UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 20162017 or

For the transition period from ______________________ to ______________________

Commission File Number 814-00991

MILL CITY VENTURES III, LTD.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (952) 479-1923

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common stock, $0.001 par value per share

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes¨ Nox

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes¨ Nox

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for the past 90 days.x Yes¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).x Yes¨ No

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrantRegistrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitionthe definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “non-accelerated filer,“smaller reporting company,” and “smaller reporting“emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).¨ Yesx No

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by persons other than officers, directors and more than 5% shareholders of the registrant as of June 30, 20162017 was approximately $1,644,442$1,416,562 based on the closing sales price of $0.65$0.75 per share as reported on the OTCQX. As of March 17, 2017,30, 2018, there were 12,151,49311,067,402 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.001 par value, outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED IN PART BY REFERENCE

None.

Mill City Ventures III, Ltd.

Form 10-K

Table of Contents

PART I

ITEM 1 BUSINESS

Overview

Mill City Ventures III, Ltd., formerly known as Poker Magic, Inc. (the “Company” or “we”), is a Minnesota corporation that was incorporated in January 2006. Until December 13, 2012, we were a development-stage company that focused on promoting and placing a proprietary poker game online and into casinos and entertainment facilities nationwide. On December 13, 2012, we filed a Form N-8A with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), notifying the SEC of our intent to register as an internally managed, non-diversified, closed-end investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). On February 7, 2013, we filed Form N-54A to become a business development company (“BDC”) under the 1940 Act. Presently, we are regulated as a BDC and intend to be taxed as a regulated investment company.

Business Model and Strategy

As a BDC, we primarily focus on investing in or lending to private and small-capitalization public companies and making managerial assistance available to such companies. A BDC generally provides shareholders with the ability to retain the liquidity of a publicly traded stock, while sharing in the possible benefits of investing in emerging-growth or expansion-stage companies that are privately or publicly owned. As permitted by BDC regulations, we may acquire securities directly from private and small-cap public issuers, their affiliates, or from third parties, and may acquire securities issued by small-cap public issuers in open-market purchases effected through public exchanges and automated quotation systems.

Our revenues relate to the earnings we receive from our portfolio investments. Our objective is to obtain superior returns from investments in securities and other investment opportunities available to BDCs under the 1940 Act. We intend to invest capital in portfolio companies for purposes of financing acquisitions, organic growth, recapitalizations, buyouts and working capital. In this regard, buyouts generally include transactions that involve the acquisition of a controlling interest in an entity, either by management or other investors. Organic growth refers to growth through the internal operations of the company, whether through investments in marketing initiatives, capital expenditures or other internal growth initiatives, rather than growth by means of acquisitions.

We plan to identify potential investments through multiple sources, including without limitation private equity sponsors, investment bankers, brokers, professional contacts, and owners and operators of businesses. We expect to base our investment decisions on our analyses of actual and potential business operations, asset valuations and viable exit strategies to establish appropriate pricing and maximize our return on investment. Subject to regulations applicable to BDCs, we plan to invest in private companies, small-cap public stocks, notes and other forms of debt, investment contracts, and other investments commonly referred to as securities.

Competition

As a BDC, we compete with strategic buyers, private equity funds, subordinated debt funds and other buyers and financing sources, including traditional financial services companies such as finance companies, commercial banks, investment banks and other equity and non-equity based investment funds. Some of our competitors will be substantially larger and have considerably greater financial resources than we do. Competitors may have a lower cost of funds and many have access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, certain of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments, establish more relationships and build their market shares. Competitive pressures may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, as a result of this competition, we may be unable to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities and meet our investment goals.

Competitive Advantages

We believe that we are well positioned to secure appropriate investments in target companies for the following reasons:

Investment Process

Prospective Portfolio Company Characteristics

We have identified several criteria that we believe will prove important in achieving our investment objectives with respect to target portfolio companies. These criteria will provide general guidelines for our investment decisions. Nevertheless, not all of these criteria will be met by each prospective portfolio company in which we choose to invest.

Due Diligence

If we believe a target portfolio company generally meets the characteristics described above or if we believe that certain of the most important characteristics for that particular target portfolio company or the industry in which it operates are met, or if we have other reasons to believe in the potential profitability of an investment in a target portfolio company, we may perform initial due diligence on that company. Our due-diligence examination for each target portfolio company will differ based on a number of factors but is generally likely to include our:

The assessments delineated above provide our general approach for our investment decisions, although not all of such activities will be followed in each instance, or some may be stressed moreso than others depending on facts and circumstances. Upon successful completion of this preliminary evaluation, we will decide whether to move forward towards negotiating a letter of intent and, thereafter, definitive documentation for our investment. Depending on timing, we may not use a letter of intent and will instead proceed directly to definitive documentation.

Types of Investments

We expect to engage in various investment strategies in order to achieve our overall investment objectives. The particular type of investment strategy we select will depend, among other things, upon market opportunities, the skills and experience of our management and Board of Directors and our overall portfolio composition. Our strategies generally seek to provide (i) in the case of debt, current cash yields and favorable loan-to-value ratios, or other financial guarantees or credit enhancements with respect to loan collateral, and (ii) in the case of equity, favorable long-term growth and income potential together with viable exit or liquidity strategies.

Debt Investments

We intend to tailor the terms of each debt investment we make to the facts and circumstances of the transaction and prospective portfolio company, negotiating a structure that seeks to protect our rights and manage our risk while creating incentives for the portfolio company to achieve its business plan. Our expected primary source of return on debt investments is the monthly cash interest we collect on those investments. The particular types of debt investments we may make include, but are not limited to, the following:

Equity Investments

Like debt investments, we intend to tailor the terms of each equity investment we make to the facts and circumstances of the transaction and prospective portfolio company, negotiating a structure that seeks to protect our rights and manage our risk while creating incentives for the portfolio company to achieve its business plan. As an equity holder, the rights we will generally seek to protect or obtain include minority rights, event-driven rights to “put” or sell our equity back to the portfolio company or certain affiliates or sponsors, and registration rights such as “demand” or “piggyback” registration rights. We may invest in common stock and preferred stock, and may receive warrants in connection with our investments. When we make a debt investment, we may also be granted equity participation in the form of warrants to purchase common equity in the company in the same class of security that the owners or equity sponsors receive upon funding. In addition to purchasing equity securities from the issuer or its affiliates, we may choose to purchase publicly traded equity securities of the issuer, if any, on the open market (i.e., the particular stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the issuer’s equity primarily trades).

Ongoing Relationships with Portfolio Companies

Monitoring

We monitor our portfolio companies in order to determine whether they are meeting our financing criteria and their respective business plans. We may decline to make additional investments in portfolio companies that do not continue to meet our financing criteria or that fail to successfully execute their business plans. Of course, we may choose to make additional investments in portfolio companies that do not do so, but that we believe will nevertheless perform well in the future.

We expect to monitor the financial trends of each portfolio company and their respective industries to assess the appropriate course of action for each company and to evaluate our overall portfolio quality. In this regard, our management team will monitor the status and performance of each individual company on at least a quarterly and, in some cases, a monthly basis.

We have several methods of evaluating and monitoring the performance and fair value of our debt and equity positions. By way of example, we may:

We expect that current and annual financial statements of portfolio companies will often be available to us to assist us in our fair value reporting obligations under the 1940 Act.

Managerial Assistance

As a BDC, we offer, and in some cases may provide, significant managerial assistance to those of our portfolio companies intended to qualify as “eligible portfolio companies” under the 1940 Act. We expect that this assistance, if any, will typically involve monitoring the operations of our portfolio companies, participating in their board and management meetings, consulting with and advising their officers and providing other organizational, financial, strategic and transactional guidance.

Our 20162017 Portfolio

At December 31, 2016,2017, we held investments in 22 eligible portfolio investments, which had an aggregate amortized cost of $6,894,523 and a fair value of $7,133,860,and our non-eligible portfolio holdings had an aggregate cost of $106,222 and a fair market value of $107,000. At December 31, 2016, we held 22 eligible portfolio investments, which had an aggregate amortized cost of $6,574,490 and a fair value of $6,211,043, and our non-eligible portfolio holdings had an aggregate cost of $823,418 and a fair market value of $775,959. At December 31, 2015, we held 18 eligible portfolio investments, which had an aggregate amortized cost of $6,175,345 and a fair value of $4,863,249.$6,211,043. Our eligible portfolio investments at December 31, 20162017 were as follows:

BDC Regulation

The following discussion is a general summary of some of the material prohibitions and restrictions governing BDCs generally. It does not purport to be a complete description of all the laws and regulations affecting BDCs.

The 1940 Act contains prohibitions and restrictions relating to transactions between BDCs and their directors and officers and principal underwriters and certain other related persons, and requires that a majority of the directors be persons other than “interested persons,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. In addition, the 1940 Act provides that we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or to withdraw our election as, a BDC unless approved by a majority of our outstanding voting securities. A majority of the outstanding voting securities of a company is defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67% or more of such company’s shares present at a meeting or represented by proxy if more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such company are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such company.

Qualifying Assets

Under the 1940 Act, a BDC may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” listed in Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act unless, at the time the acquisition is made, qualifying assets represent at least 70% of the BDC’s total assets. The principal categories of qualifying assets relevant to our business are the following:

Significant Managerial Assistance

A BDC must have been organized and have its principal place of business in the United States and must be operated for the purpose of making investments in the types of securities described above. However, to count portfolio securities as qualifying assets for the purpose of the foregoing 70% test, the BDC must either control the issuer of the securities or offer to make available to the issuer of the securities (other than small and solvent companies described above) significant managerial assistance; except that, where the BDC purchases such securities in conjunction with one or more other persons acting together, one of the other persons in the group may make available such managerial assistance. Making available significant managerial assistance means, among other things, any arrangement whereby the BDC, whether through its directors, officers or employees, offers to provide, and, if accepted, does in fact so provide, significant guidance and counsel concerning the management, operations or business objectives and policies of a portfolio company through monitoring of portfolio company operations, selective participation in board and management meetings, consulting with and advising a portfolio company’s officers or other organizational or financial guidance.

Temporary Investments

Pending investment in other types of qualifying assets, as described above, our investments may consist of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities or high quality debt securities maturing in one year or less from the time of investment, which we refer to, collectively, as temporary investments, so that at least 70% of our assets are qualifying assets. We plan to invest in U.S. treasury billsmoney markets or cash equivalent instruments. We may, however, invest in repurchase agreements provided that such agreements are fully collateralized by cash or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies. A repurchase agreement involves the purchase by an investor, such as us, of a specified security and the simultaneous agreement by the seller to repurchase it at an agreed upon future date and at a price which is greater than the purchase price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate. There is no percentage restriction on the proportion of our assets that may be invested in such repurchase agreements. However, if more than 25% of our total assets constitute repurchase agreements from a single counterparty, we would not meet the diversification tests imposed on us by the Internal Revenue Code to qualify for tax treatment as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes. Thus, we do not intend to enter into repurchase agreements with a single counterparty in excess of this limit. We will monitor the creditworthiness of the counterparties with which we enter into repurchase agreement transactions.

Senior Securities; Coverage Ratio

We will be permitted, under specified conditions, to issue multiple classes of indebtedness and one class of stock senior to our common stock, but only if our “asset coverage,” as defined in the 1940 Act, is at least equal to 200% immediately after each such issuance. In addition, while any senior securities remain outstanding, we must not make any dividend distribution to our shareholders or repurchase securities unless we meet the applicable asset-coverage ratios at the time of the dividend distribution or repurchase. We may also borrow amounts up to 5% of the value of our total assets for temporary or emergency purposes.

Other

We will be periodically examined by the SEC for compliance with the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and good governance practices. We will not “concentrate” our investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of our assets in any particular industry, determined at the time of investment). We will be required to provide and maintain a bond issued by a reputable fidelity insurance company to protect us against larceny and embezzlement. Furthermore, as a BDC, we are prohibited from indemnifying any director or officer against any liability to our shareholders arising from willful malfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office. We are required to adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws, and review these policies and procedures annually for their adequacy and the effectiveness of their implementation.

Management

Currently, Mr. Douglas M. Polinsky, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors, and Joseph A. Geraci, II, our Chief Financial Officer and a director of the Company, both serve as our senior management team. Our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend on our senior management team’s ability to identify, evaluate, finance and invest in suitable companies that meet our investment goals. Accomplishing this result in a cost-effective manner will largely be a function of managing the due-diligence and investment process, efficiently monitoring investments we make and, in some cases, accessing financing sources on acceptable terms.

ITEM 1A RISK FACTORS

You should consider the following risk factors, in addition to the other information presented or incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in evaluating our business and any investment decision relating to our securities.

Risks Related to our Business

Our management team has no prior experience managing a BDC.

On December 13, 2012, we changed our business to become an internally managed, closed-end investment company and subsequently elected to be treated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. We have no prior experience managing a BDC, which may affect our ability to successfully manage and grow our business.

The 1940 Act imposes numerous constraints on the operations of BDCs. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets in specified types of securities, primarily in private companies or small-cap traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. Our management team’s lack of experience in managing a portfolio of assets under such regulatory constraints may hinder our ability to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities and, as a result, achieve our investment objective. Furthermore, our failure to comply with the complex BDC requirements could cause the SEC to bring an enforcement action against us, expose us to private claims and/or cause us to lose our status as a BDC.

We operate in a highly competitive market for portfolio investment opportunities.

We expect that many entities will compete with us to make the types of investments we plan to make in prospective portfolio companies. We will compete with private equity firms as well as other BDCs, investment funds, investment banks and other sources of financing, including traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks and finance companies. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than we do. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources not available to us. These resources may enable our competitors to offer terms that we cannot match. We may lose prospective portfolio investments if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. If, on the other hand, we do match our competitors’ pricing, terms or structure, we may experience decreased net interest income and increased risk of credit losses. 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, establish more relationships and build their market shares. Importantly, many of our potential competitors have greater experience operating under, or are not subject to, the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act does impose on us as a BDC. If we are not able to compete effectively, our business and financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.

We may be unable to make distributions, which failure could materially and adversely affect your investment.

Although we intend to make periodic distributions to our shareholders, we may be unable to achieve operating results that will allow us to make such distributions. For example, the BDC asset-coverage requirements may limit our ability to make distributions. In addition, restrictions and provisions in any future credit facilities may limit our ability to make distributions. Although we intend to elect RIC taxation under the Internal Revenue Code, if we fail to meet certain annual income-distribution requirements, we could lose our RIC status and be subject to corporate-level income tax. Any failure to make distributions or any loss of our RIC status could materially and adversely affect your investment.

Any unrealized losses we experience may be an indication of future realized losses, which could reduce our income available for distribution.

As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at the fair value as determined in good faith by our Board of Directors and consistent with our Company’s valuation policy. Decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments will be recorded as unrealized depreciation on our statement of operations. Any unrealized losses in our portfolio could be an indication of a portfolio company’s inability to meet its repayment obligations to us (if a loan), or of its diminishing value (if equity). This could result in future realized losses and, ultimately, income available for distribution in future periods.

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

Our investments are expected to consist in material part of securities issued by privately held companies, the fair value of which is not readily determinable. In addition, we will not be permitted to maintain a general reserve for anticipated loan losses. Instead, we will be required by the 1940 Act to specifically value each investment and record an unrealized gain or loss for any asset that we believe has increased or decreased in value. Our Board of Directors will value these securities at fair value as they determine in good faith and consistent with the written policies and procedures that we have adopted for this purpose. Where appropriate, our board may utilize the services of an independent valuation firm to assist in the determination of fair value. Because valuations, and particularly valuations of private investments, are inherently uncertain and may be based on estimates, our fair value determinations may differ materially from those that would be assessed if a liquid market for these securities existed. Our net asset value could be adversely affected if we determine the fair value of our investments to be materially higher than the values we ultimately realize from those investments.

If we are unable to source investments effectively, we may be unable to achieve our investment objectives.

Our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend on our senior management team’s ability to identify, evaluate, finance and invest in suitable companies that meet our investment criteria. Accomplishing this result in a cost-effective manner will largely be a function of our management of the investment process, our ability to provide efficient services and our access to financing sources on acceptable terms. In addition to monitoring the performance of our investments, our management team must offer managerial assistance to our portfolio companies. These demands on their time may distract them, slowing the rate of overall investment. To grow, we expect that we will need to hire, train, supervise and manage new employees and to implement computer and other systems capable of effectively accommodating our growth. Our failure to effectively manage our future growth could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We will be exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates.

General interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial and negative impact on our investments, the value of our common stock and our rate of return on invested capital. A reduction in interest spreads on new investments could also have an adverse impact on our net interest income. An increase in interest rates could decrease the value of any investments we hold which earn fixed interest rates. Also, an increase in interest rates could make investment in our common stock less attractive if we are unable to increase our dividend rate, which could reduce the value of our common stock.

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

Once we become a BDC subject to RIC taxation upon making a RIC election, we may be required to include in our taxable income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash. Any of these amounts will increase the amounts we are required to distribute to qualify under the RIC rules. In any such event, we would need to obtain cash from other sources to satisfy our RIC-related distribution requirements. If we are unable to so obtain cash, we may fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC, and thus could become subject to a corporate-level income tax on all of our income. Accordingly, we may have to sell some of our assets, raise additional debt or equity capital, or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements and avoid a corporate-level income tax.

If we incur additional debt, it could increase the risk of investing in our Company.

We expect, in the future, that we may borrow from, and issue senior debt securities to, banks, insurance companies and other lenders. In such a case, lenders will have fixed-dollar claims on our assets that are superior to the claims of our shareholders, and we may grant a security interest in our assets in connection with our borrowings. In the case of a liquidation event, those lenders would receive proceeds before our shareholders. In addition, borrowings generally magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and, therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. If the value of our assets increases, then leveraging would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to decline more than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Similarly, any increase in our revenue in excess of interest expense on our borrowed funds would cause our net income to increase more than it would without the leverage; and any decrease in our revenue would cause our net income to decline more than it would have had we not borrowed funds, and could negatively affect our ability to make distributions on our common stock. Our ability to service any debt that we incur will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures.

As a BDC, we will be required to meet an asset-coverage ratio, calculated as total assets (less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) to total indebtedness represented by senior securities, of at least 200%. If this ratio declines below 200%, we will be unable to incur additional debt and may need to sell a portion of our investments to repay debt when it is otherwise disadvantageous to do so, and we may be unable to make distributions.

Because we intend to distribute substantially all of our income and net realized capital gains to our shareholders once we make a RIC election, we will likely need additional capital to finance our growth.

To qualify for RIC taxation and avoid payment of excise taxes and minimize or avoid payment of income taxes, we intend to distribute to our shareholders substantially all of our net ordinary income and realized net capital gains except for certain net long-term capital gains (which we may retain, pay applicable income taxes with respect thereto, and elect to treat as deemed distributions to our shareholders). As described elsewhere, as a BDC we will be required to meet a 200% asset-coverage ratio limiting the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. While we expect to be able to borrow and issue additional debt and equity securities, debt and equity financing may not be available to us on favorable terms, if at all. In addition, as a BDC, we will generally not be permitted to issue equity securities below our net asset value without shareholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.

Our Board of Directors may change our investment objective, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or shareholder approval.

Our Board of Directors has the authority from time to time to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice (except as required by the 1940 Act) and without shareholder approval. Under Section 58 of the 1940 Act, our Board of Directors may not, however, choose to withdraw our status as a BDC, or change its operations so as to cease to be a BDC, without the prior approval of our shareholders. The effects of any such exercise of authority may adversely affect our business and the value of your investment.

Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could limit our ability to detect and prevent fraud and thereby adversely affect our business and stock price.

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports. Nevertheless, all internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Eventhose internal control systemsdetermined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. Our most recent evaluation of our internal controls resulted in our conclusion that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective. Our inability to maintain an effective control environment may cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could in turn have a material adverse effect on our stock price.

We are highly dependent on the services provided by certain executives and key personnel.

Our success depends in significant part upon the continued service of certain senior management and other key personnel. In particular, the Company is materially dependent upon the services of Douglas M. Polinsky, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman and Joseph A. Geraci, II, our Chief Financial Officer and a director of the Company. Presently, we have no written employment agreementagreements with either Mr. Geraci or Mr. Polinsky (their prior written employment agreements having expired in March 2016). Nevertheless, we expect to enter into written employment agreements with Messrs. Polinsky and Geraci in 201720188 that will be substantially similar to their prior written agreements. We do not have any key-man insurance in place with respect to Messrs. Geraci and Polinsky.

Our articles of incorporation grant our Board of Directors the power to designate and issue additional shares of common and preferred stock.

Our authorized capital consists of 250,000,000 shares of capital stock. Unless otherwise specifically so designated upon issuance, all shares of capital issued we issue will be common stock. Pursuant to authority granted by our articles of incorporation, our Board of Directors, without any action by our shareholders, may designate and issue shares in such classes or series (including classes or series of preferred stock) as it deems appropriate and establish the rights, preferences and privileges of such shares, including dividends, liquidation and voting rights. The rights of holders of other classes or series of stock that may be issued could be superior to the rights of holders of our common shares. The designation and issuance of shares of capital stock having preferential rights could adversely affect other rights appurtenant to shares of our common stock. Furthermore, any issuances of additional stock (common or preferred) will dilute the percentage of ownership interest of then-current holders of our capital stock and may dilute our book value per share.

Our stock is thinly traded, which may make it difficult to sell shares of our common stock.

Our common stock is thinly traded on the OTCQX and we expect that our common stock will generally remain thinly traded for the foreseeable future. A low trading volume will generally make it difficult for our shareholders to sell their shares as and when they choose. Furthermore, low trading volumes are generally understood to depress market prices. As a result, our shareholders may not always be able to resell shares of our common stock publicly at the time and prices that they feel are fair or appropriate.

Our common stock qualifies as a “penny stock,” which may make it difficult to sell shares of our common stock.

Our common stock is categorized as a “penny stock” subject to the requirements of Rule 15g-9 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Under this rule, broker-dealers who sell penny stocks must provide purchasers of these stocks with a standardized risk-disclosure document prepared by the SEC. Under applicable regulations, our common stock will generally remain a “penny stock” until and for such time as its per-share price is $5.00 or more (as determined in accordance with SEC regulations), or until we meet certain net asset or revenue thresholds. These thresholds include the possession of net tangible assets (i.e., total assets less intangible assets and liabilities) in excess of $2,000,000 in the event we have been operating for at least three years or $5,000,000 in the event we have been operating for fewer than three years, and the recognition of average revenues equal to at least $6,000,000 for each of the last three years. We do not anticipate meeting any of the foregoing thresholds in the foreseeable future.

The penny-stock rules severely limit the liquidity of securities in the secondary market, and many brokers choose not to participate in penny-stock transactions. As a result, there is generally less trading in penny stocks. If you become a holder of our common stock, you may not always be able to resell shares of our common stock in public broker’s transaction, if at all, at the times and prices that you feel are fair or appropriate.

Risks Related to our Investments

Our investments may involve significant risks, which could ultimately materially and adversely affect our results of operation, financial condition and the value of our common stock. You could lose all of your investment.

We expect to invest primarily in senior secured term loans, mezzanine debt and selected equity investments issued by privately held and public “small- and micro-capitalization” companies, and may also use short sales and options in connection with our business.

Senior Secured Loans. When we extend senior secured term loans, we will generally take a security interest in the available assets of these portfolio companies, including the equity interests of their subsidiaries, which we expect to help mitigate the risk of default. However, there is a risk that the collateral securing our loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely manner, may be difficult to appraise and may fluctuate in value based upon the success of the business and market conditions. In some circumstances, our lien could be subordinate to claims of other creditors. Consequently, the fact that a loan is secured does not guarantee that we will receive principal and interest payments according to the loan’s terms, or at all, or that we will be able to collect on the loan should we be forced to enforce our remedies.

Mezzanine Debt. Any mezzanine debt investments will generally be unsecured and subordinated to senior loans. We expect this will result in above-average risk and volatility, which could adversely affect our investment returns. Because mezzanine debt generally does not receive any cash prior to maturity of the debt, the investment will be of greater risk. To the extent interest payments associated with such debt are deferred, such debt will necessarily be subject to greater fluctuations in value based on changes in interest rates, and such debt could subject us to phantom income.

Equity Investments. We expect to make equity investments. In addition, when we invest in senior loans or mezzanine debt, we may acquire warrants in connection with such investments. Our goal is ultimately to dispose of such equity interests and realize gains upon our disposition of such interests. Nevertheless, the equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and may in fact 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.

Short Sales. We may engage in short selling. In certain circumstances, short sales can substantially increase the impact of adverse price movements in our investment positions. A short sale involves the theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the security and uncertainty as to the availability of such security for purchase—theoretically an unlimited loss.

Options. We may buy or sell (write) both call options and put options, and may do so on a “covered” or an “uncovered” basis. Any options transactions may be part of a hedging tactic (i.e., offsetting the risk involved in another securities position) or as a form of leverage, in which we have the right to benefit from price movements in a large number of securities with a small commitment of capital. These activities involve risks that can be large, depending on the circumstances under which a particular transaction or position is entered into. When we buy an option, a decrease (or inadequate increase) in the price of the underlying security in the case of a call, or an increase (or inadequate decrease) in the price of the underlying security in the case of a put, could result in a total loss of our investment in the option. When we sell (write) an option, the risk can be substantially greater. The seller of an uncovered call option bears the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price. This risk is theoretically unlimited unless the option is “covered.” If it is covered, an increase in the market price of the security above the exercise price would cause us to lose the opportunity for gain on the underlying security—assuming it bought the security for less than the exercise price.

Middle-Market Companies. Investments in middle-market companies also involve a number of additional significant risks, including:

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

We may invest in private companies and certain public companies. These securities may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise be less liquid than other publicly traded securities. The relative illiquidity of these investments may make it difficult for us to sell these 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 had previously recorded these investments. As a result, we do not expect to achieve near-term liquidity in our investments. Our investments may occasionally be subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale or will be otherwise illiquid due to the fact that there is no established trading market for such securities, or such trading market is thinly traded. The relative illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to dispose of them at a favorable price, and, as a result, we may suffer losses.

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

Many of our portfolio companies may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may also decrease the value of collateral securing our loans and the value of our equity investments. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing investments and harm our operating results.

Defaults by our portfolio companies could harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other debt holders could lead to defaults and, potentially, acceleration of the time when the loans are due and foreclosure on its secured assets. Such events could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize a portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt that we hold and the value of any equity securities we own. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company.

When we are a debt or minority equity investor in a portfolio company, we may not be in a position to control the entity, and its management may make decisions that could decrease the value of our investment.

We anticipate making both debt and minority equity investments in our portfolio companies. Therefore, we will be subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and may take risks or otherwise act in ways that do not immediately or ultimately serve our interests and that could decrease the value of our portfolio holdings. We will not be in a position to control any portfolio company, and mitigate these risks, by investing in its debt securities or minority equity positions.

The prepayment of our debt investments could adversely impact our results of operations and reduce our return on equity.

We will be subject to the risk that our portfolio investments may be repaid prior to maturity. When this occurs, we generally expect to reinvest these proceeds in temporary investments, pending their future investment in new portfolio companies. These temporary investments will typically have substantially lower yields than the debt that has been prepaid, and we could experience significant delays in reinvesting these prepaid amounts. Any future investment in a new portfolio company may also be at lower yields than the prepaid debt. As a result, our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected if one or more of our portfolio companies were to prepay amounts owed to us. Additionally, prepayments could negatively impact our return on equity, which could result in a decline in the market price of our common stock.

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

In some cases, portfolio companies will have other debt ranking equal or senior to the debt securities in which we invest. By their terms, such debt instruments may provide that holders thereof are entitled to receive payment of interest or principal on or before us. Also, in the event of insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of a portfolio company, senior debt holders will typically be entitled to receive full payment before we receive distributions in respect of our investment, if any. In the case of debt ranking equal to our investment, we would have to share distributions on a pro rata basis with other creditors holding such debt upon any insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy.

There may be circumstances where our debt investments could be subordinated to claims of other creditors or we could be subject to lender-liability claims.

Even though we may structure investments as senior loans, if one of our portfolio companies goes bankrupt, a bankruptcy court might recharacterize our debt investment and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to that of other creditors. In addition, lenders such as us can be subject to lender-liability claims when they become too involved in the borrower’s business or exercise control over the borrower.

Investments in equity securities involve a substantial degree of risk.

We may purchase common stock and other equity securities. The equity securities we acquire may fail to appreciate and may decline in value or become worthless, and our ability to recover our investment will depend on our portfolio company’s success. Investments in equity securities involve a number of significant risks, including the risk of dilution as a result of additional issuances. Even investments in preferred securities involve unique risks, such as the risk of deferred distributions, credit risk, illiquidity and limited voting rights.

Risks Related to Our Operation as a BDC

Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates will be restricted.

The 1940 Act prohibits us from participating in certain transactions with certain of our directors, officers and affiliates without the prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, the SEC. In this regard, any person owning, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of our outstanding voting securities will be our affiliate for purposes of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain of our affiliates, which could include co-investments in a portfolio company, without prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, the SEC. In this regard, if a person acquires more than 25% of our voting securities, we will be prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to such person 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, the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us may be materially limited.

BDC regulations affect our ability to raise additional capital.

We will likely require additional capital. We may acquire additional capital by issuing senior securities or indebtedness, by issuing additional common shares or from securitization transactions. Nonetheless, we may be unable to raise additional capital on favorable terms, if at all. We may issue debt securities or preferred securities, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” and we may borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Our ability to pay dividends or issue additional senior securities would be restricted if our asset-coverage ratio were not at least 200%. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this test. In such a case, we may be required to liquidate a portion of our investments and repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous.

Changes in the laws or regulations governing our business, or in the interpretations thereof, and any failure by us to comply with these laws or regulations, could negatively affect the profitability of our operations.

Changes in the laws, regulations or the interpretations thereof that govern BDCs, RICs or non-depository commercial lenders, could significantly affect our operations and our cost of doing business. We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations and are subject to judicial and administrative decisions that affect our operations, including our loan originations, maximum interest rates, fees and other charges, disclosures to portfolio companies, the terms of secured transactions, collection and foreclosure procedures and other trade practices. If these laws, regulations or decisions change, or if we expand our business into jurisdictions that have adopted more stringent requirements, we may have to incur significant compliance expenses or we might have to restrict our operations. If we fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations and decisions, we may lose licenses needed for the conduct of our business and be subject to civil fines or criminal penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect upon our business, results of operations or financial condition.

If our primary investments are not deemed to be qualifying assets, we could fail to qualify as a BDC or be precluded from investing according to our current business strategy.

To maintain qualification as a BDC, we must 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. If we fail to meet this “qualifying assets test,” we could be forced to dispose of certain investments, be precluded from investing in the manner described in this Form 10K, or lose our status as a BDC, any of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The disposition of such investments may need to occur quickly, which would make it difficult to dispose of such investments on favorable terms. In addition, because these types of investments will generally be illiquid, we may have difficulty in finding a buyer and, even if we do find a buyer, we may have to sell the investments at a substantial loss.

If we are unable to qualify for RIC tax treatment, we will be subject to corporate-level income tax, which will adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Provided we qualify for tax treatment as a RIC, we can generally avoid corporate-level federal income taxes on income distributed to our shareholders as dividends. We will not qualify for this pass-through tax treatment, and thus will be subject to corporate-level federal income taxes, if we are unable to comply with the source of income, diversification and distribution requirements contained in the Internal Revenue Code, or if we fail to maintain our registration under the 1940 Act. If we fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment, the resulting taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distribution to shareholders and the actual amount of our distributions. As such, any such failure would have a material adverse effect on us, the net asset value of our common stock and the total return obtainable from your investment in our common stock.

ITEM 2 PROPERTIES

On June 6, 2013, we entered into an agreement to lease approximately 1,917 square feet of commercial space and two parking spots, for a period of 62 months. The leased space became available for occupancy on September 23, 2013. The 62-month lease term began on October 1, 2013 and runs through November 30, 2018. The total base rent expense for the year ended December 31, 20162017 and December 31, 20152016 was $45,378 and $45,378, respectively.

The following is a schedule of the required annual minimum lease payments.