain legal matters regarding the securities offered by this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Dechert LLP, Washington, D.C. Dechert LLP has from time to time represented GC Advisors and the underwriters on unrelated matters. Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters Clifford Chance US LLP, New York, New York.
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We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Our investment objective is to provide our stockholders with current income and capital appreciation through debt and minority equity investments in middle-market companies.
GC Advisors LLC serves as our investment adviser. GC Service Company, LLC serves as our administrator. GC Advisors LLC and GC Service Company, LLC are affiliated with Golub Capital, a leading lender to middle-market companies that had over $5.0 billion of capital under management as of September 30, 2011.
We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, together or separately, up to $500,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights or debt securities, which we refer to, collectively, as the securities. We may sell our common stock through underwriters or dealers, at-the-market to or through a market maker into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms to be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. In the event we offer common stock, the offering price per share of our common stock exclusive of any underwriting commissions or discounts will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering except (1) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (2) with the consent of the majority of our common stockholders and approval of our board of directors, or (3) under such circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, may permit. See Risk Factors for more information.
Our common stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol GBDC. The last reported closing price for our common stock on January 26, 2012 was $15.71 per share. The net asset value of our common stock on September 30, 2011 (the last date prior to the date of this prospectus on which we determined net asset value) was $14.56 per share.
Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. If our shares trade at a discount to our net asset value, it will likely increase the risk of loss for purchasers in this offering. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any securities, you should read the discussion of the material risks of investing in our securities, including the risk of leverage, in Risk Factors beginning on page 14 of this prospectus.
This prospectus contains important information you should know before investing in our securities. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information about us with the SEC. We maintain a website at http://www.golubcapitalbdc.com and make all of our annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other publicly filed information available, free of charge, on or through our website. You may also obtain such information and make shareholder inquiries by contacting us at 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Attention: Investor Relations, or by calling us collect at (312) 205-5050. The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains such information.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
The date of this prospectus is January 30, 2012.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects may have changed since that date. We will update these documents to reflect material changes only as required by law.
i
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using the shelf registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer from time to time up to $500,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights or debt securities on the terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We may sell our common stock through underwriters or dealers, at-the-market to or through a market maker, into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus, and the prospectus and prospectus supplement will together serve as the prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with any exhibits, before you make an investment decision. Any exhibits will nonetheless be summarized in the prospectus or applicable prospectus supplement.
ii
This summary highlights some of the information in this prospectus. It is not complete and may not contain all of the information that you may want to consider. You should read the more detailed information set forth under Risk Factors and the other information included in this prospectus carefully.
| we, us, our and Golub Capital BDC refer to Golub Capital BDC, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including the Securitization Issuer and Holdings, and, for the periods prior to consummation of the BDC Conversion (as defined below), Golub Capital BDC LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its consolidated subsidiaries; |
| Holdings refers to Golub Capital BDC 2010-1 Holdings LLC, our direct subsidiary, and Securitization Issuer refers to Golub Capital BDC 2010-1 LLC, our indirect subsidiary; |
| Controlling Class refers to the most senior class of notes of the Securitization Issuer then outstanding; |
| Debt Securitization refers to the $300 million term debt securitization that we completed on July 16, 2010; |
| GC Advisors refers to GC Advisors LLC, our investment adviser; |
| GC Service refers to GC Service Company, LLC, an affiliate of GC Advisors and our administrator; and |
| Golub Capital refers, collectively, to the activities and operations of Golub Capital Incorporated and Golub Capital LLC (formerly Golub Capital Management LLC), which entities employ all of Golub Capitals investment professionals, as well as GC Advisors, GC Service, associated investment funds and their respective affiliates. |
On April 13, 2010, we converted from a limited liability company into a corporation. In this conversion, Golub Capital BDC, Inc. succeeded to the business of Golub Capital BDC LLC and its consolidated subsidiary, and the members of Golub Capital BDC LLC became stockholders of Golub Capital BDC, Inc. In this prospectus, we refer to such transactions as the BDC Conversion. Prior to the BDC Conversion, Golub Capital BDC LLC held all of the outstanding limited liability company interests in our predecessor, Golub Capital Master Funding LLC, or GCMF.
We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the 1940 Act. In addition, for tax purposes, we have elected to be treated as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. We were formed in November 2009 to continue and expand the business of our predecessor, GCMF, which commenced operations in July 2007, to make investments in senior secured, unitranche (a loan that combines characteristics of traditional first lien senior secured loans and second lien or subordinated loans), mezzanine (a loan that ranks senior only to a borrowers equity securities and ranks junior to all of such borrowers other indebtedness in priority of payment), second lien loans and equity securities of middle-market companies that are, in most cases, sponsored by private equity firms. In this prospectus, the term middle-market generally refers to companies having earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of between $5 million and $50 million annually.
Our investment objective is to maximize the total return to our stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation through debt and minority equity investments. We intend to achieve our investment objective by (1) accessing the established loan origination channels developed by Golub Capital, a leading lender to middle-market companies with over $5.0 billion of capital under management as of September 30, 2011, (2) selecting investments within our core middle-market company focus, (3) partnering with experienced private equity firms, or sponsors, in many cases with whom we have invested alongside in
1
the past, (4) implementing the disciplined underwriting standards of Golub Capital and (5) drawing upon the aggregate experience and resources of Golub Capital.
As of September 30, 2011, our portfolio at fair value was comprised of 44.3% senior secured loans, 38.7% unitranche loans, 4.8% second lien loans, 10.2% mezzanine loans and 2.0% equity. Over time we expect that senior secured loans will represent a smaller percentage of our investment portfolio as we grow our business, these investments are repaid and we invest in a different mix of assets.
We seek to create a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans and warrants and minority equity securities by primarily investing approximately $5 million to $25 million of capital, on average, in the securities of U.S. middle-market companies. We may also selectively invest more than $25 million in some of our portfolio companies and generally expect that the size of our individual investments will vary proportionately with the size of our capital base.
In the current environment, we continue to focus on unitranche investments given the greater principal protection from the first lien nature of these loans. However, we have recently seen some compelling risk/reward opportunities in mezzanine debt.
Our investment activities are managed by our investment adviser, GC Advisors. GC Advisors is responsible for sourcing potential investments, conducting research and due diligence on prospective investments and equity sponsors, analyzing investment opportunities, structuring our investments and monitoring our investments and portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. GC Advisors was organized in September 2008 and is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or the Advisers Act. Under our amended and restated investment advisory agreement with GC Advisors, or the Investment Advisory Agreement, we pay GC Advisors a base management fee and an incentive fee for its services. See Management Agreements Management Fee for a discussion of the base management fee and incentive fee, including the cumulative income incentive fee and the income and capital gains incentive fee, payable by us to GC Advisors. Unlike most closed-end funds whose fees are based on assets net of leverage, our base management fee is based on our average-adjusted gross assets (including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, leverage, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian but adjusted to exclude cash and cash equivalents so that investors do not pay the base management fee on such assets) and, therefore, GC Advisors benefits when we incur debt or use leverage. For purposes of the Investment Advisory Agreement, cash equivalents means U.S. government securities and commercial paper instruments maturing within 270 days of purchase (which is different than the definition under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP, which defines cash equivalents as U.S. government securities and commercial paper instruments maturing within 90 days of purchase). Additionally, under the incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when capital gains are recognized and, because it determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of capital gains. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how GC Advisors addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While not expected to review or approve each borrowing, our independent directors periodically review GC Advisors services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. See Management Agreements Board Approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement.
GC Advisors is an affiliate of Golub Capital and has entered into a staffing agreement, or the Staffing Agreement, with two Golub Capital affiliates, Golub Capital Incorporated and Golub Capital Management LLC. Under the Staffing Agreement, these companies make experienced investment professionals available to GC Advisors and provide access to the senior investment personnel of Golub Capital and its affiliates. The Staffing Agreement provides GC Advisors with access to investment opportunities, which we refer to in the aggregate as deal flow, generated by Golub Capital and its affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses and commits the members of GC Advisors investment committee to serve in that capacity. As our investment adviser, GC Advisors is obligated to allocate investment opportunities among us and its other clients fairly and equitably over time in accordance with its allocation policy. See Related Party Transactions and Certain
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Relationships. However, there can be no assurance that such opportunities will be allocated to us fairly or equitably in the short-term or over time. GC Advisors seeks to capitalize on the significant deal origination, credit underwriting, due diligence, investment structuring, execution, portfolio management and monitoring experience of Golub Capitals investment professionals.
An affiliate of GC Advisors, GC Service, provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate. See Management Agreements Administration Agreement for a discussion of the fees and expenses we are required to reimburse to GC Service.
Golub Capital, founded in 1994, is a leading lender to middle-market companies, with a long track record of investing in unitranche and junior capital financings, which is our long-term investment focus. Golub Capital invested more than $2.6 billion in unitranche and mezzanine transactions across a variety of market environments and industries between 2001 and September 30, 2011. From 2005 through 2010, Golub Capital invested in more than 250 middle-market companies and, as of September 30, 2011, it held debt investments in more than 160 middle-market companies.
Golub Capitals middle-market lending group is managed by a four-member senior management team consisting of Lawrence E. Golub, David B. Golub, Gregory W. Cashman and Andrew H. Steuerman. As of September 30, 2011, Golub Capitals 52 investment professionals had an average of over 11 years of investment experience and were supported by 75 administrative and back office personnel that focus on operations, finance, legal and compliance, accounting and reporting, marketing, information technology and office management.
We intend to pursue an investment strategy focused on investing in senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans of, and warrants and minority equity securities in, U.S. middle-market companies.
Target Market. We believe that small and middle-market companies in the United States with annual revenues between $10 million and $2.5 billion represent a significant growth segment of the U.S. economy and often require substantial capital investments to grow. Middle-market companies have generated a significant number of investment opportunities for investment funds managed or advised by Golub Capital and we believe that this market segment will continue to produce significant investment opportunities for us.
Specialized Lending Requirements. We believe that several factors render many U.S. financial institutions ill-suited to lend to U.S. middle-market companies. For example, based on the experience of our management team, lending to U.S. middle-market companies (1) is generally more labor intensive than lending to larger companies due to the smaller size of each investment and the fragmented nature of information for such companies, (2) requires due diligence and underwriting practices consistent with the demands and economic limitations of the middle-market and (3) may also require more extensive ongoing monitoring by the lender.
Demand for Debt Capital. We believe there is a large pool of uninvested private equity capital for middle-market companies. We expect private equity firms will seek to leverage their investments by combining equity capital with senior secured loans and mezzanine debt from other sources.
Pricing and Deal Structures. We believe that as a result of current macroeconomic issues such as the downgrade of U.S. debt, a weakened U.S. economy and the European sovereign debt crisis, there has been reduced access to, and availability of, debt capital to middle-market companies, which has resulted in a widening of interest spreads, more conservative deal structures and stronger covenants. We believe these market conditions may continue to create favorable opportunities to invest at attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Deep, Experienced Management Team. We are managed by GC Advisors, which has access through the Staffing Agreement to the resources and expertise of Golub Capitals 127 employees, led by our chairman, Lawrence E. Golub, and our chief executive officer, David B. Golub. As of September 30, 2011, the 52 investment professionals of Golub Capital had an average of over 11 years of investment experience and were
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supported by 75 administrative and back office personnel that focus on operations, finance, legal and compliance, accounting and reporting, marketing, information technology and office management. Golub Capital seeks to hire and retain high-quality investment professionals and reward those personnel based on investor returns. In 2009, Buyouts Magazine named Golub Capital Middle-Market Lender of the Year for the second consecutive year and M&A Advisor named Golub Capital the Mezzanine Financing Agent of the Year in 2009. These awards do not constitute an endorsement by any such publication or organization of the securities being offered by this prospectus.
Leading U.S. Debt Platform Provides Access to Proprietary Relationship-Based Deal Flow. GC Advisors gives us access to the deal flow of Golub Capital, one of the leading middle-market lenders in the United States. Reuters Loan Pricing Corporation ranked Golub Capital as the leading senior lender for middle-market leveraged buyouts (total debt financing of under $100 million) for 2009, based both on deal volume and number of deals. Since its inception, Golub Capital has closed deals with over 170 middle-market sponsors and repeat transactions with over 80 sponsors. We believe that Golub Capital receives relationship-based early looks and last looks at many investment opportunities in the U.S. middle-market market, allowing it to be highly selective in the transactions it pursues.
Disciplined Investment and Underwriting Process. GC Advisors utilizes the established investment process of Golub Capital for reviewing lending opportunities, structuring transactions and monitoring investments. Using its disciplined approach to lending, GC Advisors seeks to minimize credit losses through effective underwriting, comprehensive due diligence investigations, structuring and the implementation of restrictive debt covenants.
Regimented Credit Monitoring. Following each investment, GC Advisors implements a regimented credit monitoring system. This careful approach, which involves ongoing review and analysis by teams of professionals, has enabled us to identify problems early and to assist borrowers before they face difficult liquidity constraints.
Concentrated Middle-Market Focus. Because of our focus on the middle-market, we understand the following general characteristics of middle-market lending:
| middle-market companies are generally less leveraged than large companies and, we believe, offer more attractive investment returns in the form of upfront fees, prepayment penalties and higher interest rates; |
| middle-market issuers are more likely to have simple capital structures; |
| carefully structured covenant packages enable middle-market lenders to take early action to remediate poor financial performance; and |
| middle-market lenders can undertake thorough due diligence investigations prior to investment. |
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The following shows a simplified organizational chart reflecting our relationship with our investment adviser and administrator and our direct and indirect ownership interests in certain of our subsidiaries, including the membership interests of the Securitization Issuer, as of the date of this prospectus:
Revolving Credit Facility. On July 21, 2011, Golub Capital BDC Funding LLC, our wholly owned subsidiary, or Funding, entered into a $75 million senior, secured revolving credit facility, or the Credit Facility, with Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as administrative agent and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as lender.
Under the Credit Facility, which matures on October 21, 2015, the lender has agreed to extend credit to Funding in an aggregate principal amount of $75 million. The Credit Facility is secured by all of the assets held by Funding. Fundings ability to draw under the Credit Facility is scheduled to terminate on October 20, 2012. The period from the closing date until October 20, 2012 is referred to as the reinvestment period. All amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility are required to be repaid by October 21, 2015. Through the reinvestment period, the Credit Facility bears interest at an annual interest rate equal to LIBOR plus 2.25%. After the reinvestment period, the annual interest rate will reset to LIBOR plus 2.75% for the remaining term of the Credit Facility. See Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations and Cash Flows Liquidity and Capital Resources Revolving Credit Facility.
Exemptive Application to Own an Asset Manager. We applied for exemptive relief from the SEC on May 19, 2011 and filed an amended application on November 4, 2011 to permit us to continue to hold up to 100% of the outstanding voting interest of a portfolio company at such time as such portfolio company is required to register as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. We have not yet formed such a subsidiary. In addition, there is no assurance that such relief will be granted or, if granted, the relief would be acceptable to us if the terms under which the SEC grants relief differ from those we proposed.
Follow-On Equity Offering. On April 6, 2011, we completed a public offering in which we sold an aggregate of 3,500,000 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $15.75, resulting in proceeds, net of offering costs but before expenses, to us of approximately $52.6 million. On May 2, 2011, we issued an additional 453,257 shares of our common stock at the public offering price to cover over-allotments resulting in additional proceeds, net of offering costs but before expenses, of approximately $6.8 million.
SBIC License. On August 24, 2010, our wholly owned subsidiary, GC SBIC IV, L.P., received approval for a license from the U.S. Small Business Administration, or the SBA, to operate as a Small Business Investment Company, or an SBIC. As a wholly owned subsidiary, GC SBIC IV, L.P. may rely on an exclusion from the definition of investment company under the 1940 Act. As such, this subsidiary will not elect to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act. GC SBIC IV, L.P. has an investment objective substantially similar to ours and makes similar types of investments in accordance with SBIC regulations.
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Prior to GC SBIC IV, L.P. obtaining approval from the SBA, Golub Capital managed two SBICs licensed by the SBA for more than 14 years. The SBIC license allows GC SBIC IV, L.P. to incur leverage by issuing SBA-guaranteed debentures, subject to the issuance of a capital commitment and certain approvals by the SBA and customary procedures. SBA-guaranteed debentures carry long-term fixed rates that are generally lower than rates on comparable bank and other debt. Under the regulations applicable to SBICs, an SBIC may have outstanding debentures guaranteed by the SBA generally in an amount of up to twice its regulatory capital, which generally equates to the amount of its equity capital. SBIC regulations currently limit the amount that an SBIC subsidiary may borrow to a maximum of $150 million, assuming that it has at least $75 million of equity capital. GC SBIC IV, L.P. will be subject to regulation and oversight by the SBA, including requirements with respect to maintaining certain minimum financial ratios and other covenants.
As of September 30, 2011, we had committed and funded $50.0 million of equity capital to GC SBIC IV, L.P. and had SBA debentures of $61.3 million outstanding, which mature between March 2021 and March 2022. For the year ended September 30, 2011, the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes amortization of fees paid on the debentures, was 3.0%. The interest rate on $20.0 million of outstanding debentures was fixed on March 29, 2011 at an interest rate of 4.5%. The interest rate on $35.3 million was fixed on September 21, 2011 at an interest rate of 3.3%. Prior to this date, we were charged an interim financing rate of approximately 1.0%. We were also charged an interim financing rate of approximately 1.3% on the remaining $6.0 million of outstanding debentures.
As of September 30, 2011, we had available commitments of $38.7 million from the SBA.
Under present SBIC regulations, the maximum amount of SBA-guaranteed debentures that may be issued by multiple licensees under common management is $225 million. It is possible that GC SBIC IV, L.P. will be constrained in its ability to issue SBA-guaranteed debentures in the future if other Golub Capital SBICs have already issued such debentures. As of September 30, 2011, the two other SBIC licensees operated by Golub Capital had an aggregate of $123.8 million of SBA-guaranteed debentures outstanding, leaving aggregate borrowing capacity of a maximum of $39.9 million of SBA-guaranteed debentures for GC SBIC IV, L.P. and the two other SBIC licensees, none of which is required to be allocated to us. The borrowing capacity of GC SBIC IV, L.P. could be expanded if any other Golub Capital SBICs retire their SBA-guaranteed debentures, and the other two SBIC licensees are limited to only making add-on investments in existing portfolio companies, making the majority of the incremental borrowing capacity available to GC SBIC IV, L.P. As of September 30, 2010, GC SBIC IV, L.P. did not have any outstanding SBA-guaranteed debentures. Unless specifically approved by the SBA, the other two licensees were prohibited by the SBA from making new investments when GC SBIC IV, L.P. received its license on August 24, 2010.
On September 13, 2011, we received exemptive relief from the SEC allowing us to modify the asset coverage requirement under the 1940 Act to exclude SBA debentures from this calculation. As such, our ratio of total consolidated assets to outstanding indebtedness may be less than 200%. This provides us with increased investment flexibility, but also increases our risks related to leverage.
Debt Securitization. On July 16, 2010, we completed a $300 million term Debt Securitization in which the Securitization Issuer issued $300 million of notes and, in connection with such issuance, received $300 million of consideration, consisting of $62.1 million of cash as well as senior secured and second lien loans (or participations therein) with an aggregate outstanding loan balance of $237.9 million, which served as the initial collateral for the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. We use the term debt securitization in this prospectus to describe a form of secured borrowing under which an operating company (sometimes referred to as an originator or sponsor) acquires or originates mortgages, receivables, loans or other assets that earn income, whether on a one-time or recurring basis (collectively, income producing assets), and borrows money on a non-recourse basis against a legally separate pool of loans or other income producing assets. In a typical debt securitization, the originator transfers the loans or income producing assets to a single-purpose, bankruptcy-remote subsidiary (also referred to as a special purpose entity), which is established solely for the purpose of holding loans and income producing assets and issuing debt secured by these income producing assets. The formation of a special purpose entity and subsequent issuance of debt is referred to in this prospectus as a structured finance transaction. The special purpose entity completes the borrowing through the issuance of notes secured by the loans or other assets. The special purpose entity may
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issue the notes in the capital markets to a variety of investors, including banks, non-bank financial institutions and other investors. In the Debt Securitization, an institutional investor purchased the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer in a private placement.
The notes offered in the Debt Securitization were issued by the Securitization Issuer, and the Class A Notes and Class B Notes are secured by the assets held by the Securitization Issuer. The Debt Securitization was executed through a private placement of $174 million of Aaa/AAA Class A Notes, or the Class A Notes, which bear interest at the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, plus 2.40%. The $10 million face amount of Class B Notes, or Class B Notes, bear interest at a rate of three-month LIBOR plus 2.40%, and the $116 million face amount of Subordinated Notes, or Subordinated Notes, do not bear interest. All of the notes are scheduled to mature on July 20, 2021. In partial consideration for the loans transferred to the Securitization Issuer as part of the Debt Securitization, Holdings retained all of the Class B Notes and Subordinated Notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, which together totaled $126 million, and it retained all of the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer, which Holdings initially purchased for $250. All of the notes are scheduled to mature on July 20, 2021. We use the term retained in this prospectus to describe the acquisition by Holdings of the Class B Notes, the Subordinated Notes and the membership interests issued by the Securitization Issuer. Specifically, Holdings acquired the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer in connection with the initial capitalization of the Securitization Issuer. Holdings then acquired the Class B Notes and the Subordinated Notes from the Securitization Issuer as part of the Debt Securitization in partial consideration for the portfolio loans transferred from Holdings to the Securitization Issuer in the combination sale and contribution transaction described below. These transactions were all completed in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.
There are risks associated with the Debt Securitization, including:
| We hold the Subordinated Notes, the most junior class of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, which are subordinated in priority of payment to every other class of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer and are subject to certain payment restrictions set forth in the indenture governing the notes; |
| As the holder of the membership interests in the Securitization Issuer, we are the residual claimant on distributions, if any, made by the Securitization Issuer after holders of all other classes of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer have been paid in full on each payment date or upon maturity of such notes; and |
| If an event of default has occurred and acceleration occurs in accordance with the terms of the indenture, the most senior class of notes then outstanding will be paid in full before any further payment or distribution on the notes, including the Subordinated Notes and residual interests we hold. |
For a more detailed discussion of the Debt Securitization, see Risk Factors Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure We are subject to risks associated with the Debt Securitization and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations and Cash Flows Liquidity and Capital Resources Debt Securitization.
Our investment activities are managed by GC Advisors and supervised by our board of directors, a majority of whom are independent of us, GC Advisors and its affiliates.
As a business development company, we are required to comply with certain regulatory requirements. For example, while we are permitted to finance investments using leverage, which may include the issuance of shares of preferred stock, or notes and other borrowings, our ability to use leverage is limited in significant respects. See Regulation. Any decision on our part to use leverage will depend upon our assessment of the attractiveness of available investment opportunities in relation to the costs and perceived risks of such leverage. GC Advisors makes recommendations to our board of directors with respect to leverage policies. Our board of directors determines our leverage policy, including approving in advance the incurrence of material indebtedness and the execution of material contracts, and directs GC Advisors to implement such
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policies. The use of leverage to finance investments creates certain risks and potential conflicts of interest. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure There are significant potential conflicts of interest that could affect our investment returns Our management and incentive fee structure may create incentives for GC Advisors that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders, Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Regulations governing our operation as a business development company affect our ability to, and the way in which we, raise additional capital. As a business development company, the necessity of raising additional capital exposes us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage and Risks Relating to our Business and Structure We intend to finance our investments with borrowed money, which will magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.
Also, as a business development company, we are generally prohibited from acquiring assets other than qualifying assets unless, after giving effect to any acquisition, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying assets. Qualifying assets generally include securities of eligible portfolio companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments maturing in one year or less from the time of investment. Under the rules of the 1940 Act, eligible portfolio companies include (1) private domestic operating companies, (2) public domestic operating companies whose securities are not listed on a national securities exchange (e.g., the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex Equities and The NASDAQ Global Market) or registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and (3) public domestic operating companies having a market capitalization of less than $250 million. Public domestic operating companies whose securities are quoted on the over-the-counter bulletin board and through Pink Sheets LLC are not listed on a national securities exchange and therefore are eligible portfolio companies. See Regulation.
Subject to certain 1940 Act restrictions on co-investments with affiliates, GC Advisors offers us the right to participate in all investment opportunities that it determines are appropriate for us in view of our investment objective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other relevant factors. Such offers are subject to the exception that, in accordance with GC Advisors code of ethics and allocation policies, we might not participate in each individual opportunity but will, on an overall basis, be entitled to participate equitably with other entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates.
To the extent that we compete with entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates for a particular investment opportunity, GC Advisors will allocate investment opportunities across the entities for which such opportunities are appropriate, consistent with (1) its internal conflict of interest and allocation policies, (2) the requirements of the Advisers Act and (3) certain restrictions under the 1940 Act regarding co-investments with affiliates. GC Advisors allocation policies are intended to ensure that, over time, we may generally share equitably in investment opportunities with other investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles, together referred to as accounts, sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, particularly those involving a security with limited supply or involving differing classes of securities of the same issuer which may be suitable for us and such other accounts.
GC Advisors has historically sponsored or managed, and currently sponsors or manages, accounts with similar or overlapping investment strategies and has put in place a conflict-resolution policy that addresses the co-investment restrictions set forth under the 1940 Act. GC Advisors seeks to ensure the equitable allocation of investment opportunities when we are able to invest alongside other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. When we invest alongside such other accounts, such investments are made consistent with GC Advisors allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, GC Advisors will determine separately the amount of any proposed investment to be made by us and similar eligible accounts. We expect that these determinations will be made similarly for other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. If sufficient securities or loan amounts are available to satisfy our and each such accounts proposed investment, the opportunity will be allocated in accordance with GC Advisors pre-transaction determination. Where there is an insufficient amount of an investment opportunity to fully satisfy us and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, the allocation policy further provides that allocations among us and other accounts will generally be made pro rata based on the amount that each such
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party would have invested if sufficient securities or loan amounts were available. In situations in which co-investment with other entities sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates is not permitted or appropriate, such as when, in the absence of exemptive relief described below, we and such other entities would be making different investments in the same issuer, GC Advisors will need to decide whether we or such other entity or entities will proceed with the investment. GC Advisors will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures, which generally require that such opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on a basis that will be fair and equitable over time, including, for example, through random or rotational methods. We and GC Advisors have submitted an exemptive application to the SEC to permit greater flexibility to negotiate the terms of co-investments if our board of directors determines that it would be advantageous for us to co-invest with other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates in a manner consistent with our investment objectives, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors. See Related Party Transactions and Certain Relationships.
GC Advisors and its affiliates have other clients with similar or competing investment objectives, including several private funds that are pursuing an investment strategy similar to ours, some of which are continuing to seek new capital commitments. In serving these clients, GC Advisors may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities. Our investment objective may overlap with such affiliated accounts. GC Advisors allocation procedures are designed to allocate investment opportunities among the accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates in a manner consistent with its obligations under the Advisers Act. If two or more accounts with similar investment strategies are actively investing, GC Advisors 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. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Conflicts related to obligations GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or its affiliates have to other clients. Additionally, under our incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when we recognize capital gains and, because GC Advisors determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of such capital gains. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to our Business and Structure Our incentive fee structure may create incentives for GC Advisors that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders. In addition, because the base management fee that we pay to GC Advisors is based on our average adjusted gross assets, including those assets acquired through the use of leverage, GC Advisors has a financial incentive to incur leverage.
Our principal executive offices are located at 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60606, and our telephone number is (312) 205-5050. Our corporate website is located at www.golubcapitalbdc.com. Information on our website is not incorporated into or a part of this prospectus.
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The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that an investor in shares of our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. However, we caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. The following table excludes one-time fees payable to third parties not affiliated with GC Advisors that were incurred in connection with the Debt Securitization but includes all of the applicable ongoing fees and expenses of the Debt Securitization. Whenever this prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by us or Golub Capital BDC, or that we will pay fees or expenses, our common stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses.
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Stockholder transaction expenses: |
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Sales load (as a percentage of offering price) | | (1) | ||
Offering expenses (as a percentage of offering price) | | (2) | ||
Dividend reinvestment plan expenses | None | (3) | ||
Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price) | | |||
Annual expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock): |
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Management fees | 1.83 | %(4) | ||
Incentive fees payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement (20%) | 0.11 | %(5) | ||
Interest payments on borrowed funds | 2.07 | %(6) | ||
Other expenses | 1.15 | %(7) | ||
Total annual expenses | 5.16 | %(8) |
(1) | In the event that the securities to which this prospectus relates are sold to or through underwriters or agents, a corresponding prospectus supplement will disclose the applicable sales load. |
(2) | The related prospectus supplement will disclose the estimated amount of total offering expenses (which may include offering expenses borne by third parties on our behalf), the offering price and the offering expenses borne by us as a percentage of the offering price. |
(3) | The expenses associated with the dividend reinvestment plan are included in Other expenses. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan. |
(4) | Our management fee is calculated at an annual rate equal to 1.375% and is based on the average adjusted gross assets (including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, leverage, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian but adjusted to exclude cash and cash equivalents so that investors do not pay the base management fee on such assets) at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters and is payable quarterly in arrears. See Management Agreements Management Fee. The management fee referenced in the table above is based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011 by GC Advisors in its capacity as investment adviser to us and collateral manager to the Securitization Issuer. |
GC Advisors, as collateral manager for the Securitization Issuer under the collateral management agreement, is entitled to receive an annual fee in an amount equal to 0.35% of the adjusted principal balance of the portfolio loans held by the Securitization Issuer at the beginning of the collection period relating to each payment date, which is payable in arrears on each payment date. This fee, which is less than the management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement, is paid directly by the Securitization Issuer to GC Advisors and offset against such management fee. Accordingly, the 1.375% management fee paid by us to GC Advisors under the Investment Advisory Agreement on all of our assets, including those indirectly held through the Securitization Issuer, is reduced, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, by an amount equal to such 0.35% fee paid to GC Advisors by the Securitization Issuer. This fee may be waived by the collateral manager. The collateral management agreement does not include any incentive fee payable to GC Advisors.
For purposes of this table, the SEC requires that the Management fees percentage be calculated as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stockholders, rather than total assets, including assets that have been funded with borrowed monies because common stockholders bear all of this cost. If the base management fee portion of the Management fees percentage were calculated instead as a percentage of
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our total assets, our base management fee portion of the Management fees percentage would be approximately 1.03% of total assets. The base management fee in the table above is based on net assets of $316.5 million and leverage of $237.7 million as of September 30, 2011.
(5) | The incentive fee referenced in the table above is based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011. We have structured the calculation of the incentive fee to include a fee limitation such that no incentive fee will be paid to GC Advisors for any quarter if, after such payment, the cumulative incentive fees paid to GC Advisors since the effective date of our election to become a business development company would be greater than 20.0% of our Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income. |
We accomplish this limitation by subjecting each quarterly incentive fee payable under the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation to a cap (the Incentive Fee Cap). The Incentive Fee Cap in any quarter is equal to the difference between (a) 20.0% of Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income and (b) cumulative incentive fees of any kind paid to GC Advisors by Golub Capital BDC since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to become a business development company. To the extent the Incentive Fee Cap is zero or a negative value in any quarter, no incentive fee would be payable in that quarter. Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income is equal to the sum of (a) Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for each period since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to be regulated as a business development company, and (b) cumulative aggregate realized capital gains, cumulative aggregate realized capital losses, cumulative aggregate unrealized capital depreciation and cumulative aggregate unrealized capital appreciation since April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to be regulated as a business development company.
The income and capital gain incentive fee calculation (the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation) has two parts. The income component is calculated quarterly in arrears based on our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For purposes of the computation of the incentive fee, we:
| treat the interest spread between the interest received on the reference assets underlying the total return swap, or the TRS, between GCMF and Citibank, N.A., or Citibank, and the interest paid to Citibank on the settled notional value of the TRS as part of the income component of the incentive fee; and |
| treat the realized gains and losses on the sale or maturity of reference assets underlying the TRS and futures contracts as part of the capital gains component of the incentive fee. |
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 income component, it is possible that an incentive fee may be calculated under this formula with respect to a period in which we have incurred a loss. For example, if we receive Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income in excess of the hurdle rate (as defined below) for a calendar quarter, the income component will result in a positive value and an incentive fee will be paid unless the payment of such incentive fee would cause us to pay incentive fees on a cumulative basis that exceed 20.0% of our Cumulative Pre-Incentive Fee Net Income.
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of our 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, is compared to a fixed hurdle rate of 2.0% quarterly. If market interest rates rise, we may be able to invest our funds in debt instruments that provide for a higher return, which would increase our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income and make it easier for GC Advisors to surpass the fixed hurdle rate and receive an incentive fee based on such net investment income. Our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of our total assets (excluding cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian) used to calculate the 1.375% base management fee.
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We calculate the income component of the Income and Capital Gain Incentive Fee Calculation with respect to our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income quarterly, in arrears, as follows:
| zero in any calendar quarter in which the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle rate; |
| 100.0% of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income with respect to that portion of such Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.5% in any calendar quarter. We refer to this portion of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (which exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.5%) as the catch-up provision. The catch-up is meant to provide GC Advisors with 20.0% of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle rate did not apply if this net investment income exceeds 2.5% in any calendar quarter; and |
| 20.0% of the amount of our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.5% in any calendar quarter. |
The sum of these calculations yields the Income Incentive Fee. This amount is appropriately adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during the quarter.
The second part of the Incentive Fee Calculation (the Capital Gain Incentive Fee) equals (a) 20.0% of our Capital Gain Incentive Fee Base, if any, calculated in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), commencing with the calendar year ending December 31, 2010, less (b) the aggregate amount of any previously paid Capital Gain Incentive Fees. Our Capital Gain Incentive Fee Base equals the sum of (1) our realized capital gains, if any, on a cumulative positive basis from April 13, 2010, the effective date of our election to become a business development company, through the end of each calendar year, (2) all realized capital losses on a cumulative basis and (3) all unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis.
| The cumulative aggregate realized capital losses are calculated as the sum of the amounts by which (a) the net sales price of each investment in our portfolio when sold is less than (b) the accreted or amortized cost base of such investment. |
| The cumulative aggregate realized capital gains are calculated as the sum of the differences, if positive, between (a) the net sales price of each investment in our portfolio when sold and (b) the accreted or amortized cost basis of such investment. |
| The aggregate unrealized capital depreciation is calculated as the sum of the differences, if negative, between (a) the valuation of each investment in our portfolio as of the applicable Capital Gain Incentive Fee calculation date and (b) the accreted or amortized cost basis of such investment. |
As described above, the incentive fee will not be paid at any time where after such payment the cumulative incentives fees paid to date would be greater than 20.0% of the Cumulative Pre-Incentive Net Income since April 13, 2010. We will accrue the Capital Gain Incentive Fee if, on a cumulative basis, the sum of net realized gains/(losses) plus net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) is positive. The Capital Gain Incentive Fee is calculated on a cumulative basis from the date we elected to become a business development company through the end of each calendar year. For the year ended September 30, 2011, the Capital Gain Incentive Fee was zero. For a more detailed discussion of the calculation of the incentive fee, see Management Agreements Management Fee.
(6) | Interest payments on borrowed funds represents our annualized interest expense as of September 30, 2011 and includes interest payable on the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer. For the year ended September 30, 2011, the effective annualized average interest rate, which includes all interest and amortization of debt issuance costs on the Debt Securitization, was 3.2%. Debt issuance costs represent fees and other direct incremental costs incurred in connection with the Debt Securitization. These fees include a $1.74 million one-time structuring and placement fee paid to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as well as legal fees, accounting fees, rating agency fees, and all other costs associated with the Debt Securitization. We do not currently anticipate issuing debt securities or preferred stock in the next 12 months. |
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There are no commitment fees or minimum usage fees payable under the TRS. The interest expense payable under the TRS has not been included under the Interest payments on borrowed funds line item because the amounts subject to the TRS are not treated as our debt obligations but instead are reflected on our balance sheet as part of the value of the TRS. If the Interest payments on borrowed funds line item were calculated with inclusion of the $668,181 of interest expense (representing $167,045 of interest expense paid on the TRS for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, the first full quarter in which the TRS was in effect, annualized for a full year), it would have been 2.28%.
(7) | Includes our overhead expenses, including payments under the Administration Agreement based on our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by GC Service and any acquired fund fees and expenses that are not required to be disclosed separately. See Management Agreements Administration Agreement. Other expenses are based on actual amounts incurred during the year ended September 30, 2011. Other expenses also includes the ongoing administrative expenses to the trustee, collateral manager, independent accountants, legal counsel, rating agencies and independent managers in connection with developing and maintaining reports and providing required services in connection with the administration of the Debt Securitization. The administrative expenses are paid by the Securitization Issuer on each payment date in two parts: (1) a component that is paid in a priority to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, subject to a cap equal to the sum of 0.04% per annum on the adjusted principal balance of the portfolio loans and other assets held by the Securitization Issuer on the last day of the collection period relating to such payment date, plus $150,000 per annum, and (2) a component that is paid in a subordinated position relative to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, equal to any amounts that exceed the aforementioned administrative expense cap. |
(8) | All of our expenses, including all expenses of the Debt Securitization, are disclosed in the appropriate line items under Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock). Total annual expenses as a percentage of consolidated net assets attributable to common stock are higher than the total annual expenses percentage would be for a company that is not leveraged. We borrow money to leverage our net assets and increase our total assets. The SEC requires that the Total annual expenses percentage be calculated as a percentage of net assets (defined as total assets less indebtedness and after taking into account any incentive fees payable during the period), rather than the total assets, including assets that have been funded with borrowed monies. The reason for presenting expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stockholders is that our common stockholders bear all of our fees and expenses. |
The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. This example and the expenses in the table above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses (including the cost of debt, if any, and other expenses) may be greater or less than those shown.
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1 year | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | |||||||||||||
You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5% annual return | $ | 52 | $ | 155 | $ | 257 | $ | 512 |
While the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the Investment Advisory Agreement, which, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have an immaterial impact on the expense amounts shown above, is not included in the example. Under our Investment Advisory Agreement, no incentive fee would be payable if we have a 5% annual return. If we achieve sufficient returns on our investments, including through the realization of capital gains, to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, our expenses, and returns to our investors, would be higher. The example assumes that all dividends and other distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Under certain circumstances, reinvestment of dividends and other distributions under our dividend reinvestment plan may occur at a price per share that differs from net asset value. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan for more information.
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Investing in our securities involves a number of significant risks. Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware of various risks, including those described below. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, before you decide whether to make an investment in our securities. 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 may also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value and the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risk factors described below are the principal risk factors associated with an investment in us as well as those factors generally associated with an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies, capital structure or trading markets similar to ours.
Our predecessor, GCMF, was formed in June 2007 and commenced operations in July 2007. Prior to the completion of our initial public offering in April 2010, we did not operate as a business development company. As a result of our limited operating history, we are subject to the business risks and uncertainties associated with recently formed businesses, including the risk that we will not achieve our investment objective and that the value of your investment could decline substantially. In addition, we have elected to be treated as a RIC under the Code.
The 1940 Act and the Code impose numerous constraints on the operations of business development companies and RICs that do not apply to other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. Business development companies are required, for example, to invest at least 70% of their total assets in qualifying assets. Moreover, qualification for taxation as a RIC requires satisfaction of source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. Neither we nor GC Advisors has significant experience operating under these constraints, which may hinder our ability to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities and to achieve our investment objective.
We do not have any internal management capacity or employees. We depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the senior professionals of GC Advisors to achieve our investment objective. We expect that GC Advisors will evaluate, negotiate, structure, close and monitor our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. We can offer no assurance, however, that the senior professionals of GC Advisors will continue to provide investment advice to us. If these individuals do not maintain their existing relationships with Golub Capital 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. In addition, individuals with whom the senior professionals of GC Advisors 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.
GC Advisors is an affiliate of Golub Capital and depends upon access to the investment professionals and other resources of Golub Capital and its affiliates to fulfill its obligations to us under the Investment Advisory Agreement. GC Advisors also depends upon Golub Capital to obtain access to deal flow generated by the professionals of Golub Capital and its affiliates. Under the Staffing Agreement, Golub Capital provides GC Advisors with the resources necessary to fulfill these obligations. The Staffing Agreement provides that Golub Capital makes available to GC Advisors experienced investment professionals and provides access to the senior investment personnel of Golub Capital for purposes of evaluating, negotiating, structuring, closing and monitoring our investments. We are not a party to the Staffing Agreement and cannot assure you that Golub Capital will fulfill its obligations under the agreement. If Golub Capital fails to perform, we cannot assure you that GC Advisors will enforce the Staffing Agreement, that such agreement will not be terminated by either party or that we will continue to have access to the investment professionals of Golub Capital and its affiliates or their information and deal flow.
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GC Advisors investment committee provides oversight over our investment activities. GC Advisors investment committee consists of two members of our board of directors and two employees of Golub Capital. The loss of any member of GC Advisors investment committee or of other senior professionals of GC Advisors and its affiliates would limit our ability to achieve our investment objective and operate as we anticipate. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We depend upon GC Advisors to maintain Golub Capitals relationships with sponsors, and we intend to rely to a significant extent upon these relationships to provide us with potential investment opportunities. If GC Advisors fails to maintain such relationships, or to develop new relationships with other sponsors or sources of investment opportunities, we will not be able to grow our investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom the principals of GC Advisors 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 investments may differ from those of our predecessor, GCMF, and existing accounts that are or have been sponsored or managed by members of GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or affiliates of GC Advisors. Investors in our securities are not acquiring an interest in any accounts that are or have been sponsored or managed by members of GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or affiliates of GC Advisors. We may consider co-investing in portfolio investments with other accounts sponsored or managed by members of GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or its affiliates. Any such investments will be subject to regulatory limitations and approvals by directors who are not interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act. We can offer no assurance, however, that we will obtain such approvals or develop opportunities that comply with such limitations. We also cannot assure you that we will replicate the historical results achieved by members of the investment committee, and we caution you that our investment returns could be substantially lower than the returns achieved by them in prior periods. Additionally, all or a portion of the prior results may have been achieved in particular market conditions which may never be repeated. Moreover, current or future market volatility and regulatory uncertainty may have an adverse impact on our future performance.
Our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend on our ability to manage our business and to grow. This will depend, in turn, on GC Advisors ability 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 GC Advisors execution of our investment process, its ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient services to us and, to a lesser extent, our access to financing on acceptable terms. GC Advisors will have substantial responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement, as well as responsibilities in connection with the management of other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors, members of GC Advisors investment committee or Golub Capital and its affiliates. The personnel of GC Advisors and its affiliates, including GC Service, 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, results of operations and cash flows.
As a result of our arrangements with GC Advisors and its affiliates and GC Advisors investment committee, there may be times when GC Advisors or such persons have interests that differ from those of our securityholders, giving rise to a conflict of interest.
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The members of GC Advisors investment committee serve or may serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, or of accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates. Similarly, GC Advisors or its affiliates currently manage and may have other clients with similar or competing investment objectives. In serving in these multiple capacities, they may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. For example, Lawrence E. Golub and David B. Golub have management responsibilities for other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates. Our investment objective may overlap with the investment objectives of such affiliated accounts. For example, GC Advisors currently manages several private funds that are pursuing an investment strategy similar to ours, some of which are continuing to seek new capital commitments, and we may compete with these and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates for capital and investment opportunities. As a result, those individuals may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among us and other accounts advised by or affiliated with GC Advisors. GC Advisors 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. However, we can offer no assurance that such opportunities will be allocated to us fairly or equitably in the short-term or over time. If sufficient securities or loan amounts are available to satisfy our and each such accounts proposed investment, the opportunity will be allocated in accordance with GC Advisors pre-transaction determination. Where there is an insufficient amount of an investment opportunity to fully satisfy us and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, the allocation policy further provides that allocations among us and other accounts will generally be made pro rata based on the amount that each such party would have invested if sufficient securities or loan amounts were available. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to participate in all investment opportunities that are suitable to us.
Principals of GC Advisors and its affiliates and members of GC Advisors investment committee 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.
In the course of our investing activities, we pay management and incentive fees to GC Advisors. These fees are based on our average adjusted gross assets, which include assets purchased with borrowed funds and securitization-related assets, leverage, unrealized depreciation or appreciation on derivative instruments and cash collateral on deposit with custodian but adjusted to exclude cash and cash equivalents so that investors do not pay the base management fee on such assets. 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 average adjusted gross assets, GC Advisors benefits when we incur debt or use leverage. Although GC Advisors makes recommendations to our board of directors with respect to leverage policies, our board of directors determines our leverage policy, including approving in advance the incurrence of material indebtedness and the execution of material contracts. Additionally, under the incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when we recognize capital gains and, because GC Advisors determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of such capital gains. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how GC Advisors addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While they are not expected to review or approve each borrowing, our independent directors periodically review GC Advisors services and fees as well as its portfolio management
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decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. As a result of this arrangement, GC Advisors or its affiliates may from time to time have interests that differ from those of our securityholders, giving rise to a conflict.
The part of the incentive fee payable to GC Advisors that relates to our 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 GC Advisors to the extent that it may encourage GC Advisors to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. GC Advisors 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 GC Advisors is not obligated to reimburse us for any incentive fees received even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued.
The incentive fee payable by us to GC Advisors may create an incentive for GC Advisors 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 GC Advisors is determined may encourage GC Advisors 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.
The incentive fee payable by us to GC Advisors also may create an incentive for GC Advisors to invest on our behalf in instruments that have a deferred interest feature. Under these investments, we would accrue the interest over the life of the investment but would not receive the cash income from the investment until the end of the term. Our net investment income used to calculate the income portion of our investment fee, however, includes accrued interest. Thus, a portion of this incentive fee would be based on income that we have not yet received in cash, such as market discount, debt instruments with payment-in-kind, or PIK, interest, preferred stock with PIK dividends and zero coupon securities.
Additionally, the incentive fee payable by us to GC Advisors may create an incentive for GC Advisors to cause us to realize capital gains or losses that may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. Under the incentive fee structure, GC Advisors benefits when capital gains are recognized and, because GC Advisors determines when a holding is sold, GC Advisors controls the timing of the recognition of capital gains. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how GC Advisors addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While they are not expected to review or approve each borrowing, our independent directors periodically review GC Advisors services and fees. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate.
The majority of our portfolio investments are expected to be made in the form of securities that are not publicly traded. As a result, our board of directors 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 of directors and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments. In connection with that determination, investment professionals from GC Advisors may provide our board of directors with portfolio company valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. In addition, Lawrence E. Golub and David B. Golub have an indirect pecuniary interest in GC Advisors. The participation of GC Advisors investment professionals in our valuation process, and the indirect pecuniary interest in GC Advisors by Lawrence E. Golub and David B. Golub, could result in a conflict of interest as GC Advisors management fee is based, in part, on our average adjusted gross assets (including leverage but excluding cash) and our incentive fees will be based, in part, on unrealized gains and losses.
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We have entered into a license agreement with Golub Capital Management LLC under which Golub Capital Management LLC has agreed to grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the name Golub Capital. See Management Agreements License Agreement. In addition, we rent office space from GC Service, an affiliate of GC Advisors, and pay to GC Service our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by GC Service in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, such as rent and our allocable portion of the cost of our chief financial officer and chief compliance officer and their respective staffs. This creates conflicts of interest that our board of directors must monitor.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were negotiated between related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to GC Advisors, may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party. In addition, we may 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 GC Advisors, GC Service and their respective affiliates. Any such decision, however, would breach our fiduciary obligations to our stockholders.
We are prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be our affiliate for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we are generally prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to such affiliate, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. We consider GC Advisors and its affiliates to be our affiliates for such purposes. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain joint transactions with certain of our affiliates, which could include investments in the same portfolio company, without prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. We are prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to, among others, any person who owns more than 25% of our voting securities or certain of that persons affiliates, or entering into prohibited joint transactions with such persons, absent the prior approval of the SEC.
We may, however, invest alongside GC Advisors and its affiliates other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with applicable law and SEC staff, or Staff, interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC Staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that GC Advisors, acting on our behalf and on behalf of its other clients, negotiates no term other than price. We may also invest alongside GC Advisors other clients as otherwise permissible under regulatory guidance, applicable regulations and GC Advisors allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, GC Advisors determines separately the amount of any proposed investment to be made by us and similar eligible accounts. We expect that these determinations will be made similarly for other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates. If sufficient securities or loan amounts are available to satisfy our and each such accounts proposed investment, the opportunity will be allocated in accordance with GC Advisors pre-transaction determination. Where there is an insufficient amount of an investment opportunity to fully satisfy us and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates, the allocation policy further provides that allocations among us and other accounts will generally be made pro rata based on the amount that each such party would have invested if sufficient securities or loan amounts were available. However, we can offer no assurance that investment opportunities will be allocated to us fairly or equitably in the short-term or over time.
In situations in which co-investment with other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates is not permitted or appropriate, such as when, in the absence of exemptive relief described below, we and such other entities may make investments in the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other GC Advisors clients, GC Advisors will
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need to decide whether we or such other entity or entities will proceed with such investments. GC Advisors will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures, which generally require that such investment opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on a basis that is fair and equitable over time, including, for example, through random or rotational methods. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, we will be unable to invest in any issuer in which an account sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates has previously invested. Similar restrictions limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates. These restrictions may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
We may also be prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our board of directors who are not interested persons and, in some cases, without the prior approval of the SEC. The SEC has interpreted the business development company regulations governing transactions with affiliates to prohibit certain joint transactions between entities that share a common investment adviser.
We and GC Advisors have submitted an application for exemptive relief from the SEC to permit greater flexibility to negotiate the terms of co-investments if our board of directors determines that it would be advantageous for us to co-invest with other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates in a manner consistent with our investment objectives, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as regulatory requirements and other pertinent factors. We believe that co-investments by us and other accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors and its affiliates may afford us additional investment opportunities and an ability to achieve greater diversification. Accordingly, our application for exemptive relief seeks an exemptive order permitting us to invest with accounts sponsored or managed by GC Advisors or its affiliates in the same portfolio companies under circumstances in which such investments would otherwise not be permitted under the 1940 Act. We expect that such exemptive relief permitting co-investments, if granted, would apply only if our independent directors review and approve each co-investment.
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, commercial and investment banks, commercial financing 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, we believe 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, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a business development company or the source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements we must satisfy to maintain our qualification as a RIC. The competitive pressures we face may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 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 do not seek to compete based primarily on the interest rates we 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 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 accounts managed or sponsored by GC Advisors or its affiliates. Although GC Advisors allocates 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 securityholders. Moreover, the performance of investments will not be known at the time of allocation. See Risk Factors Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure There are significant potential conflicts of interest that could affect our investment returns, Conflicts
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related to obligations GC Advisors investment committee, GC Advisors or its affiliates have to other clients and Related Party Transactions and Certain Relationships.
To qualify as a RIC under the Code, 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 are subject, to the extent we use debt financing, to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to qualify as a RIC. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify as a RIC and, thus, may be subject to corporate-level income tax. To qualify as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these requirements may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of our qualification as a RIC. Because most of our investments will be 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 qualify as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate-level 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 securityholders. See Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations Taxation as a RIC.
We may need additional capital to fund new investments and grow our portfolio of investments. We intend to access the capital markets periodically to issue debt or equity securities or borrow from financial institutions in order to obtain such additional capital. Unfavorable economic conditions 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. A reduction in the availability of new capital could limit our ability to grow. In addition, we are required 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 our stockholders to maintain our qualification as a RIC. As a result, these earnings are not available to fund new investments. An inability to access the capital markets successfully could limit our ability to grow our business and execute our business strategy fully and could decrease our earnings, if any, which may have an adverse effect on the value of our securities.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as the accretion of original issue discount. This may arise if we receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan and in other circumstances, or through contracted PIK interest, which represents contractual interest added to the loan balance and due at the end of the loan term. Such original issue discount, which could be significant relative to our overall investment activities, or increases in loan balances as a result of contracted PIK arrangements, is included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we do not receive in cash.
That part of the incentive fee payable by us that relates to our net investment income is computed and paid on income that may include interest that has been accrued but not yet received in cash, such as market discount, debt instruments with PIK interest, preferred stock with PIK dividends and zero coupon securities. If a portfolio company defaults on a loan that is structured to provide accrued interest, it is possible that accrued interest previously used in the calculation of the incentive fee will become uncollectible.
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 our stockholders to maintain our qualification as a RIC. In such a case, we may have to sell some of our investments at times we
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would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements. If we are not able to obtain such cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify as a RIC and thus be subject to corporate-level income tax. See Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations Taxation as a RIC.
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, we are permitted as a business development company to issue senior securities in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% of gross assets (other than the SBA debentures of GC SBIC IV, L.P.) less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (other than the SBA debentures of GC SBIC IV, L.P.), after each issuance of senior securities. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this ratio. 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. As of September 30, 2011, we had $237.7 million of outstanding borrowings, including $174.0 million outstanding under the Debt Securitization, $61.3 million of SBA debentures and $2.4 million under the Credit Facility.
In the absence of an event of default, no person or entity from which we borrow money will have a veto right or voting power over our ability to set policy, make investment decisions or adopt investment strategies. If we issue preferred stock, which is another form of leverage, 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 your 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 do not, however, anticipate issuing preferred stock in the next 12 months.
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 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 you might experience dilution.
As a result of the Debt Securitization, we are subject to a variety of risks, including those set forth below.
Under the terms of the master loan sale agreement governing the Debt Securitization, (1) we sold and/or contributed to Holdings all of our ownership interest in our portfolio loans and participations for the purchase price and other consideration set forth in the master loan sale agreement and (2) Holdings, in turn, sold and/or
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contributed to the Securitization Issuer all of its ownership interest in such portfolio loans and participations for the purchase price and other consideration set forth in the master loan sale agreement. Following these transfers, the Securitization Issuer, and not Holdings or us, held all of the ownership interest in such portfolio loans and participations. As a result of the Debt Securitization, we hold indirectly through Holdings a combination of junior notes comprised of Class B Notes and Subordinated Notes as well as membership interests, which comprise 100% of the equity interests, in the Securitization Issuer. As a result, we consolidate the financial statements of Holdings and the Securitization Issuer, as well as our other subsidiaries, in our consolidated financial statements. Because each of Holdings and the Securitization Issuer is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the sale or contribution by us to Holdings, and by Holdings to the Securitization Issuer, did not constitute a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the U.S. Internal Revenue Service were to take a contrary position, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The securities issued by the Securitization Issuer, or by any securitization vehicle we sponsor in the future, could be acquired by another business development company or securitization vehicle subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. We may also, from time to time, hold asset-backed securities, or the economic equivalent thereof, issued by a securitization vehicle sponsored by another business development company to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
The Subordinated Notes are the most junior class of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, are subordinated in priority of payment to every other class of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer and are subject to certain payment restrictions set forth in the indenture governing the notes. Therefore, Holdings only receives cash distributions on the Subordinated Notes if the Securitization Issuer has made all cash interest payments to all other notes it has issued, and we only receive cash distributions in respect of our indirect ownership of the Securitization Issuer to the extent that Holdings receives any cash distributions in respect of its direct ownership of the Securitization Issuer. The Subordinated Notes are also unsecured and rank behind all of the secured creditors, known or unknown, of the Securitization Issuer, including the holders of the senior notes it has issued. Consequently, to the extent that the value of the Securitization Issuers portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets, or as a result of defaulted loans or individual fund assets, the value of the Subordinated Notes at their redemption could be reduced.
The membership interests in the Securitization Issuer represent all of the equity interest in the Securitization Issuer. As such, the holder of the membership interests is the residual claimant on distributions, if any, made by the Securitization Issuer after holders of all classes of notes issued by the Securitization Issuer have been paid in full on each payment date or upon maturity of such notes under the Debt Securitization documents. Such payments may be made by the Securitization Issuer only to the extent permitted under the Debt Securitization documents on any payment date or upon payment in full of the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer.
The Class A Notes are the debt obligations ranking senior in right of payment to other securities issued by the Securitization Issuer in the Debt Securitization. As such, there are circumstances in which the interests of holders of the Class A Notes may not be aligned with the interests of holders of the other classes of notes issued by, and membership interests of, the Securitization Issuer. For example, under the terms of the Class A Notes, holders of the Class A Notes have the right to receive payments of principal and interest prior to holders of the Class B Notes, the Subordinated Notes and the membership interests.
For as long as the Class A Notes remain outstanding, holders of the Class A Notes comprise the Controlling Class under the Debt Securitization and, as such, they have the right to act in certain circumstances with respect to the portfolio loans in ways that may benefit their interests but not the interests of holders of more junior classes of notes and membership interests, including by exercising remedies under the indenture in the Debt Securitization.
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If an event of default has occurred and acceleration occurs in accordance with the terms of the indenture, the most senior class of notes then outstanding will be paid in full before any further payment or distribution on the more junior classes of notes and membership interests. In addition, if an event of default occurs, holders of a majority of the Controlling Class will be entitled to determine the remedies to be exercised under the indenture, subject to the terms of the indenture. For example, upon the occurrence of an event of default with respect to the notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, the trustee or holders of a majority of the Controlling Class may declare the principal, together with any accrued interest, of all the notes of such class and any junior classes to be immediately due and payable. This would have the effect of accelerating the principal on such notes, triggering a repayment obligation on the part of the Securitization Issuer. If at such time the portfolio loans were not performing well, the Securitization Issuer may not have sufficient proceeds available to enable the trustee under the indenture to repay the obligations of holders of the Class B Notes or the Subordinated Notes, or to pay a dividend to holders of the membership interests.
Remedies pursued by the Controlling Class could be adverse to the interests of the holders of the notes that are subordinated to the Controlling Class (which would include the Class B Notes and Subordinated Notes to the extent the Class A Notes constitute the Controlling Class), and the Controlling Class will have no obligation to consider any possible adverse effect on such other interests. Thus, we cannot assure you that any remedies pursued by the Controlling Class will be in the best interests of Holdings or that Holdings will receive any payments or distributions upon an acceleration of the notes. Any failure of the Securitization Issuer to make distributions on the notes we indirectly hold, whether as a result of an event of default or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and may result in an inability of us to make distributions sufficient to maintain our status as a RIC.
Under the documents governing the Debt Securitization, there are two asset coverage tests applicable to the Class A Notes and Class B Notes. The first such test compares the amount of interest received on the portfolio loans held by the Securitization Issuer to the amount of interest payable in respect of the Class A Notes and Class B Notes. To meet this first test, interest received on the portfolio loans must equal at least 115% of the interest payable in respect of the Class A Notes and Class B Notes. The second such test compares the principal amount of the portfolio loans to the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Class A Notes and Class B Notes. To meet this second test at any time, the aggregate principal amount of the portfolio loans must equal at least 158% of the outstanding principal amount of the Class A Notes and the Class B Notes, taken together. If either coverage test is not satisfied, interest and principal received by the Securitization Issuer are diverted on the following payment date to pay the Class A Notes in full and then the Class B Notes in full (in order of seniority) to the extent necessary to cause all coverage tests to be satisfied on a pro forma basis after giving effect to all payments made in respect of the notes, which we refer to as a mandatory redemption. If any asset coverage test with respect to the Class A Notes or Class B Notes is not met, proceeds from the portfolio of loan investments that otherwise would have been distributed to the Securitization Issuer and the holders of the Subordinated Notes will instead be used to redeem first the Class A Notes and then the Class B Notes, to the extent necessary to satisfy the applicable asset coverage tests or to obtain the necessary ratings confirmation.
The value of the Class B Notes could be adversely affected by a mandatory redemption because such redemption could result in the Class B Notes being redeemed at par at a time when they are trading in the secondary market at a premium to their stated principal amount and when other investments bearing the same rate of interest may be difficult or expensive to acquire. A mandatory redemption could also result in a shorter investment duration than a holder of Class B Notes may have wanted or anticipated, which could, in turn, result in such a holder incurring breakage costs on related hedging transactions. In addition, the reinvestment period under the Debt Securitization may extend through as late as July 20, 2015, which could affect the value of the collateral securing the Class B Notes and the Subordinated Notes.
We receive cash from the Securitization Issuer only to the extent that Holdings receives payments on the Class B Notes, Subordinated Notes or membership interests. The Securitization Issuer may only make payments on such securities to the extent permitted by the payment priority provisions of the indenture
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governing the notes, which generally provides that principal payments on the Class B Notes and the Subordinated Notes may not be made on any payment date unless all amounts owing under the Class A Notes are paid in full. In addition, if the Securitization Issuer does not meet the asset coverage tests or the interest coverage test set forth in the documents governing the Debt Securitization, cash would be diverted from the Class B Notes and the Subordinated Notes to first pay the Class A Notes in amounts sufficient to cause such tests to be satisfied. In the event that we fail to indirectly receive cash from the Securitization Issuer, we could be unable to make such distributions in amounts sufficient to maintain our status as a RIC, or at all.
As part of the Debt Securitization, we entered into a master loan sale agreement under which we would be required to repurchase any loan (or participation interest therein) which was sold to the Securitization Issuer in breach of any representation or warranty made by us with respect to such loan on the date such loan was sold. To the extent we fail to satisfy any such repurchase obligation, the trustee may, on behalf of the Securitization Issuer, bring an action against us to enforce these repurchase obligations.
The structure of the Debt Securitization is intended to prevent, in the event of our bankruptcy or the bankruptcy of Holdings, the consolidation of the Securitization Issuer with our operations or those of Holdings. If the true sale of these assets were not respected in the event of our insolvency, a trustee or debtor-in-possession might reclaim the assets of the Securitization Issuer for our estate. However, in doing so, we would become directly liable for all of the indebtedness then outstanding under the Debt Securitization, which would equal the full amount of debt of the Securitization Issuer reflected on our consolidated balance sheet. In addition, we cannot assure that the recovery in the event we were consolidated with the Securitization Issuer for purposes of any bankruptcy proceeding would exceed the amount to which we would otherwise be entitled as an indirect holder of the Class B Notes and the Subordinated Notes had we not been consolidated with the Securitization Issuer.
In addition, in connection with the Debt Securitization, we indirectly gave the lenders certain customary representations with respect to the legal structure of the Securitization Issuer and the quality of the assets transferred to it. We remain indirectly liable for any incorrect statements or omissions for a period of at least one year, and potentially for the life of the Debt Securitization.
Under the terms of the Debt Securitization documents, the Securitization Issuer could issue additional Subordinated Notes and use the net proceeds of such issuance to purchase additional portfolio loans. Any such additional issuance, however, would require the consent of the collateral manager and the approval of a majority of the Subordinated Notes. Among the other conditions that must be satisfied in connection with an additional issuance of Subordinated Notes, the aggregate principal amount of all additional issuances of Subordinated Notes may not exceed $116 million; the Securitization Issuer must notify each rating agency of such issuance prior to the issuance date; and the terms of the Subordinated Notes to be issued must be identical to the terms of previously issued Subordinated Notes (except that all monies due on such additional Subordinated Notes will accrue from the issue date of such notes and that the prices of such Subordinated Notes do not have to be identical to those of the initial Subordinated Notes). We do not expect to cause the Securitization Issuer to issue any additional Subordinated Notes at this time, and the terms of the Debt Securitization documents do not provide for additional issuances of Class A Notes or Class B Notes.
On July 21, 2011, Funding, our wholly owned subsidiary, entered into the Credit Facility. As a result of the Credit Facility, we are subject to a variety of risks, including those set forth below.
We own 100% of the equity interests in Funding. We consolidate the financial statements of Funding in our consolidated financial statements and treat the indebtedness of Funding as our leverage. Our interests in Funding are subordinated in priority of payment to every other obligation of Funding and are subject to certain payment restrictions set forth in the Credit Facility. We receive cash distributions on our equity
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interests in Funding only if Funding has made all required cash interest payments to the lenders. We cannot assure you that distributions on the assets held by Funding will be sufficient to make any distributions to us or that such distributions will meet our expectations.
Our equity interests in Funding rank behind all of the secured and unsecured creditors, known or unknown, of Funding, including the lenders. Consequently, to the extent that the value of Fundings portfolio of loan investments has been reduced as a result of conditions in the credit markets, defaulted loans, capital gains and losses on the underlying assets, prepayment or changes in interest rates, the return on our investment in Funding could be reduced. Accordingly, our investment in Funding may be subject to up to 100% loss.
We receive cash from Funding only to the extent that we receive distributions on our equity interests in Funding. Funding may make payments on such interests only to the extent permitted by the payment priority provisions of the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility generally provides that payments on such interests may not be made on any payment date unless all amounts owing to the lenders and other secured parties are paid in full. In addition, if Funding does not meet the asset coverage tests or the interest coverage test set forth in the Credit Facility documents, cash would be diverted from us to first pay the Lender in amounts sufficient to cause such tests to be satisfied. In the event that we fail to receive cash from Funding, we could be unable to make distributions to our stockholders in amounts sufficient to maintain our status as a RIC, or at all. We also could be forced to sell investments in portfolio companies at less than their fair value in order to continue making such distributions.
The Credit Facility places significant restrictions on the servicers ability to sell investments. As a result, there may be times or circumstances during which the servicer is unable to sell investments or take other actions that might be in our best interests.
To maintain our status as a business development company, 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 total assets are qualifying assets (with certain limited exceptions). Subject to certain exceptions for follow-on investments and investments in distressed companies, an investment in an issuer that has outstanding securities listed on a national securities exchange may be treated as qualifying assets only if such issuer has a common equity market capitalization that is less than $250 million at the time of such investment.
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 issue senior debt securities to banks, insurance companies and other lenders. Lenders of these senior securities will have fixed dollar claims on our assets that are superior to the claims of our common stockholders, and we would expect such lenders to seek recovery against our assets in the event of a default. 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 our 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 distributions on our common stock or any outstanding preferred stock. Our ability to service our debt will depend largely on our
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financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. Moreover, as the base management fee payable to GC Advisors is payable based on our average adjusted gross assets, including those assets acquired through the use of leverage, GC Advisors 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 base management fee payable to GC Advisors.
As a business development company, we generally are required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total borrowings and other senior securities, which include the Class A Notes issued by the Securitization Issuer, our other borrowings (other than the SBA debentures of GC SBIC IV, L.P.) and any preferred stock that we may issue in the future, of at least 200%. If this ratio declines below 200%, we cannot incur additional debt and could be required to sell a portion of our investments to repay some debt when it is disadvantageous to do so. This could have a material adverse effect on our operations, and we may not be able to make distributions. The amount of leverage that we employ will depend on GC Advisors and our board of directors assessment of market and other factors at the time of any proposed borrowing. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain credit at all or on terms acceptable to us.
On September 13, 2011, we received exemptive relief from the SEC allowing us to modify the asset coverage requirement to exclude the SBA debentures from this calculation. As such, our ratio of total consolidated assets to outstanding indebtedness may be less than 200%. This provides us with increased investment flexibility but also increases our risks related to leverage.
The following table illustrates the effect of leverage on returns from an investment in our common stock assuming various annual returns, net of expenses. The calculations in the table below are hypothetical and actual returns may be higher or lower than those appearing in the table below.
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Assumed Return on Our Portfolio (Net of Expenses) |
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-10% | -5% | 0% | 5% | 10% | ||||||||||||||||
Corresponding return to common stockholder(1) | -20 | % | -11 | % | -2 | % | 6 | % | 15 | % |
(1) | Assumes $559.6 million in total assets, $237.7 million in debt outstanding and $316.5 million in net assets as of September 30, 2011 and an effective annual interest rate of 3.3%. |
Based on our outstanding indebtedness of $237.7 million as of September 30, 2011 and the effective annual interest rate of 3.3% as of that date, our investment portfolio would have been required to experience an annual return of at least 1.4% to cover annual interest payments on the outstanding debt.
To the extent we borrow money to make investments, our net investment income will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds 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 continue to use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds will increase because the interest rates on the Class A Notes and Class B Notes issued under the Debt Securitization are floating, which could reduce our net investment income to the extent any debt investments have fixed interest rates. We expect that our long-term fixed-rate investments will be financed primarily with issuances of equity and long-term debt securities. 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.
You should also be aware that 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 GC Advisors.
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GCMF has entered into the TRS with Citibank. A total return swap is a contract in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in the market value of the assets referenced by the total return swap, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate. A total return swap typically is used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. A total return swap may effectively add leverage to a companys portfolio because, in addition to total net assets, the company is subject to investment exposure on the amount of securities subject to the total return swap.
A total return swap is also subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations under the arrangements or that one party will not be able to meet its obligations to the other. In the case of the TRS, we are required to post cash collateral amounts to secure our obligations to Citibank under the TRS. Citibank, however, is not required to collateralize any of its obligations to us under the TRS.
In the event that Citibank chooses to exercise its termination rights under the TRS, it is possible that we will owe more to Citibank or, alternatively, will be entitled to receive less from Citibank than it would have if we controlled the timing of such termination due to the existence of adverse market conditions at the time of such termination.
In addition, because a total return swap is a form of synthetic leverage, such arrangements are subject to risks similar to those associated with the use of leverage.
For purposes of determining our compliance with the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us as a business development company, we have agreed with the Staff of the SEC to treat the outstanding notional amount of the TRS, less the initial amount of any cash collateral required to be posted by us under the TRS, as a senior security for the life of that instrument. Further, for purposes of determining our compliance with the 70% qualifying assets requirement of the 1940 Act, we have agreed to treat the TRS, as a whole, as a non-qualifying asset. We may, however, accord different treatment to the TRS in the future in accordance with any applicable new rules or interpretations adopted by the Staff of the SEC.
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, our net asset value would decline, and, in some cases, we may be worse off than if we had not used such agreements.
The U.S. capital markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruption during the economic downturn that began in mid-2007, and the U.S. economy was in a recession for several consecutive calendar quarters during the same period. Disruptions in the capital markets have increased the spread between the yields realized on risk-free and higher risk securities, resulting in illiquidity in parts of the capital markets. A
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prolonged period of market illiquidity may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 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 limit our investment originations, limit our ability to grow and negatively impact our operating results.
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, it may be difficult for us to finance the growth of our investments on acceptable economic terms, or at all.
As a business development company, 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 total assets are qualifying assets. See Regulation Qualifying Assets.
In the future, we believe that most of our investments 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 we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could violate the 1940 Act provisions applicable to business development companies. 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, results of operations and cash flows.
If we do not maintain our status as a business development company, we would be subject to regulation as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act. As a registered closed-end investment company, we would be subject to substantially more regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act which would significantly decrease our operating flexibility.
The majority of our portfolio investments 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, and we value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors, including to reflect significant events affecting the value of our securities. As discussed in more detail under Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition, Results of Operations and Cash Flows Critical Accounting Policies, most, if not all, of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) are classified as Level 3 under Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. 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 may 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 have retained the services of one or more independent service providers to
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review the valuation of these securities. The types of factors that the board of directors may take into account in determining the fair value of our investments generally include, as appropriate, 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 companys ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted 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 consolidated statement of operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.
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, 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 our performance in future periods.
We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation by laws at the U.S. federal, state and local levels. These laws and regulations, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, and new laws, regulations and interpretations may also come into effect. Any such new or changed laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business. In particular, on July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or Dodd-Frank, became law. The scope of Dodd-Frank impacts many aspects of the financial services industry, and it requires the development and adoption of many implementing regulations over the next several months and years. The effects of Dodd-Frank on the financial services industry will depend, in large part, upon the extent to which regulators exercise the authority granted to them and the approaches taken in implementing regulations. We have begun to assess the potential impact of Dodd-Frank on our business and operations, but the likely impact cannot be ascertained with any degree of certainty.
Additionally, changes to the laws and regulations governing our operations, including those associated with RICs, may cause us to alter our investment strategy in order to avail ourselves of new or different opportunities or result in the imposition of corporate-level taxes on us. Such changes could result in material differences to our strategies and plans set forth in this prospectus and may shift our investment focus from the areas of expertise of GC Advisors to other types of investments in which GC Advisors may have little or no expertise or experience. Any such changes, if they occur, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
Our board of directors has the authority, except as otherwise provided in the 1940 Act, to modify or waive our investment objective and 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 business development company. Under Delaware law, we also cannot be dissolved without prior stockholder approval. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current investment objective, 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.
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The General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or the DGCL, contains provisions that may discourage, delay or make more difficult a change in control of us or the removal of our directors. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that limit liability and provide for indemnification of our directors and officers. These provisions and others also may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management. We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, the application of which is subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. This section generally prohibits us from engaging in mergers and other business combinations with stockholders that beneficially own 15% or more of our voting stock, or with their affiliates, unless our directors or stockholders approve the business combination in the prescribed manner. If our board of directors does not approve a business combination, Section 203 of the DGCL may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer.
We have also adopted measures that may make it difficult for a third party to obtain control of us, including provisions of our certificate of incorporation classifying our board of directors in three classes serving staggered three-year terms, and provisions of our certificate of incorporation authorizing our board of directors to classify or reclassify shares of our preferred stock in one or more classes or series, to cause the issuance of additional shares of our stock, and to amend our certificate of incorporation, without stockholder approval, 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 certificate of incorporation and bylaws, may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our securityholders.
GC Advisors 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 GC Advisors resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment adviser 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 market price 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 GC Advisors 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 objective may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
GC Service has the right to resign under the Administration Agreement at any time upon not less than 60 days written notice, whether we have found a replacement or not. If GC Service 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 market price 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 GC Service. 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
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with our investment objective may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
As a publicly traded company, we incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicable to a company whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and other rules implemented by the SEC.
Under current SEC rules, we are required to report on our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules and regulations of the SEC. As a result, we incur additional expenses that may negatively impact our financial performance and our ability to make distributions. This process also results in a diversion of managements time and attention. We cannot be certain as to the timing of completion of our evaluation, testing and remediation actions or the impact of the same on our operations, and we may not be able to ensure that the process is effective or that our internal control over financial reporting is or will be effective in a timely manner. In the event that we are unable to maintain or achieve compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules, we and the market price of our securities may be adversely affected.
Our business depends on the communications and information systems of GC Advisors and its affiliates. Any failure or interruption of such systems could cause delays or other problems in our activities. This, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and negatively affect the market price of our securities and our ability to pay dividends and other distributions to our securityholders.
As of September 30, 2011, Lawrence E. Golub and David B. Golub beneficially owned, in the aggregate, approximately 42.8% and 42.5%, respectively, of our outstanding common stock, primarily as a result of their ownership interests in and control of Golub Capital LLC, the investment adviser to Golub Capital Company IV, LLC, Golub Capital Company V LLC, Golub Capital Company VI LLC (collectively, the Capital Companies) and GEMS Fund L.P., a limited partnership affiliated with GC Advisors. As a result, these individuals, acting together, may have the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors and any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, and may cause actions to be taken that you may not agree with or that are not in your interests or those of other securityholders.
This concentration of beneficial ownership also might harm the market price of our securities by:
| delaying, deferring or preventing a change in corporate control; |
| impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us; or |
| discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us. |
Many of our portfolio companies are 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
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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 companys 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 companys 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 borrowers business or exercise control over a borrower. It is possible that we could become subject to a lenders 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.
From mid-2007 through 2011, the global capital markets experienced a period of disruption resulting in a lack of liquidity in parts of the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector relating to subprime mortgages and the re-pricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated market. These events, along with the deterioration of the housing market, illiquid market conditions, declining business and consumer confidence and the failure of major financial institutions in the United States, led to a general decline of economic conditions. This economic decline materially and adversely affected the broader financial and credit markets and has reduced the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and to financial firms, in particular. To the extent that we wish to use debt to fund our investments, the debt capital available to us, if any, may be at a higher cost and on terms and conditions that may be less favorable than what we expect, which could negatively affect our financial performance and results. A prolonged period of market illiquidity may cause us to reduce the volume of loans we originate and/or fund and adversely affect the value of our portfolio investments, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Any deterioration of current market conditions could materially and adversely affect our business.
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. Such developments may be accompanied by a deterioration in 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. Smaller leveraged companies also may have less predictable operating results and may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, finance their expansion or maintain their competitive position.
Investment in private and middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and we expect to rely on the ability of GC Advisors 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
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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. In addition, 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. 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 GC Advisors may, in the ordinary course of business, be named as defendants in litigation arising from our investments in the portfolio companies.
We may invest all of our assets in illiquid securities, and a substantial portion of our investments in leveraged companies are and will be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will otherwise be 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 our investments. We may also face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we, GC Advisors, Golub Capital or any of its affiliates have material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio company.
As a business development company, 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:
| a comparison of the portfolio companys securities to publicly traded securities; |
| the enterprise value of a portfolio company; |
| the nature and realizable value of any collateral; |
| the portfolio companys ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flow; |
| the markets in which the portfolio company does business; and |
| 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 use the pricing indicated by the external event to corroborate our valuation. We 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, results of operations and cash flows.
While we currently hold a portfolio of investments, we have not yet identified additional potential investments for our portfolio that we will acquire with the proceeds of any offering of securities pursuant to this prospectus. Privately negotiated investments in illiquid securities or private middle-market companies require substantial due diligence and structuring, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve our
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anticipated investment pace. As a result, you will be unable to evaluate any future portfolio company investments prior to purchasing our shares of common stock. Additionally, GC Advisors selects all of our investments, and our stockholders will have no input with respect to such investment decisions. These factors increase the uncertainty, and thus the risk, of investing in our securities.
We anticipate that we will use substantially all of the net proceeds of any offering of our securities within approximately six months following the completion of any offering of our securities, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. Until such appropriate investment opportunities can be found, we will invest the net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment. We expect these temporary investments to earn yields substantially lower than the income that we expect to receive in respect of investments in senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans and equity securities. As a result, any distributions we make during this period may be substantially smaller than the distributions that we expect to pay when our portfolio is fully invested.
We are classified as a non-diversified 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 markets 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. As a result, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly and 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.
Leveraged companies may experience bankruptcy or similar financial distress. The bankruptcy process has a number of significant 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 creditors return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization or liquidation ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs of a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtors 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.
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Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as follow-on investments, in seeking to:
| increase or maintain in whole or in part our position as a creditor or equity ownership percentage in a portfolio company; |
| exercise warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; or |
| 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 portfolio company. 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 of regulatory or other considerations. Our ability to make follow-on investments may also be limited by GC Advisors allocation policy.
Although we may do so in the future, we do not currently hold controlling equity positions in our portfolio companies. As a result, 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.
A portfolio companys 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 companys 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.
We have invested a portion of our capital in second lien and mezzanine loans issued by our portfolio companies and intend to continue to do so in the future. The portfolio companies usually have, or 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.
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Additionally, certain loans that we make to portfolio companies may be secured on a second priority basis by the same collateral securing senior secured debt of such companies. The first priority liens on the collateral will secure the portfolio companys 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, will only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio companys remaining assets, if any.
We have made in the past, and may make in the future, unsecured loans to portfolio companies, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such companies. Liens on a portfolio companys collateral, if any, will secure the portfolio companys 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 companys remaining assets, if any.
The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with 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:
| the ability to cause the commencement of enforcement proceedings against the collateral; |
| the ability to control the conduct of such proceedings; |
| the approval of amendments to collateral documents; |
| releases of liens on the collateral; and |
| 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 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.
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A significant portion of our investments 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.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, GC Advisors does not assume any responsibility to us other than to render the services called for under that agreement, and it is not responsible for any action of our board of directors in following or declining to follow GC Advisors advice or recommendations. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the collateral management agreement, GC Advisors, its officers, members, personnel, and any person controlling or controlled by GC Advisors are not liable to us, any subsidiary of ours, our directors, our stockholders or any subsidiarys 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 GC Advisors duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to indemnify GC Advisors and each of its officers, directors, members, managers 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 and the collateral management agreement, except where attributable to gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such persons duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. These protections may lead GC Advisors to act in a riskier manner when acting on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
Under the 1940 Act, a business development company may not acquire any asset other than assets of the type listed in the 1940 Act, which are referred to as qualifying assets, unless, at the time the acquisition is made, qualifying assets represent at least 70% of the companys total assets. In order for our investments to be classified as qualifying assets, among other requirements, such investments must be in issuers organized under the laws of, and which have their 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. As of September 30, 2011 we were invested in the securities of one non-U.S. company and may make additional investments. We may in the future invest in non-U.S. companies, including emerging market issuers, to the limited extent such investments are permitted under the 1940 Act. We expect that these investments would focus on the same types of 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 governments 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.
In September 2011, we entered into ten-year Treasury futures contracts to hedge interest rate risk related to our SBA debentures, and we may engage in additional hedging transactions to the limited extent such
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transactions are permitted under the 1940 Act. Engaging in additional 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 have entered into ten-year Treasury futures contracts to reduce interest rate risks, and may enter into additional hedging 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.
When we invest in unitranche, mezzanine and second lien 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, 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.
The investments we make in accordance with our investment objective may result in a higher amount of risk than alternative investment options and a higher risk of volatility or loss of principal. Our investments in portfolio companies involve higher levels of risk, and therefore, an investment in our securities may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, may trade at a discount from net asset value. This characteristic of closed-end investment companies and business development companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share may decline. We cannot predict whether our common stock will trade at, above or below net asset value.
We intend to make distributions on a quarterly basis to our stockholders out of assets legally available for distribution. We cannot assure you that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. Our ability to pay
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distributions might be adversely affected by the impact of one or more of the risk factors described in this prospectus. Due to the asset coverage test applicable to us under the 1940 Act as a business development company, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions.
The market price and liquidity of the market for our securities 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:
| significant volatility in the market price and trading volume of securities of business development companies or other companies in our sector, which are not necessarily related to the operating performance of the companies; |
| changes in regulatory policies, accounting pronouncements or tax guidelines, particularly with respect to RICs and business development companies; |
| loss of our qualification as a RIC or business development company; |
| changes in earnings or variations in operating results; |
| changes in the value of our portfolio investments; |
| changes in accounting guidelines governing valuation of our investments; |
| any shortfall in revenue or net income or any increase in losses from levels expected by investors or securities analysts; |
| departure of GC Advisors or any of its affiliates key personnel; |
| operating performance of companies comparable to us; |
| general economic trends and other external factors; and |
| loss of a major funding source. |
We cannot assure you that the issuance of preferred stock and/or debt securities would result in a higher yield or return to the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, debt securities or convertible debt would likely cause the net asset value and market value of our common stock to become more volatile. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock, or the interest rate on the debt securities, were to approach the net rate of return on our investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the holders of our common stock would be reduced. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock, or the interest rate on the debt securities, were to exceed the net rate of return on our portfolio, the use of leverage would result in a lower rate of return to the holders of common stock than if we had not issued the preferred stock or debt securities. Any decline in the net asset value of our investment would be borne entirely by the holders of our common stock. Therefore, if the market value of our portfolio were to decline, the leverage would result in a greater decrease in net asset value to the holders of our common stock than if we were not leveraged through the issuance of preferred stock. This decline in net asset value would also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for our common stock.
There is also a risk that, in the event of a sharp decline in the value of our net assets, we would be in danger of failing to maintain required asset coverage ratios which may be required by the preferred stock, debt securities, convertible debt or units or of a downgrade in the ratings of the preferred stock, debt securities, convertible debt or units or our current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the dividend requirements on the preferred stock or the interest payments on the debt securities. In order to counteract such an event, we might need to liquidate investments in order to fund redemption of some or all of the preferred stock, debt securities or convertible debt. In addition, we would pay (and the holders of our common stock would bear) all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the preferred stock, debt securities, convertible debt or any combination of these securities. Holders of preferred
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stock, debt securities or convertible debt may have different interests than holders of common stock and may at times have disproportionate influence over our affairs.
We are a holding company and fund a majority of our investments through wholly owned subsidiaries, and a majority of the assets that we hold directly are the equity interests in such subsidiaries, including the Subordinated Notes. We depend upon the cash flow from our subsidiaries and the receipt of funds from them in the form of payments on the Subordinated Notes, dividends, and other distributions, any of which may be subject to restriction or limitations based on the organizational documents of the subsidiaries and the agreements governing the debt of any such subsidiary. In addition, because we are a holding company, any debt securities that we issue will be structurally subordinated to the obligations of our subsidiaries. In the event that one of our subsidiaries becomes insolvent, liquidates, reorganizes, dissolves or otherwise winds up, its assets will be used first to satisfy the claims of its creditors. Consequently, any claim by us or our creditors, including holders of any debt securities that we may issue, against any subsidiary will be structurally subordinated to all of the claims of the creditors of such subsidiary. We cannot assure security holders that they will receive any payments required to be made under the terms of any debt securities that we may issue, dividends or other distributions.
The 1940 Act requires that holders of shares of preferred stock must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if dividends on such preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more, until such arrearage is eliminated. In addition, certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock, including changes in fundamental investment restrictions and conversion to open-end status and, accordingly, preferred stockholders could veto any such changes. Restrictions imposed on the declarations and payment of dividends or other distributions to the holders of our common stock and preferred stock, both by the 1940 Act and by requirements imposed by rating agencies, might impair our ability to maintain our qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In the event we issue subscription rights, stockholders who do not fully exercise their subscription rights should expect that they will, at the completion of a rights offering pursuant to this prospectus, own a smaller proportional interest in us than would otherwise be the case if they fully exercised their rights. We cannot state precisely the amount of any such dilution in share ownership because we do not know at this time what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of such rights offering.
In addition, if the subscription price is less than the net asset value per share of our common stock, then our stockholders would experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate net asset value of their shares as a result of the offering. The amount of any decrease in net asset value is not predictable because it is not known at this time what the subscription price and net asset value per share will be on the expiration date of a rights offering or what proportion of the shares will be purchased as a result of such rights offering. Such dilution could be substantial.
These dilutive effects may be exacerbated if we were to conduct multiple subscription rights offerings, particularly if such offerings were to occur over a short period of time. In addition, subscription rights offerings and the prospect of future subscription rights offerings may create downward pressure on the secondary market price of our common stock due to the potential for the issuance of shares at a price below our net asset value, without a corresponding change to our net asset value.
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All dividends declared in cash payable to stockholders that are participants in our dividend reinvestment plan are automatically reinvested in shares of our common stock. As a result, our stockholders that do not participate in our dividend reinvestment plan will experience dilution in their ownership percentage of our common stock over time.
Our publicly issued debt securities may or may not have an established trading market. We cannot assure you that a trading market for our publicly issued debt securities will ever develop or be maintained if developed. In addition to our creditworthiness, many factors may materially adversely affect the trading market for, and market value of, our publicly issued debt securities. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
| the time remaining to the maturity of these debt securities; |
| the outstanding principal amount of debt securities with terms identical to these debt securities; |
| the ratings assigned by national statistical ratings agencies; |
| the general economic environment; |
| the supply of debt securities trading in the secondary market, if any; |
| the redemption or repayment features, if any, of these debt securities; |
| the level, direction and volatility of market interest rates generally; and |
| market rates of interest higher or lower than rates borne by the debt securities. |
You should also be aware that there may be a limited number of buyers when you decide to sell your debt securities. This too may materially adversely affect the market value of the debt securities or the trading market for the debt securities.
If your debt securities are redeemable at our option, we may choose to redeem your debt securities at times when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate paid on your debt securities. In addition, if your debt securities are subject to mandatory redemption, we may be required to redeem your debt securities also at times when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate paid on your debt securities. In this circumstance, you may not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds in a comparable security at an effective interest rate as high as your debt securities being redeemed.
Our credit ratings are an assessment by third parties of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of our debt securities. Our credit ratings, however, may not reflect the potential impact of risks related to market conditions generally or other factors discussed above on the market value of or trading market for the publicly issued debt securities.
Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock, or the availability of such common stock for sale, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for our common stock. If this occurs and continues, it could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities should we desire to do so.
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Some of the statements in this prospectus constitute forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or our performance or financial condition. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:
| our future operating results; |
| our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies; |
| the effect of investments that we expect to make; |
| our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties; |
| actual and potential conflicts of interest with GC Advisors and other affiliates of Golub Capital; |
| the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its effect on the industries in which we invest; |
| the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives; |
| the use of borrowed money to finance a portion of our investments; |
| the adequacy of our financing sources and working capital; |
| the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies; |
| the ability of GC Advisors to locate suitable investments for us and to monitor and administer our investments; |
| the ability of GC Advisors or its affiliates to attract and retain highly talented professionals; |
| our ability to qualify and maintain our qualification as a RIC and as a business development company; |
| the impact on our business of Dodd-Frank and the rules and regulations issued thereunder; and |
| the effect of changes to tax legislation and our tax position. |
Such forward-looking statements may include statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words may, might, will, intend, should, could, can, would, expect, believe, estimate, anticipate, predict, potential, plan or similar words. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those implied or expressed in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth as Risk Factors and elsewhere in this prospectus.
We have based the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus on information available to us on the date of this prospectus, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance. Although 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 have filed or 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.
You should understand that, under Sections 27A(b)(2)(B) of the Securities Act and Section 21E(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 do not apply to statements made in connection with any offering of securities pursuant to this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in periodic reports we file under the Exchange Act.
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Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities to invest in portfolio companies in accordance with our investment objective and strategies and for general corporate purposes. We expect that our new investments will consist primarily of senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans. We will also pay operating expenses, including management and administrative fees, and may pay other expenses such as due diligence expenses of potential new investments, from the net proceeds of any offering of our securities.
We anticipate that we will use substantially all of the net proceeds of an offering for the above purposes within approximately six months after the completion of any offering of our securities, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objectives and market conditions. We cannot assure you that we will achieve our targeted investment pace.
Until such appropriate investment opportunities can be found, we will invest the net proceeds of any offering of our securities primarily in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment. These temporary investments may have lower yields than our other investments and, accordingly, may result in lower distributions, if any, during such period. See Regulation Temporary Investments for additional information about temporary investments we may make while waiting to make longer-term investments in pursuit of our investment objective.
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To the extent that we have income available, we intend to make quarterly distributions to our stock- holders. Our quarterly distributions, if any, will be determined by our board of directors. Any distributions to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution.
We have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under the Code. To maintain RIC tax treatment, we must distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of our net long-term capital losses, if any, to our stockholders. In addition, we are subject to ordinary income and capital gain distribution requirements under U.S. federal excise tax rules for each calendar year. If we do not meet the required distributions we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax on the undistributed amount.
The following table reflects the cash distributions, including dividends and returns of capital per share that we have paid on our common stock since completion of our initial public offering.
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Payment Dates | Distributions Declared | |||||||||||
Record Dates | Per Share | Dollar amount | ||||||||||
(in thousands except per share data) | ||||||||||||
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 |
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June 22, 2010 | June 29, 2010 | $ | 0.24 | $ | 4,251 | |||||||
September 10, 2010 | September 30, 2010 | 0.31 | (1) | 5,491 | ||||||||
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 |
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December 20, 2010 | December 30, 2010 | 0.31 | 5,490 | |||||||||
March 18, 2011 | March 30, 2011 | 0.32 | 5,678 | |||||||||
June 17, 2011 | June 29, 2011 | 0.32 | 6,947 | |||||||||
September 19, 2011 | September 28, 2011 | 0.32 | 6,954 | |||||||||
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2012 |
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December 19, 2011 | December 29, 2011 | 0.32 | 6,955 | |||||||||
Total | $ | 2.14 | $ | 41,766 |
(1) | Includes a return of capital for tax purposes of approximately $0.06 per share. |
We currently intend to distribute net capital gains (i.e., net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses), if any, at least annually out of the assets legally available for such distributions. However, we may decide in the future to retain such capital gains for investment and elect to treat such gains as deemed distributions to you. If this happens, you will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as if you had received an actual distribution of the capital gains that we retain and reinvested the net after tax proceeds in us. In this situation, you would be eligible to claim a tax credit (or, in certain circumstances, a tax refund) equal to your allocable share of the tax we paid on the capital gains deemed distributed to you. See Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations Taxation of U.S. Stockholders. We cannot assure you that we will achieve results that will permit us to pay any cash distributions, and if we issue senior securities, we will be prohibited from making distributions if doing so would cause us to fail to maintain the asset coverage ratios stipulated by the 1940 Act or if such distributions are limited by the terms of any of our borrowings.
Unless you elect to receive your distributions in cash, we intend to make such distributions in additional shares of our common stock under our dividend reinvestment plan. Although distributions paid in the form of additional shares of our common stock will generally be subject to U.S. federal, state and local taxes in the same manner as cash distributions, investors participating in our dividend reinvestment plan will not receive any corresponding cash distributions with which to pay any such applicable taxes. If you hold shares of our common stock in the name of a broker or financial intermediary, you should contact such broker or financial intermediary regarding your election to receive distributions in cash in lieu of shares of our common stock. Any distributions reinvested through the issuance of shares through our dividend reinvestment plan will increase our gross assets on which the base management fee and the incentive fee are determined and paid to GC Advisors. See Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
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The following selected consolidated financial data of Golub Capital BDC as of September 30, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007, for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and for the period from July 27, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007 is derived from the consolidated financial statements that have been audited by McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, independent auditors. For the periods prior to September 30, 2009, the financial data refers to the financial condition and results of operations of our predecessor, GCMF. The financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations, Financial Condition and Cash Flows included elsewhere in this prospectus.
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Golub Capital BDC(1) | GCMF | |||||||||||||||||||
Years ended | For the Period July 27, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007 |
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September 30, 2011 |
September 30, 2010 |
September 30, 2009 |
September 30, 2008 |
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(In thousands, except per share data) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Statement of Operations Data: |
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Total investment income | $ | 39,150 | $ | 33,150 | $ | 33,338 | $ | 20,686 | $ | 1,868 | ||||||||||
Base management fee | 5,789 | 3,328 | 2,849 | 1,726 | 134 | |||||||||||||||
Incentive fee | 348 | 55 | | | | |||||||||||||||
All other expenses | 10,197 | 6,400 | 5,011 | 8,916 | 1,117 | |||||||||||||||
Net investment income | 22,816 | 23,367 | 25,478 | 10,044 | 617 | |||||||||||||||
Net realized gain/(loss) on investments and derivative instruments | 2,037 | (40 | ) | (3,972 | ) | (4,503 | ) | | ||||||||||||
Net change in unrealized (depreciation)/appreciation on investments and derivative instruments | (3,514 | ) | 2,921 | (1,489 | ) | (8,957 | ) | (558 | ) | |||||||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations | 21,339 | 26,248 | 20,017 | (3,416 | ) | 59 | ||||||||||||||
Per share data: |
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Net asset value | $ | 14.56 | $ | 14.71 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 1.16 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Net realized gain on investments and derivative instruments |
0.11 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Net change in unrealized (depreciation)/appreciation on investments and derivative instruments | (0.17 | ) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | 1.09 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | |||||||||||
Per share distributions declared | 1.27 | 0.55 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||||
Dollar amount of distributions declared | 25,069 | 9,742 | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | N/A | (2) | ||||||||||||
Other data: |
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Weighted average annualized yield on income producing assets at fair value(3) | 8.64 | % | 8.4 | % | 8.1 | % | 9.3 | % | 6.4 | % | ||||||||||
Number of portfolio companies at period end | 103 | 94 | 95 | 60 | 56 |
(1) | Includes the financial information of GCMF for the period prior to our conversion to a Delaware corporation. |
(2) | Per share data are not provided as we did not have shares of common stock outstanding or an equivalent prior to the initial public offering on April 14, 2010. |
(3) | Weighted average yield on income producing investments is computed by dividing (a) annualized interest income (other than interest income resulting from amortization of fees and discounts) on accruing loans and debt securities by (b) total income producing investments at fair value. |
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Golub Capital BDC |
GCMF | |||||||||||||||||||
September 30, 2011 |
September 30, 2010 |
September 30, 2009 |
Setpember 30, 2008 |
September 30, 2007 |
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(unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Balance sheet data at period end: |
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Investments, at fair value | $ | 459,827 | $ | 344,869 | $ | 376,294 | $ | 135,476 | $ | 201,147 | ||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 69,766 | 92,990 | 30,614 | 4,252 | 4,237 | |||||||||||||||
Other assets | 30,051 | 4,904 | 2,214 | 1,213 | 2,819 | |||||||||||||||
Total assets | 559,644 | 442,763 | 409,122 | 140,941 | 208,203 | |||||||||||||||
Total debt | 237,683 | 174,000 | 315,306 | 123,083 | 173,540 | |||||||||||||||
Total liabilities | 243,095 | 182,222 | 316,370 | 124,088 | 174,722 | |||||||||||||||
Total net assets | 316,549 | 260,541 | 92,752 | 16,853 | 33,481 |
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The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows should be read in conjunction with Selected Financial and Other Information and the financial statements and the related notes thereto of us and our predecessor, GCMF, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. On April 13, 2010, Golub Capital BDC LLC converted from a Delaware limited liability company into a Delaware corporation and elected to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act. In this conversion, which we refer to as the BDC Conversion, Golub Capital BDC, Inc. assumed the business activities of Golub Capital BDC LLC and became the sole surviving entity. As a result of the conversion, GCMF became a wholly owned subsidiary of Golub Capital BDC, Inc. At the time of the BDC Conversion, all limited liability company interests were exchanged for 8,984,863 shares of common stock in Golub Capital BDC, Inc. Immediately prior to the BDC Conversion, the limited liability company interests were owned by investment vehicles managed by Golub Capital. For periods prior to April 13, 2010, the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes reflect the performance of Golub Capital BDC LLC and its predecessor, GCMF. The information in this section contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Please see Risk Factors and Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements.
We are an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act. In addition, for tax purposes, we have elected to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. We were formed in November 2009 to continue and expand the business of our predecessor, GCMF, which commenced operations in July 2007, in making investments in senior secured, unitranche (a loan that combines characteristics of traditional first lien senior secured loans and second lien or subordinated loans), mezzanine (a loan that ranks senior only to a borrowers equity securities and ranks junior to all of such borrowers other indebtedness in priority of payment), second lien loans and equity securities of middle-market companies that are, in most cases, sponsored by private equity firms.
On April 14, 2010, we priced our initial public offering, selling 7,100,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $14.50 per share. Concurrent with our initial public offering, we sold an additional 1,322,581 shares through a private placement, also at $14.50 per share. On May 19, 2010, we issued an additional 305,000 shares at $14.50 following the exercise of the underwriters over-allotment option. Our shares are currently listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol GBDC.
Our investment objective is to maximize the total return to our stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation through debt and minority equity investments. We intend to achieve our investment objective by (1) accessing the established loan origination channels developed by Golub Capital, a leading lender to middle-market companies with over $5.0 billion of capital under management as of September 30, 2011, (2) selecting investments within our core middle-market company focus, (3) partnering with experienced private equity firms, or sponsors, in many cases with whom we have invested alongside in the past, (4) implementing the disciplined underwriting standards of Golub Capital and (5) drawing upon the aggregate experience and resources of Golub Capital.
Our investment activities are managed by GC Advisors and supervised by our board of directors, of which a majority of the members are independent of us.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, entered into on April 14, 2010 and amended and restated on July 16, 2010, we have agreed to pay GC Advisors an annual base management fee based on our average adjusted gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our investment performance. We have also entered into the Administration Agreement with GC Service under which we have agreed to reimburse GC Service for our allocable portion (subject to the review and approval of our independent directors) of overhead and other expenses incurred by GC Service in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement.
As of September 30, 2011, our portfolio at fair value was comprised of 44.3% senior secured loans, 38.7% unitranche loans, 4.8% second lien loans, 10.2% mezzanine loans and 2.0% equity. As of September 30, 2010, our portfolio at fair value was comprised of 65.8% senior secured loans, 26.2%
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unitranche loans, 3.3% second lien loans, 3.9% mezzanine loans and 0.8% equity. Over time we expect that senior secured loans will represent a smaller percentage of our investment portfolio as we grow our business, these investments are repaid and we invest in a different mix of assets.
We seek to create a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine and second lien loans and warrants and minority equity securities by investing approximately $5 to $25 million of capital, on average, in the securities of middle-market companies. We may also selectively invest more than $25 million in some of our portfolio companies and generally expect that the size of our individual investments will vary proportionately with the size of our capital base.
As of September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, we had debt investments in 103, 94 and 95 portfolio companies, respectively. For the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, our income producing assets, which represented nearly 100% of our total portfolio, had a weighted average annualized interest income (which excludes income resulting from amortization of fees and discounts) yield of 8.6%, 8.4% and 8.1% and a weighted average annualized investment income (which includes interest income and amortization of fees and discounts) yield of 9.9%, 10.9% and 9.0%, respectively.
Revenues: We generate revenue in the form of interest income on debt investments and capital gains and distributions, if any, on portfolio company investments that we originate or acquire. Our debt investments, whether in the form of senior secured, unitranche, mezzanine or second lien loans, typically have a term of three to seven years and bear interest at a fixed or floating rate. In some instances, we receive payments on our debt investments based on scheduled amortization of the outstanding balances. In addition, we receive repayments of some of our debt investments prior to their scheduled maturity date. The frequency or volume of these repayments fluctuates significantly from period to period. Our portfolio activity also reflects the proceeds of sales of securities. In some cases, our investments provide for deferred interest payments or PIK interest. The principal amount of loans and any accrued but unpaid interest generally become due at the maturity date. In addition, we may generate revenue in the form of commitment, origination, amendment, structuring or due diligence fees, fees for providing managerial assistance and consulting fees. Loan origination fees, original issue discount and market discount or premium are capitalized, and we accrete or amortize such amounts as interest income. We record prepayment premiums on loans as interest income. When we receive partial principal payments on a loan in an amount that exceeds its amortized cost, we record the excess principal payment as interest income. Dividend income on preferred equity securities is recorded as dividend income on an accrual basis to the extent that such amounts are payable by the portfolio company and are expected to be collected. Dividend income on common equity securities is recorded on the record date for private portfolio companies or on the ex-dividend date for publicly traded portfolio companies.
We recognize realized gains or losses on investments based on the difference between the net proceeds from the disposition and the cost basis of the investment or derivative instrument, without regard to unrealized gains or losses previously recognized. We record current period changes in fair value of investments and derivative instruments that are measured at fair value as a component of the net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments in the consolidated statements of operations.
Expenses: Our primary operating expenses include the payment of fees to GC Advisors under the Investment Advisory Agreement, our allocable portion of overhead expenses under the Administration Agreement and other operating costs described below. Additionally, we pay interest expense on our outstanding debt. We bear all other out-of-pocket costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including:
| organizational expenses; |
| calculating our net asset value (including the cost and expenses of any independent valuation firm); |
| fees and expenses incurred by GC Advisors payable to third parties, including agents, consultants or other advisors, in monitoring financial and legal affairs for us and in monitoring our investments and performing due diligence on our prospective portfolio companies or otherwise relating to, or associated with, evaluating and making investments; |
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| interest payable on debt, if any, incurred to finance our investments and expenses related to unsuccessful portfolio acquisition efforts; |
| offerings of our common stock and other securities; |
| investment advisory and management fees; |
| administration fees and expenses, if any, payable under the Administration Agreement (including payments under the Administration Agreement between us and GC Service based upon our allocable portion of GC Services overhead in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including rent and the allocable portion of the cost of our chief compliance officer, chief financial officer and their respective staffs); |
| fees payable to third parties, including agents, consultants or other advisors, relating to, or associated with evaluating and making, investments in portfolio companies, including costs associated with meeting financial sponsors; |
| transfer agent, dividend agent and custodial fees and expenses; |
| U.S. federal and state registration fees; |
| all costs of registration and listing our shares on any securities exchange; |
| U.S. federal, state and local taxes; |
| independent directors fees and expenses; |
| costs of preparing and filing reports or other documents required by the SEC or other regulators; |
| costs of any reports, proxy statements or other notices to stockholders, including printing costs; |
| costs associated with individual or group stockholders; |
| costs associated with Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance; |
| our allocable portion of any fidelity bond, directors and officers/errors and omissions liability insurance, and any other insurance premiums; |
| direct costs and expenses of administration, including printing, mailing, long distance telephone, copying, secretarial and other staff, independent auditors and outside legal costs; |
| proxy voting expenses; and |
| all other expenses incurred by us or GC Service in connection with administering our business. |
GC Advisors, as collateral manager for the Securitization Issuer under the collateral management agreement, is entitled to receive an annual fee in an amount equal to 0.35% of the principal balance of the portfolio loans held by the Securitization Issuer at the beginning of the collection period relating to each payment date, which is payable in arrears on each payment date. This fee, which is less than the management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement, is paid directly by the Securitization Issuer to GC Advisors and offset against such management fee. Accordingly, the 1.375% management fee paid by us to GC Advisors under the Investment Advisory Agreement on all of our assets, including those indirectly held through the Securitization Issuer, is reduced, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, by an amount equal to such 0.35% fee paid to GC Advisors by the Securitization Issuer. The term collection period refers to a quarterly period running from the day after the end of the prior collection period to the fifth business day of the calendar month in which a payment date occurs. This fee may be waived by the collateral manager. The collateral management agreement does not include any incentive fee payable to GC Advisors. In addition, the Securitization Issuer paid Wells Fargo Securities, LLC a structuring and placement fee for its services in connection with the initial structuring of the Debt Securitization. The Securitization Issuer also agreed to pay ongoing administrative expenses to the trustee, collateral manager, independent accountants, legal counsel, rating agencies and independent managers in connection with developing and maintaining reports and providing required services in connection with the administration of the Debt Securitization. The administrative expenses are paid by the Securitization Issuer on each payment date in two parts: (1) a
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component that is paid in a priority to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, subject to a cap equal to the sum of 0.04% per annum on the adjusted principal balance of the portfolio loans and other assets held by the Securitization Issuer on the last day of the collection period relating to such payment date, plus $150,000 per annum, and (2) a component that is paid in a subordinated position relative to other amounts distributed by the Securitization Issuer, equal to any amounts that exceed the aforementioned administrative expense cap.
The following table summarizes portfolio composition and investment activity as of and for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
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As of and for the years ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | ||||||||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||||||
Investments, at fair value | $ | 459,827 | $ | 344,869 | $ | 376,294 | ||||||
Number of portfolio investments | 103 | 94 | 95 | |||||||||
New investment fundings | $ | 326,260 | $ | 144,098 | $ | 383,713 | ||||||
Principal payments and sales of portfolio investments | $ | 217,884 | $ | 181,850 | $ | 104,014 |
The following table shows the par, amortized cost, and fair value of our portfolio of investments by asset class:
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As of September 30, 2011(1) | As of September 30, 2010(1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Par | Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Par | Amortized Cost |
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