Provisions in our credit facility may limit discretion.

At our discretion, we utilize the leverage available under our credit facility for investment and operating purposes. Additionally, we may in the future enter into additional credit facilities. To the extent we continue to borrow money to make investments, such underlying credit facility may be backed by all or a portion of our loans and securities on which the lenders will have a security interest. 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 instrument we enter into with lenders. We expect that any security interests we grant will be set forth in a pledge and security agreement and evidenced by the filing of financing statements by the agent for the lenders. In addition, we expect that the custodian for our securities serving as collateral for such loan would include in its electronic systems notices indicating the existence of such security interests and, following notice of occurrence of an event of default, if any, and during its continuance, will only accept transfer instructions with respect to any such securities from the lender or its designee. If we were to default under the terms of any debt instrument, the agent for the applicable lenders would be able to assume control of the timing of disposition of any or all of our assets securing such debt, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, any security interests and/or negative covenants required by a credit facility may limit our ability to create liens on assets to secure additional debt and may make it difficult for us to restructure or refinance indebtedness at or prior to maturity or obtain additional debt or equity financing. In addition, if our borrowing base under a credit facility were to decrease, we may be required to secure additional assets in an amount sufficient to cure any borrowing base deficiency. In the event that all of our assets are secured at the time of such a borrowing base deficiency, we could be required to repay advances under a credit facility or make deposits to a collection account, either of which could have a material adverse impact on our ability to fund future investments and to make distributions.

In addition, we may be subject to limitations as to how borrowed funds may be used, which may include restrictions on geographic and industry concentrations, loan size, payment frequency and status, average life, collateral interests and investment ratings, as well as regulatory restrictions on leverage, which may affect the amount of funding that may be obtained. There may also be certain requirements relating to portfolio performance, including required minimum portfolio yield and limitations on delinquencies and charge-offs, a violation of which could limit further advances and, in some cases, result in an event of default. An event of default under a credit facility could result in an accelerated maturity date for all amounts outstanding thereunder, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. This could reduce our liquidity and cash flow and impair our ability to grow our business.

A substantial amount of our assets are subject to security interests under our revolving credit facility and if we default on our obligations under such facility, we may suffer adverse consequences, including foreclosure on our assets.

As of December 31, 2021, a substantial portion of our assets were held in the MC Income Plus Financing SPV, LLC (the “SPV”), our wholly owned subsidiary, were pledged as collateral under our revolving credit facility. If we default on our obligations under this facility, the lenders may have the right to foreclose upon and sell, or otherwise transfer, the collateral subject to their security interests or their superior claim. In such event, we may be forced to sell our investments to raise funds to repay our outstanding borrowings in order to avoid foreclosure and these forced sales may be at times and at prices we would not consider advantageous. Moreover, such deleveraging of our company could significantly impair our ability to effectively operate our business in the manner in which we have historically operated. As a result, we could be forced to curtail or cease new investment activities and lower or eliminate the distributions that we have historically paid to our stockholders.

In addition, if the lenders exercise their right to sell the assets pledged under our revolving credit facility, such sales may be completed at distressed sale prices, thereby diminishing or potentially eliminating the amount of cash available to us after repayment of the amounts outstanding under the credit facilities.

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

To the extent we borrow money to make investments, our net investment income depends, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. We 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 MC Advisors.

The interest rates of our revolving credit facility and term loans to our portfolio companies that extend beyond 2021 might be subject to change based on recent regulatory changes, including the decommissioning of LIBOR.

LIBOR, the London Interbank Offered Rate, is the basic rate of interest used in lending transactions between banks on the London interbank market and is widely used as a reference for setting the interest rate on loans globally. We typically use LIBOR as a reference rate in term loans we extend to portfolio companies such that the interest due to us pursuant to a term loan extended to a portfolio company is calculated using LIBOR. The terms of our debt investments generally include minimum interest rate floors that are calculated based on LIBOR. Amounts drawn under our revolving credit facility also currently bear interest at LIBOR plus a margin.

On March 5, 2021, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the 1-week and 2-month U.S. dollar LIBOR settings will cease publication after December 31, 2021 and the overnight 1, 3, 6 and 12 months U.S. dollar LIBOR settings will cease publication after June 30, 2023. However, the FCA has indicated it will not compel panel banks to continue to contribute to LIBOR after the end of 2021 and the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have encouraged banks to cease entering into new contracts that use U.S. dollar LIBOR as a reference rate no later than December 31, 2021. 

To identify a successor rate for U.S. dollar LIBOR, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (“ARRC”), a U.S.-based group convened by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, was formed. The ARRC has identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as its preferred alternative rate for LIBOR. SOFR is a measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight, collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities, and is based on directly observable U.S. Treasury-backed repurchase transactions. On July 29, 2021, the ARCC formally recommended SOFR as its preferred alternative replacement rate for LIBOR. Although SOFR appears to be the preferred replacement rate for U.S. dollar LIBOR, at this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative reference rates or other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted in the United States, United Kingdom or elsewhere or, whether the COVID-19 outbreak will have further effect on LIBOR transition plans. Although there have been a few issuances utilizing SOFR or the Sterling Over Night Index Average, an alternative reference rate that is based on transactions, it is unknown whether these alternative reference rates will attain market acceptance as replacements for LIBOR.

The elimination of LIBOR or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market value of and/or transferability of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. In addition, we may need to renegotiate our Credit Facility and the credit agreements extending beyond the date with which the tenor of their associated LIBOR will no longer be available with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate, in order to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established, which may have an adverse effect on our overall financial condition or results of operations. Following the replacement of LIBOR, some or all of these credit agreements may bear interest at a lower interest rate, which could have an adverse impact on the value and liquidity of our investment in these portfolio companies and, as a result on our results of operations.

To date, certain of the loan agreements with our portfolio companies have already been amended to include fallback language providing a mechanism for the parties to negotiate a new reference interest rate in the event that LIBOR ceases to exist. Factors such as the pace of the transition to replacement or reformed rates, the specific terms and parameters for and market acceptance of any alternative reference rate, prices of and the liquidity of trading markets for products based on alternative reference rates, and our ability to transition and develop appropriate systems and analytics for one or more alternative reference rates could also have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, any further changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in reported LIBOR, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, tax position and results of operations.

We are subject to risks related to corporate social responsibility.

Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) activities, which are increasingly considered to contribute to the long-term sustainability of a company’s performance. A variety of organizations measure the performance of companies on ESG topics, and the results of these assessments are widely publicized. In addition, investment in funds that specialize in companies that perform well in such assessments are increasingly popular, and major institutional investors have publicly emphasized the importance of such ESG measures to their investment decisions.

We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as environmental stewardship, corporate governance and transparency and considering ESG factors in our investment processes. Adverse incidents with respect to ESG activities could impact the value of our brand, the cost of our operations and relationships with investors, all of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Additionally, new regulatory initiatives related to ESG could adversely affect our business. For example, in May 2018, the European Commission adopted an “action plan on financing sustainable growth.” The action plan is, among other things, designed to define and reorient investment toward sustainability. The action plan contemplates: establishing EU labels for green financial products; increasing disclosure requirements in the financial services sector around ESG and strengthening the transparency of companies on their ESG policies and introducing a ‘green supporting factor’ in the EU prudential rules for banks and insurance companies to incorporate climate risks into banks’ and insurance companies’ risk management policies. There is a risk that a significant reorientation in the market following the implementation of these and further measures could be adverse to our portfolio companies if they are perceived to be less valuable as a consequence of, e.g., their carbon footprint or “greenwashing” (i.e., the holding out of a product as having green or sustainable characteristics where this is not, in fact, the case). We and our portfolio companies are subject to the risk that similar measures might be introduced in other jurisdictions in the future. In addition, the SEC has announced that it may require disclosure of certain ESG-related matters. At this time, there is uncertainty regarding the scope of such proposals or when they would become effective (if at all). Compliance with any new laws or regulations increases our regulatory burden and could make compliance more difficult and expensive, affect the manner in which we or our portfolio companies conduct our businesses and adversely affect our profitability.

We are exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates.

Interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial negative impact on our investments, the value of our common stock and our rate of return on invested capital. A reduction in the interest rates on new investments relative to interest rates on current investments could have an adverse impact on our net interest income. However, an increase in interest rates could decrease the value of any investments we hold that earn fixed interest rates, including subordinated loans, senior and junior secured and unsecured debt securities and loans and high yield bonds, and also could increase our interest expense, thereby decreasing our net income.

In periods of rising interest rates, to the extent we borrow money subject to a floating interest rate, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if such increases cause our borrowing costs to rise at a rate in excess of the rate that our investments yield. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if we hold investments with floating interest rates, subject to specified minimum interest rates (such as a LIBOR floor), while at the same time engaging in borrowings subject to floating interest rates not subject to such minimums. In such a scenario, rising interest rates may increase our interest expense, even though our interest income from investments is not increasing in a corresponding manner as a result of such minimum interest rates.

If general interest rates rise, there is a risk that the portfolio companies in which we hold floating rate securities will be unable to pay escalating interest amounts, which could result in a default under their loan documents with us. Rising interest rates could also cause portfolio companies to shift cash from other productive uses to the payment of interest, which may have a material adverse effect on their business and operations and could, over time, lead to increased defaults. In addition, rising interest rates may increase pressure on us to provide fixed rate loans to our portfolio companies, which could adversely affect our net investment income, as increases in our cost of borrowed funds would not be accompanied by increased interest income from such fixed-rate investments.

If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could fail to qualify as a BDC, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As a BDC, we may not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such acquisition, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying assets, as defined in Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act. See “Business — Qualifying Assets.” We believe that most of the investments that we may acquire in the future will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could violate the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs. As a result of such violation, specific rules under the 1940 Act could prevent us, for example, from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies, which could result in the dilution of our position or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to come into compliance with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of 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.

Many of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.

Under the 1940 Act, we are required to carry our portfolio investments at market value, or if there is no readily available market value, at fair value as determined by our Board. Many of our portfolio investments may 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, including to reflect significant events affecting the value of our securities. 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:

We expect that most of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) will be classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy and require disclosures about the level of disaggregation along with the inputs and valuation techniques we use to measure fair value. 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 is available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We employ the services of one or more independent service providers to conduct fair value appraisals of material investments for which market quotations are not readily available. These fair value appraisals for material investments are received at least once every calendar year for each portfolio company investment, but are generally received quarterly. The types of factors that the Board 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 company’s 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. Due to this uncertainty in the value of our portfolio investments, a fair value determination may cause net asset value on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that we may ultimately realize upon one or more of our investments. As a result, investors purchasing shares of our common stock based on an overstated net asset value would pay a higher price than the value of the investments might warrant. Conversely, investors selling shares during a period in which the net asset value understates the value of investments will receive a lower price for their shares than the value the investment portfolio might warrant.

We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect the determination of our Board of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded in our consolidated statements of operations as net change in unrealized gain (loss) on investments.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic, or any other outbreak of epidemic disease, has had and may continue to have a significant adverse impact on the fair value of our investments. These factors may also cause the valuation of our investments to differ materially from the values that we may ultimately realize. Our valuations, and particularly valuations of private investments and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and are often based on estimates, comparisons and qualitative evaluations of private information that may not show the complete impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or any other outbreak of epidemic disease, and the resulting measures taken in response thereto. 

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.

We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including our ability or inability to make investments in companies that meet our investment criteria, the interest rate payable to us on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, including the cost of our indebtedness, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business or cause us to alter our business strategy.

We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation at the local, state and federal level. These laws and regulations, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, including as the result of interpretive guidance or other directives from the U.S. President and others in the executive branch, and new laws, regulations and interpretations may also come into effect, including those governing the types of investments we or our portfolio companies are permitted to make, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and political uncertainty could increase regulatory uncertainty in the near term. The effects of legislative and regulatory proposals directed at the financial services industry or affecting taxation may negatively impact the operations, cash flows or financial condition of us or our portfolio companies, impose additional costs on us or our portfolio companies, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or our portfolio companies or otherwise adversely affect our business or the business of our portfolio companies. In addition, if we do not comply with applicable laws and regulations, we could lose any licenses that we then hold for the conduct of our business and may be subject to civil fines and criminal penalties.

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 the strategies and plans set forth herein and may shift our investment focus from the areas of expertise of MC Advisors to other types of investments in which MC 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.

Over the last several years, there also has been an increase in regulatory attention to the extension of credit outside of the traditional banking sector, raising the possibility that some portion of the non-bank financial sector will be subject to new regulation. While it cannot be known at this time whether any regulation will be implemented or what form it will take, increased regulation of non-bank credit extension could negatively impact our operations, cash flows or financial condition, impose additional costs on us, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Uncertainty about U.S. government initiatives could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The U.S. government has recently called for significant changes to U.S. trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign and government regulatory policy. In this regard, there is significant uncertainty with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, treaties, tariffs, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent the U.S. Congress or the current administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although we cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to our business, they could adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until we know what policy changes are made and how those changes impact our business and the business of our competitors over the long term, we will not know if, overall, we will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

Our Board may change our investment objective, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval, the effects of which may be adverse.

Our Board has the authority, except as otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. Under Maryland law, we also cannot be dissolved without prior stockholder approval except by judicial action. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and the price value of our common stock. Nevertheless, any such changes could adversely affect our business and impair our ability to make distributions.

MC Advisors can resign on 60 days’ notice, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Advisors has the right to resign under the Investment Advisory Agreement without penalty at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to us, whether we have found a replacement or not. If MC Advisors resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment advisor or hire internal management with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms within 60 days, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and our net asset value 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 MC Advisors and its affiliates. Even if we were 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 financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Management can resign on 60 days’ notice from its role as our administrator under the Administration Agreement, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Management has the right to resign under the Administration Agreement without penalty upon 60 days’ written notice to us, whether we have found a replacement or not. If MC Management 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 our net asset value 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 MC Management. Even if we were able to retain a comparable service provider or individuals to perform such services, whether internal or external, their integration into our business and lack of familiarity with our investment objective may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

There are significant financial and other resources necessary to comply with the requirements of being a public reporting entity.

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). These requirements may place a strain on our systems and resources. The Exchange Act requires that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting, which are discussed below. In order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls, significant resources and management oversight will be required. We have implemented procedures, processes, policies and practices for the purpose of addressing the standards and requirements applicable to public reporting companies. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We expect to incur significant additional annual expenses related to these steps and, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, reporting requirements of the SEC, transfer agent fees, additional administrative expenses payable to MC Management, as administrator, to compensate them for hiring additional accounting, legal and administrative personnel, increased auditing and legal fees and similar expenses.

The systems and resources necessary to comply with public company reporting requirements will increase further once we cease to be an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As long as we remain an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public reporting companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years following an initial public offering or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (ii) December 31 of the fiscal year that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter and we have been publicly reporting for at least 12 months or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the preceding three-year period.

Efforts to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act involve significant expenditures, and non-compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may adversely affect us and the market price of our common stock.

As a public reporting 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 and other rules implemented by the SEC.

We are subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC. Under current SEC rules, after being subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for a specified period of time, our management will be required to report on its internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. We are required to review on an annual basis our internal controls over financial reporting, and on a quarterly and annual basis to evaluate and disclose changes in our internal controls over financial reporting. As a result, we expect to continue to incur associated expenses, which may negatively impact our financial performance and our ability to make distributions. This process also will result in a diversion of our management’s 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 may not be able to ensure that the process is effective or that the internal controls are or will be effective in a timely manner. There can be no assurance that our quarterly reviews and annual audits will not identify additional material weaknesses. In the event that we are unable to maintain or achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules, our value and results of operations may be adversely affected. As a result, we expect to incur significant associated expenses, which may negatively impact our financial performance and our ability to make distributions.

Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may affect any market for our common stock, impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, global health emergencies or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks, global health emergencies and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions in the global economy, which has had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on our portfolio companies and our business and operations.

In late 2019 and early 2020, COVID-19 emerged in China and spread rapidly to across the world, including to the United States. This outbreak has led, and for an unknown period of time will continue to lead, to disruptions in local, regional, national and global markets and economies affected thereby. With respect to the U.S. credit markets (in particular for middle market loans), this outbreak has resulted in, and until fully resolved is likely to continue to result in, the following among other things: (i) government imposition of various forms of “stay at home” orders and the closing of “non-essential” businesses, resulting in significant disruption to the businesses of many middle-market loan borrowers including supply chains, demand and practical aspects of their operations, as well as in lay-offs of employees, and, while these effects are hoped to be temporary, some effects could be persistent or even permanent; (ii) increased draws by borrowers on revolving lines of credit; (iii) increased requests by borrowers for amendments and waivers of their credit agreements to avoid default, increased defaults by such borrowers and/or increased difficulty in obtaining refinancing at the maturity dates of their loans; (iv) volatility and disruption of these markets including greater volatility in pricing and spreads and difficulty in valuing loans during periods of increased volatility, and liquidity issues; and (v) rapidly evolving proposals and/or actions by state and federal governments to address problems being experienced by the markets and by businesses and the economy in general that will not necessarily adequately address the problems facing the loan market and middle market businesses. This outbreak is having, and any future outbreaks could have, an adverse impact on our portfolio companies and us and on the markets and the economy in general, and that impact could be material. Such effects will likely continue for the duration of the pandemic, which is uncertain, and for some period thereafter. It is impossible to determine the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic, or any future outbreaks, how long any such outbreak, market disruption or uncertainties may last, the effect any governmental actions will have or the full potential impact on us, MC Advisors and our portfolio companies.

The COVID-19 pandemic (including the preventative measures taken in response thereto) has to date (i) created significant business disruption issues for certain of our portfolio companies, and (ii) adversely impacted the value and performance of certain of our portfolio companies. The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing as of the filing date of this Annual Report, and its extended duration may have further adverse impacts on our portfolio companies after December 31, 2021, including for the reasons described below. As a result of this disruption and the pressures on their liquidity, certain of our portfolio companies have been, or may continue to be, incentivized to draw on most, if not all, of the unfunded portion of any revolving or delayed draw term loans made by us, subject to availability under the terms of such loans.

The effects described above on our portfolio companies have, for certain of our portfolio companies to date, impacted their ability to make payments on their loans on a timely basis and, in some cases, have required us to amend certain terms, including payment terms. In addition, an extended duration of the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the ability of our portfolio companies to continue making their loan payments on a timely basis or meeting their loan covenants. The inability of portfolio companies to make timely payments or meet loan covenants may in the future require us to undertake similar amendment actions with respect to other of our investments or to restructure our investments. The amendment or restructuring of our investments may include the need for us to make additional investments in our portfolio companies (including debt or equity investments) beyond any existing commitments, exchange debt for equity, or change the payment terms of our investments to permit a portfolio company to pay a portion of its interest through payment-in-kind, which would defer the cash collection of such interest and add it to the principal balance, which would generally be due upon repayment of the outstanding principal. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, collateral for our loans may decline in value, which could cause loan losses to increase and the net worth and liquidity of loan guarantors could decline, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us. An increase in loan delinquencies and non-accruals or a decrease in loan collateral and guarantor net worth could result in increased costs and reduced income, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the fair value of certain of our investments as of December 31, 2021 and the values assigned as of this date may differ materially from the values that we may ultimately realize with respect to our investments. Our Board approved the fair value of our investment portfolio as of December 31, 2021 and these valuations were determined in good faith in accordance with our valuation policy based on information known or knowable as of the valuation date. As a result, the long term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may not yet be fully reflected in the valuation of our investments and the fair value of our portfolio investments may be further negatively impacted after December 31, 2021 by circumstances and events that are not yet known, including the complete or continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting measures taken in response thereto. In addition, write downs in the value of our investments have reduced, and any additional write downs may further reduce, our net asset value (and, as a result, our asset coverage calculation). Accordingly, we may continue to incur additional net unrealized losses or may incur realized losses after December 31, 2021, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

General uncertainty surrounding the dangers and impact of COVID-19 (including the preventative measures taken in response thereto) and additional uncertainty regarding new variants of COVID-19, has to date created significant disruption in supply chains and economic activity, contributed to labor difficulties and has affected, and may continue to affect, the pace of our investment activity, which may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.  

Further, from an operational perspective, MC Advisors’ investment professionals are currently partially working remotely. An extended period of remote work arrangements could strain our business continuity plans, introduce operational risk, including but not limited to cybersecurity risks, and impair our ability to manage our business. In addition, we are highly dependent on third party service providers for certain communication and information systems. As a result, we rely upon the successful implementation and execution of the business continuity planning of such providers in the current environment. If one or more of these third parties to whom we outsource certain critical business activities experience operational failures as a result of the impacts from the spread of COVID-19, or claim that they cannot perform due to a force majeure, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

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

The U.S. capital markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruption following the spread of COVID-19 in the United States that began in December 2019. The global impact of the outbreak is rapidly evolving, and many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines, prohibitions on travel and the closure of offices, businesses, schools, retail stores and other public venues. Businesses have also implemented similar precautionary measures. Such measures, as well as the general uncertainty surrounding the dangers and impact of COVID-19, have created significant disruption in supply chains and economic activity. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant volatility and declines in the global public equity markets and it is uncertain how long this volatility will continue. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the potential impacts, including a global, regional or other economic recession, remain uncertain and difficult to assess. Some economists and major investment banks have expressed concern that the continued spread of the virus globally could lead to a long-term world-wide economic downturn.

General uncertainty surrounding the dangers and impact of COVID-19 (including the preventative measures taken in response thereto and additional uncertainty regarding new variants of COVID-19 that have emerged ) has to date created significant disruption in supply chains and economic activity and are having a particularly adverse impact on transportation, hospitality, tourism, entertainment and other industries. In addition, 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. These and future market disruptions and/or illiquidity would be expected to have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Unfavorable economic conditions also would be expected to 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 have limited and could continue to limit our investment originations, limit our ability to grow and have a material negative impact on our operating results and the fair values of our debt and equity investments.

Additionally, the disruption in economic activity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and may continue to have, a negative effect on the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments to access capital if required, and as a result, we could realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments if we were required to sell them for liquidity purposes. An inability to raise or access capital, and any required sale of all or a portion of our investments as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The current period of capital markets disruption and economic uncertainty may make it difficult to extend the maturity of, or refinance, our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Current market conditions may make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness with similar terms and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The debt capital that will be available to us in the future, if at all, may be at a higher cost and on less favorable terms and conditions than what we currently experience, including being at a higher cost in rising rate environments. If we are unable to raise or refinance debt, then our equity investors may not benefit from the potential for increased returns on equity resulting from leverage and we may be limited in our ability to make new commitments or to fund existing commitments to our portfolio companies. An inability to extend the maturity of, or refinance, our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The failure in cyber security systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning, could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.

The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyber-attack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, a terrorist attack or war, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of Monroe Capital employees were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.

We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyber-attacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.

A disaster or a disruption in the infrastructure that supports our business, including a disruption involving electronic communications or other services used by us or third parties with whom we conduct business, or directly affecting our headquarters, could have a material adverse impact on our ability to continue to operate our business without interruption. Our disaster recovery programs may not be sufficient to mitigate the harm that may result from such a disaster or disruption. In addition, insurance and other safeguards might only partially reimburse us for our losses, if at all.

Third parties with which we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risk. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as client, counterparty, employee, and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure, destruction, or other cybersecurity incident that affects our data, resulting in increased costs and other consequences as described above.

In addition, cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world, and some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data. If we fail to comply with the relevant laws and regulations, we could suffer financial losses, a disruption of our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.

We and our service providers may be impacted by quarantines and similar measures being enacted by governments in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which could obstruct the regular functioning of business workforces (including requiring employees to work from external locations and their homes). Policies of extended periods of remote working, whether by us or by our service providers, could strain technology resources, introduce operational risks and otherwise heighten the risks described above. Remote working environments may be less secure and more susceptible to hacking attacks, including phishing and social engineering attempts that seek to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the risks described above are heightened under current conditions. 

We may incur lender liability as a result of our lending activities.

In recent years, a number of judicial decisions have upheld the right of borrowers and others to sue lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed “lender liability.” Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise that a lender has either violated a duty, whether implied or contractual, of good faith and fair dealing owed to the borrower or has assumed a degree of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or stockholders. We may be subject to allegations of lender liability, which could be time-consuming and expensive to defend and result in significant liability.

We may incur liability as a result of providing managerial assistance to our portfolio companies.

In the course of providing significant managerial assistance to certain portfolio companies, certain of our management and directors may serve as directors on the boards of such companies. To the extent that litigation arises out of investments in these companies, our management and directors may be named as defendants in such litigation, which could result in an expenditure of our funds, through our indemnification of such officers and directors, and the diversion of management time and resources.

MC Advisors may not be able to achieve the same or similar returns as those achieved by our senior management and investment teams while they were employed at prior positions.

The track record and achievements of the senior investment professionals of Monroe Capital are not necessarily indicative of future results that will be achieved by MC Advisors. As a result, MC Advisors may not be able to achieve the same or similar returns as those achieved by the senior investment professionals of Monroe Capital.

Risks Related to Our Investments

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

Many of our portfolio companies are susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic or other global events, and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. These portfolio companies may face intense competition, including competition from companies with greater financial resources, more extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing and service capabilities and greater number of qualified and experienced managerial and technical personnel. They may need additional financing that they are unable to secure and that we are unable or unwilling to provide, or they may be subject to adverse developments unrelated to the technologies they acquire.

Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase, and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments and could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a corresponding decrease in revenues, net income and assets.

Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing our investments and harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, acceleration of its loans and foreclosure on its assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. It is possible that we could become subject to a lender liability claim, including as a result of actions taken if we or MC Advisors 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 or MC Advisors provided managerial assistance to that portfolio company or otherwise exercise control over it, a bankruptcy court might re-characterize our debt as a form of equity and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to claims of other creditors.

Market conditions have materially and adversely affected debt and equity capital markets in the United States and around the world.

In the past, the global capital markets experienced periods of disruption resulting in increasing spreads between the yields realized on riskier debt securities and those realized on securities perceived as being risk-free and 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 in economic conditions. This economic decline materially and adversely affected the broader financial and credit markets and reduced the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and to financial firms in particular. If such a period of disruption were to occur in the future, to the extent that we wish to use debt to fund our investments, the debt capital that will be available to us, if at all, 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 below historical levels and adversely affect the value of our portfolio investments, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The spread between the yields realized on riskier debt securities and those realized on securities perceived as being risk-free has remained narrow on a relative basis recently. If these spreads were to widen or if there were deterioration of market conditions, these events could materially and adversely affect our business.

Inflation may adversely affect the business, results of operations and financial condition of our portfolio companies.

Certain of our portfolio companies may be impacted by inflation. If such portfolio companies are unable to pass any increases in their costs along to their customers, it could adversely affect their results and impact their ability to pay interest and principal on our loans. In addition, any projected future decreases in our portfolio companies’ operating results due to inflation could adversely impact the fair value of those investments. Any decreases in the fair value of our investments could result in future unrealized losses and therefore reduce our net assets resulting from operations.

Our investments in leveraged portfolio companies may be risky, and we could lose all or part of our investment.

Investment in leveraged companies involves a number of significant risks. Leveraged companies, including lower middle-market 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. In addition, our junior secured loans are generally subordinated to senior loans. As such, other creditors may rank senior to us in the event of an insolvency.

Our portfolio companies consists primarily of lower middle-market, privately owned companies, which may present a greater risk of loss than loans to larger companies.

Our portfolio consists, and will most likely continue to consist, primarily of loans to lower middle-market, privately owned companies. Compared to larger, publicly traded firms, these companies generally have more limited access to capital and higher funding costs, may be in a weaker financial position and may need more capital to expand, compete and operate their business. In addition, many of these companies may be unable to obtain financing from public capital markets or from traditional sources, such as commercial banks. Accordingly, loans made to these types of borrowers may entail higher risks than loans made to companies that have larger businesses, greater financial resources or are otherwise able to access traditional credit sources on more attractive terms.

Investing in lower middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks, including that lower middle-market companies:

Any of these factors or changes thereto could impair a portfolio company’s financial condition, results of operation, cash flow or result in other adverse events, such as bankruptcy, any of which could limit a portfolio company’s ability to make scheduled payments on loans from us. This, in turn, may lead to their inability to make payments on outstanding borrowings, which could result in losses in our loan portfolio and a decrease in our net interest income and book value.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in senior secured loans.

We invest in senior secured loans. Senior secured loans are usually rated below investment grade or may also be unrated. As a result, the risks associated with senior secured loans may be considered by credit rating agencies to be similar to the risks of below investment grade fixed income instruments, although senior secured loans are senior and secured in contrast to other below investment grade fixed income instruments, which are often subordinated or unsecured. Investment in senior secured loans rated below investment grade is considered speculative because of the credit risk of their issuers. Such companies are more likely than investment grade issuers to default on their payments of interest and principal owed to us, and such defaults could have a material adverse effect on our performance. An economic downturn would generally lead to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior secured loan may lose significant market value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior secured loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior secured loan’s value.

There may be less readily available and reliable information about most senior secured loans than is the case for many other types of securities, including securities issued in transactions registered under the Securities Act or registered under the Exchange Act. As a result, MC Advisors will rely primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. Therefore, we will be particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of MC Advisors.

In general, the secondary trading market for senior secured loans is not well developed. No active trading market may exist for certain senior secured loans, which may make it difficult to value them. Illiquidity and adverse market conditions may mean that we may not be able to sell senior secured loans quickly or at a fair price. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain senior secured loans, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in junior debt securities.

We may invest in junior debt securities. Although certain junior debt securities are typically senior to common stock or other equity securities, the equity and debt securities in which we will invest may be subordinated to substantial amounts of senior debt, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. Such subordinated investments may be characterized by greater credit risks than those associated with the senior obligations of the same issuer. These subordinated securities may not be protected by all of the financial covenants, such as limitations upon additional indebtedness, typically protecting such senior debt. Holders of junior debt generally are not entitled to receive full payments in bankruptcy or liquidation until senior creditors are paid in full. Holders of equity are not entitled to payments until all creditors are paid in full. In addition, the remedies available to holders of junior debt are normally limited by restrictions benefiting senior creditors. In the event any portfolio company cannot generate adequate cash flow to meet senior debt service, we may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested.

We may be subject to risks associated with “covenant-lite” loans.

Certain loans in which we invest may be “covenant-lite.” We use the term “covenant-lite” loans to refer generally to loans that do not have a complete set of financial maintenance covenants. Generally, “covenant-lite” loans provide borrower companies more freedom to negatively impact lenders because their covenants are incurrence-based, which means they are only tested and can only be breached following an affirmative action of the borrower, rather than by a deterioration in the borrower’s financial condition. Accordingly, to the extent we are exposed to “covenant-lite” loans, we may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with financial maintenance covenants.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in unitranche secured loans and securities.

We may invest in unitranche secured loans, which are a combination of senior secured and junior secured debt in the same facility in which we syndicate a “first out” portion of the loan to an investor and retain a “last out” portion of the loan. Unitranche secured loans provide all of the debt needed to finance a leveraged buyout or other corporate transaction, both senior and junior, but generally in a first lien position, while the borrower generally pays a blended, uniform interest rate rather than different rates for different tranches. Unitranche secured debt generally requires payments of both principal and interest throughout the life of the loan. Generally, we expect these securities to carry a blended yield that is between senior secured and junior debt interest rates. Unitranche secured loans provide a number of advantages for borrowers, including the following: simplified documentation, greater certainty of execution and reduced decision-making complexity throughout the life of the loan. In some cases, a portion of the total interest may accrue or be paid in kind. Because unitranche secured loans combine characteristics of senior and junior financing, unitranche secured loans have risks similar to the risks associated with senior secured and second lien loans and junior debt in varying degrees according to the combination of loan characteristics of the unitranche secured loan.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in bank loans.

We intend to invest in bank loans and participations. These obligations are subject to unique risks, including:

In analyzing each bank loan or participation, MC Advisors compares the relative significance of the risks against the expected benefits of the investment. Successful claims by third parties arising from these and other risks will be borne by us.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in Securitized Products.

We may from time to time, as part of its opportunistic investment activities, invest, directly and indirectly, in Securitized Products, including CLO facilities, asset-backed securities and warehouse loan facilities. Securitized Products may present risks similar to those of the other types of investments in which we may invest and, in fact, such risks may be of greater significance in the case of Securitized Products. Moreover, investing in Securitized Products may entail a variety of unique risks. Among other risks, Securitized Products may be subject to prepayment risk. In addition, the performance of a Securitized Product will be affected by a variety of factors, including its priority in the capital structure of the issuer thereof, the availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying receivables, loans or other assets that are being securitized, remoteness of those assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets. In addition, we may face additional risks related to specific Securities Products, including the following:

Asset-backed securities. We may invest in asset-backed securities (“ABS”). ABS are subject to the risk of prepayment on the loans underlying such securities (including voluntary prepayments by the obligors and liquidations due to default). Generally, prepayment rates increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Prepayment rates are also affected by other factors, including economic, demographic, tax, social and legal factors. To the extent that prepayment rates are different than anticipated, the average yield of investments in ABS may be adversely affected. The interest rate sensitivity of any particular pool of loans depends upon the allocation of cash flow from the underlying receivables.

The market value of ABS will generally vary inversely with changes in market interest rates, declining when interest rates rise and rising when interest rates decline. However, ABS, while having comparable risk of decline during periods of rising rates, usually have less potential for capital appreciation than other investments of comparable maturities due to the likelihood of increased prepayments as interest rates decline. In addition, to the extent any ABS are purchased at a premium, losses due to default and liquidation and unscheduled principal prepayments generally will result in some loss of the holders’ principal to the extent of the premium paid. ABS are subject to whole loan risk and credit risk that the underlying receivables will not be paid by debtors or by credit insurers or guarantors of such instruments.

The underlying assets of ABS may include receivables of any kind, including, without limitation, such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements. The ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.

The values of some other ABS are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. The value of ABS may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools and thus be subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. In addition, any fees related to outside loan origination and servicing contracts could negatively affect returns. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of underlying assets. Furthermore, debtors may be entitled to the protection of a number of state and Federal consumer credit laws with respect to ABS, which may give the debtor the right to avoid payment. ABS may be highly illiquid, and the market value of ABS may fluctuate widely. If we are forced to liquidate our investments in ABS to satisfy withdrawals, it may be difficult or impossible to do so on favorable terms and may result in losses.

Collateralized Loan Obligations. We may invest, directly or indirectly, in CLOs and CLO warehouse facilities. A CLO is typically a bankruptcy-remote securitization entity that owns senior secured, second lien or unsecured corporate loans. Typically, we are expected to invest, directly or indirectly, in the unrated or most subordinated tranches of CLOs that own middle market or broadly syndicated loans, while other investors may purchase more senior tranches of the CLO entity’s capital structure, thereby exposing themselves to different risks of principal and interest repayment. CLOs make payments to investors as payments are received with respect to their underlying asset pools. If proceeds of the underlying asset pools are not large enough to provide payments on all investors, securities held by the more junior investors in the CLOs (like us) will likely suffer a principal loss. In an event of default, typically the most senior tranche of debt may direct the CLO manager to liquidate the CLO. In the event of a liquidation, the unrated or most subordinated tranches of a CLO will not receive any payment until all principal and interest on the senior debt is paid in full. As the holder of the most subordinated tranche, we may be unable to exercise additional remedies under the CLO entity documentation. In addition, the value of the underlying collateral in the asset pools may decrease in value. CLO securities are illiquid instruments, and we may not be able to sell such securities at favorable prices, if at all.

Loans may become nonperforming for a variety of reasons.

A loan or debt obligation may become non-performing for a variety of reasons. Such non-performing loans may require substantial workout negotiations or restructuring that may entail, among other things, a substantial reduction in the interest rate, a substantial write-down of the principal amount of the loan and/or the deferral of payments. In addition, such negotiations or restructuring may be quite extensive and protracted over time, and therefore may result in substantial uncertainty with respect to the ultimate recovery. We may also incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default on a loan or participate in the restructuring of such obligation. The liquidity for defaulted loans may be limited, and to the extent that defaulted loans are sold, it is highly unlikely that the proceeds from such sale will be equal to the amount of unpaid principal and interest thereon. In connection with any such defaults, workouts or restructuring, although we exercise voting rights with respect to an individual loan, we may not be able to exercise votes in respect of a sufficient percentage of voting rights with respect to such loan to determine the outcome of such vote.

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

All of our assets may be invested in illiquid securities, and a substantial portion of our investments in leveraged companies 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 when desired. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded these investments. As a result, we do not expect to achieve liquidity in our investments in the near-term. However, to maintain the election to be regulated as a BDC and qualify as a RIC, we may have to dispose of investments if we do not satisfy one or more of the applicable criteria under the respective regulatory frameworks. We may also face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we or MC Advisors have material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio company.

Price declines and illiquidity in the corporate debt markets may adversely affect the fair value of our portfolio investments, reducing our net asset value through increased net unrealized losses.

As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board. 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 losses. Declines in prices and liquidity in the corporate debt markets may result in significant net unrealized losses on our portfolio. The effect of all of these factors on our portfolio may reduce our net asset value by increasing net unrealized losses on our portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur substantial realized losses and may suffer additional unrealized losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our portfolio companies may prepay loans, which prepayment may reduce stated yields if capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

The loans underlying our portfolio may be callable at any time, and many of them can be repaid with no premium to par. It is generally not clear and highly unpredictable when or if any loan might be called. Whether a loan is called will depend both on the continued positive performance of the portfolio company and the existence of favorable financing market conditions that allow such company the ability to replace existing financing with less expensive capital. As market conditions change frequently, it is unknown when, and if, this may be possible for each portfolio company. Risks associated with owning loans include the fact that prepayments may occur at any time, sometimes without premium or penalty, and that the exercise of prepayment rights during periods of declining spreads could cause us to reinvest prepayment proceeds in lower-yielding instruments. In the case of some of these loans, having the loan called early may reduce our achievable yield if the capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

Our portfolio may be exposed in part to one or more specific industries, which may subject us to a risk of significant loss in a particular investment or investments if there is a downturn in that particular industry.

Our portfolio may be exposed in part to one or more specific industries. A downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize. If an industry in which we have significant investments suffers from adverse business or economic conditions, as these industries have to varying degrees, a material portion of our investment portfolio could be affected adversely, which, in turn, could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

As of December 31, 2021, our investments in the Services: Business; High Tech Industries; Banking, Finance, Insurance & Real Estate; Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals; and Media: Advertising, Printing & Publishing industries represented approximately 13.3%, 11.5%, 11.4%, 11.1% and 11.1% respectively, of the fair value of our portfolio and are subject to certain risks particular to these industries. The laws and rules governing the business of companies in these industries and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change and broad latitude is given to the agencies administering those regulations. Existing or future laws and rules could force our portfolio companies operating in these industries to change how they do business, restrict revenue, increase costs, change reserve levels and change business practices. Policy changes on the local, state and federal level, such as the expansion of the government’s role in these industries and changes to tax laws affecting these industries, could fundamentally change the dynamics of these industries. We have invested and will continue investing in technology companies, many of which may have narrow product lines and small market shares, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as to general economic downturns. The revenues, income (or losses), and valuations of technology-related companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. In addition, technology-related markets are generally characterized by abrupt business cycles and intense competition, where the leading companies in any particular category may hold a highly concentrated percentage of the overall market share. Any of these factors could materially adversely affect the operations of a portfolio company in these industries and, in turn, impair our ability to timely collect principal and interest payments owed to us.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the business services industry.

Portfolio companies in the business services sector are subject to many risks, including the negative impact of regulation, changing technology, a competitive marketplace and difficulty in obtaining financing. Portfolio companies in the business services industry must respond quickly to technological changes and understand the impact of these changes on customers’ preferences. Adverse economic, business, or regulatory developments affecting the business services sector could have a negative impact on the value of our investments in portfolio companies operating in this industry, and therefore could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the insurance industry.

We may invest portions of our portfolio in the insurance industry. The insurance business has historically been a cyclical industry characterized by periods of intense price competition due to excessive underwriting capacity, as well as periods when shortages of capacity permitted an increase in pricing and, thus, more favorable underwriting profits. An increase in premium levels is often offset over time by an increasing supply of insurance capacity in the form of capital provided by new entrants and existing insurers, which may cause prices to decrease. Any of these factors could lead to a significant reduction in premium rates, less favorable policy terms and fewer opportunities for our portfolio companies to underwrite insurance risks. Any of these factors could in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the finance industry.

We may invest portions of our portfolio in the finance industry. The regulatory environment in which the finance industry operates could have a material adverse effect on business and operating results for our portfolio companies. Our portfolio companies are subject to a wide variety of laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where they operate, including supervision and licensing by numerous governmental entities. These laws and regulations can create significant constraints on operations and result in significant costs related to compliance. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could impair the ability of a portfolio company to continue operating and result in substantial civil and criminal penalties, monetary damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, possible revocation of licenses, and damage to reputation, brand and valued customer relationships. Any of these factors could in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the technology industry.

We invest portions of our portfolio in the technology industry. There are risks in investing in companies that target technology-related markets, including rapid and sometimes dramatic price erosion of products, the reliance on capital and debt markets to finance large capital outlays, including fabrication facilities, the reliance on partners outside of the United States, particularly in Asia, and inherent cyclicality of the technology market in general. As a result of multiple factors, access to capital may be difficult or impossible for companies in our portfolio that are pursuing these markets. The revenue, income (or losses) and valuations of technology-related companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. In addition, because of rapid technological change, the average selling prices of products and some services provided by technology-related sectors have historically decreased over their productive lives. As a result, the average selling prices of products and services offered by our portfolio companies that operate in technology-related sectors may decrease over time, which could adversely affect their operating results and, correspondingly, the value of any securities that we may hold. This could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the healthcare industry.

Any of our portfolio companies operating in the healthcare information and services industry are subject to extensive government regulation and certain other risks particular to that industry. As part of our investment strategy, we plan to invest in companies in the healthcare information and services industry. Such portfolio companies provide technology to companies that are subject to extensive regulation, including Medicare and Medicaid payment rules and regulation, the False Claims Act and federal and state laws regarding the collection, use and disclosure of patient health information and the storage handling and administration of pharmaceuticals. If any of our portfolio companies or the companies to which they provide such technology fail to comply with applicable regulations, they could be subject to significant penalties and claims that could materially and adversely affect their operations. Portfolio companies in the healthcare information or services industry are also subject to the risk that changes in applicable regulations will render their technology obsolete or less desirable in the marketplace.

Portfolio companies in the healthcare information and services industry may also have a limited number of suppliers of necessary components or a limited number of manufacturers for their products, and therefore face a risk of disruption to their manufacturing process if they are unable to find alternative suppliers when needed. Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect the operations of a portfolio company in this industry and, in turn, impair our ability to timely collect principal and interest payments owed to us.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the advertising, printing & publishing industry.

Portfolio companies in the advertising, printing & publishing industry are subject to many risks, including a competitive marketplace, negative impact of regulation, changing technology, and difficulty in obtaining financing. Portfolio companies in the advertising, printing & publishing industry must respond quickly to technological changes and understand the impact of these changes on customers’ preferences. Adverse economic, business, or regulatory developments affecting the advertising, printing & publishing sector could have a negative impact on the value of our investments in portfolio companies operating in this industry, and therefore could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

To the extent original issue discount and payment-in-kind interest constitute a portion of our income, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash representing such income.

Our investments include original issue discount, or OID, components and may include PIK interest or PIK dividend components. For the year ended December 31, 2021, PIK interest and PIK dividends comprised approximately 4.0% and 0.5% of our investment income, respectively. To the extent original issue discount constitutes a portion of our income, we are exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash, including the following:

We are a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.

We are classified as a non-diversified 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. Our portfolio is and may in the future be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries. Beyond the asset diversification requirements associated with our qualification as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our net asset value may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. As a result, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. Additionally, while we are not targeting any specific industries, our investments may be concentrated in relatively few industries. As a result, a downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could also significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize.

We may hold the debt securities of leveraged companies that may, due to the significant volatility of such companies, enter into bankruptcy proceedings.

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 a portfolio company may adversely and permanently affect the portfolio company. If the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the value of the issuer may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is also difficult to predict, and a creditor’s return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization or liquidation ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Because the standards for classification of claims under bankruptcy law are vague, our influence with respect to the class of securities or other obligations we own may be lost by increases in the number and amount of claims in the same class or by different classification and treatment. In the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. In addition, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be substantial.

Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our portfolio.

Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in seeking to:

We have discretion to make follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources and the provisions of the 1940 Act. Failure on our part to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our level of risk, because we prefer other opportunities or because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or the desire to maintain our RIC status. Our ability to make follow-on investments may also be limited by MC Advisors’ allocation policy.

Because we do not hold controlling equity interests in the majority of our portfolio companies, we may not be able to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by management of our portfolio companies, which could decrease the value of our investments.

Although we may do so in the future, we do not currently hold controlling equity positions in the majority of our portfolio companies. Our debt investments may provide limited control features such as restrictions, for example, on the ability of a portfolio company to assume additional debt, or to use the proceeds of our investment for other than certain specified purposes. “Control” under the 1940 Act is presumed at more than 25% equity ownership, and may also be present at lower ownership levels where we provide managerial assistance. When we do not acquire a controlling equity position in a portfolio company, we may be subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and that the management and/or stockholders of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity of the debt and equity investments that we typically hold in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company and may therefore suffer a decrease in the value of our investments.

Defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets. This could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize such portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt or equity securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting portfolio company.

In addition, many of our investments will likely have a principal amount outstanding at maturity, which could result in a substantial loss to us if the borrower is unable to refinance or repay.

Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies.

We generally seek to invest capital in senior, unitranche and junior secured loans and, to a lesser extent, unsecured subordinated debt and equity. The portfolio companies in which we invest 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.

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 company’s obligations under any outstanding senior debt and may secure certain other future debt that may be permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under the agreements governing the loans. The holders of obligations secured by first-priority liens on the collateral will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of the collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of all of the collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens after payment in full of all obligations secured by the first-priority liens on the collateral. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay amounts outstanding under the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens, then, to the extent not repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral, we will only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.

The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with 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, including in unitranche secured transactions. 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:

We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if our rights are adversely affected. In addition, a bankruptcy court may choose not to enforce an intercreditor agreement or other agreement with creditors.

We may also make unsecured loans to portfolio companies, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such companies. Liens on such portfolio companies’ collateral, if any, will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under its outstanding secured debt and may secure certain future debt that is permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under its secured loan agreements. The holders of obligations secured by such liens will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of such collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of such collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of such collateral would be sufficient to satisfy our unsecured loan obligations after payment in full of all secured loan obligations. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay the outstanding secured loan obligations, then our unsecured claims would rank equally with the unpaid portion of such secured creditors’ claims against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.

We may also make subordinated investments that rank below other obligations of the obligor in right of payment. Subordinated investments are generally more volatile than secured loans and 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 LTV ratio may create increased risks that its operations might not generate sufficient cash flow to service all of its debt obligations.

We may be subject to risks associated with syndicated loans.

From time to time, our investments may consist of syndicated loans. Under the documentation for such loans, a financial institution or other entity typically is designated as the administrative agent and/or collateral agent. This agent is granted a lien on any collateral on behalf of the other lenders and distributes payments on the indebtedness as they are received. The agent is the party responsible for administering and enforcing the loan and generally may take actions only in accordance with the instructions of a majority or two-thirds in commitments and/or principal amount of the associated indebtedness. In most cases, we do not expect to hold a sufficient amount of the indebtedness to be able to compel any actions by the agent. Accordingly, we may be precluded from directing such actions unless we act together with other holders of the indebtedness. If we are unable to direct such actions, we cannot assure you that the actions taken will be in our best interests.

There is a risk that a loan agent may become bankrupt or insolvent. Such an event would delay, and possibly impair, any enforcement actions undertaken by holders of the associated indebtedness, including attempts to realize upon the collateral securing the associated indebtedness and/or direct the agent to take actions against the related obligor or the collateral securing the associated indebtedness and actions to realize on proceeds of payments made by obligors that are in the territory or control of any other financial institution. In addition, we may be unable to remove the agent in circumstances in which removal would be in our best interests. Moreover, agented loans typically allow for the agent to resign with certain advance notice.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in special situation companies.

We may make investments in companies involved in (or the target of) acquisition attempts or tender offers, or companies involved in spin-offs and similar transactions. In any investment opportunity involving any such type of business enterprise, there exists the risk that the transaction in which such business enterprise is involved will either be unsuccessful, take considerable time or result in a distribution of cash or a new security, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to us of the security or other financial instrument in respect of which such distribution is received. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, we may be required to sell our investment at a loss. In connection with such transactions (or otherwise), we may purchase securities on a when-issued basis, which means that delivery and payment take place sometime after the date of the commitment to purchase and are often conditioned upon the occurrence of a subsequent event, such as approval and consummation of a merger, reorganization or debt restructuring. The purchase price and/or interest rate receivable with respect to a when-issued security are fixed when we enter into the commitment. Such securities are subject to changes in market value prior to their delivery.

The disposition of our investments may result in contingent liabilities.

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.

Investments in securities of foreign companies, if any, may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments.

We may make investments in securities of foreign companies. Investing in foreign companies may expose us to additional risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies, including changes in exchange control regulations, political and social instability, expropriation and imposition of foreign taxes. In addition, any investments that we make that are denominated in a foreign currency will be subject to the risk that the value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more other currencies. Factors such as trade balances, the level of short-term interest rates, differences in relative values of similar assets in different currencies, long-term opportunities for investment and capital appreciation and political developments may affect currency values. We may employ hedging techniques to minimize these risks, but we cannot assure you that we will, in fact, hedge currency risk, or, that if we do, such strategies will be effective.

We may be subject to additional risks if we engage in hedging transactions and/or invest in foreign securities.

The 1940 Act generally requires that 70% of our investments be in issuers each of whom, in addition to other requirements, is organized under the laws of, and has its principal place of business in, any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or any other territory of the United States. Our investment strategy does not contemplate a significant number of investments in securities of non-U.S. companies. We expect that these investments would focus on the same 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.

To the extent that these investments are denominated in a foreign currency, we may engage in hedging transactions. Engaging in either hedging transactions or investing in foreign securities would entail additional risks to our stockholders. We may, for example, use instruments such as interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors, forward contracts or currency options or borrow under a revolving credit facility in foreign currencies 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. Our ability to engage in hedging transactions may also be adversely affected by recent rules adopted by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

While we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce currency exchange rate and interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates could result in poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged could vary. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we might not seek to establish a perfect correlation between the hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation could prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it might not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities would likely fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations.

We may not realize gains from our equity investments.

We currently hold, and we may in the future make investments that include warrants or other equity or equity-related securities. In addition, we may from time to time make non-control, equity co-investments in companies in conjunction with private equity sponsors. Our goal is ultimately to realize gains upon our disposition of such equity interests. However, the equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline in value. Accordingly, 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. We also may be unable to realize any value if a portfolio company does not have a liquidity event, such as a sale of the business, recapitalization or public offering, which would allow us to sell the underlying equity interests. We often seek puts or similar rights to give us the right to sell our equity securities back to the portfolio company issuer. We may be unable to exercise these put rights for the consideration provided in our investment documents if the issuer is in financial distress.

Risks Relating to Our Common Stock

Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure

We depend upon MC Advisors’ senior management for our success, and upon its access to the investment professionals of Monroe Capital and its affiliates.

We do not have any internal management capacity or employees. We depend on the investment expertise, skill and network of business contacts of the senior investment professionals of MC Advisors, who evaluate, negotiate, structure, execute, monitor and service our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. Our success depends to a significant extent on the continued service and coordination of the senior investment professionals of MC Advisors, particularly Messrs. Koenig, Solimene Jr. and Egan who comprise the Company’s investment committee. These individuals may have other demands on their time now and in the future, and we cannot assure you that they will continue to be actively involved in our management. Each of these individuals is an employee of MC Management and is not subject to an employment contract. The departure of any of these individuals or competing demands on their time in the future could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective.

MC Advisors evaluates, negotiates, structures, closes and monitors our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. We can offer no assurance, however, that MC Advisors’ senior investment professionals will continue to provide investment advice to us. If these individuals do not maintain their existing relationships with Monroe 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 or achieve our investment objective. In addition, individuals with whom Monroe Capital’s senior investment professionals have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities. Therefore, we can offer no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for us.

MC Advisors, an affiliate of Monroe Capital, provides us with access to Monroe Capital’s investment professionals. MC Advisors also depends upon Monroe Capital to obtain access to deal flow generated by the investment professionals of Monroe Capital and its affiliates. The Staffing Agreement provides that MC Management will make available to MC Advisors experienced investment professionals and access to the senior investment personnel of Monroe Capital for purposes of evaluating, negotiating, structuring, closing and monitoring our investments. We are not a party to this Staffing Agreement and cannot assure you that MC Management will continue to fulfill its obligations under the agreement. Furthermore, the Staffing Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 60 days’ written notice to the other party. If MC Management fails to perform or terminates the agreement, we cannot assure you that MC Advisors will enforce the Staffing Agreement or that such agreement will not be terminated by either party or that we will continue to have access to the investment professionals of Monroe Capital and its affiliates or their information and deal flow.

The investment committee that oversees our investment activities is provided by MC Advisors under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The loss of any member of MC Advisors’ investment committee or of other Monroe Capital senior investment professionals 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 and results of operations.

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

We depend upon the senior investment professionals of MC Advisors to maintain their relationships with financial institutions, sponsors and investment professionals, and we rely to a significant extent upon these relationships to provide us with potential investment opportunities. If the senior investment professionals of MC Advisors fail to maintain such relationships, or to develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we will not be able to grow our investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom the senior investment professionals of MC 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 financial condition and results of operations depend on our ability to manage our business effectively.

Our ability to achieve our investment objective and grow depends on our ability to manage our business. This depends, in turn, on MC Advisors’ ability to identify, invest in and monitor companies that meet our investment criteria. The achievement of our investment objectives depends upon MC 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. MC Advisors has substantial responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The senior origination professionals and other personnel of MC Advisors and its affiliates 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 prospects. Our results of operations depend on many factors, including the availability of opportunities for investment, readily accessible short and long-term funding alternatives in the financial markets and economic conditions. Furthermore, if we cannot successfully operate our business or implement our investment policies and strategies, it could negatively impact our ability to pay dividends or other distributions and you may lose all or part of your investment.

There may be conflicts related to obligations that MC Advisors’ senior investment professionals and members of its investment committee have to other clients.

The senior investment professionals and members of the investment committee of MC Advisors 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 investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles sponsored or managed by MC Advisors or its affiliates. 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 our best interests or in the best interest of our stockholders. For example, Messrs. Koenig, Solimene Jr. and Egan, who comprise the Company’s investment committee, have and will continue to have management responsibilities for other investment funds, accounts or other investment vehicles sponsored or managed by affiliates of MC Advisors. 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. MC Advisors seeks to allocate investment opportunities among eligible accounts in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and consistent with its allocation policy.

As of December 31, 2022, MC Advisors manages other assets in MRCC, and affiliates of MC Advisors manage other assets in 12 closed-end funds, two small business investment companies and 20 private funds that also have an investment strategy focused primarily on senior, unitranche and junior secured debt and, to a lesser extent, unsecured subordinated debt to lower middle-market companies. In addition, MC Advisors and/or its affiliates may manage other entities in the future with an investment strategy that has the same or similar focus as ours.

Monroe Capital and its affiliates seek to allocate investment opportunities among the participating funds, including us, in proportion to the relative amounts of capital available for new investments, taking into account such factors as Monroe Capital may determine appropriate, including, without limitation, investment objectives, legal or regulatory restrictions, current holdings, availability of capital for investment, immediately available cash, the size of investments generally, risk return considerations, relative exposure to market trends, maintenance of targeted leverage level, targeted asset mix, target investment return, diversification requirements, strategic objectives, specific liquidity requirements, tax consequences, limitations and restrictions on a fund’s portfolio that are imposed by such fund’s governing board or documents, or other considerations or factors that Monroe Capital deems necessary or appropriate in light of the circumstances at such time (collectively, the “Allocation Criteria”). We expect that Monroe Capital will follow the Allocation Criteria with respect to all of its funds under management, including us. 

In situations where co-investment with other entities sponsored or managed by MC Advisors or its affiliates is not permitted or appropriate, such as when there is an opportunity to invest in securities of the same issuer that have different priorities or liens, MC Advisors will need to decide whether we or such other entity or entities will proceed with the investment. MC Advisors will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures that require that such opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on a basis that is fair and equitable over time. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to participate in all investment opportunities that are suitable to us.

MC Advisors or its investment committee may, from time to time, possess material nonpublic information, limiting our investment discretion.

The managing members and the senior origination professionals of MC Advisors and the senior professionals and members of MC 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 a material adverse effect on us.

Our management and incentive fee structure may create incentives for MC Advisors that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders.

In the course of our investing activities, we pay management and incentive fees to MC Advisors. Management fees are based on our total assets (which include assets financed using leverage). As a result, investors in our common stock invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in a lower rate of return than one might achieve through direct investments. Because these fees are based on our total assets, including assets financed using leverage, MC Advisors benefits when we incur debt or otherwise use leverage. This fee structure may encourage MC Advisors to cause us to borrow money to finance additional investments or to maintain leverage when it would otherwise be appropriate to pay off our indebtedness. Under certain circumstances, the use of borrowed money may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor our stockholders. Our Board is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how MC Advisors addresses these and other conflicts of interest associated with its management services and compensation. While our Board is not expected to review or approve each investment, our independent directors periodically review MC 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. As a result of this arrangement, MC Advisors or its affiliates may from time to time have interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a conflict.

The part of the incentive fee payable to MC 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 MC Advisors to the extent that it may encourage MC Advisors to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. MC Advisors may have an incentive to invest in PIK 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 MC 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. In addition, the part of the incentive fee payable to MC Advisors that relates to our net investment income generally does not include any realized capital gains or losses or unrealized capital gains or losses. Any net investment income incentive fee would not be subject to repayment.

Our incentive fee may induce MC Advisors to make certain investments, including speculative investments.

MC Advisors receives an incentive fee based, in part, upon net capital gains realized on our investments. Unlike that portion of the incentive fee based on income, there is no hurdle rate applicable to the portion of the incentive fee based on net capital gains. As a result, MC Advisors may have a tendency to invest more capital in investments that are likely to result in capital gains as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.

The Investment Advisory Agreement with MC Advisors and the Administration Agreement with MC Management were not negotiated on an arm’s length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third-party.

We negotiated the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement with related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to MC 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 MC Advisors and MC Management. Any such decision, however, would breach our fiduciary obligations to our stockholders.

Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.

We 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 is 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. 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 any person who owns more than 25% of our voting securities or certain of that person’s affiliates, or entering into prohibited joint transactions with such persons, absent the prior approval of the SEC. As a result of these restrictions, we may be prohibited from buying or selling any security (other than any security of which we are the issuer) from or to any portfolio company of a private equity fund managed by MC Advisors or its affiliates without the prior approval of the SEC, which may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.

We may, however, co-invest with MC Advisors and its affiliates’ other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with applicable law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may co-invest with 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 MC Advisors, acting on our behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. We may also co-invest with MC Advisors’ affiliates’ other clients as otherwise permissible under regulatory guidance, applicable regulations, exemptive relief granted to MC Advisors and our affiliates by the SEC on October 15, 2014, as amended on January 10, 2023, and MC Advisors’ allocation policy, which the investment committee of MC Advisors maintains in writing. The allocation policy further provides that allocations among us and these other funds are generally made in proportion to the relative amounts of capital available for new investments taking into account the Allocation Criteria. We expect that Monroe Capital will follow the Allocation Criteria with respect to all of its funds under management, including us. 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 where co-investment with other entities sponsored or managed by MC Advisors or its affiliates is not permitted or appropriate, such as when there is an opportunity to invest in securities of the same issuer that have different priorities or liens, MC Advisors will need to decide whether we or such other entity or entities will proceed with the investment. MC Advisors will make these determinations based on its policies and procedures that require that such opportunities be offered to eligible accounts on a basis that is fair and equitable over time. Moreover, except in certain circumstances, we are unable to invest in any issuer in which a fund managed by MC Advisors or its affiliates has previously invested. Similar restrictions limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates.

We may also be prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of the majority of the members of our Board who are not interested persons and, in some cases, prior approval by the SEC. The SEC has interpreted the BDC regulations governing transactions with affiliates to prohibit certain “joint transactions” between entities that share a common investment adviser.

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities, which could reduce returns and result in losses.

We compete with a number of specialty and commercial finance companies to make the types of investments that we make in middle-market companies, including BDCs, traditional commercial banks, private investment funds, regional banking institutions, small business investment companies, investment banks and insurance companies. Additionally, with increased competition for investment opportunities, alternative investment vehicles such as hedge funds may seek to invest in areas they have not traditionally invested in or from which they had withdrawn during the economic downturn, including investing in middle-market companies. As a result, competition for investments in lower middle-market companies has intensified, and we expect that trend to continue. Many of our existing and potential competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and 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. These characteristics could allow our competitors to consider a wider variety of investments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing and more flexible structuring than we offer. We may lose investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. If we are forced to match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, however, we may not be able to achieve acceptable returns on our investments or may bear substantial risk of capital loss. A significant part of our competitive advantage stems from the fact that the lower middle-market is underserved by traditional commercial and investment banks, and generally has less access to capital. A significant increase in the number and/or the size of our competitors in this target market could force us to accept less attractive investment terms.

Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC or the source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements we must satisfy to maintain our RIC status. The competitive pressures we face may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we may not be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective. 

We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at corporate rates if we are unable to qualify or maintain qualification as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

We have elected to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, have qualified and intend to continue to qualify to be treated as a RIC; however, no assurance can be given that we will be able to continue to qualify for and maintain RIC status. To receive RIC tax treatment under the Code, we must meet certain requirements, including source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. The annual distribution requirement applicable to RICs 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. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax to the extent that we do not satisfy certain additional minimum distribution requirements on a calendar year basis. To the extent we use debt financing, we will be subject to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and may be subject to financial covenants under loan and credit agreements, each of which could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making annual distributions necessary to receive RIC tax treatment. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to be taxed as a RIC and, thus, may be subject to U.S. federal income tax at corporate rates on our entire taxable income without regard to any distributions made by us. In order to be taxed as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these tests may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments are in private or thinly traded public companies, any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices and may result in substantial losses. If we fail to be taxed as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate U.S. federal income tax, the resulting U.S. federal income taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distributions to stockholders and the amount of our distributions and the amount of funds available for new investments. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders.

An extended disruption in the capital markets and the credit markets could negatively affect us and our portfolio companies.

As a BDC, it is necessary for us to maintain our ability to raise additional capital for investment purposes. Without sufficient access to the private capital markets or credit markets, we may be forced to curtail our business operations or we may not be able to pursue new business opportunities. The private capital markets and the credit markets have experienced periods of extreme volatility and disruption and, accordingly, there has been and may in the future be uncertainty in the financial markets in general. Ongoing disruptive conditions in the financial industry, including the bankruptcy of, the acquisition of, or government intervention in the affairs of financial institutions, and the impact of new legislation in response to those conditions could restrict our business operations or the business operations of our portfolio companies and could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition or results of operations and financial condition of our portfolio companies.

We may need additional capital to fund new investments and grow our portfolio of investments. As such, we are offering our common stock in a continuous private offering pursuant to an exemption from registration under Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and have entered into several forms of leverage 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 pursue new business opportunities and grow our business. 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 qualify for the tax benefits available to RICs. As a result, these earnings will not be 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. While most of our investments are not publicly traded, applicable accounting standards require us to assume as part of our valuation process that our investments are sold in a principal market-to-market participants (even if we plan on holding an investment through its maturity). As a result, volatility in the capital markets can adversely affect our investment valuations. Further, the illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required and to value such investments. As a result, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we will have recorded our investments.

We could raise capital through other channels.

The Board may determine to raise additional capital through other channels, including through additional private offerings, public offerings or a liquidity event. Capital raised through other channels could subject us to additional regulatory requirements. These additional provisions could, among other things, affect our stockholders and limit the ability of the Company and MC Advisors to take certain actions. In addition, if capital is raised through other channels, we would have to use financial and other resources to file any required registration statements and to comply with any additional regulatory requirements. For example, we have submitted an application to the SEC requesting exemptive relief that would permit us to offer multiple classes of common stock that may have varying sales loads and asset-based service and/or distribution fees. To the extent we receive such relief and offer multiple class of shares, we will be subject to additional regulatory requirements and will incur additional costs related to such additional regulatory requirements. No assurances can be given that we will receive such requested exemptive relief.

We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before, or without, receiving cash representing such income.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as original issue discount, or through contracted PIK interest, which represents contractual interest added to the loan balance and due at the end of the loan term. 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, are included in income before we receive the 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 original issue discount and PIK interest. If we pay a net investment income incentive fee on interest that has been accrued, but not yet received in cash, it will increase the basis of our investment in that loan, which will reduce the capital gain incentive fee that we would otherwise pay in the future. Nevertheless, if we pay a net investment income incentive fee on interest that has been accrued but not yet received, and if that portfolio company defaults on such a loan, it is possible that accrued interest previously included in the calculation of the incentive fee will become uncollectible.

Because we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the requirements applicable to RICs. In such a case, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations and sourcings to meet these distribution requirements. If we are not able to obtain such cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for the tax benefits available to RICs and thus be subject to U.S. federal income tax at corporate rates.

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to and the way in which we raise additional capital.

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 BDC to issue senior securities in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 150% of total assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, immediately after each issuance of senior securities. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments and, depending on the nature of our leverage, repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. This could have a material adverse effect on our operations and we may not be able to make distributions in an amount sufficient to be subject to taxation as a RIC, or at all. In addition, issuance of securities could dilute the percentage ownership of our current stockholders in us.

No person or entity from which we borrow money will have a veto power or a vote in approving or changing any of our fundamental policies. If we issue preferred stock, the preferred stock would rank “senior” to common stock in our capital structure, preferred stockholders would have separate voting rights on certain matters and might have other rights, preferences or privileges more favorable than those of our common stockholders, and the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in 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.

As a BDC, we generally are not able to issue our common stock at a price below net asset value per share without first obtaining the approval of our stockholders and our independent directors. If we raise additional funds by issuing more common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, then percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time would decrease, and stockholders might experience dilution. We may seek stockholder approval to sell shares below net asset value in the future.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine may have a material adverse impact on us and our portfolio companies.

On February 24, 2022, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announced a military invasion of Ukraine. In response, countries worldwide, including the United States, have imposed sanctions against Russia on certain businesses and individuals, including, but not limited to, those in the banking, import and export sectors. This invasion has led, is currently leading, and for an unknown period of time will continue to lead to disruptions in local, regional, national, and global markets and economies affected thereby. These disruptions caused by the invasion have included, and may continue to include, political, social, and economic disruptions and uncertainties that may affect our business operations or the business operations of our portfolio companies.

The 1940 Act allows us to incur additional leverage, which could increase the risk of investing in us.

The 1940 Act generally prohibits us from incurring indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 150% (i.e., the amount of our debt may not exceed 66.7% of the value of our total assets), if certain requirements are met, including approval by our Board and stockholders.

Our Board and MC Advisors, our initial stockholder, approved a proposal to adopt an asset coverage ratio of 150% in connection with our organization. Incurring additional indebtedness could increase the risk of investing in us.

Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique and may increase the risk of investing in our securities. Leverage magnifies the potential for loss on investments in our indebtedness and on invested equity capital. As we use leverage to partially finance our investments, you will experience increased risks of investing in our securities. If the value of our assets increases, then leveraging would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more sharply than it would have had we not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged our business. Similarly, any increase in our income in excess of interest payable on the borrowed funds would cause our net investment income to increase more than it would without the leverage, while any decrease in our income would cause net investment income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to pay distributions, scheduled debt payments or other payments related to our securities. The effects of leverage would cause any decrease in net asset value for any losses to be greater than any increase in net asset value for any corresponding gains. If we incur additional leverage, stockholders will experience increased risks of investing in our common stock.

We maintain a revolving credit facility and term loan credit facility and use other borrowed funds to make investments or fund our business operations, which exposes us to risks typically associated with leverage and increases the risk of investing in us.

We maintain a revolving credit facility and term loan credit facility and use other borrowed funds and may borrow additional money, which is generally considered a speculative investment technique. As a result:

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.

Provisions in our credit facilities may limit discretion.

At our discretion, we utilize the leverage available under our credit facilities for investment and operating purposes. Additionally, we may in the future enter into additional credit facilities. To the extent we continue to borrow money to make investments, such underlying credit facility may be backed by all or a portion of our loans and securities on which the lenders will have a security interest. 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 instrument we enter into with lenders. We expect that any security interests we grant will be set forth in a pledge and security agreement and evidenced by the filing of financing statements by the agent for the lenders. In addition, we expect that the custodian for our securities serving as collateral for such loan would include in its electronic systems notices indicating the existence of such security interests and, following notice of occurrence of an event of default, if any, and during its continuance, will only accept transfer instructions with respect to any such securities from the lender or its designee. If we were to default under the terms of any debt instrument, the agent for the applicable lenders would be able to assume control of the timing of disposition of any or all of our assets securing such debt, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, any security interests and/or negative covenants required by a credit facility may limit our ability to create liens on assets to secure additional debt and may make it difficult for us to restructure or refinance indebtedness at or prior to maturity or obtain additional debt or equity financing. In addition, if our borrowing base under a credit facility were to decrease, we may be required to secure additional assets in an amount sufficient to cure any borrowing base deficiency. In the event that all of our assets are secured at the time of such a borrowing base deficiency, we could be required to repay advances under a credit facility or make deposits to a collection account, either of which could have a material adverse impact on our ability to fund future investments and to make distributions.

In addition, we may be subject to limitations as to how borrowed funds may be used, which may include restrictions on geographic and industry concentrations, loan size, payment frequency and status, average life, collateral interests and investment ratings, as well as regulatory restrictions on leverage, which may affect the amount of funding that may be obtained. There may also be certain requirements relating to portfolio performance, including required minimum portfolio yield and limitations on delinquencies and charge-offs, a violation of which could limit further advances and, in some cases, result in an event of default. An event of default under a credit facility could result in an accelerated maturity date for all amounts outstanding thereunder, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. This could reduce our liquidity and cash flow and impair our ability to grow our business.

A substantial amount of our assets are subject to security interests under our revolving and term loan credit facilitiesand if we default on our obligations under such facility, we may suffer adverse consequences, including foreclosure on our assets.

As of December 31, 2022, a substantial portion of our assets were held in MC Income Plus Financing SPV, LLC (the “SPV”) and MC Income Plus Financing SPV II, LLC (the “SPV II”), our wholly owned subsidiaries, and were pledged as collateral under our revolving and term loan credit facilities. If we default on our obligations under these facilities, the lenders may have the right to foreclose upon and sell, or otherwise transfer, the collateral subject to their security interests or their superior claim. In such event, we may be forced to sell our investments to raise funds to repay our outstanding borrowings in order to avoid foreclosure and these forced sales may be at times and at prices we would not consider advantageous. Moreover, such deleveraging of our company could significantly impair our ability to effectively operate our business in the manner in which we have historically operated. As a result, we could be forced to curtail or cease new investment activities and lower or eliminate the distributions that we have historically paid to our stockholders.

In addition, if the lenders exercise their right to sell the assets pledged under our revolving and term loan credit facilities, such sales may be completed at distressed sale prices, thereby diminishing or potentially eliminating the amount of cash available to us after repayment of the amounts outstanding under the credit facilities.

We are subject to certain risks in connection with securitization transactions.

In addition to issuing securities to raise capital, we entered into a securitization transaction and we may enter into additional securitization transactions to generate cash for funding new investments. To securitize loans, we may create a wholly-owned subsidiary, contribute a pool of loans to the subsidiary and have the subsidiary issue primarily investment grade debt securities to purchasers who we would expect to be willing to accept a substantially lower interest rate than the loans earn. Even though we expect the pool of loans that we contribute to any such securitization vehicle to be rated below investment grade, because the securitization vehicle’s portfolio of loans would secure all of the debt issued by such vehicle, a portion of such debt may be rated investment grade, subject in each case to market conditions that may require such portion of the debt to be over collateralized and various other restrictions. If applicable accounting pronouncements or SEC staff guidance require us to consolidate the securitization vehicle’s financial statements with our financial statements, any debt issued by it would be generally treated as if it were issued by us for purposes of the asset coverage ratio applicable to us. In such case, we would expect to retain all or a portion of the equity and/or subordinated notes in the securitization vehicle. Our retained equity would be exposed to any losses on the portfolio of loans before any of the debt securities would be exposed to such losses. Accordingly, if the pool of loans experienced a low level of losses due to defaults, we would earn an incremental amount of income on our retained equity, but we would be exposed, up to the amount of equity we retained, to that proportion of any losses we would have experienced if we had continued to hold the loans in our portfolio. We would have no direct ability to enforce the payment obligations on the loans contributed to the securitization vehicle. We may hold subordinated debentures in any such securitization vehicle and, if so, we would not consider such securities to be senior securities. An inability to successfully securitize our loan portfolio could limit our ability to grow our business and fully execute our business strategy and adversely affect our earnings, if any. Moreover, the successful securitization of a portion of our loan portfolio might expose us to losses as the residual loans in which we do not sell interests will tend to be those that are riskier and less liquid. Any fee payable under any servicing or collateral management agreement in respect of the securitization would be offset in an amount equal to the base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement.

As part of the securitization transaction, we would likely enter into an agreement under which we would be required to repurchase any loan (or participation interest therein) which was sold to the securitization vehicle in breach of any representation or warranty made by us with respect to such loan on the date such loan was sold.

The structure of a securitization transaction is intended to prevent, in the event of our bankruptcy, the consolidation of the securitization vehicle with our operations. 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 vehicle for our estate. However, in doing so, we would become directly liable for all of the indebtedness then outstanding under the securitization transaction, which would equal the full amount of debt of the securitization vehicle reflected on our consolidated balance sheet.

Recourse to us by the securitization vehicle would be limited and generally consistent with the terms of other similarly structured finance transactions. In a securitization transaction, we would sell and/or contribute to the securitization vehicle all of our ownership interest in certain of our portfolio loans and participations for the purchase price and other consideration set forth in the securitization agreement. This transfer would be structured by its terms to provide limited recourse to us by the securitization vehicle relating to certain representations and warranties with respect to certain characteristics including title and quality of the portfolio loans that were transferred to the securitization vehicle. If we breached these representations and warranties and such breach materially and adversely affected the value of the portfolio loans or the interests of holders of notes issued by the securitization vehicle, then we could be required to (a) cure such breach in all material respects, (b) repurchase the portfolio loan or loans subject to such breach or (c) remove the portfolio loan or loans subject to such breach from the pool of loans and other assets held by the securitization vehicle and substitute a portfolio loan or loans that meet the requirements of the securitization documents. This repurchase and substitution obligation of us would constitute the sole remedy available against us for any breach of a representation or warranty related to the portfolio loans transferred to the securitization vehicle. 

Tothe extent we continue to use debt to finance our investments, changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.

To the extent we borrow money to make investments, our net investment income depends, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. We 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 MC Advisors.

The interest rates of our revolving and term loan credit facilities and loans to our portfolio companies that extend beyond 2023 might be subject to change based on recent regulatory changes, including the discontinuation of LIBOR.

The London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), is the basic rate of interest used in lending transactions between banks on the London interbank market and has been widely used as a reference for setting the interest rate on loans globally. In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority announced its intention to cease sustaining the LIBOR, by the end of 2021. As of January 1, 2023, USD LIBOR is available in five settings (overnight, one-month, three-month, six-month and 12-month). The ICE Benchmark Administration has stated that it will cease to publish all remaining USD LIBOR settings immediately following their publication on June 30, 2023.

In April 2018, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing its alternative rate, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The Bank of England followed suit in April 2018 by publishing its proposed alternative rate, the Sterling Overnight Index Average (“SONIA”). Each of SOFR and SONIA significantly differ from LIBOR, both in each actual rate and how each rate is calculated, and therefore it is unclear whether and when markets will adopt either of these rates as a widely accepted replacement for LIBOR.

As such, when LIBOR is discontinued, if a replacement rate is not widely agreed upon or if a replacement rate is significantly different from LIBOR, it could cause a disruption in the credit markets generally. Such a disruption could have an adverse impact on the market value of and/or transferability of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. It is not possible to predict the effect of any of these developments, and any future initiatives to regulate, reform or change the manner of administration of LIBOR could result in adverse consequences to the rate of interest payable and receivable on, market value of and market liquidity for LIBOR-based financial instruments.

Most of our new investments are indexed to SOFR; however, we have material contracts that are indexed to LIBOR. Certain contracts have an orderly market transition already in process; however, other contracts, will need to be renegotiated to replace LIBOR with an alternative reference rate. Following the replacement of LIBOR, some or all of our credit agreements with our portfolio companies may bear interest at a lower interest rate, which could have an adverse impact on the value and liquidity of our investment in these portfolio companies and, as a result on our results of operations.

In addition, the transition from LIBOR to SOFR, SONIA or other alternative reference rates may also introduce operational risks in our accounting, financial reporting, loan servicing, liability management and other aspects of our business.

We are subject to risks related to corporate social responsibility.

Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to ESG activities, which are increasingly considered to contribute to the long-term sustainability of a company’s performance. A variety of organizations measure the performance of companies on ESG topics, and the results of these assessments are widely publicized. In addition, investment in funds that specialize in companies that perform well in such assessments are increasingly popular, and major institutional investors have publicly emphasized the importance of such ESG measures to their investment decisions.

We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as environmental stewardship, corporate governance and transparency and considering ESG factors in our investment processes. Adverse incidents with respect to ESG activities could impact the value of our brand, the cost of our operations and relationships with investors, all of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Additionally, new regulatory initiatives related to ESG could adversely affect our business. The SEC has proposed rules that, among other matters, would establish a framework for the reporting of climate-related risks. At this time, there is uncertainty regarding the scope of such proposals or when they would become effective (if at all). Compliance with any new laws or regulations increases our regulatory burden and could make compliance more difficult and expensive, affect the manner in which we or our portfolio companies conduct our businesses and adversely affect our profitability.

We are exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates.

Interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial negative impact on our investments, the value of our common stock and our rate of return on invested capital. A reduction in the interest rates on new investments relative to interest rates on current investments could have an adverse impact on our net interest income. However, an increase in interest rates could decrease the value of any investments we hold that earn fixed interest rates, including subordinated loans, senior and junior secured and unsecured debt securities and loans and high yield bonds, and also could increase our interest expense, thereby decreasing our net income.

In periods of rising interest rates, to the extent we borrow money subject to a floating interest rate, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if such increases cause our borrowing costs to rise at a rate in excess of the rate that our investments yield. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if we hold investments with floating interest rates, subject to specified minimum interest rates (such as a LIBOR floor), while at the same time engaging in borrowings subject to floating interest rates not subject to such minimums. In such a scenario, rising interest rates may increase our interest expense, even though our interest income from investments is not increasing in a corresponding manner as a result of such minimum interest rates.

If general interest rates rise, there is a risk that the portfolio companies in which we hold floating rate securities will be unable to pay escalating interest amounts, which could result in a default under their loan documents with us. Rising interest rates could also cause portfolio companies to shift cash from other productive uses to the payment of interest, which may have a material adverse effect on their business and operations and could, over time, lead to increased defaults. In addition, rising interest rates may increase pressure on us to provide fixed rate loans to our portfolio companies, which could adversely affect our net investment income, as increases in our cost of borrowed funds would not be accompanied by increased interest income from such fixed-rate investments.

To the extent that we continue to make floating rate debt investments, a rise in the general level of interest rates would lead to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates may result in an increase in the amount of the incentive fee payable to the Adviser.

General interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial negative impact on our investments and investment opportunities and, accordingly, may have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective and the rate of return on invested capital. 

If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could fail to qualify as a BDC, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As a BDC, we may not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such acquisition, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying assets, as defined in Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act. See “Business — Qualifying Assets.” We believe that most of the investments that we may acquire in the future will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could violate the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs. As a result of such violation, specific rules under the 1940 Act could prevent us, for example, from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies, which could result in the dilution of our position or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to come into compliance with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of 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.

Many of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our Valuation Designee and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.

Under the 1940 Act, we are required to carry our portfolio investments at market value, or if there is no readily available market value, at fair value as determined by MC Advisors in its capacity as our Valuation Designee. Many of our portfolio investments may 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 Valuation Designee, including to reflect significant events affecting the value of our securities. 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:

We expect that most of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) will be classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy and require disclosures about the level of disaggregation along with the inputs and valuation techniques we use to measure fair value. 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 is available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We employ the services of one or more independent service providers to conduct fair value appraisals of material investments for which market quotations are not readily available. These fair value appraisals for material investments are received at least once every calendar year for each portfolio company investment, but are generally received quarterly. The types of factors that the Valuation Designee 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 company’s 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. Due to this uncertainty in the value of our portfolio investments, a fair value determination may cause net asset value on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that we may ultimately realize upon one or more of our investments. As a result, investors purchasing shares of our common stock based on an overstated net asset value would pay a higher price than the value of the investments might warrant. Conversely, investors selling shares during a period in which the net asset value understates the value of investments will receive a lower price for their shares than the value the investment portfolio might warrant.

We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect the determination of our Valuation Designee of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded in our consolidated statements of operations as net change in unrealized gain (loss) on investments.

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.

We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including our ability or inability to make investments in companies that meet our investment criteria, the interest rate payable to us on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, including the cost of our indebtedness, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business or cause us to alter our business strategy.

We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation at the local, state and federal level. These laws and regulations, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, including as the result of interpretive guidance or other directives from the U.S. President and others in the executive branch, and new laws, regulations and interpretations may also come into effect, including those governing the types of investments we or our portfolio companies are permitted to make, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and political uncertainty could increase regulatory uncertainty in the near term. The effects of legislative and regulatory proposals directed at the financial services industry or affecting taxation may negatively impact the operations, cash flows or financial condition of us or our portfolio companies, impose additional costs on us or our portfolio companies, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or our portfolio companies or otherwise adversely affect our business or the business of our portfolio companies. In addition, if we do not comply with applicable laws and regulations, we could lose any licenses that we then hold for the conduct of our business and may be subject to civil fines and criminal penalties.

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 the strategies and plans set forth herein and may shift our investment focus from the areas of expertise of MC Advisors to other types of investments in which MC 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.

Over the last several years, there also has been an increase in regulatory attention to the extension of credit outside of the traditional banking sector, raising the possibility that some portion of the non-bank financial sector will be subject to new regulation. While it cannot be known at this time whether any regulation will be implemented or what form it will take, increased regulation of non-bank credit extension could negatively impact our operations, cash flows or financial condition, impose additional costs on us, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Uncertainty about U.S. government initiatives could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The U.S. government has recently called for significant changes to U.S. trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign and government regulatory policy. In this regard, there is significant uncertainty with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, treaties, tariffs, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent the U.S. Congress or the current administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although we cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to our business, they could adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until we know what policy changes are made and how those changes impact our business and the business of our competitors over the long term, we will not know if, overall, we will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

Our Board may change our investment objective, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval, the effects of which may be adverse.

Our Board has the authority, except as otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. Under Maryland law, we also cannot be dissolved without prior stockholder approval except by judicial action. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and the price value of our common stock. Nevertheless, any such changes could adversely affect our business and impair our ability to make distributions.

MC Advisors can resign on 60 days’ notice, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Advisors has the right to resign under the Investment Advisory Agreement without penalty at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to us, whether we have found a replacement or not. If MC Advisors resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment advisor or hire internal management with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms within 60 days, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and our net asset value 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 MC Advisors and its affiliates. Even if we were 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 financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Management can resign on 60 days’ notice from its role as our administrator under the Administration Agreement, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

MC Management has the right to resign under the Administration Agreement without penalty upon 60 days’ written notice to us, whether we have found a replacement or not. If MC Management 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 our net asset value 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 MC Management. Even if we were able to retain a comparable service provider or individuals to perform such services, whether internal or external, their integration into our business and lack of familiarity with our investment objective may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

There are significant financial and other resources necessary to comply with the requirements of being a public reporting entity.

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). These requirements may place a strain on our systems and resources. The Exchange Act requires that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting, which are discussed below. In order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls, significant resources and management oversight will be required. We have implemented procedures, processes, policies and practices for the purpose of addressing the standards and requirements applicable to public reporting companies. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We expect to incur significant additional annual expenses related to these steps and, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, reporting requirements of the SEC, transfer agent fees, additional administrative expenses payable to MC Management, as administrator, to compensate them for hiring additional accounting, legal and administrative personnel, increased auditing and legal fees and similar expenses.

The systems and resources necessary to comply with public company reporting requirements will increase further once we cease to be an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As long as we remain an emerging growth company, we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public reporting companies, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years following an initial public offering or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion, (ii) December 31 of the fiscal year that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter and we have been publicly reporting for at least 12 months or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the preceding three-year period.

Efforts to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act involve significant expenditures, and non-compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may adversely affect us and the value of our common stock.

As a public reporting 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 and other rules implemented by the SEC.

We are subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC. Under current SEC rules, after being subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for a specified period of time, our management will be required to report on its internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. We are required to review on an annual basis our internal controls over financial reporting, and on a quarterly and annual basis to evaluate and disclose changes in our internal controls over financial reporting. As a result, we expect to continue to incur associated expenses, which may negatively impact our financial performance and our ability to make distributions. This process also will result in a diversion of our management’s 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 may not be able to ensure that the process is effective or that the internal controls are or will be effective in a timely manner. There can be no assurance that our quarterly reviews and annual audits will not identify additional material weaknesses. In the event that we are unable to maintain or achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules, our value and results of operations may be adversely affected. As a result, we expect to incur significant associated expenses, which may negatively impact our financial performance and our ability to make distributions.

Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may affect any market for our common stock, impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, global health emergencies or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks, global health emergencies and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions in the global economy, which has had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on our portfolio companies and our business and operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictive measures taken to contain or mitigate its spread caused business shutdowns, cancellations of events and restrictions on travel, significant reductions in demand for certain goods and services, reductions in business activity and financial transactions, supply chain interruptions and has led, and for an unknown period of time will continue to lead, to disruptions in local, regional, national and global markets and economies affected thereby. Despite actions of the U.S. federal government and foreign governments, these events have contributed to unpredictable general economic conditions that are materially and adversely impacting the broader financial and credit markets and reducing the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole. With respect to the U.S. credit markets (in particular for middle market loans), this outbreak has resulted in, and until fully resolved is likely to continue to result in, the following among other things: (i) increased draws by borrowers on revolving lines of credit; (ii) increased requests by borrowers for amendments and waivers of their credit agreements to avoid default, increased defaults by such borrowers and/or increased difficulty in obtaining refinancing at the maturity dates of their loans; (iii) volatility and disruption of these markets including greater volatility in pricing and spreads and difficulty in valuing loans during periods of increased volatility, and liquidity issues; and (iv) rapidly evolving proposals and/or actions by state and federal governments to address problems being experienced by the markets and by businesses and the economy in general that will not necessarily adequately address the problems facing the loan market and middle market businesses. This outbreak is having, and any future outbreaks could have, an adverse impact on our portfolio companies and us and on the markets and the economy in general, and that impact could be material. Such effects will likely continue for the duration of the pandemic, which is uncertain, and for some period thereafter. It is impossible to determine the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic, or any future outbreaks, how long any such outbreak, market disruption or uncertainties may last, the effect any governmental actions will have or the full potential impact on us, MC Advisors and our portfolio companies.

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing as of the filing date of this Annual Report, and its extended duration may have further adverse impacts on our portfolio companies after December 31, 2022, including for the reasons described herein.

We are currently operating in a period of capital markets disruption and economic uncertainty could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Current market conditions may make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness with similar terms and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The debt capital that will be available to us in the future, if at all, may be at a higher cost and on less favorable terms and conditions than what we currently experience, including being at a higher cost in rising rate environments. If we are unable to raise or refinance debt, then our equity investors may not benefit from the potential for increased returns on equity resulting from leverage and we may be limited in our ability to make new commitments or to fund existing commitments to our portfolio companies. An inability to extend the maturity of, or refinance, our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, adverse or volatile market conditions may make equity capital difficult to raise because, subject to some limited exceptions, as a BDC, we are generally not able to issue additional shares of our common stock at a price less than net asset value without first obtaining approval for such issuance from our shareholders and independent directors.

Significant disruption or volatility in the capital markets may also have a negative effect on the valuations of our investments. While most of our investments are not publicly traded, applicable accounting standards require us to assume as part of our valuation process that our investments are sold in a principal market to market participants (even if we plan on holding an investment through its maturity). Significant disruption or volatility in the capital markets may also affect the pace of our investment activity and the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. Thus, the illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments to access capital if required, and as a result, we could realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments if we were required to sell them for liquidity purposes. An inability to raise or access capital could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The failure in cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning, could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.

Cybersecurity incidents and cyber-attacks have been occurring globally at a more frequent and severe level, and will likely continue to increase in frequency in the future. The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyber-attack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, a terrorist attack or war, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of Monroe Capital employees were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.

We, and our portfolio companies, depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite the implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyber-attacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.

Third parties with which we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risk. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as client, counterparty, employee, and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure, destruction, or other cybersecurity incident that affects our data, resulting in increased costs and other consequences as described above.

Moreover, the increased use of mobile and cloud technologies due to the proliferation of remote work resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic could heighten these and other operational risks as certain aspects of the security of such technologies may be complex and unpredictable. Reliance on mobile or cloud technology or any failure by mobile technology and cloud service providers to adequately safeguard their systems and prevent cyber-attacks could disrupt our operations, the operations of a portfolio company or the operations of our or their service providers and result in misappropriation, corruption or loss of personal, confidential or proprietary information or the inability to conduct ordinary business operations. In addition, there is a risk that encryption and other protective measures may be circumvented, particularly to the extent that new computing technologies increase the speed and computing power available. Extended periods of remote working, whether by us or by our service providers, could strain technology resources, introduce operational risks and otherwise heighten the risks described above. Remote working environments may be less secure and more susceptible to hacking attacks, including phishing and social engineering attempts. Accordingly, the risks described above are heightened under current conditions.

We have implemented processes, procedures and internal controls to help mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the nature and extent of a risk of a cyber-incident, do not guarantee that a cyber-incident will not occur and/or that our financial results, operations or confidential information will not be negatively impacted by such an incident.

In addition, cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world, and some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data. Compliance with such laws and regulations may result in cost increases due to system changes and the development of new administrative processes. If we or MC Advisors or certain of its affiliates, fail to comply with the relevant laws and regulations, we could suffer financial losses, a disruption of our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage. 

We may incur lender liability as a result of our lending activities.

In recent years, a number of judicial decisions have upheld the right of borrowers and others to sue lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed “lender liability.” Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise that a lender has either violated a duty, whether implied or contractual, of good faith and fair dealing owed to the borrower or has assumed a degree of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or stockholders. We may be subject to allegations of lender liability, which could be time-consuming and expensive to defend and result in significant liability.

We may incur liability as a result of providing managerial assistance to our portfolio companies.

In the course of providing significant managerial assistance to certain portfolio companies, certain of our management and directors may serve as directors on the boards of such companies. To the extent that litigation arises out of investments in these companies, our management and directors may be named as defendants in such litigation, which could result in an expenditure of our funds, through our indemnification of such officers and directors, and the diversion of management time and resources.

MC Advisors may not be able to achieve the same or similar returns as those achieved by our senior management and investment teams while they were employed at prior positions.

The track record and achievements of the senior investment professionals of Monroe Capital are not necessarily indicative of future results that will be achieved by MC Advisors. As a result, MC Advisors may not be able to achieve the same or similar returns as those achieved by the senior investment professionals of Monroe Capital.

Risks Related to Our Investments

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

Many of our portfolio companies are susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. These portfolio companies may face intense competition, including competition from companies with greater financial resources, more extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing and service capabilities and greater number of qualified and experienced managerial and technical personnel. They may need additional financing that they are unable to secure and that we are unable or unwilling to provide, or they may be subject to adverse developments unrelated to the technologies they acquire.

Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase, and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments and could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a corresponding decrease in revenues, net income and assets.

Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing our investments and harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, acceleration of its loans and foreclosure on its assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. It is possible that we could become subject to a lender liability claim, including as a result of actions taken if we or MC Advisors 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 or MC Advisors provided managerial assistance to that portfolio company or otherwise exercise control over it, a bankruptcy court might re-characterize our debt as a form of equity and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to claims of other creditors.

Market conditions have materially and adversely affected debt and equity capital markets in the United States and around the world.

In the past, the global capital markets experienced periods of disruption resulting in increasing spreads between the yields realized on riskier debt securities and those realized on securities perceived as being risk-free and 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 in economic conditions. This economic decline materially and adversely affected the broader financial and credit markets and reduced the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and to financial firms in particular. If such a period of disruption were to occur in the future, to the extent that we wish to use debt to fund our investments, the debt capital that will be available to us, if at all, 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 below historical levels and adversely affect the value of our portfolio investments, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The spread between the yields realized on riskier debt securities and those realized on securities perceived as being risk-free has remained narrow on a relative basis recently. If these spreads were to widen or if there were deterioration of market conditions, these events could materially and adversely affect our business.

Inflation may adversely affect the business, results of operations and financial condition of our portfolio companies.

Recent inflationary pressures have increased the costs of labor, energy and raw materials and have adversely affected consumer spending, economic growth and our portfolio companies’ operations. Certain of our portfolio companies may be in industries that have been, or are expected to be, impacted by inflation. If such portfolio companies are unable to pass any increases in their costs along to their customers, it could adversely affect their results and impact their ability to pay interest and principal on our loans. In addition, any projected future decreases in our portfolio companies’ operating results due to inflation could adversely impact the fair value of those investments. Any decreases in the fair value of our investments could result in future realized or unrealized losses and therefore reduce our net assets resulting from operations. Additionally, the Federal Reserve has raised, and has indicated its intent to continue raising, certain benchmark interest rates in an effort to combat inflation, See “We are exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates.”

Our investments in leveraged portfolio companies may be risky, and we could lose all or part of our investment.

Investment in leveraged companies involves a number of significant risks. Leveraged companies, including lower middle-market 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. In addition, our junior secured loans are generally subordinated to senior loans. As such, other creditors may rank senior to us in the event of an insolvency.

Our portfolio companies consists primarily of lower middle-market, privately owned companies, which may present a greater risk of loss than loans to larger companies.

Our portfolio consists, and will most likely continue to consist, primarily of loans to lower middle-market, privately owned companies. Compared to larger, publicly traded firms, these companies generally have more limited access to capital and higher funding costs, may be in a weaker financial position and may need more capital to expand, compete and operate their business. In addition, many of these companies may be unable to obtain financing from public capital markets or from traditional sources, such as commercial banks. Accordingly, loans made to these types of borrowers may entail higher risks than loans made to companies that have larger businesses, greater financial resources or are otherwise able to access traditional credit sources on more attractive terms.

Investing in lower middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks, including that lower middle-market companies:

Any of these factors or changes thereto could impair a portfolio company’s financial condition, results of operation, cash flow or result in other adverse events, such as bankruptcy, any of which could limit a portfolio company’s ability to make scheduled payments on loans from us. This, in turn, may lead to their inability to make payments on outstanding borrowings, which could result in losses in our loan portfolio and a decrease in our net interest income and book value.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in senior secured loans.

We invest in senior secured loans. Senior secured loans are usually rated below investment grade or may also be unrated. As a result, the risks associated with senior secured loans may be considered by credit rating agencies to be similar to the risks of below investment grade fixed income instruments, although senior secured loans are senior and secured in contrast to other below investment grade fixed income instruments, which are often subordinated or unsecured. Investment in senior secured loans rated below investment grade is considered speculative because of the credit risk of their issuers. Such companies are more likely than investment grade issuers to default on their payments of interest and principal owed to us, and such defaults could have a material adverse effect on our performance. An economic downturn would generally lead to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior secured loan may lose significant market value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior secured loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the senior secured loan’s value.

There may be less readily available and reliable information about most senior secured loans than is the case for many other types of securities, including securities issued in transactions registered under the Securities Act or registered under the Exchange Act. As a result, MC Advisors will rely primarily on its own evaluation of a borrower’s credit quality rather than on any available independent sources. Therefore, we will be particularly dependent on the analytical abilities of MC Advisors.

In general, the secondary trading market for senior secured loans is not well developed. No active trading market may exist for certain senior secured loans, which may make it difficult to value them. Illiquidity and adverse market conditions may mean that we may not be able to sell senior secured loans quickly or at a fair price. To the extent that a secondary market does exist for certain senior secured loans, the market for them may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in junior debt securities.

We may invest in junior debt securities. Although certain junior debt securities are typically senior to common stock or other equity securities, the equity and debt securities in which we will invest may be subordinated to substantial amounts of senior debt, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. Such subordinated investments may be characterized by greater credit risks than those associated with the senior obligations of the same issuer. These subordinated securities may not be protected by all of the financial covenants, such as limitations upon additional indebtedness, typically protecting such senior debt. Holders of junior debt generally are not entitled to receive full payments in bankruptcy or liquidation until senior creditors are paid in full. Holders of equity are not entitled to payments until all creditors are paid in full. In addition, the remedies available to holders of junior debt are normally limited by restrictions benefiting senior creditors. In the event any portfolio company cannot generate adequate cash flow to meet senior debt service, we may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested.

We may be subject to risks associated with “covenant-lite” loans.

Certain loans in which we invest may be “covenant-lite.” We use the term “covenant-lite” loans to refer generally to loans that do not have a complete set of financial maintenance covenants. Generally, “covenant-lite” loans provide borrower companies more freedom to negatively impact lenders because their covenants are incurrence-based, which means they are only tested and can only be breached following an affirmative action of the borrower, rather than by a deterioration in the borrower’s financial condition. Accordingly, to the extent we are exposed to “covenant-lite” loans, we may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with financial maintenance covenants.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in unitranche secured loans and securities.

We may invest in unitranche secured loans, which are a combination of senior secured and junior secured debt in the same facility in which we syndicate a “first out” portion of the loan to an investor and retain a “last out” portion of the loan. Unitranche secured loans provide all of the debt needed to finance a leveraged buyout or other corporate transaction, both senior and junior, but generally in a first lien position, while the borrower generally pays a blended, uniform interest rate rather than different rates for different tranches. Unitranche secured debt generally requires payments of both principal and interest throughout the life of the loan. Generally, we expect these securities to carry a blended yield that is between senior secured and junior debt interest rates. Unitranche secured loans provide a number of advantages for borrowers, including the following: simplified documentation, greater certainty of execution and reduced decision-making complexity throughout the life of the loan. In some cases, a portion of the total interest may accrue or be paid in kind. Because unitranche secured loans combine characteristics of senior and junior financing, unitranche secured loans have risks similar to the risks associated with senior secured and second lien loans and junior debt in varying degrees according to the combination of loan characteristics of the unitranche secured loan.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in bank loans.

We intend to invest in bank loans and participations. These obligations are subject to unique risks, including:

In addition, the illiquidity of bank loans may make it difficult for us to sell such investments to access capital if required. As a result, we could realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments if we were required to sell them for liquidity purposes. Compared to securities and to certain other types of financial assets, purchases and sales of loans take relatively longer to settle. This extended settlement process can (i) increase the counterparty credit risk borne by us; (ii) leave us unable to timely vote, or otherwise act with respect to, loans it has agreed to purchase; (iii) delay us from realizing the proceeds of a sale of a loan; (iv) inhibit our ability to re-sell a loan that it has agreed to purchase if conditions change (leaving us more exposed to price fluctuations); (v) prevent us from timely collecting principal and interest payments; and (vi) expose us to adverse tax or regulatory consequences. To the extent the extended loan settlement process gives rise to short-term liquidity needs, we may hold cash, sell investments or temporarily borrow from banks or other lenders.

In purchasing participations, we generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and we may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which we have purchased the participation. As a result, we will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation.

In analyzing each bank loan or participation, MC Advisors compares the relative significance of the risks against the expected benefits of the investment. Successful claims by third parties arising from these and other risks will be borne by us.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in Securitized Products.

We may from time to time, as part of its opportunistic investment activities, invest, directly and indirectly, in Securitized Products, including CLO facilities, asset-backed securities and warehouse loan facilities. Securitized Products may present risks similar to those of the other types of investments in which we may invest and, in fact, such risks may be of greater significance in the case of Securitized Products. Moreover, investing in Securitized Products may entail a variety of unique risks. Among other risks, Securitized Products may be subject to prepayment risk. In addition, the performance of a Securitized Product will be affected by a variety of factors, including its priority in the capital structure of the issuer thereof, the availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying receivables, loans or other assets that are being securitized, remoteness of those assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets. In addition, we may face additional risks related to specific Securities Products, including the following:

Asset-backed securities. We may invest in asset-backed securities (“ABS”). ABS are subject to the risk of prepayment on the loans underlying such securities (including voluntary prepayments by the obligors and liquidations due to default). Generally, prepayment rates increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Prepayment rates are also affected by other factors, including economic, demographic, tax, social and legal factors. To the extent that prepayment rates are different than anticipated, the average yield of investments in ABS may be adversely affected. The interest rate sensitivity of any particular pool of loans depends upon the allocation of cash flow from the underlying receivables.

The market value of ABS will generally vary inversely with changes in market interest rates, declining when interest rates rise and rising when interest rates decline. However, ABS, while having comparable risk of decline during periods of rising rates, usually have less potential for capital appreciation than other investments of comparable maturities due to the likelihood of increased prepayments as interest rates decline. In addition, to the extent any ABS are purchased at a premium, losses due to default and liquidation and unscheduled principal prepayments generally will result in some loss of the holders’ principal to the extent of the premium paid. ABS are subject to whole loan risk and credit risk that the underlying receivables will not be paid by debtors or by credit insurers or guarantors of such instruments.

The underlying assets of ABS may include receivables of any kind, including, without limitation, such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements. The ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.

The values of some other ABS are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. The value of ABS may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools and thus be subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. In addition, any fees related to outside loan origination and servicing contracts could negatively affect returns. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of underlying assets. Furthermore, debtors may be entitled to the protection of a number of state and Federal consumer credit laws with respect to ABS, which may give the debtor the right to avoid payment. ABS may be highly illiquid, and the market value of ABS may fluctuate widely. If we are forced to liquidate our investments in ABS to satisfy withdrawals, it may be difficult or impossible to do so on favorable terms and may result in losses.

Collateralized Loan Obligations. We may invest, directly or indirectly, in CLOs and CLO warehouse facilities. A CLO is typically a bankruptcy-remote securitization entity that owns senior secured, second lien or unsecured corporate loans. Typically, we are expected to invest, directly or indirectly, in the unrated or most subordinated tranches of CLOs that own middle market or broadly syndicated loans, while other investors may purchase more senior tranches of the CLO entity’s capital structure, thereby exposing themselves to different risks of principal and interest repayment. CLOs make payments to investors as payments are received with respect to their underlying asset pools. If proceeds of the underlying asset pools are not large enough to provide payments on all investors, securities held by the more junior investors in the CLOs (like us) will likely suffer a principal loss. In an event of default, typically the most senior tranche of debt may direct the CLO manager to liquidate the CLO. In the event of a liquidation, the unrated or most subordinated tranches of a CLO will not receive any payment until all principal and interest on the senior debt is paid in full. As the holder of the most subordinated tranche, we may be unable to exercise additional remedies under the CLO entity documentation. In addition, the value of the underlying collateral in the asset pools may decrease in value. CLO securities are illiquid instruments, and we may not be able to sell such securities at favorable prices, if at all. 

Loans may become nonperforming for a variety of reasons.

A loan or debt obligation may become non-performing for a variety of reasons. Such non-performing loans may require substantial workout negotiations or restructuring that may entail, among other things, a substantial reduction in the interest rate, a substantial write-down of the principal amount of the loan and/or the deferral of payments. In addition, such negotiations or restructuring may be quite extensive and protracted over time, and therefore may result in substantial uncertainty with respect to the ultimate recovery. We may also incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default on a loan or participate in the restructuring of such obligation. The liquidity for defaulted loans may be limited, and to the extent that defaulted loans are sold, it is highly unlikely that the proceeds from such sale will be equal to the amount of unpaid principal and interest thereon. In connection with any such defaults, workouts or restructuring, although we exercise voting rights with respect to an individual loan, we may not be able to exercise votes in respect of a sufficient percentage of voting rights with respect to such loan to determine the outcome of such vote.

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

All of our assets may be invested in illiquid securities, and a substantial portion of our investments in leveraged companies 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 when desired. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded these investments. As a result, we do not expect to achieve liquidity in our investments in the near-term. However, to maintain the election to be regulated as a BDC and qualify as a RIC, we may have to dispose of investments if we do not satisfy one or more of the applicable criteria under the respective regulatory frameworks. We may also face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we or MC Advisors have material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio company.

Price declines and illiquidity in the corporate debt markets may adversely affect the fair value of our portfolio investments, reducing our net asset value through increased net unrealized losses.

As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by our Valuation Designee. 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 losses. Declines in prices and liquidity in the corporate debt markets may result in significant net unrealized losses on our portfolio. The effect of all of these factors on our portfolio may reduce our net asset value by increasing net unrealized losses on our portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur substantial realized losses and may suffer additional unrealized losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our portfolio companies may prepay loans, which prepayment may reduce stated yields if capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

The loans underlying our portfolio may be callable at any time, and many of them can be repaid with no premium to par. It is generally not clear and highly unpredictable when or if any loan might be called. Whether a loan is called will depend both on the continued positive performance of the portfolio company and the existence of favorable financing market conditions that allow such company the ability to replace existing financing with less expensive capital. As market conditions change frequently, it is unknown when, and if, this may be possible for each portfolio company. Risks associated with owning loans include the fact that prepayments may occur at any time, sometimes without premium or penalty, and that the exercise of prepayment rights during periods of declining spreads could cause us to reinvest prepayment proceeds in lower-yielding instruments. In the case of some of these loans, having the loan called early may reduce our achievable yield if the capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

Our portfolio may be exposed in part to one or more specific industries, which may subject us to a risk of significant loss in a particular investment or investments if there is a downturn in that particular industry.

Our portfolio may be exposed in part to one or more specific industries. A downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize. If an industry in which we have significant investments suffers from adverse business or economic conditions, as these industries have to varying degrees, a material portion of our investment portfolio could be affected adversely, which, in turn, could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

As of December 31, 2022, our investments in the Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals; Services: Business; and High Tech Industries represented approximately 14.4%, 12.6% and 12.3% respectively, of the fair value of our portfolio and are subject to certain risks particular to these industries. The laws and rules governing the business of companies in these industries and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change and broad latitude is given to the agencies administering those regulations. Existing or future laws and rules could force our portfolio companies operating in these industries to change how they do business, restrict revenue, increase costs, change reserve levels and change business practices. Policy changes on the local, state and federal level, such as the expansion of the government’s role in these industries and changes to tax laws affecting these industries, could fundamentally change the dynamics of these industries. We have invested and will continue investing in technology companies, many of which may have narrow product lines and small market shares, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as to general economic downturns. The revenues, income (or losses), and valuations of technology-related companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. In addition, technology-related markets are generally characterized by abrupt business cycles and intense competition, where the leading companies in any particular category may hold a highly concentrated percentage of the overall market share. Any of these factors could materially adversely affect the operations of a portfolio company in these industries and, in turn, impair our ability to timely collect principal and interest payments owed to us.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the business services industry.

Portfolio companies in the business services sector are subject to many risks, including the negative impact of regulation, changing technology, a competitive marketplace and difficulty in obtaining financing. Portfolio companies in the business services industry must respond quickly to technological changes and understand the impact of these changes on customers’ preferences. Adverse economic, business, or regulatory developments affecting the business services sector could have a negative impact on the value of our investments in portfolio companies operating in this industry, and therefore could negatively impact our business and results of operations.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the technology industry.

We invest portions of our portfolio in the technology industry. There are risks in investing in companies that target technology-related markets, including rapid and sometimes dramatic price erosion of products, the reliance on capital and debt markets to finance large capital outlays, including fabrication facilities, the reliance on partners outside of the United States, particularly in Asia, and inherent cyclicality of the technology market in general. As a result of multiple factors, access to capital may be difficult or impossible for companies in our portfolio that are pursuing these markets. The revenue, income (or losses) and valuations of technology-related companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. In addition, because of rapid technological change, the average selling prices of products and some services provided by technology-related sectors have historically decreased over their productive lives. As a result, the average selling prices of products and services offered by our portfolio companies that operate in technology-related sectors may decrease over time, which could adversely affect their operating results and, correspondingly, the value of any securities that we may hold. This could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in the healthcare industry.

Any of our portfolio companies operating in the healthcare information and services industry are subject to extensive government regulation and certain other risks particular to that industry. As part of our investment strategy, we plan to invest in companies in the healthcare information and services industry. Such portfolio companies provide technology to companies that are subject to extensive regulation, including Medicare and Medicaid payment rules and regulation, the False Claims Act and federal and state laws regarding the collection, use and disclosure of patient health information and the storage handling and administration of pharmaceuticals. If any of our portfolio companies or the companies to which they provide such technology fail to comply with applicable regulations, they could be subject to significant penalties and claims that could materially and adversely affect their operations. Portfolio companies in the healthcare information or services industry are also subject to the risk that changes in applicable regulations will render their technology obsolete or less desirable in the marketplace.

Portfolio companies in the healthcare information and services industry may also have a limited number of suppliers of necessary components or a limited number of manufacturers for their products, and therefore face a risk of disruption to their manufacturing process if they are unable to find alternative suppliers when needed. Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect the operations of a portfolio company in this industry and, in turn, impair our ability to timely collect principal and interest payments owed to us.

To the extent original issue discount and payment-in-kind interest constitute a portion of our income, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash representing such income.

Our investments include original issue discount, or OID, components and may include PIK interest or PIK dividend components. For the year ended December 31, 2022, PIK interest and PIK dividends comprised approximately 6.5% and 0.4% of our investment income, respectively. To the extent original issue discount constitutes a portion of our income, we are exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash, including the following:

We are a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.

We are classified as a non-diversified 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. Our portfolio is and may in the future be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries. Beyond the asset diversification requirements associated with our qualification as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our net asset value may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. As a result, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. Additionally, while we are not targeting any specific industries, our investments may be concentrated in relatively few industries. As a result, a downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could also significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize.

We may hold the debt securities of leveraged companies that may, due to the significant volatility of such companies, enter into bankruptcy proceedings.

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 a portfolio company may adversely and permanently affect the portfolio company. If the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the value of the issuer may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is also difficult to predict, and a creditor’s return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization or liquidation ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Because the standards for classification of claims under bankruptcy law are vague, our influence with respect to the class of securities or other obligations we own may be lost by increases in the number and amount of claims in the same class or by different classification and treatment. In the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. In addition, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be substantial.

Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our portfolio.

Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in seeking to:

We have discretion to make follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources and the provisions of the 1940 Act. Failure on our part to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our level of risk, because we prefer other opportunities or because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or the desire to maintain our RIC status. Our ability to make follow-on investments may also be limited by MC Advisors’ allocation policy.

Because we do not hold controlling equity interests in the majority of our portfolio companies, we may not be able to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by management of our portfolio companies, which could decrease the value of our investments.

Although we may do so in the future, we do not currently hold controlling equity positions in the majority of our portfolio companies. Our debt investments may provide limited control features such as restrictions, for example, on the ability of a portfolio company to assume additional debt, or to use the proceeds of our investment for other than certain specified purposes. “Control” under the 1940 Act is presumed at more than 25% equity ownership, and may also be present at lower ownership levels where we provide managerial assistance. When we do not acquire a controlling equity position in a portfolio company, we may be subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and that the management and/or stockholders of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity of the debt and equity investments that we typically hold in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company and may therefore suffer a decrease in the value of our investments.

Defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets. This could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize such portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt or equity securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting portfolio company.

In addition, many of our investments will likely have a principal amount outstanding at maturity, which could result in a substantial loss to us if the borrower is unable to refinance or repay.

Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies.

We generally seek to invest capital in senior, unitranche and junior secured loans and, to a lesser extent, unsecured subordinated debt and equity. The portfolio companies in which we invest 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.

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 company’s obligations under any outstanding senior debt and may secure certain other future debt that may be permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under the agreements governing the loans. The holders of obligations secured by first-priority liens on the collateral will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of the collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of all of the collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens after payment in full of all obligations secured by the first-priority liens on the collateral. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay amounts outstanding under the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens, then, to the extent not repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral, we will only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.

The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with 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, including in unitranche secured transactions. 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:

We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if our rights are adversely affected. In addition, a bankruptcy court may choose not to enforce an intercreditor agreement or other agreement with creditors.

We may also make unsecured loans to portfolio companies, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such companies. Liens on such portfolio companies’ collateral, if any, will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under its outstanding secured debt and may secure certain future debt that is permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under its secured loan agreements. The holders of obligations secured by such liens will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of such collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of such collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of such collateral would be sufficient to satisfy our unsecured loan obligations after payment in full of all secured loan obligations. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay the outstanding secured loan obligations, then our unsecured claims would rank equally with the unpaid portion of such secured creditors’ claims against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.

We may also make subordinated investments that rank below other obligations of the obligor in right of payment. Subordinated investments are generally more volatile than secured loans and 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 LTV ratio may create increased risks that its operations might not generate sufficient cash flow to service all of its debt obligations.

We may be subject to risks associated with syndicated loans.

From time to time, our investments may consist of syndicated loans. Under the documentation for such loans, a financial institution or other entity typically is designated as the administrative agent and/or collateral agent. This agent is granted a lien on any collateral on behalf of the other lenders and distributes payments on the indebtedness as they are received. The agent is the party responsible for administering and enforcing the loan and generally may take actions only in accordance with the instructions of a majority or two-thirds in commitments and/or principal amount of the associated indebtedness. In most cases, we do not expect to hold a sufficient amount of the indebtedness to be able to compel any actions by the agent. Accordingly, we may be precluded from directing such actions unless we act together with other holders of the indebtedness. If we are unable to direct such actions, we cannot assure you that the actions taken will be in our best interests.

There is a risk that a loan agent may become bankrupt or insolvent. Such an event would delay, and possibly impair, any enforcement actions undertaken by holders of the associated indebtedness, including attempts to realize upon the collateral securing the associated indebtedness and/or direct the agent to take actions against the related obligor or the collateral securing the associated indebtedness and actions to realize on proceeds of payments made by obligors that are in the territory or control of any other financial institution. In addition, we may be unable to remove the agent in circumstances in which removal would be in our best interests. Moreover, agented loans typically allow for the agent to resign with certain advance notice.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in special situation companies.

We may make investments in companies involved in (or the target of) acquisition attempts or tender offers, or companies involved in spin-offs and similar transactions. In any investment opportunity involving any such type of business enterprise, there exists the risk that the transaction in which such business enterprise is involved will either be unsuccessful, take considerable time or result in a distribution of cash or a new security, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to us of the security or other financial instrument in respect of which such distribution is received. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, we may be required to sell our investment at a loss. In connection with such transactions (or otherwise), we may purchase securities on a when-issued basis, which means that delivery and payment take place sometime after the date of the commitment to purchase and are often conditioned upon the occurrence of a subsequent event, such as approval and consummation of a merger, reorganization or debt restructuring. The purchase price and/or interest rate receivable with respect to a when-issued security are fixed when we enter into the commitment. Such securities are subject to changes in market value prior to their delivery.

The disposition of our investments may result in contingent liabilities.

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.