other. The holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities may also terminate the Investment Advisory Agreement without penalty upon not less than 60 days’ written notice.
OFS Advisor voluntarily agreed to provide expense support for operating expenses, excluding organization and operating expenses, which are separately supported under the Investment Advisory Agreement, incurred through December 31, 2016, and to only seek reimbursement for such voluntary expense support in accordance with the Prior Expense Support Agreement as if such expense support had been required by the Prior Expense Support Agreement in connection with a distribution at an annualized rate of 7.0% per share.
administrative and professional services rendered to us by others. Under the Administration Agreement, OFS Services provides managerial assistance on our behalf to certain portfolio companies that accept our offer to provide such assistance. Payments under the Administration Agreement are equal to an amount based upon our allocable portion (subject to the review and
Nothing in the Investment Advisory Agreement or Administration Agreement will be construed to provide for the indemnification of any party or any limitation on the liability of any party that would, in either case, be in violation of applicable law, but such provisions shall otherwise be construed so as to effectuate the provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement or the Administration Agreement to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Our Board, including our independent directors, approved the continuation of the Investment Advisory Agreement at a meeting held on April 4, 2019.2, 2020. In reaching a decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement, the board of directors reviewed a significant amount of information and considered, among other things:
The Administration Agreement was originally approved by our Board on March 31, 2016, became effective on July 15, 2016 and was continued on April 4, 2019.2, 2020.
more of such company’s voting securities present at a meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company. We do not anticipate any substantial change in the nature of our business.
We generally cannot issue and sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share. We may, however, issue and sell our common stock, or warrants, options or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the then-current net asset value of our common stock if (1) our board of directorsBoard determines that such sale is in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders, and (2) our stockholders have approved our policy and practice of making such sales within the preceding 12 months. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be less than a price which, in the determination of our board of directors,Board, closely approximates the market value of such securities.
We may also be prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our board of directors who are not interested persons and, in some cases, prior approval by the SEC.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits BDCs from making certain negotiated co-investments with certain affiliates absent an order from the SEC permitting the BDC to do so. On October 12, 2016,August 4, 2020, we received the Orderexemptive relief from the SEC to permit us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain BDCs, registered investment companies and private funds managed by OFS Advisor, or any adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, OFS Adviser and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act,Affiliated Funds in a manner consistent with our investment strategyobjective, positions, policies, strategies and restrictions as well as applicable law, including the termsregulatory requirements and conditions of the Order. Pursuantother pertinent factors, subject to thecompliance with certain conditions. The Order superseded a previous co-investment order we received on October 12, 2016 and provides us with greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions with Affiliated Funds. We are generally permitted to participate in a co-investment transactionco-invest with Affiliated Funds if under the terms of the Order, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors makesmake certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching ofby us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies. We have applied for a new exemptive order (the “New Order”), which, if granted, would supersede the Order and would permit us greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions. There can be no assurance that we will obtain such new exemptive relief from the SEC. As a result of exemptive relief, there could be significant overlap in the Company’s investment portfolio and the investment portfolios of OFS Capital and/or other portfolio funds established by OFS Advisor that could avail themselves of the exemptive relief.
We may invest up to 100% of our assets in securities acquired directly from issuers in privately negotiated transactions. With respect to such securities, we may, for the purpose of public resale, be deemed an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the Securities Act. Our intention is to not write (sell) or buy put or call options to manage risks associated with the publicly traded securities of our portfolio companies, except that we may enter into hedging transactions to manage the risks associated with interest rate fluctuations. However, we may purchase or otherwise receive warrants to purchase the common stock of our portfolio companies in connection with acquisition financing or other investments. Similarly, in connection with an acquisition, we may acquire rights to require the issuers of acquired securities or their affiliates to repurchase them under certain circumstances. We also do not intend to acquire securities issued by any investment company that exceed the limits imposed by the 1940 Act. Under these limits,Prior to January 19, 2021, except for registered money market funds, we generally cannot acquirewere prohibited from acquiring more than 3% of the voting stock of any registered investment company, investinvesting more than 5% of the value of our total assets in the securities of one investment company, or investinvesting more than 10% of the value of our total assets in the securities of more than one investment company.company without obtaining exemptive relief from the SEC. However, the SEC adopted new rules, which became effective on January 19, 2021, that allow us to acquire the securities of other investment companies in excess of the 3%, 5%, and 10% limitations without obtaining exemptive relief if we comply with certain conditions. With regard to that portion of our portfolio invested in securities issued by investment companies, it should be noted that such investments might subject our stockholders to additional expenses as they will be indirectly responsible for the costs and expenses of such companies. None of our investment policies are fundamental and may be changed without stockholder approval.
70% of the company’s assets, as defined by the 1940 Act. The principal categories of qualifying assets relevant to our business are the following:
Control, as defined by the 1940 Act, is presumed to exist where a BDC beneficially owns more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of the portfolio company.
agreed-upon future date and at a price that is greater than the purchase price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate. Consequently, repurchase agreements are functionally similar to loans. There is no percentage restriction on the proportion of our assets that may be invested in such repurchase agreements. However, the 1940 Act and certain diversification tests in order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes typically require us to limit the amount we invest with any one counterparty. Accordingly, we do not intend to enter into repurchase agreements with a single counterparty in excess of this limit. OFS Advisor monitors the creditworthiness of the counterparties with which we enter into repurchase agreement transactions.
BDCs, like the Company, that do not have shares of common stock listed on a national securities exchange, may take advantage of the modified asset coverage ratio if stockholders representing at least a majority of the votes cast, when quorum is met, approve a proposal to do so. If we were to receive such stockholder approval, we would be permitted to increase our leverage capacity on the first day after such approval. Alternatively, we could increase the maximum amount of leverage we may incur to an asset coverage ratio of 150% if the “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the independent members of our Board approved such increase with such approval becoming effective after one year. In either case, we would be required to extend to our stockholders, as of the date of such approval the opportunity to sell the shares of common stock that they hold (with 25% of such stockholders’ eligible shares being repurchased in each of the four calendar quarters following the calendar quarter in which the approval occurs) and we would be required to make certain disclosures on our website and in SEC filings regarding, among other things, the receipt of approval to increase our leverage, our leverage capacity and usage, and risks related to leverage.
On November 6, 2018, the Company’s Board, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the Board, approved a proposal to permit the Company to reduce the minimum asset coverage ratio applicable to it from 200% to 150%, as permitted by and pursuant toSection 61(a)(2) of the SBCAA1940 Act and we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholder as of November 6, 2018, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, pursuant to the SBCAA, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to the Company decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
We may borrow money when the terms and conditions available are favorable to do so and are aligned with our investment strategy and portfolio composition. The use of borrowed funds or the proceeds of preferred stock to make investments would have its own specific benefits and risks, and all of the costs of borrowing funds or issuing preferred stock would be borne by holders of our common stock.
For a discussion of the risks associated with leverage, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors–Risks Related to BDCs". Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to and the way in which we raise additional capital. As a BDC, we will need to raise additional capital, which will expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.”
We are 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 protecting any director or officer against any liability to us or our stockholders arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.
persons,” and, accordingly, are subject to change. For purposes of these proxy voting policies and procedures described below, “we,” “our” and “us” refer to OFS Advisor.
Our proxy voting decisions are made by those senior officers who are responsible for monitoring each of our clients’ investments. To ensure that our vote is not the product of a conflict of interest, we require that (1) anyone involved in the decision-making process disclose to our chief compliance officer any potential conflict that he or she is aware of and any contact that he or she has had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; and (2) employees involved in the decision-making process or vote administration are prohibited from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties. Where conflicts of interest may be present, we will disclose such conflicts to our client, including with respect to the Company, those directors who are not interested persons and we may request guidance from such persons on how to vote such proxies for their account.
We are an emerging growth company as defined in the JOBS Act and are eligible to take advantage of certain specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). We expect to remain an emerging growth company for up to five years following the completion of our 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
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations
We have elected to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we are not required to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income that we distribute to our stockholders from our otherwise taxable earnings and profits. To maintain our qualification as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements, as described below. In addition, to receive RIC tax treatment, we must meet the Annual Distribution Requirement. The excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, if any ("Net Capital Gains"), are not a component of the Annual Distribution Requirement, but impacts taxable income if not distributed as discussed below.
We are required to recognize ICTI in circumstances in which we have not received a corresponding payment in cash. For example, we hold debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as issued with OID and debt instruments with PIK interest, and we must include in ICTI each year the portion of the OID and PIK interest that accrues for that year (as it accrues over the life of the obligation), irrespective of whether the cash representing such income is received by us in that taxable year. The continued recognition of non-cash ICTI may cause difficulty in meeting the Annual Distribution Requirement. We may be required to sell investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or
equity capital, or forgo new investment opportunities to meet this requirement. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for RIC tax treatment and thus become subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.
We are authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy distribution requirements. However, under the 1940 Act, we are not permitted to make distributions to our stockholders while our debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain “asset coverage” tests are met. Moreover, our ability to dispose of assets to meet our distribution requirements may be limited by (1) the illiquid nature of our portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to our status as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If we dispose of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, we may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.
Some of the income and fees that we recognize may result in ICTI that will not be "qualifying income" for the 90% Income Test. In order to ensure that such income and fees do not disqualify us as a RIC for a failure to satisfy the 90% Income Test, we may recognize such income and fees directly or indirectly through one or more entities taxed as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such corporations are required to pay U.S. corporate income tax on their earnings, which ultimately reduces our return on such income and fees.
If we are unable to maintain our qualification as a RIC, we will be subject to tax on all of our ICTI and Net Capital Gains at regular corporate rates; we will not receive a dividend deduction for any distributions to our stockholders.
that would, for qualifying non-corporate U.S. stockholders, be eligible for the current 20% maximum rate to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (subject to limitations under the Code). Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate distributions would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s tax basis (reducing that basis accordingly), and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. To qualify again to be taxed as a RIC in a subsequent year, we would be required to distribute to our stockholders our earnings and profits attributable to non-RIC years. In addition, if we failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, then we would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if we had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of five years, in order to qualify as a RIC in a subsequent year.
We generally are prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which we and one or more of our affiliates engage in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be considered an affiliate for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we generally are prohibited from engaging in purchases from, sales of assets to, or joint transactions with, such affiliates, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, we are prohibited from engaging in purchases from, sales of assets to, or joint transactions with, any of our officers, directors, and employees, and advisors (and any control affiliates).
We may, however, invest alongside certain related parties or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that OFS Advisor, acting on our behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other accounts.
Conflicts may arise when we make an investment in conjunction with an investment being made by another account managed by OFS Advisor or an affiliate of OFS Advisor (each, an "Affiliated Account"),Affiliated Account, or in a transaction where an Affiliated Account has already made an investment. Investment opportunities are, from time to time, appropriate for more than one account in the same, different or overlapping securities of a portfolio company’s capital structure. Conflicts arise in determining the terms of investments, particularly where these accounts may invest in different types of securities in a single portfolio company. Questions arise as to whether payment obligations and covenants should be enforced, modified or waived, or whether debt should be restructured, modified or refinanced.
We may invest in debt and other securities of companies in which Affiliated Accounts hold those same securities or different securities, including equity securities. In the event that such investments are made by us, our interests will at times conflict with the interests of such Affiliated Accounts, particularly in circumstances where the underlying company is facing financial distress. Decisions about what action should be taken, particularly in troubled situations, raise conflicts of interest, including, among other things, whether or not to enforce claims, whether or not to advocate or initiate a restructuring or liquidation inside or outside of bankruptcy, and the terms of any work-out or restructuring. The involvement of Affiliated Accounts at both the equity and debt levels could inhibit strategic information exchanges among fellow creditors, including among us or Affiliated Accounts. In certain circumstances, we or an Affiliated Account may be prohibited from exercising voting or other rights and may be subject to claims by other creditors with respect to the subordination of their interest.
In the event that we or an Affiliated Account has a controlling or significantly influential position in a portfolio company, that account may have the ability to elect some or all of the board of directors of such a portfolio company, thereby controlling the policies and operations of such portfolio company, including the appointment of management, future issuances of securities, payment of dividends, incurrence of debt and entering into extraordinary transactions. In addition, a controlling account is likely to have the ability to determine, or influence, the outcome of operational matters and to cause, or prevent, a change in control of such a company. Such management and operational decisions may, at times, be in direct conflict with other accounts that have invested in the same portfolio company that do not have the same level of control or influence over the portfolio company.
If additional capital is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, or to finance growth or other opportunities, the accounts may or may not provide such additional capital, and if provided each account will supply such additional capital in such amounts, if any, as determined by OFS Advisor. In addition, a conflict arises in allocating an investment opportunity if the
potential investment target could be acquired by us, an Affiliated Account, or a portfolio company of an Affiliated Account. Investments by more than one account of OFS Advisor or its affiliates in a portfolio company also raise the risk of using assets
of an account of OFS Advisor or its affiliates to support positions taken by other accounts of OFS Advisor or its affiliates, or that an account may remain passive in a situation in which it is entitled to vote. In addition, there may be differences in timing of entry into, or exit from, a portfolio company for reasons such as differences in strategy, existing portfolio or liquidity needs, different account mandates or fund differences, or different securities being held. These variations in timing may be detrimental to us.
The application of our or an Affiliated Account's governing documents and the policies and procedures of OFS Advisor are expected to vary based on the particular facts and circumstances surrounding each investment by two or more accounts, in particular when those accounts are in different classes of an issuer’s capital structure (as well as across multiple issuers or borrowers within the same overall capital structure) and, as such, there may be a degree of variation and potential inconsistencies, in the manner in which potential or actual conflicts are addressed.
When we invest alongside Affiliated Accounts, OFS Advisor will, to the extent consistent with applicable law, regulatory guidance, or the Order, allocate investment opportunities in accordance with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
When not relying on the Order, priority as to opportunities will generally be given to clients that are in their “ramp-up” period, or the period during which the account has yet to reach sufficient scale such that its investment income covers its operating expenses, over the accounts that are outside their ramp-up period but still within their investment or re-investment periods. However, application of one or more of the factors listed above, or other factors determined to be relevant or appropriate, may result in the allocation of an investment opportunity to a fund no longer in its ramp-up period over a fund that is still within its ramp-up period.
In situations where co-investment with Affiliated Accounts is not permitted or appropriate, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. These restrictions, and similar restrictions that limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates, may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock involves a number of significant risks. In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should consider carefully the following information before making an investment in our common stock. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not presently deemed material by us might also impair our operations and performance. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In such case, our net asset value could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risk factors described below are the principal risk factors associated with an investment in our common stock, as well as those factors generally associated with an investment company with investment objectives, investment policies and capital structures similar to ours.
Summary Risk Factors
We are subject to risks related to our business and structure.
•Global economic, political and market conditions may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, including our revenue growth and profitability.
•Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we may reduce, defer or eliminate our dividends and choose to incur US federal excise tax in order preserve cash and maintain flexibility.
•Historical data regarding our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity does not reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures and therefore does not purport to be representative of our future performance.
•We may leverage our portfolio, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and will increase the risk of investing in us.
•Our investment portfolio is recorded at fair value, with our Board having final responsibility for overseeing, reviewing and determining, in accordance with the 1940 Act, the fair value of our investments. As a result, there will be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.
•Our financial condition and results of operations depend on OFS Advisor’s ability to effectively manage and deploy capital, and we are dependent upon the OFS senior professionals for our future success and upon their access to the investment professionals and partners of OFSAM and its affiliates.
•OFS Advisor and OFS Services each has the right to 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.
•There are significant potential conflicts of interest which could impact our investment returns.
•Our incentive fee structure may incentivize OFS Advisor to pursue speculative investments, use leverage when it may be unwise to do so, refrain from de-levering when it would otherwise be appropriate to do so, or include optimistic assumptions in the determination of net investment income.
•A general increase in interest rates may have the effect of making it easier for OFS Advisor to receive incentive fees, without necessarily resulting in an increase in our net earnings.
•OFS Advisor’s liability is limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and we have agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor against certain liabilities, which may lead OFS Advisor to act in a riskier manner on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
•We may not replicate the historical results achieved by OFSAM or other entities managed or sponsored by OFSAM and its other affiliates.
•Our Board may change our operating policies and strategies without stockholder approval, the effects of which may be adverse.
•We will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC.
•Our subsidiaries and portfolio companies may be unable to make distributions to us that will enable us to meet RIC requirements, which could result in the imposition of an entity-level tax.
•We may choose to pay distributions in our own common stock, in which case, our stockholders may be required to pay U.S. federal income taxes in excess of the cash distributions they receive.
•Because we expect to distribute substantially all of our ordinary income and net realized capital gains to our stockholders, we may need additional capital to finance the acquisition of new investments and such capital may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
•Significant stockholders may control the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders.
•Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.
•Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business or cause us to alter our business strategy.
We are subject to risks related to our investments.
•Events outside of our control, including public health crises, have negatively affected and will continue to negatively affect our investments and our results of operations.
•Our investments in private and middle-market portfolio companies are generally considered lower credit quality obligations, are risky, and we could lose all or part of our investment.
•Our investments in Structured Finance Notes carry additional risks to the risks associated with investing in private debt.
•Our investments in Structured Finance Notes are more likely to suffer a loss of all or a portion of their value in the event of a default.
•We are a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.
•If we make subordinated investments, the obligors or the portfolio companies may not generate sufficient cash flow to service their debt obligations to us.
•Uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process may adversely affect the value of any portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
•There is a risk that stockholders may not receive distributions or that our distributions may not grow over time and a portion of our distributions may be a return of capital. We are subject to risks related to our business and structure.
Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Global economic, political and market conditions caused by the current public health crisis have adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition and those of our portfolio companies.
A novel strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19”) initially appeared in China in late 2019 and rapidly spread to other countries, including the United States. In an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, governments in many jurisdictions, including the United States, placed restrictions on travel, issued “stay at home” orders and ordered the temporary closure of “non-essential” businesses, such as factories and retail stores. These restrictions and closures have impacted supply chains, consumer demand and the operations of many businesses. As jurisdictions around the United States and the world continue to experience surges in cases of COVID-19 and governments consider pausing the lifting of or re-imposing restrictions, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the full economic impact of the coronavirus and the long-term effects on the U.S. and global financial markets.
Any disruptions in the capital markets, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, may increase the spread between the yields realized on risk-free and higher risk securities and can result in illiquidity in parts of the capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial sector and re-pricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated market. These and any other unfavorable economic conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions and closures could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets and result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. During most of 2020, the occurrence of these events negatively impacted the fair value of the investments that we held, and if they were to continue, worsen, or occur again in the future, could limit our investment originations (including as a result of the investment professionals of OFS Advisor diverting their time to the restructuring of certain investments), negatively impact our operating results and limit our ability to grow. In addition, our success depends in substantial part on the management, skill and acumen of OFS Advisor, whose operations may be adversely impacted, including through quarantine measures and travel restrictions imposed on its investment professionals or service providers, or any related health issues of such investment professionals or service providers. Though all of OFS Advisor’s employees are able to work remotely, these closures have nevertheless affected many of our borrowers and many businesses through which we seek new borrowers, resulting in significant declines in new loans and investments throughout 2020. These effects, individually or in the aggregate, have had, and may in the future continue to have, an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows and such adverse impacts may be material.
In addition, the COVID-19-related restrictions and closures and related market conditions resulted in, and if re- imposed in the future, could further result in, certain of our portfolio companies halting or significantly curtailing operations
and negative impacts to the supply chains of certain of our portfolio companies. The financial results of middle-market companies in which we primarily invest, have experienced deterioration, which could ultimately lead to difficulty in meeting debt service requirements and an increase in defaults, and further deterioration will further depress the outlook for middle- market companies. Further, adverse economic conditions have decreased, and may in the future decrease, the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments. Such conditions have required, and may in the future require, us to modify the payment terms of our investments, including changes in PIK interest provisions and/or cash interest rates. The performance of certain of our portfolio companies has been, and in the future may be, negatively impacted by these economic or other conditions, which can result in our receipt of reduced interest income from our portfolio companies and/or realized and unrealized losses related to our investments, and, in turn, may adversely affect distributable income and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, as governments ease COVID-19 related restrictions, certain of our portfolio companies may experience increases in health and safety expenses, payroll costs and other operating expenses. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to significant interest rate reductions by the Federal Reserve, including dropping certain rates to near zero, and market uncertainty, which has had, and may continue to have, a materially adverse effect on us.
As the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remains difficult to predict, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic could negatively affect our and our portfolio companies’ operating results or the duration or reoccurrence of any potential business or supply-chain disruption is uncertain. Any potential impact to our results of operations will depend to a large extent on future developments regarding the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions taken by governments (including stimulus measures or the lack thereof) and their citizens to contain the COVID-19 pandemic or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. We monitor developments in economic, political and market conditions and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we may not be able to increase our dividends and may reduce or defer our dividends and choose to incur US federal excise tax in order preserve cash and maintain flexibility.
As a BDC, we are not required to make any distributions to stockholders other than in connection with our election to be taxed as a RIC under subchapter M of the Code. In order to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC, we must distribute to stockholders for each taxable year at least 90% of our ICTI (i.e., net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses). If we qualify for taxation as a RIC, we generally will not be subject to corporate-level US federal income tax on our ICTI and net capital gains (i.e., realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) that we timely distribute to stockholders. We will be subject to a 4% US federal excise tax on undistributed earnings of a RIC unless we distribute each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98.0% of our ordinary income for the calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of our capital gains in excess of capital losses for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year, and (iii) any ordinary income and net capital gains for preceding years that were not distributed during such years and on which we paid no federal income tax.
Under the Code, we may satisfy certain of our RIC distributions with dividends paid after the end of the current year. In particular, if we pay a distribution in January of the following year that was declared in October, November, or December of the current year and is payable to stockholders of record in the current year, the dividend will be treated for all U.S. federal tax purposes as if it were paid on December 31 of the current year. In addition, under the Code, we may pay dividends, referred to as “spillover dividends,” that are paid during the following taxable year that will allow us to maintain our qualification for taxation as a RIC and eliminate our liability for corporate-level U.S. federal income tax. Under these spillover dividend procedures, we may defer distribution of income earned during the current year until December of the following year. For example, we may defer distributions of income earned during 2020 until as late as December 31, 2021. However, if we choose to pay a spillover dividend, we will still incur the 4% U.S. federal excise tax on some or all of the distribution.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we anticipate that we may take certain actions with respect to the timing and amounts of our distributions in order to preserve cash and maintain flexibility. For example, we anticipate that we may not be able to increase our dividends. In addition, we may reduce our dividends and/or defer our dividends to the following taxable year. If we defer our dividends, we may choose to utilize the spillover dividend rules discussed above and incur the 4% U.S. federal excise tax on such amounts. To further preserve cash, we may combine these reductions or deferrals of dividends with one or more distributions that are payable partially in our stock as discussed below under the risk factor “We may in the future choose to pay distributions in our own stock, in which case stockholders may be required to pay tax in excess of the cash they receive”.
Risks Related to Our Business and Structure
We have a limited operating history.
We commenced operations on August 30, 2016 and are subject to all of the business risks and uncertainties associated with any business with a limited operating history, including the risk that we will not achieve or sustain our investment objective and that the value of our common stock could decline substantially.
We are dependent upon the OFS senior professionals for our future success and upon their access to the investment professionals and partners of OFS and its affiliates.
We do not have any internal management capacity or employees. We will depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the OFS senior professionals to achieve our investment objective. Our future success will depend, to a significant extent, on the continued service and coordination of the OFS senior management team, particularly Bilal Rashid, Senior Managing Director and President of OFSC, Jeffrey A. Cerny, Senior Managing Director and Treasurer of OFSC and Kyde Sharp, Managing Director of OFSC. Each of these individuals is an employee at will of OFSC. In addition, we rely on the services of Richard Ressler, Chairman of the executive committee of OFSAM and Chairman of certain of the Advisor Investment Committees, pursuant to a consulting agreement with Orchard Capital Corporation. The departure of Mr. Ressler or any of the senior managers of OFSC, or of a significant number of its other investment professionals, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objective.
We expect that OFS Advisor will continue to evaluate, negotiate, structure, close and monitor our investments in accordance with the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement. We can offer no assurance, however, that OFS senior professionals will continue to provide investment advice to us. If these individuals do not maintain their existing relationships with OFS and its affiliates and do not develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we may not be able to grow our investment portfolio or achieve our investment objective. In addition, individuals with whom the OFS senior professionals have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities. Therefore, we can offer no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for us.
OFS Advisor is a subsidiary of OFSAM that has no employees and depends upon access to the investment professionals and other resources of OFS and its affiliates to fulfill its obligations to us under the Investment Advisory Agreement. OFS Advisor also depends upon OFS to obtain access to deal flow generated by the professionals of OFS and its affiliates. Under a Staffing Agreement between OFSC, a subsidiary of OFSAM that employs OFS’s personnel, and OFS Advisor, OFSC has agreed to provide OFS Advisor with the resources necessary to fulfill these obligations. The Staffing Agreement provides that OFSC will make available to OFS Advisor experienced investment professionals and access to the senior investment personnel of OFSC for purposes of evaluating, negotiating, structuring, closing and monitoring our investments. We are not a party to this Staffing Agreement and cannot assure stockholders that OFSC will fulfill its obligations under the agreement. If OFSC fails to perform, we cannot assure stockholders that OFS Advisor will enforce the Staffing Agreement or that such agreement will not be terminated by either party or that we will continue to have access to the investment professionals of OFSC and its affiliates or their information and deal flow.
The Middle MarketMiddle-Market Investment Committee that oversees our investment activities are provided by OFS Advisor under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The Middle-Market Investment Committee consists of Richard Ressler (Chairman), Jeffrey A. Cerny, Kyde Sharp and Bilal Rashid. The loss of any member of the Middle-Market Investment CommitteesCommittee or of other OFS senior professionals could limit our ability to achieve our investment objective and operate as we anticipate. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.
Our business model depends to a significant extent upon strong referral relationships with financial institutions, sponsors and investment professionals. Any inability of OFS Advisor to maintain or develop these relationships, or the failure of these relationships to generate investment opportunities, could adversely affect our business.
We depend upon OFS Advisor to maintain relationships with financial institutions, sponsors and investment professionals, and we will continue to rely to a significant extent upon these relationships to provide us with potential investment opportunities. If OFS Advisor fails to maintain such relationships, or to develop new relationships with other sources of investment opportunities, we will not be able to grow our investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom the principals of OFS Advisor have relationships are not obligated to provide us with investment opportunities, and, therefore, we can offer no assurance that these relationships will generate investment opportunities for us in the future.
Our financial condition and results of operation will depend on our ability to manage our business effectively.
Our ability to achieve our investment objective and grow will depend on our ability to manage our business. This will depend, in turn, on the ability of the Advisor Investment Committees to identify, invest in and monitor companies that meet our investment criteria. The achievement of our investment objectives on a cost-effective basis will depend upon the Advisor Investment Committees' ability to execute our investment process, their ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient
services to us and, to a lesser extent, our access to financing on acceptable terms. OFS Advisor has substantial responsibilities under the Investment Advisory Agreement. OFS Advisor's senior professionals and other personnel of OFS Advisor's affiliates, including OFSC, may be called upon to provide managerial assistance to our portfolio companies. These activities may distract them or slow our rate of investment. Any failure to manage our business and our future growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be required to include such income in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash representing such income.
Our investments may include contractual PIK interest or PIK dividends, which represents contractual interest or dividends added to a loan balance or equity security and due at the end of such loan’s or equity security’s term. To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash. Such risks include:
•The higher interest or dividend rates of PIK instruments reflect the payment deferral and increased risk associated with these instruments, and PIK instruments often represent a significantly higher risk than non-PIK instruments.
•Even if the accounting conditions for income accrual are met, the borrower could still default when our actual collection is supposed to occur at the maturity of the obligation.
•PIK instruments may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require continuing judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any associated collateral. PIK income may also create uncertainty about the source of our cash distributions.
•For accounting purposes, any cash distributions to stockholders representing PIK income are not treated as coming from paid-in capital. As a result, despite the fact that a distribution representing PIK income could be paid out of amounts invested by our stockholders, the 1940 Act does not require that stockholders be given notice of this fact by reporting it as a return of capital.
•PIK interest or dividends have the effect of generating investment income at a compounding rate, thereby further increasing the incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor. Similarly, all things being equal, the deferral associated with PIK interest or dividends also decreases the investment principal-to-value ratio at a compounding rate.
A significant amount 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.
Many of our portfolio investments will take the form of securities that are not publicly traded. The fair value of securities and other investments that are not publicly traded may not be readily determinable. We value these securities at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board, including to reflect significant events affecting the value of our securities. Most of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) are classified as Level 3 under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (ASC Topic 820). This means that a majority of 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 these portfolio investments require significant management judgment or estimation. Even if observable market data are available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We presently retain the services of independent service providers to prepare the valuation of these securities.
The types of factors that the Board takes into account in determining the fair value of our investments generally include, as appropriate, comparison to third-party yield benchmarks and comparison to publicly traded securities including such factors as yield, maturity and measures of credit quality, the enterprise value of a portfolio company, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and cash flow, the markets in which the portfolio company does business and other relevant factors. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of private securities and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these securities existed. Our net asset value could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments were materially higher than the values that we ultimately realize upon the disposal of such securities.
We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect our Board's determination of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded in our statement of income as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.
We may finance our investments with borrowed money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.
The use of leverage magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested. The use of leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique and increases the risks associated with investing in our securities. We may pledge up to 100% of our assets and may grant a security interest in all of our assets, under the terms of any debt instruments we may enter into with lenders. In addition, under the terms of any credit facility or other debt instrument we enter into, we are likely to be required by its terms to use the net proceeds of any investments that we sell to repay a portion of the amount borrowed under such facility or instrument before applying such net proceeds to any other uses. If the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged, thereby magnifying losses or eliminating our equity stake in a leveraged investment. Similarly, any decrease in our revenue or income will cause our net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline would also negatively affect our ability to make dividend payments on our common stock or preferred stock. Our ability to service our debt will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. Moreover, because the management fee payable to OFS Advisor is payable based on our total assets, OFS Advisor has a financial incentive to incur leverage which may not be consistent with our stockholders’ interests. In addition, our common stockholders will bear the burden of any increase in our expenses as a result of our use of leverage, including interest expenses and any increase in the management fee payable to OFS Advisor.
On November 6, 2018, the Board, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the Board, approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us; and we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholder as of November 6, 2018, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, pursuant to Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, we are subject to the reduced asset coverage ratio effective November 6, 2019. See "Effective November 6, 2019, we became subject to 150% Asset Coverage after receive the approval of our Board and meeting certain conditions".
The amount of our debt outstanding increased due to the issuance of the Unsecured Notes and the establishment of the PWB Credit Facility.
Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future is, to some extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate cash flow from operations to meet the payment obligations of our debt.
Effective November 6, 2019, we became subject to 150% Asset Coverage after receiving the approval of our Board and meeting certain conditions.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits us from incurring indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). However, Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act allows a BDC to increase the maximum amount of leverage it may incur from an asset coverage ratio of 200% to an asset coverage ratio of 150%, if certain requirements are met. On November 6, 2018 a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our Board approved the application of the reduced asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019 and we are able to increase our leverage up to an amount that reduces our asset coverage ratio from 200% to 150% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 66 2/3% of the value of our assets), assuming that additional borrowings are available.
Leverage magnifies the potential for loss on investments in our indebtedness and on invested equity capital. As we use leverage to partially finance our investments, you will experience increased risks of investing in our securities. If the value of our assets increases, then the additional leverage would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, the additional leverage would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not increased our leverage. Similarly, any increase in our income in excess of interest payable on the borrowed funds would cause our net investment income to increase more than it would without the additional leverage, while any decrease in our income would cause net investment income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to pay common stock dividends, scheduled debt payments or other payments related to our securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. See “Risks Related to Our Business and Structure - We may finance our investments with borrowed money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.”
In addition, the ability of BDCs to increase their leverage will increase the capital available to BDCs and thus competition for the investments that we seek to make. This may negatively impact pricing on the investments that we do make and adversely affect our net investment income and results of operations.
Changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.
To the extent we borrow money or issue preferred stock to make investments, our net investment income will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds or pay dividends on preferred stock and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. We may use interest rate risk management techniques in an effort to limit our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Such techniques may include various interest rate hedging activities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
A rise in the general level of interest rates typically leads to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates may result in an increase of the amount of incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which are another form of leverage.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of our management of our temporary investment portfolio. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, we will effectively pledge our assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount equal to a percentage of the fair value of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, we will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back our collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest which are for our benefit.
Our use of reverse repurchase agreements, if any, involves many of the same risks involved in our use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities that we have sold but remain obligated to purchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by us may decline. If a buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, we may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, we would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of such agreements at settlement are less than the fair value of the underlying securities being pledged. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements transactions, our net asset value would decline, and, in some cases, we may be worse off than if we had not used such instruments.
Our ability to enter into transactions involving derivatives and financial commitment transactions may be limited.
In November 2020, the SEC adopted a rule regarding the ability of a BDC (or a registered investment company) to use derivatives and other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations. Under the newly-adopted rule, BDCs that use derivatives would be subject to a value-at-risk leverage limit, a derivatives risk management program and testing requirements and requirements related to board reporting. These new requirements will apply unless the BDC qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in the rule. Under the new rule, a BDC may enter into an unfunded commitment agreement that is not a derivatives transaction, such as an agreement to provide financing to a portfolio company, if the BDC has, among other things, a reasonable belief, at the time it enters into such an agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all of its unfunded commitment agreements, in each case as it becomes due. Collectively, these requirements may limit our ability to use derivatives and/or enter into certain other financial contracts.
We may in the future determine to fund a portion of our investments with preferred stock, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss and the risks of investing in us in the same way as our borrowings.
Preferred stock, which is another form of leverage, has the same risks to our common stockholders as borrowings because the dividends on any preferred stock we issue must be cumulative. Payment of such dividends and repayment of the liquidation preference of such preferred stock must take preference over any dividends or other payments to our common stockholders, and preferred stockholders are not subject to any of our expenses or losses and are not entitled to participate in any income or appreciation in excess of their stated preference.
We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities, which could reduce returns and result in losses.
A number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we plan to make. We compete with public and private funds, other BDCs, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance companies and, to the extent they provide an alternative form of financing, private equity and hedge funds. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some of our competitors may have access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory
restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC or the source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements we must satisfy to maintain our RIC tax treatment. These characteristics could allow our competitors to consider a wider variety of instruments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing and more flexible structuring than we are able to. The competitive pressures we face may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we may not be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective.
With respect to the investments we make, we will not seek to compete based primarily on the interest rates we will offer, and we believe that some of our competitors may make loans with interest rates that will be lower than the rates we offer. In the secondary market for acquiring existing loans, we expect to compete generally on the basis of pricing terms. With respect to all investments, we may lose some investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. However, if we match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, we may experience decreased net interest income, lower yields and increased risk of credit loss. We may also compete for investment opportunities with OFSAM and its other affiliates or accounts managed by OFSAM or one of its other affiliates. Although OFS Advisor will allocate opportunities in accordance with its policies and procedures, allocations to such other accounts will reduce the amount and frequency of opportunities available to us and may not be in the best interests of us and our stockholders. Moreover, the performance of investments will not be known at the time of allocation.
We may suffer credit losses.
Investment in middle-market companies is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk of credit loss, and therefore our securities may not be suitable for someone with a low tolerance for risk. These risks are likely to increase during volatile economic periods, such as the U.S. and many other economies have recently been experiencing.
We will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC.
We have elected to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, but no assurance can be given that once elected we will be able to maintain RIC status. As a RIC, we are not required to pay corporate-level federal income taxes on our income and capital gains distributed (or deemed distributed) to our stockholders. To continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC under the Code and to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains distributed to our stockholders, we must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. The distribution requirement for a RIC is satisfied if we distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to our stockholders on an annual basis. We will be subject, to the extent we use debt financing or preferred stock, to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements or preferred stock that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain our qualification for the tax benefits available to RICs and, thus, may be subject to corporate-level federal income tax. To maintain our qualification as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these tests may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments are in private or thinly traded public companies, any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices and may result in substantial losses. If we fail to continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate-level federal income tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce our net assets, the amount of income available for distributions to stockholders and the amount of our distributions and the amount of funds available for new investments. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders. See “Item 1. Business—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation as a RIC.”
Our subsidiaries and portfolio companies may be unable to make distributions to us that will enable us to meet RIC requirements, which could result in the imposition of an entity-level tax.
In order for us to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC and to minimize corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes, we are required to distribute on an annual basis substantially all of our taxable income, which includes income from our subsidiaries and portfolio companies. If our subsidiaries and portfolio companies are unable to make distributions to us, this may result in loss of RIC tax treatment and a consequent imposition of a corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on us.
We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before, or without, receiving cash representing such income.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as the accretion of OID. This may arise if we purchase assets at a discount, receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan or in other circumstances, or through contracted PIK interest or dividends (meaning interest or dividends paid in the form of additional principal amount of the loan or equity security instead of in cash), which represents contractual interest or dividends added to the loan balance or equity security and due at the end of the investment term. Such OID, which could be significant relative to our overall investment activities, or increases in loan or equity investment balances as a result
of contracted PIK arrangements, will be included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we will not receive in cash.
Since in certain cases we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the requirement to distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs. In such a case, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations and sourcings to meet these distribution requirements. If we sell built-in-gain assets, we may be required to recognize taxable income in respect of the built-in-gain on such assets. In such a case, we would have to distribute all of our taxable gain (including the built-in-gain) in respect of such sale to avoid the imposition of entity-level tax on such gain. If we are not able to obtain such cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs and thus be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.
We may in the future choose to pay distributions in our own stock, in which case stockholders may be required to pay tax in excess of the cash they receive.
We distribute taxable distributions that are payable in cash or shares of our common stock at the election of each stockholder. In accordance with guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service, a publicly traded RIC should generally be eligible to treat a distribution of its own stock as fulfilling its RIC distribution requirements if each stockholder is permitted to elect to receive his or her distribution in either cash or stock of the RIC (even where there is a limitation on the percentage of the distribution payable in cash, provided that the limitation is at least 20%), subject to the satisfaction of certain guidelines. If too many stockholders elect to receive their distributions in cash, each such stockholder would receive a pro rata share of the total cash to be distributed and would receive the remainder of their distribution in shares of stock. If this and certain other requirements are met, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of the distribution paid in stock generally will be a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of stock. If we decide to make any distributions consistent with this guidance that are payable in part in our stock, stockholders receiving such distribution would be required to include the full amount of the distribution (whether received in cash, our stock, or a combination thereof) as ordinary income (or as long-term capital gain to the extent such distribution is properly designated as a capital gain dividend) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for United States federal income tax purposes. As a result, a U.S. stockholder may be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of any cash received. If a U.S. stockholder sells the stock it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, it may be subject to transaction fees (e.g., broker fees or transfer agent fees) and the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in stock. In addition, if a significant number of our stockholders determine to sell shares of our stock in order to pay taxes owed on dividends, it may put downward pressure on the trading price of our stock.
Because we expect to distribute substantially all of our net investment income and net realized capital gains to our stockholders, we may need additional capital to finance our growth and such capital may not be available on favorable terms or at all.
We have elected to be taxed for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. If we meet certain requirements, including source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements, and if we continue to qualify as a BDC, we will continue to qualify for tax treatment as RIC under the Code and will not have to pay corporate-level U.S. federal taxes on income we distribute to our stockholders as dividends, allowing us to substantially reduce or eliminate our corporate-level tax liability. Because we received the approval of our Board, we are generally required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 150% at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. See "Item 1A. Risk Factors - Effective November 6, 2019, we became subject to 150% Asset Coverage after receiving the approval of our Board and meeting certain conditions". This requirement limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. We cannot assure investors that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. In addition, as a BDC, we are generally not permitted to issue common stock priced below net asset value without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.
Our PWB Credit Facility contains various covenants and restrictions which, if not complied with, could accelerate our repayment obligations under the credit facility or limit its use, thereby materially and adversely affecting our liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions.
The PWB Credit Facility provides us with a senior secured revolving line of credit of up to $15.0 million, with maximum availability equal to 35% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of eligible loans included in the borrowing base and otherwise specified in the PWB Credit Facility. The PWB Credit Facility contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting requirements, a minimum tangible net asset value, a minimum quarterly net investment income after incentive fees, and a statutory asset coverage test. The PWB Credit Facility also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-default to other indebtedness, bankruptcy, change in investment advisor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change in our financial condition. The PWB Credit Facility permits us to fund additional investments as long as we are within the conditions set out in the PWB Credit Facility. Our continued compliance with these covenants depends on many factors, some of which are beyond our control, and there are no assurances that we will continue to comply with these covenants. Our failure to satisfy these covenants could result in foreclosure by our lender, which would accelerate our repayment obligations under the PWB Credit Facility and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. We had $4.8 million outstanding under the PWB Credit Facility as of December 31, 2020.
Events outside of our control, including public health crises, may negatively affect the results of our operations.
Periods of market volatility could continue to occur in response to pandemics or other events outside of our control. We, OFS Advisor and the portfolio companies in which we invest could be affected by force majeure events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease, pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes, major plant breakdowns, pipeline or electricity line ruptures, failure of technology, defective design and construction, accidents, demographic changes, government macroeconomic policies, social instability, etc.). Some force majeure events could adversely affect the ability of a party (including us, OFS Advisor, a portfolio company or a counterparty to us, OFS Advisor, or a portfolio company) to perform its obligations until it is able to remedy the force majeure event. In addition, force majeure events, such as the cessation of the operation of equipment for repair or upgrade, could similarly lead to the unavailability of essential equipment and technologies. These risks could, among other effects, adversely impact the cash flows available from a portfolio company, cause personal injury or loss of life, including to a senior manager of OFS Advisor or its affiliates, damage property, or instigate disruptions of service. In addition, the cost to a portfolio company or us of repairing or replacing damaged assets resulting from such force majeure event could be considerable. It will not be possible to insure against all such events, and insurance proceeds received, if any, could be inadequate to completely or even partially cover any loss of revenues or investments, any increases in operating and maintenance expenses, or any replacements or rehabilitation of property. Certain events causing catastrophic loss could be either uninsurable, or insurable at such high rates as to adversely impact us, OFS Advisor, or portfolio companies, as applicable.
Force majeure events that are incapable of or are too costly to cure could have permanent adverse effects. Certain force majeure events (such as war or an outbreak of an infectious disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business activity generally, or in any of the countries in which we invest or our portfolio companies operate specifically. Such force majeure events could result in or coincide with: increased volatility in the global securities, derivatives and currency markets; a decrease in the reliability of market prices and difficulty in valuing assets; greater fluctuations in currency exchange rates; increased risk of default (by both government and private issuers); further social, economic, and political instability; nationalization of private enterprise; greater governmental involvement in the economy or in social factors that impact the economy; less governmental regulation and supervision of the securities markets and market participants and decreased monitoring of the markets by governments or self-regulatory organizations and reduced enforcement of regulations; limited, or limitations on, the activities of investors in such markets; controls or restrictions on foreign investment, capital controls and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; inability to purchase and sell investments or otherwise settle security or derivative transactions (i.e., a market freeze); unavailability of currency hedging techniques; substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation, which can last many years and have substantial negative effects on credit and securities markets as well as the economy as a whole; recessions; and difficulties in obtaining and/or enforcing legal judgments. Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including the nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over one or more portfolio companies or its assets, could result in a loss to us, including if the investment in such portfolio companies is canceled, unwound or acquired (which could result in inadequate compensation). Any of the foregoing could therefore adversely affect the performance of us and our investments.
Adverse developments in the credit markets may impair our ability to secure debt financing.
During the economic downturn in the United States that began in mid-2007, many commercial banks and other financial institutions stopped lending or significantly curtailed their lending activity. In addition, in an effort to stem losses and reduce their exposure to segments of the economy deemed to be high risk, some financial institutions limited routine refinancing and loan modification transactions and even reviewed the terms of existing facilities to identify bases for accelerating the maturity of existing lending facilities. As a result, should we experience another economic downturn in the United States, it may be difficult for us to obtain desired financing to finance the growth of our investments on acceptable economic terms, or at all.
If we are unable to consummate credit facilities on commercially reasonable terms, our liquidity may be reduced significantly. If we are unable to repay amounts outstanding under any facility we may enter into and are declared in default or are unable to renew or refinance any such facility, it would limit our ability to initiate significant originations or to operate our business in the normal course. These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as inaccessibility of the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a further economic downturn or an operational problem that affects third parties or us, and could materially damage our business. Moreover, we are unable to predict when economic and market conditions may become more favorable. Even if such conditions improve broadly and significantly over the long term, adverse conditions in particular sectors of the financial markets could adversely impact our business.
Changes in the laws or regulations governing our business, or changes in the interpretations thereof, and any failure by us to comply with these laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our, and our portfolio companies’ business, results of operations or financial condition.
We and our portfolio companies are subject to regulation by laws at the U.S. federal, state and local levels, including those that govern BDCs, RICs, or non-depository commercial lenders. These laws and regulations, including applicable accounting standards, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, and new laws, regulations, accounting standards and interpretations may also come into effect. Any such new or changed laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are also subject to judicial and administrative decisions that affect our operations, including our loan originations, maximum interest rates, fees and other charges, disclosures to portfolio companies, the terms of secured transactions, collection and foreclosure procedures and other trade practices. If these laws, regulations or decisions change, or if we expand our business into jurisdictions that have adopted more stringent requirements than those in which we currently conduct business, we may have to incur significant expenses in order to comply, or we might have to restrict our operations. If we do not comply with applicable laws, regulations and decisions, we may lose licenses needed for the conduct of our business and may be subject to civil fines and criminal penalties.
In addition, changes to the laws and regulations governing our operations related to permitted investments may cause us to alter our investment strategy. Such changes could result in material differences to the strategies and plans set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our accounting practices described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and may shift our investment focus from the areas of expertise of OFS Advisor to other types of investments in which OFS Advisor 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 a stockholder’s investment.
Over the last several years, there has been an increase in regulatory attention to the extension of credit outside of the traditional banking sector, raising the possibility that some portion of the non-bank financial sector will be subject to new or different regulation. While it cannot be known at this time whether these regulations will be implemented or what form they will take, increased regulation of non-bank credit extension could negatively impact our operations, cash flows or financial condition, impose additional costs on us, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or otherwise adversely affect our business.
Legislative or other actions relating to taxes could have a negative effect on us.
Significant U.S. federal tax reform legislation was recently enacted that, among other things, permanently reduces the maximum federal corporate income tax rate, reduces the maximum individual income tax rate (effective for taxable years 2018 through 2025), restricts the deductibility of business interest expense, changes the rules regarding the calculation of net operating loss deductions that may be used to offset taxable income, expands the circumstances in which a foreign corporation will be treated as a “controlled foreign corporation” and, under certain circumstances, requires accrual method taxpayers to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the income is taken into account as revenue in an applicable financial statement. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the effects of the legislation on an investment in us.
We cannot predict with certainty how any future changes in the tax laws might affect us, our investors or our portfolio investments. New legislation and any U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions
interpreting such legislation could significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to us and our investors of such qualification, or could have other adverse consequences. Investors are urged to consult with their tax advisor regarding tax legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our securities.
Changes to United States tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our portfolio companies and, in turn, harm us.
There has been on-going discussion and commentary regarding potential significant changes to United States trade policies, treaties and tariffs, which has created significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to the trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between the impacted nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our portfolio companies’ access to suppliers or customers and have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition and results of operations, which in turn would negatively impact us.
The effect of global climate change may impact the operations of our portfolio companies.
There may be evidence of global climate change. Climate change creates physical and financial risk and some of our portfolio companies may be adversely affected by climate change. For example, the needs of customers of energy companies vary with weather conditions, primarily temperature and humidity. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of any changes. Increases in the cost of energy could adversely affect the cost of operations of our portfolio companies if the use of energy products or services is material to their business. A decrease in energy use due to weather changes may affect some of our portfolio companies’ financial condition, through decreased revenues. Extreme weather conditions in general require more systems backup, adding to costs, and can contribute to increased system stresses, including service interruptions.
Loss of tax treatment as a RIC would reduce our net asset value and distributable income.
We have elected to be treated as a RIC under the Code. As a RIC we will not pay U.S.federal income taxes on our income (including realized gains) that we distribute to our stockholders, provided that we satisfy certain distribution and other requirements. Accordingly, we will not be permitted under accounting rules to establish reserves for taxes on our unrealized capital gains. If we fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC in any year, to the extent that we had unrealized gains, we would have to establish reserves for taxes, which would reduce our net asset value and the amount potentially available for distribution. In addition, if we, as a RIC, were to decide to make a deemed distribution of net realized capital gains and retain the net realized capital gains, we would have to establish appropriate reserves for taxes that we would have to pay on behalf of stockholders. It is possible that establishing reserves for taxes could have a material adverse effect on the value of our common stock. See “Item 1. Business — Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation as a RIC.”
Our Board may change our investment objectives, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval.
Our Board has the authority, except as otherwise provided in the 1940 Act, to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and the price value of our common stock. Nevertheless, any such changes could adversely affect our business and impair our ability to make distributions.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business and the value of our common stock.
We are obligated to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, including the internal control evaluation and certification requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“Section 404”). We will not be required to comply with all of the requirements of Section 404 until we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act. Accordingly, our internal controls over financial reporting do not currently meet all of the standards contemplated by Section 404 that we will eventually be required to meet. We are required to conduct annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. However, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the date we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
If we are not able to implement the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or with adequate compliance, our operations, financial reporting or financial results could be adversely affected. Matters impacting our internal controls may
cause us to be unable to report our financial information on a timely basis and thereby subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC or violations of applicable stock exchange listing rules, and result in a breach of the covenants under the agreements governing any of our financing arrangements. There could also be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in the Company and the reliability of our consolidated financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements could also suffer if we or our independent registered public accounting firm were to report a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. This could materially adversely affect us.
We are conditionally liable for costs incurred on our behalf by OFS Advisor and CIM Capital.
OFS Advisor and its affiliates have incurred significant organizational and offering costs on our behalf. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, we are conditionally liable for these costs, meaning OFS Advisor is entitled to receive up to 1.5% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering until all of the organization and offering costs paid by OFS Advisor and its affiliates have been recovered. Additionally, OFS Advisor, CIM Capital and their affiliates may continue to incur offering costs on our behalf throughout the Offering and for which we will also be conditionally liable.
Historically, OFS Advisor provided us with expense support that ensured, and CIM Capital currently provides support, under the Expense Support Agreement that ensures, no portion of our distributions to stockholders were, or will be paid, from Offering proceeds, and provided or provides as the case may be, for expense-reduction payments to us in any quarterly period in which our cumulative distributions to stockholders exceed our cumulative distributable ordinary income and net realized gains. We may become obligated to reimburse OFS Advisor or CIM Capital for expense support payments, conditioned upon maintenance of our per-share distribution rate and our realization of improved unsupported expense ratios.
Our dealer manager may face conflicts of interest as a result of a compensation arrangement between one of its affiliates and OFS Advisor.
In exchange for the provision of the sub-advisory services pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, CIM Capital, an affiliate of CCO, is entitled to receive a percentage of the total compensation received by OFS Advisor from the management and incentive fees payable by us to OFS Advisor in its capacity as our investment adviser. The purpose of this arrangement is to permit OFS Advisor to capitalize upon the expertise of CIM Capital and its affiliates in providing administrative, marketing and operational services with respect to non-exchange traded investment vehicles similar to us.
As a result of the Sub-Advisory Agreement, CCO has a financial interest in the performance of the assets recommended by OFS Advisor. CCO may face conflicts of interest as a result and may have an incentive to influence OFS Advisor to select investments that may not be in our best interest.
Risks Related to OFS Advisor and its Affiliates
We have potential conflicts of interest related to obligations that OFS Advisor or its affiliates may have to other clients.
OFS Advisor and its affiliates manage other assets, including those of other BDCs and registered investment companies, separately managed accounts, accounts for which OFS Advisor or its affiliates may serve as subadviser and CLOs, and may manage other entities in the future, and these other funds and entities may have similar or overlapping investment strategies. Our executive officers, directors and members of the Advisor Investment Committees serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, or of investment funds or other investment vehicles managed by OFS Advisor or its affiliates. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in our or our stockholders’ best interests or may require them to devote time to services for other entities, which could interfere with the time available to provide services to us. For example, OFS Advisor currently serves as the investment adviser to OFS Capital, a publicly-traded BDC, that invests primarily in senior secured loans of middle-market companies in the United States, similar to those we target for investment, including first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans as well as subordinated loans and, to a lesser extent, warrants and other equity securities. OFS Advisor also serves as the investment adviser to OCCI, a closed-end management investment company that primarily invests in CLO debt and subordinated securities. Therefore, many investment opportunities will satisfy the investment criteria for both OFS Capital and us and, in certain instances, investment opportunities may be appropriate for OCCI as us. OFS Capital operates as a distinct and separate entity and any investment in our common stock will not be an investment in OFS Capital. In addition, our executive officers and certain of our independent directors serve in substantially similar capacities for OFS Capital and OCCI. Similarly, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates may have other clients with, similar, different or competing investment objectives. In serving in these multiple capacities, our executive officers and directors, OFS Advisor and/or its affiliates, and members of the Advisor Investment Committees may have obligations to other clients or investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders.
OFS Advisor and OFSAM have procedures and policies in place designed to manage the potential conflicts of interest between OFS Advisor’s fiduciary obligations to us and its fiduciary obligations to other clients. For example, such policies and procedures are designed to ensure that investment opportunities are allocated in a fair and equitable manner
among us and other clients of OFS Advisor. An investment opportunity that is suitable for clients of OFS Advisor may not be capable of being shared among some or all of such clients due to the limited scale of the opportunity or other factors, including regulatory restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to participate in all investment opportunities that are suitable to us. OFS Advisor will seek to allocate investment opportunities among eligible accounts in a manner that is fair and equitable over time and consistent with its allocation policy.
Our independent directors may face conflicts of interest related to their obligations to the affiliated funds for which they also serve as independent directors.
The independent directors of our board of directors also comprise a portion of the independent directors of the board of directors of OFS Capital, an affiliated BDC that is also managed by OFS Advisor. Additionally, one of our independent
directors also serves as an independent director on the board of directors of OCCI. In their capacities as directors for an affiliated fund board, the independent directors have a duty to make decisions on behalf of that affiliated fund that are in the best interests of that affiliated fund and its stockholders. Accordingly, our independent directors may face conflicts of interest when making a decision on behalf of one affiliated fund that may not be in the best interest of the other affiliated fund(s). For example, the SEC has granted exemptive relief to us, OFS Advisor, OFS Capital, OCCI, and certain other of our affiliates to co-invest in certain transactions that would otherwise be prohibited by the 1940 Act. In accordance with that relief, the independent directors must make certain findings on behalf of each affiliated fund with respect to initial co-investment transactions, including that the terms of the proposed transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the affiliated fund and its stockholders and do not involve overreaching in respect of the affiliated fund or its stockholders on the part of any of the other participants in the proposed transaction. Under such circumstances, the independent directors may face conflicts of interest when making these determinations on behalf of us, OFS Capital and OCCI.
Members of the Advisor Investment Committees, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may, from time to time, possess material non-public information, limiting our investment discretion.
OFS senior professionals and members of the Advisor Investment Committees may serve as directors of, or in a similar capacity with, companies in which we invest, the securities of which are purchased or sold on our behalf. In the event that material nonpublic information is obtained with respect to such companies, or we become subject to trading restrictions under the internal trading policies of those companies or as a result of applicable law or regulations, we could be prohibited for a period of time from purchasing or selling the securities of such companies, and this prohibition may have an adverse effect on us and our stockholders.
To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be required to include such income in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash representing such income.
Our investments may include contractual PIK interest or PIK dividends, which represents contractual interest or dividends added to a loan balance or equity security and due at the end of such loan’s or equity security’s term. To the extent PIK interest and PIK dividends constitute a portion of our income, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with such income being required to be included in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash. Such risks include:
The higher interest or dividend rates of PIK instruments reflect the payment deferral and increased risk associated with these instruments, and PIK instruments often represent a significantly higher risk than non-PIK instruments.
Even if the accounting conditions for income accrual are met, the borrower could still default when our actual collection is supposed to occur at the maturity of the obligation.
PIK instruments may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require continuing judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any associated collateral. PIK income may also create uncertainty about the source of our cash distributions.
For accounting purposes, any cash distributions to stockholders representing PIK income are not treated as coming from paid-in capital, even though the cash to pay them comes from the offering proceeds. As a result, despite the fact that a distribution representing PIK income could be paid out of amounts invested by our stockholders, the 1940 Act does not require that stockholders be given notice of this fact by reporting it as a return of capital.
PIK interest or dividends have the effect of generating investment income at a compounding rate, thereby further increasing the incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor. Similarly, all things being equal, the deferral associated with PIK interest or dividends also decreases the investment principal-to-value ratio at a compounding rate.
The valuation process for certain of our portfolio holdings may create a conflict of interest.
Many of our portfolio investments may be made in the form of securities that are not publicly traded. As a result, our Board will determine the fair value of these securities in good faith as described below in “Many of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.” In connection with that determination, investment professionals from OFS Advisor may provide our Board with portfolio company valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company consolidated financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. In addition, the members of our Board who are not independent directors have a substantial indirect pecuniary interest in OFS Advisor. The participation of the OFS Advisor’s investment professionals in our valuation process, and the indirect pecuniary interest in OFS Advisor by those members of our Board, could result in a conflict of interest since OFS Advisor’s management fee is based, in part, on our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity).
We may have additional conflicts related to other arrangements with OFS Advisor or its affiliates.
We rent office space from a subsidiary of OFSAM and pay to that subsidiary our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, such as rent and our allocable portion of the cost of our officers, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer and chief accounting officer. This will create conflicts of interest that our Board must monitor.
The Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor and the Administration Agreement with OFS Services were not negotiated on an arm’s length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were negotiated between related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to OFS Advisor, may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party. In addition, we could choose not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, our rights and remedies under these agreements because of our desire to maintain our ongoing relationship with OFS Advisor, OFS Services and their respective affiliates. Any such decision, however, would breach our fiduciary obligations to our stockholders.
Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.
We generally are prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with their affiliates without the prior approval of their independent directors and, in some cases, of the SEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which us and one or more of its affiliates engage in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be considered an affiliate of us for purposes of the 1940 Act, and we generally are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with such affiliates, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, we are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with our officers, directors, and employees, and advisors (and its affiliates).
We may, however, invest alongside certain related parties or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including our advisor, acting on our behalf and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other accounts.
On October 12, 2016, we received the Order from the SEC that permits us to co-invest in portfolio companies with certain affiliates, provided that we comply with the conditions of the Order. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with BDCs, registered investment companies and private funds managed by OFS Advisor or any adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, OFS Advisor, and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, in a manner consistent with our investment strategy as well as applicable law, including the terms and conditions of the Order. Under the terms of the Order, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors must make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including that (1) the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to us and our stockholders and do not involve overreaching of us or our stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies.We have applied for the New Order, which if granted, would supercede the Order and permit us greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions. There can be no assurance that we will obtain such new exemptive relief from the SEC.
When we invest alongside clients of OFSAM and its affiliates or their respective other clients, OFS Advisor will, to the extent consistent with applicable law, regulatory guidance, or the Order, allocate investment opportunities in accordance with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
the status of tax restrictions and tests and other regulatory restrictions and tests;
risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
level of available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
When not relying on the Order, priority as to opportunities will generally be given to clients that are in their “ramp-up” period, or the period during which the account has yet to reach sufficient scale such that its investment income covers its operating expenses, over the accounts that are outside their ramp-up period but still within their investment or re-investment periods. However, application of one or more of the factors listed above, or other factors determined to be relevant or appropriate, may result in the allocation of an investment opportunity to a fund no longer in its ramp-up period over a fund that is still within its ramp-up period.
In situations where co-investment with other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have made. These restrictions, and similar restrictions that limit our ability to transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates, may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
We have potential conflicts of interest related to the purchases and sales that OFS Advisor makes on our behalf and/or on behalf of Affiliated Accounts.
Conflicts may arise when we make an investment in conjunction with an investment being made by Affiliated Accounts, or in a transaction where another Affiliated Account has already made an investment. Investment opportunities are, from time to time, appropriate for more than one Affiliated Account in the same, different or overlapping securities of a portfolio company’s capital structure. Conflicts arise in determining the terms of investments, particularly where these Affiliated Accounts may invest in different types of securities in a single portfolio company. Questions arise as to whether payment obligations and covenants should be enforced, modified or waived, or whether debt should be restructured, modified or refinanced.
We may invest in debt and other securities of companies in which other Affiliated Accounts hold those same securities or different securities, including equity securities. In the event that such investments are made by us, our interests will at times conflict with the interests of such other Affiliated Accounts, particularly in circumstances where the underlying company is facing financial distress. Decisions about what action should be taken, particularly in troubled situations, raises conflicts of interest, including, among other things, whether or not to enforce claims, whether or not to advocate or initiate a restructuring or liquidation inside or outside of bankruptcy, and the terms of any work-out or restructuring. The involvement of multiple Affiliated Accounts at both the equity and debt levels could inhibit strategic information exchanges among fellow creditors, including among us and other Affiliated Accounts. In certain circumstances, we or other Affiliated Accounts may be prohibited from exercising voting or other rights and may be subject to claims by other creditors with respect to the subordination of their interest.
For example, in the event that one Affiliated Account has a controlling or significantly influential position in a portfolio company, that Affiliated Account may have the ability to elect some or all of the board of directors of such a portfolio company, thereby controlling the policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of securities, payment of dividends, incurrence of debt and entering into extraordinary transactions. In addition, a controlling Affiliated Account is likely to have the ability to determine, or influence, the outcome of operational matters and to cause, or prevent, a change in control of such a portfolio company. Such management and operational decisions may, at times, be in direct conflict with us or other Affiliated Accounts that have invested in the same portfolio company that do not have the same level of control or influence over the portfolio company.
If additional capital is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, or to finance growth or other opportunities, we or other Affiliated Accounts may or may not provide such additional capital, and if provided each Affiliated Account will supply such additional capital in such amounts, if any, as determined by OFS Advisor and/or OFS Advisor’s affiliates. Investments by more than one Affiliated Account in a portfolio company also raises the risk of using assets of an Affiliated Account of OFS Advisor to support positions taken by other Affiliated Accounts, or that a client may remain passive in a situation in which it is entitled to vote. In addition, there may be differences in timing of entry into, or exit from, a portfolio company for reasons such as differences in strategy, existing portfolio or liquidity needs, different Affiliated Account mandates or fund differences, or different securities being held. These variations in timing may be detrimental to us.
The application of our investment mandate as compared to investment mandates of other Affiliated Accounts and the policies and procedures of OFS Advisor and OFS Advisor's affiliates are expected to vary based on the particular facts and
circumstances surrounding each investment by two or more Affiliated Accounts, in particular when those Affiliated Accounts are in different classes of an issuer’s capital structure (as well as across multiple issuers or borrowers within the same overall capital structure) and, as such, there may be a degree of variation and potential inconsistencies, in the manner in which potential or actual conflicts are addressed.
WeOur independent directors may finance our investments with borrowed money,face conflicts of interest related to their obligations to the affiliated funds for which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested and may increase the risk of investing in us.they also serve as independent directors.
The use of leverage magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested. The use of leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique and increases the risks associated with investing in our securities. We may pledge up to 100% of our assets and may grant a security interest in all of our assets, under the terms of any debt instruments we may enter into with lenders. In addition, under the terms of any credit facility or other debt instrument we enter into, we are likely to be required by its terms to use the net proceeds of any investments that we sell to repay a portion of the amount borrowed under such facility or instrument before applying such net proceeds to any other uses. If the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged, thereby magnifying losses or eliminating our equity stake in a leveraged investment. Similarly, any decrease in our revenue or income will cause our net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline would also negatively affect our ability to make dividend payments on our common stock or preferred stock. Our ability to service our debt will depend largely on our financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures. Moreover, because the management fee payable to OFS Advisor is payable based on our total assets, OFS Advisor has a financial incentive to incur leverage which may not be consistent with our stockholders’ interests. In addition, our common stockholders will bear the burden of any increase in our expenses as a result of our use of leverage, including interest expenses and any increase in the management fee payable to OFS Advisor.
As a BDC, generally we are not permitted to incur indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage ratio for total borrowings of at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% or 66 2/3% of the value of our assets). See "Regulation". In addition, we may not be permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on our outstanding common shares, or purchase any such shares, unless, at the time of such declaration or purchase, we have asset coverage of at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution, or purchase price. If this ratio declines below the applicable threshold, we may not be able to incur additional debt and may need to sell a portion of our investments to repay some debt when it is disadvantageous to do so, and we may not be able to make distributions.
On November 6, 2018, the Board, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act of the Board, approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us; and we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholder as of November 6, 2018, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, pursuant to the SBCAA, we are subject to the reduced asset coverage ratio effective November 6, 2019.
The amount of our debt outstanding increased due to the issuance of the Unsecured Notes and the establishment of the PWB Credit Facility.
Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future is, to some extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate cash flow from operations to meet the payment obligations of our debt.
Effective November 6, 2019, we became subject to 150% Asset Coverage after receiving the approvalindependent directors of our board of directors and meeting certain conditions.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits us from incurring indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we have an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50%also comprise a portion of the valueindependent directors of our assets). However, recent legislation has modified the 1940 Act by allowing a BDC to increase the maximum amount of leverage it may incur from an asset coverage ratio of 200% to an asset coverage ratio of 150%, if certain requirements are met. On November 6, 2018 a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approvedof OFS Capital, an affiliated BDC that is also managed by OFS Advisor. In their capacities as directors for an affiliated fund board, the applicationindependent directors have a duty to make decisions on behalf of that affiliated fund that are in the reduced asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with the SBCAA, we extended to eachbest interests of that affiliated fund and its stockholders. Accordingly, our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019 and we are able to increase our leverage up to an amount that reduces our asset coverage ratio from 200% to 150% (i.e., the amount of debtindependent directors may not exceed 66 2/3% of the value of our assets), assuming that additional borrowings are available.
Leverage magnifies the potential for loss on investments in our indebtedness and on invested equity capital. As we use leverage to partially finance our investments, you will experience increased risks of investing in our securities. If the value of our assets increases, then the additional leverage would cause the net asset value attributable to our common stock to increase more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, the additional leverage would cause net asset value to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not increased our leverage. Similarly, any increase in our income in excessface conflicts of interest payablewhen making a decision on the borrowed funds would cause our net investment income to increase more than it would without the additional leverage, while any decrease in our income would cause net investment income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not increased our leverage. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to pay common stock dividends, scheduled debt payments or other payments related to our securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique.
In addition, the abilitybehalf of BDCs to increase their leverage will increase the capital available to BDCs and thus competition for the investmentsone affiliated fund that we seek to make. This may negatively impact pricing on the investments that we do make and adversely affect our net investment income and results of operations.
Our PWB Credit Facility contains various covenants and restrictions which, if not complied with, could accelerate our repayment obligations under the credit facility or limit its use, thereby materially and adversely affecting our liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions.
The PWB Credit Facility provides us with a senior secured revolving line of credit of up to $10.0 million, with maximum availability equal to 35% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of eligible loans included in the borrowing base and otherwise specified in the PWB Credit Facility. The PWB Credit Facility contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting requirements, a minimum tangible net asset value, a minimum quarterly net investment income after incentive fees, and a statutory asset coverage test. The PWB Credit Facility also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-default to other indebtedness, bankruptcy, change in investment advisor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change in our financial condition. The PWB Credit Facility permits us to fund additional investments as long as we are within the conditions set out in the PWB Credit Facility. Our continued compliance with these covenants depends on many factors, some of which are beyond our control, and there are no assurances that we will continue to comply with these covenants. Our failure to satisfy these covenants could result in foreclosure by our lender, which would accelerate our repayment obligations under the PWB Credit Facility and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. We had $-0- million outstanding under the PWB Credit Facility as of December 31, 2019.
Changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.
To the extent we borrow money or issue preferred stock to make investments, our net investment income will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds or pay dividends on preferred stock and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. We may use interest rate risk management techniques in an effort to limit our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Such techniques may include various interest rate hedging activities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
A rise in the general level of interest rates typically leads to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates may result in an increase of the amount of incentive fees payable to OFS Advisor.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which are another form of leverage.
We may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of our management of our temporary investment portfolio. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, we will effectively pledge our assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount equal to a percentage of the fair value of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, we will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back our collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest which are for the benefit of us.
Our use of reverse repurchase agreements, if any, involves many of the same risks involved in our use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities that we have sold but remain obligated to purchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by us
may decline. If a buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, we may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, we would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of such agreements at settlement are less than the fair value of the underlying securities being pledged. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements transactions, our net asset value would decline, and, in some cases, we may be worse off than if we had not used such instruments.
We may in the future determine to fund a portion of our investments with preferred stock, which would magnify the potential for gain or loss and the risks of investing in us in the same way as our borrowings.
Preferred stock, which is another form of leverage, has the same risks to our common stockholders as borrowings because the dividends on any preferred stock we issue must be cumulative. Payment of such dividends and repayment of the liquidation preference of such preferred stock must take preference over any dividends or other payments to our common stockholders, and preferred stockholders are not subject to any of our expenses or losses and are not entitled to participate in any income or appreciation in excess of their stated preference.
We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities, which could reduce returns and result in losses.
A number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we plan to make. We compete with public and private funds, other BDCs, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance companies and, to the extent they provide an alternative form of financing, private equity and hedge funds. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some of our competitors may have access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC or the source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements we must satisfy to maintain our RIC tax treatment. These characteristics could allow our competitors to consider a wider variety of instruments, establish more relationships and offer better pricing and more flexible structuring than we are able to. The competitive pressures we face may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we may not be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective.
With respect to the investments we make, we will not seek to compete based primarily on the interest rates we will offer, and we believe that some of our competitors may make loans with interest rates that will be lower than the rates we offer. In the secondary market for acquiring existing loans, we expect to compete generally on the basis of pricing terms. With respect to all investments, we may lose some investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. However, if we match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, we may experience decreased net interest income, lower yields and increased risk of credit loss. We may also compete for investment opportunities with OFSAM and its other affiliates or accounts managed by OFSAM or one of its other affiliates. Although OFS Advisor will allocate opportunities in accordance with its policies and procedures, allocations to such other accounts will reduce the amount and frequency of opportunities available to us and may not be in the best interestsinterest of the other affiliated fund(s). For
example, the SEC has granted exemptive relief to us, OFS Advisor, OFS Capital, OCCI, and certain other of our affiliates to co-invest in certain transactions that would otherwise be prohibited by the 1940 Act. In accordance with that relief, the independent directors must make certain findings on behalf of each affiliated fund with respect to initial co-investment transactions, including that the terms of the proposed transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the affiliated fund and its stockholders and do not involve overreaching in respect of the affiliated fund or its stockholders on the part of any of the other participants in the proposed transaction. Under such circumstances, the independent directors may face conflicts of interest when making these determinations on behalf of us and our stockholders. Moreover, the performance of investments will not be known at the time of allocation.OFS Capital.
We may suffer credit losses.
Investment in middle-market companies is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk of credit loss, and therefore our securities may not be suitable for someone with a low tolerance for risk. These risks are likely to increase during volatile economic periods, such as the U.S. and many other economies have recently been experiencing.
We will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to maintain our qualification as a RIC.
We have elected to be taxed as a RIC under Subchapter MMembers of the Code, but no assurance can be given that once electedAdvisor Investment Committees, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may, from time to time, possess material non-public information, limiting our investment discretion.
OFS senior professionals and members of the Advisor Investment Committees may serve as directors of, or in a similar capacity with, companies in which we will be able to maintain RIC status. As a RIC, weinvest, the securities of which are not required to pay corporate-level federal income taxespurchased or sold on our income and capital gains distributed (or deemed distributed)behalf. In the event that material nonpublic information is obtained with respect to our stockholders. To continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC under the Code and to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains distributed to our stockholders,such companies, or we must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. The distribution requirement for a RIC is satisfied if we distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to our stockholders on an annual basis. We will be subject, to the extent we use debt financing or preferred stock, to certain asset coverage ratio requirements under the 1940 Act and financial covenants under loan and credit agreements or preferred stock that could, under certain circumstances, restrict us from making distributions necessary to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. If we are unable to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain our qualification for the tax benefits available to RICs and, thus, may be subject to corporate-level federal income tax. To maintain our qualification as a RIC, we must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to meet these tests may result in our having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Because most of our investments are in private or thinly traded public companies, any such dispositions could be
made at disadvantageous prices and may result in substantial losses. If we fail to continue to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC for any reason and become subject to corporate-level federal income tax,trading restrictions under the resulting corporate taxesinternal trading policies of those companies or as a result of applicable law or regulations, we could substantially reduce our net assets,be prohibited for a period of time from purchasing or selling the amountsecurities of income available for distributions to stockholderssuch companies, and the amount of our distributions and the amount of funds available for new investments. Such a failure wouldthis prohibition may have a materialan adverse effect on us and our stockholders. See “Item 1. Business—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation as
The valuation process for certain of our portfolio holdings may create a RIC.”conflict of interest.
OurMany of our portfolio companiesinvestments may be unable to make distributions to us that will enable us to meet RIC requirements, which could result in the imposition of an entity-level tax.
In order for us to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC and to minimize corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes, we are required to distribute on an annual basis substantially all of our taxable income, which includes income from our subsidiaries and portfolio companies. If our subsidiaries and portfolio companies are unable to make distributions to us, this may result in loss of RIC tax treatment and a consequent imposition of a corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on us.
We may have difficulty paying our required distributions if we recognize income before, or without, receiving cash representing such income.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as the accretion of OID. This may arise if we purchase assets at a discount, receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan or in other circumstances, or through contracted PIK interest or dividends (meaning interest or dividends paidmade in the form of additional principal amount of the loan or equity security instead of in cash), which represents contractual interest or dividends added to the loan balance or equity security and due at the end of the investment term. Such OID, which could be significant relative to our overall investment activities, or increases in loan or equity investment balances as a result of contracted PIK arrangements, will be included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amountssecurities that we will not receive in cash.
Since in certain cases we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the requirement to distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs. In such a case, we may have to sell some of our investments at times and/or at prices we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations and sourcings to meet these distribution requirements. If we sell built-in-gain assets, we may be required to recognize taxable income in respect of the built-in-gain on such assets. In such a case, we would have to distribute all of our taxable gain (including the built-in-gain) in respect of such sale to avoid the imposition of entity-level tax on such gain. If we are not able to obtain such cash from other sources, we may fail to maintain the tax benefits available to RICs and thus be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.
Because we expect to distribute substantially all of our net investment income and net realized capital gains to our stockholders, we may need additional capital to finance our growth and such capital may not be available on favorable terms or at all.
We have elected to be taxed for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. If we meet certain requirements, including source of income, asset diversification and distribution requirements, and if we continue to qualify as a BDC, we will continue to qualify for tax treatment as RIC under the Code and will not have to pay corporate-level taxes on income we distribute to our stockholders as dividends, allowing us to substantially reduce or eliminate our corporate-level tax liability. As a BDC, we are generally required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 200% at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. This requirement limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. We cannot assure investors that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. In addition, as a BDC, we are generally not permitted to issue common stock priced below net asset value without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.
Capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability and we cannot predict when these conditions will occur. Such market conditions could materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global capital markets have experienced a period of disruption as evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the failure of certain major financial institutions. While the capital markets have improved, these conditions could deteriorate again in the future. For example, the recent global outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. Some economists and major investment banks have expressed concern that the continued spread of the virus
globally could lead to a world-wide economic downturn. Many manufacturers of goods in China and other countries in Asia have seen a downturn in production due to the suspension of business and temporary closure of factories in an attempt to curb the spread of the illness. As the impact of the novel coronavirus spreads to other parts of the world, similar impacts may occur with respect to affected countries. During such market disruptions, we may have difficulty raising debt or equity capital, especially as a result of regulatory constraints.
Market conditions may in the future make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required.publicly traded. As a result, we may realize significantly less thanour Board will determine the fair value at which we have recorded our investments. In addition, significant changes in the capital markets, including the disruption and volatility, have had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. An inability to raise capital, and any required sale of our investments for liquidity purposes, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, including in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, may continue to contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets, and may cause further economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, continue to face budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is also continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. The recent United States and global economic downturn, or a return to the recessionary period in the United States, could adversely impact our investments. We cannot predict the duration of the effects related to these or similar events in the future on the United States economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Global capital markets could enter a period of severe disruption and instability. These conditions have historically affected and could again materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and around the world and our business.
The current worldwide financial market situation, as well as various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, may contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets and may cause economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. The impact of downgrades by rating agencies to the United States government’s sovereign credit rating or its perceived creditworthiness as well as potential government shutdowns could adversely affect the United States and global financial markets and economic conditions. Since 2010, several European Union, or EU, countries have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the Euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. In addition, the fiscal policy of foreign nations, such as Russia and China, may have a severe impact on the worldwide and United States financial markets. The decision made in the United Kingdom referendum to leave the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”) has led to volatility in global financial markets and may lead to weakening in consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. Since the Brexit referendum, the EU has extended the Brexit deadline several times to allow the UK parliament to ratify a withdrawal agreement, and most recently, under current Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the House of Commons passed the Brexit deal on December 20, 2019. The European Parliment ratified the Brexit deal, and on January 31, 2020, the UK formally left the EU. The UK will now enter into a transition period until December 31, 2020, where agreements surrounding trade and other aspects of the UK's future relationship with the EU will be formalized. It is unclear what form the future relationship between the UK and the EU will take, and it may have a significant impact on the economies of the UK and EU, as well as the broader global economy, which may cause increased volatility and illiquidity. Failure to come to terms on a free trade deal could result in checks and tariffs on UK goods traveling to the EU and thus prolong economic uncertainty. Additionally, volatility in the Chinese stock markets and global markets for commodities and as a result of global health emergencies may affect other financial markets worldwide. We cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the United States and global economies and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments in economic, political and market conditions and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Events outside of our control, including public health crises, may negatively affect the results of our operations.
Periods of market volatility may continue to occur in response to pandemics or other events outside of our control. These types of events could adversely affect our operating results. For example, in December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus surfaced in Wuhan, China, which has resulted in the temporary closure of many corporate offices, retail stores, and manufacturing facilities and factories across China. As the potential impact on global markets from the coronavirus is difficult to predict, the extent to
which the coronavirus may negatively affect our operating results or the duration of any potential business disruption is uncertain. Any potential impact to our results will depend to a large extent on future developments and new information that may emerge regarding the duration and severity of the coronavirus and the actions taken by authorities and other entities to contain the coronavirus or treat its impact, all of which are beyond our control. These potential impacts, while uncertain, could adversely affect our operating results.
Adverse developments in the credit markets may impair our ability to secure debt financing.
During the economic downturn in the United States that began in mid-2007, many commercial banks and other financial institutions stopped lending or significantly curtailed their lending activity. In addition, in an effort to stem losses and reduce their exposure to segments of the economy deemed to be high risk, some financial institutions limited routine refinancing and loan modification transactions and even reviewed the terms of existing facilities to identify bases for accelerating the maturity of existing lending facilities. As a result, should we experience another economic downturn in the United States, it may be difficult for us to obtain desired financing to finance the growth of our investments on acceptable economic terms, or at all.
If we are unable to consummate credit facilities on commercially reasonable terms, our liquidity may be reduced significantly. If we are unable to repay amounts outstanding under any facility we may enter into and are declared in default or are unable to renew or refinance any such facility, it would limit our ability to initiate significant originations or to operate our business in the normal course. These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as inaccessibility of the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a further economic downturn or an operational problem that affects third parties or us, and could materially damage our business. Moreover, we are unable to predict when economic and market conditions may become more favorable. Even if such conditions improve broadly and significantly over the long term, adverse conditions in particular sectors of the financial markets could adversely impact our business.
Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, global health emergencies or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks, global health emergencies and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.
The failure in cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.
The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyberattack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of our managers were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.
We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyberattacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.
Third parties with whom we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risks. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as customer, counterparty, employee and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure or destruction of data, or other cybersecurity incidents, with increased costs and other consequences, including those described above.
Cybersecurity risks and cyber incidents may adversely affect our business or the business of our portfolio companies by causing a disruption to our operations or the operations of our portfolio companies, a compromise or corruption of our confidential information or the confidential information of our portfolio companies and/or damage to our business
relationships or the business relationships of our portfolio companies, all of which could negatively impact the business, financial condition and operating results of us or our portfolio companies.
A cyber incident is considered to be any adverse event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the information resources of us or our portfolio companies. These incidents may be an intentional attack or an unintentional event and could involve gaining unauthorized access to our information systems or those of our portfolio companies for purposes of misappropriating assets, stealing confidential information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. We and OFS Advisor’s employees have been and expect to continue to be the target of fraudulent calls, emails and other forms of activities. The result of these incidents may include disrupted operations, misstated or unreliable financial data, liability for stolen assets or information, increased cybersecurity protection and insurance costs, litigation and damage to business relationships. The costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means. As our and our portfolio companies’ reliance on technology has increased, so have the risks posed to our information systems, both internal and those provided by OFS Services and third-party service providers, and the information systems of our portfolio companies. OFS Advisor has implemented processes, procedures and internal controls to help mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the nature and extent of a risk of a cyber incident, do not guarantee that a cyber incident will not occur and/or that our financial results, operations or confidential information will not be negatively impacted by such an incident. In addition, cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world, and some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data. If we fail to comply with the relevant laws and regulations, we could suffer financial losses, a disruption of our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.
A significant amount of our portfolio investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.
We expect In connection with that manydetermination, investment professionals from OFS Advisor may provide our Board with portfolio company valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company consolidated financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. In addition, the members of our portfolio investments will take the form of securities thatBoard who are not publicly traded.independent directors have a substantial indirect pecuniary interest in OFS Advisor. The fair valueparticipation of securitiesthe OFS Advisor’s investment professionals in our valuation process, and other investments that are not publicly traded may not be readily determinable. We value these securities at fair value as determinedthe indirect pecuniary interest in good faithOFS Advisor by those members of our Board, including to reflect significant events affecting the valuecould result in a conflict of interest since OFS Advisor’s management fee is based, in part, on our securities. All of our investmentstotal assets (other than cash and cash equivalents) are classified as Level 3 under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurementequivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and Disclosures (ASC Topic 820). This means that our portfolio valuations are based on unobservable inputs and our own assumptions about how market participants would price the asset or liability in question. Inputs into the determination of fair value of our portfolio investments require significant management judgment or estimation. Even if observable market data are available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompaniedincluding assets owned by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We presently retain the services of an independent service provider to prepare the valuation of these securities.
The types of factors that the board of directors takes into account in determining the fair value of our investments generally include, as appropriate, comparison to third-party yield benchmarks and comparison to publicly traded securities including such factors as yield, maturity and measures of credit quality, the enterprise value of a portfolio company, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and cash flow, the markets in which the portfolio company does business and other relevant factors. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of private securities and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these securities existed. Our net asset value could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments were materially higher than the values that we ultimately realize upon the disposal of such securities.
We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect our board of directors’ determination of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded in our statement of income as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.consolidated entity).
We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.have additional conflicts related to other arrangements with OFS Advisor or its affiliates.
We could experience fluctuationsrent office space from a subsidiary of OFSAM and pay to that subsidiary our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, such as rent and our quarterly operating results due to a numberallocable portion of factors, including the interest rate payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the levelcost of our expenses, variations inofficers, including our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief compliance officer and chief accounting officer. This will create conflicts of interest that our Board must monitor.
The Investment Advisory Agreement with OFS Advisor and the timingAdministration Agreement with OFS Services were not negotiated on an arm’s length basis and may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party.
The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement were negotiated between related parties. Consequently, their terms, including fees payable to OFS Advisor, may not be as favorable to us as if they had been negotiated with an unaffiliated third party. In addition, we could choose not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, our rights and remedies under these agreements because of our desire to maintain our ongoing relationship with OFS Advisor, OFS Services and their respective affiliates. Any such decision, however, would breach our fiduciary obligations to our stockholders.
Our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted, which may limit the scope of investments available to us.
We generally are prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with their affiliates without the prior approval of their independent directors and, in some cases, of the recognitionSEC. Those transactions include purchases and sales, and so-called “joint” transactions, in which us and one or more of realizedits affiliates engage in certain types of profit-making activities. Any person that owns, directly or indirectly, five percent or more of our outstanding voting securities will be considered an affiliate of us for purposes of the 1940 Act, and unrealized gainswe generally are prohibited from engaging in purchases or losses, distributionssales of assets or joint transactions with such affiliates, absent the prior approval of our independent directors. Additionally, without the approval of the SEC, we are prohibited from engaging in purchases or sales of assets or joint transactions with our subsidiariesofficers, directors, and employees, and advisors (and its affiliates).
We may, however, invest alongside certain related parties or their respective other clients in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with current law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, we may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the SEC staff permitting us and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including our advisor, acting on our behalf
and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price. Co-investment with such other accounts is not permitted or appropriate under this guidance when there is an opportunity to invest in different securities of the same issuer or where the different investments could be expected to result in a conflict between our interests and those of other accounts.
The 1940 Act generally prohibits BDCs from making certain negotiated co-investments with certain affiliates absent an order from the SEC permitting the BDC to do so. On August 4, 2020, we received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit us to co-invest in portfolio companies the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. In light of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.
Changes in the laws or regulations governing our business, or changes in the interpretations thereof, and any failure by us to comply with these laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our, and our portfolio companies’ business, results of operations or financial condition.
We and our portfolio companies areAffiliated Funds subject to regulation by laws atcompliance with the U.S. federal, stateOrder. The Order superseded a previous order we received on October 12, 2016 and local levels,provides us with greater flexibility to enter into co-investment transactions with Affiliated Funds. Pursuant to the Order, we are generally permitted to co-invest with Affiliated Funds if a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our independent directors make certain conclusions in connection with a co-investment transaction, including those that govern BDCs, RICs, or non-depository commercial lenders. These laws and regulations, including applicable accounting standards, as well as their interpretation, may change from time to time, and new laws, regulations, accounting standards and interpretations may also come into effect. Any such new or changed laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are also subject to judicial and administrative decisions that affect our operations, including our loan originations, maximum interest rates, fees and other charges, disclosures to portfolio companies,(1) the terms of securedthe transactions, collectionincluding the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and foreclosure procedures and other trade practices. If these laws, regulations or decisions change, or if we expand our business into jurisdictions that have adopted more stringent requirements than those in which we currently conduct business, we may have to incur significant expenses in order to comply, or we might have to restrict our operations. If we do not comply with applicable laws, regulations and decisions, we may lose licenses needed for the conduct of our business and may be subject to civil fines and criminal penalties.
Over the last several years, there has been an increase in regulatory attention to the extension of credit outside of the traditional banking sector, raising the possibility that some portion of the non-bank financial sector will be subject to new or different regulation. While it cannot be known at this time whether these regulations will be implemented or what form they will take, increased regulation of non-bank credit extension could negatively impact our operations, cash flows or financial condition, impose additional costs on us, intensify the regulatory supervision of us or otherwise adversely affect our business.
Legislative or other actions relating to taxes could have a negative effect on us.
Significant U.S. federal tax reform legislation was recently enacted that, among other things, permanently reduces the maximum federal corporate income tax rate, reduces the maximum individual income tax rate (effective for taxable years 2018 through 2025), restricts the deductibility of business interest expense, changes the rules regarding the calculation of net operating loss deductions that may be used to offset taxable income, expands the circumstances in which a foreign corporation will be treated as a “controlled foreign corporation” and, under certain circumstances, requires accrual method taxpayers to recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the income is taken into account as revenue in an applicable financial statement. The impact of this new legislation on us, our stockholders and the entities in which we may invest is uncertain. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the effects of the new legislation on an investment in us.
We cannot predict with certainty how any future changes in the tax laws might affect us, our investors or our portfolio investments. New legislation and any U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions interpreting such legislation could significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC or the U.S. federal income tax consequencesfair to us and our investorsstockholders and do not involve overreaching in respect of such qualification,us or could have other adverse consequences. Investors are urgedour stockholders on the part of any person concerned and (2) the transaction is consistent with the interests of our stockholders and is consistent with our investment objective and strategies.
In addition, pursuant to consult with their tax advisor regarding tax legislative, regulatory or administrative developmentsan exemptive order issued by the SEC on April 8, 2020 and proposals and their potential effect on an investmentapplicable to all BDCs, through December 31, 2020, we were permitted, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, to co-invest in our securities.
The effect of global climate change may impact the operations of our portfolio companies.
There may be evidence of global climate change. Climate change creates physical and financial risk and some of ourexisting portfolio companies maywith certain affiliates, even if such other funds had not previously invested in such existing portfolio company. Without this order, affiliated funds would not be adversely affected by climate change. For example,able to participate in such co-investments with us unless the needsaffiliated funds had previously acquired securities of customersthe portfolio company in a co-investment transaction with us. Although the conditional exemptive order expired on December 31, 2020, the SEC’s Division of energy companies vary with weather conditions, primarily temperature and humidity. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of any changes. Increases in the cost of energy could adversely affect the cost of operations of our portfolio companies if the use of energy products or services is material to their business. A decrease in energy use due to weather changes may affect some of our portfolio companies’ financial condition, through decreased revenues. Extreme weather conditions in general require more systems backup, adding to costs, and can contribute to increased system stresses, including service interruptions.
Loss of status as a RIC would reduce our net asset value and distributable income.
We have elected to be treated as a RIC under the Code. As a RIC weInvestment Management has indicated that until March 31, 2022, it will not pay U.S.federal income taxes on our income (including realized gains) that we distribute to our stockholders, provided that we satisfy certain distribution and other requirements. Accordingly, we will not be permitted under accounting rules to establish reserves for taxes on our unrealized capital gains. If we fail to qualify for RIC status in any year,recommend enforcement action, to the extent that any BDC with an existing co-investment order continues to engage in certain transactions described in the conditional exemptive order, pursuant to the same terms and conditions described therein.
When we had unrealized gains,invest alongside clients of OFSAM and its affiliates or their respective other clients, OFS Advisor will, to the extent consistent with applicable law, regulatory guidance, or the Order, allocate investment opportunities in accordance with its allocation policy. Under this allocation policy, if two or more investment vehicles with similar or overlapping investment strategies are in their investment periods, an available opportunity will be allocated based on the provisions governing allocations of such investment opportunities in the relevant organizational, offering or similar documents, if any, for such investment vehicles. In the absence of any such provisions, OFS Advisor will consider the following factors and the weight that should be given with respect to each of these factors:
•investment guidelines and/or restrictions, if any, set forth in the applicable organizational, offering or similar documents for the investment vehicles;
•the status of tax restrictions and tests and other regulatory restrictions and tests;
•risk and return profile of the investment vehicles;
•suitability/priority of a particular investment for the investment vehicles;
•if applicable, the targeted position size of the investment for the investment vehicles;
•level of available cash for investment with respect to the investment vehicles;
•total amount of funds committed to the investment vehicles; and
•the age of the investment vehicles and the remaining term of their respective investment periods, if any.
When not relying on the Order, priority as to opportunities will generally be given to clients that are in their “ramp-up” period, or the period during which the account has yet to reach sufficient scale such that its investment income covers its operating expenses, over the accounts that are outside their ramp-up period but still within their investment or re-investment periods. However, application of one or more of the factors listed above, or other factors determined to be relevant or appropriate, may result in the allocation of an investment opportunity to a fund no longer in its ramp-up period over a fund that is still within its ramp-up period.
In situations where co-investment with other accounts is not permitted or appropriate, OFS Advisor will need to decide which account will proceed with the investment. The decision by OFS Advisor to allocate an opportunity to another entity could cause us to forego an investment opportunity that we otherwise would have to establish reserves for taxes, which would reduce our net asset valuemade. These restrictions, and the amount potentially available for distribution. In addition, if we, as a RIC, were to decide to make a deemed distribution of net realized capital gains and retain the net realized capital gains, we would have to establish appropriate reserves for taxessimilar restrictions that we would have to pay on behalf of stockholders. It
is possible that establishing reserves for taxes could have a material adverse effect on the value of our common stock. See “Item 1. Business — Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation as a RIC.”
Our board of directors may change our investment objectives, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval.
Our board of directors has the authority, except as otherwise provided in the 1940 Act, to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and the price value of our common stock. Nevertheless, any such changes could adversely affect our business and impairlimit our ability to make distributions. transact business with our officers or directors or their affiliates, may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to us.
OFS Advisor can resign on 60 days’ notice, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement within that time, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Advisor has the right, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, to resign at any time upon not less than 60 days’ written notice, whether we have found a replacement or not. If OFS Advisor resigns, we may not be able to find a new investment advisor or hire internal management with similar expertise and the ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms within 60 days, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and the value of our shares may decline. In addition, the coordination of our internal management and investment activities is likely to suffer if we are unable to identify and reach an agreement with a single institution or group of executives having the expertise possessed by the OFS Advisor and its affiliates. Even if we are able to retain comparable management, whether internal or external, the integration of such management and their lack of familiarity with our investment objectives may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Services can resign from its role as our Administrator under the Administration Agreement, and we may not be able to find a suitable replacement, resulting in a disruption in our operations that could adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
OFS Services has the right to resign under the Administration Agreement, whether we have found a replacement or not. If OFS Services resigns, we may not be able to find a new administrator or hire internal management with similar expertise and ability to provide the same or equivalent services on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to do so quickly, our operations are likely to experience a disruption, our financial condition, business and results of operations as well as our ability to pay distributions are likely to be adversely affected and the value of our shares may decline. In addition, the coordination of our internal management and administrative activities is likely to suffer if we are unable to identify and reach an agreement with a service provider or individuals with the expertise possessed by OFS Services. Even if we are able to retain a comparable service provider or individuals to perform such services, whether internal or external, their integration into our business and lack of familiarity with our investment objectives may result in additional costs and time delays that may adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.
Our base management fee may induce OFS Advisor to cause us to incur leverage.
Our base management fee is payable based upon our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity. This fee structure may encourage OFS Advisor to cause us to borrow money to finance additional investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of borrowed money may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor holders of our common stock. Given the subjective nature of the investment decisions made by OFS Advisor on our behalf, our Board may not be able to monitor this potential conflict of interest effectively.
Our incentive fee may induce OFS Advisor to make certain investments, including speculative investments.
The incentive fee payable by us to OFS Advisor may create an incentive for OFS Advisor to make investments on our behalf that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The way in which the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor is determined may encourage OFS Advisor to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor our stockholders.Generally, the more equity we sell in offerings and the greater the risk assumed by us with respect to our investments, the greater the potential for growth in our assets and profits (and, correlatively, the fees payable by us to CCO and OFS Advisor). These compensation arrangements could affect OFS Advisor’s or its affiliates’ judgment with respect to public offerings of equity and investments made by us, which allow CCO to earn additional sales commissions and dealer manager fees and OFS Advisor to earn increased asset management fees. In addition, the way in which the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor is determined may encourage OFS Advisor to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor our stockholders.
OFS Advisor receives an incentive fee based, in part, upon net capital gains realized on our investments. Unlike that portion of the incentive fee based on income, there is no hurdle rate applicable to the portion of the incentive fee based on net capital gains. As a result, OFS Advisor may have a tendency to invest more capital in investments that are likely to result in capital gains as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.
We may invest, to the extent permitted by law, in the securities and instruments of other investment companies, including private funds, and, to the extent we so invest, will bear our ratable share of any such investment company’s expenses, including management and performance fees. We remain obligated to pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor with respect to the assets invested in the securities and instruments of other investment companies. With respect to each of these investments, each of our stockholders will bear his or her share of the management and incentive fee of OFS Advisor as well as indirectly bearing the management and performance fees and other expenses of any investment companies in which we invest.
Our Board is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our Board is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate.
Our incentive fee structure may create incentives for OFS Advisor that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders.
In the course of our investing activities, we will pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor. The base management fee is based on our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity). As a result, investors in our common stock will invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in a lower rate of return than one might achieve through direct investments. Because these fees are based on our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including any assets owned by any consolidated entity, OFS Advisor will benefit when we incur significant costsdebt or use leverage. Our Board is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our Board is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. As a result of being a public company.
As a public company, we incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicablethis arrangement, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may from time to time have interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a company registeredconflict.
We may pay an incentive fee on income we do not receive in cash.
The part of the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor that relates to our pre-incentive fee net investment income is computed and paid on income that may include interest income that has been accrued but not yet received in cash. This fee structure may be considered to involve a conflict of interest for OFS Advisor to the extent that it may encourage OFS Advisor to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. OFS Advisor may have an incentive to invest in deferred interest securities in circumstances where it would not have done so but for the opportunity to continue to earn the incentive fee even when the issuers of the deferred interest securities would not be able to make actual cash payments to us on such securities. This risk could be increased because OFS Advisor is not obligated to reimburse us for any incentive fees received even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued.
OFS Advisor’s liability is limited under the Exchange Act, as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley ActInvestment Advisory Agreement, and other rules implemented by the SEC.
Failurewe have agreed to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reportingindemnify OFS Advisor against certain liabilities, which may lead OFS Advisor to act in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effectriskier manner on our businessbehalf than it would when acting for its own account.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor will not assume any responsibility to us other than to render the services called for under that agreement, and the value of our common stock.
We are obligated to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, including the internal control evaluation and certification requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (“Section 404”). Weit will not be required to comply with all of the requirements of Section 404 until we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act. Accordingly, our internal controls over financial reporting do not currently meet all of the standards contemplated by Section 404 that we will eventually be required to meet. We are required to conduct annual management assessments of the effectivenessresponsible for any action of our internal controls over financial reporting. However, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be requiredBoard in following or declining to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the date we are no longer an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
If we are not able to implement the requirements of Section 404 in a timely mannerfollow OFS Advisor’s advice or with adequate compliance, our operations, financial reporting or financial results could be adversely affected. Matters impacting our internal controls may cause us to be unable to report our financial information on a timely basis and thereby subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC or violations of applicable stock exchange listing rules, and result in a breach of the covenants under the agreements governing any of our financing arrangements. There could also be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in the Company and the reliability of our consolidated financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our consolidated financial statements could also suffer if we or our independent registered public accounting firm were to report a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. This could materially adversely affect us.
We are conditionally liable for costs incurred on our behalf by OFS Advisor.
OFS Advisor and its affiliates have incurred significant organizational and offering costs on our behalf.recommendations. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, we are conditionally liable for these costs, meaning OFS Advisor is entitled to receive up to 1.5% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering until all of the organization and offering costs paid by OFS Advisor and its affiliatesaffiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees will not be liable to us, any subsidiary of ours, our directors, our stockholders or any subsidiary’s stockholders or partners for acts or omissions performed in accordance with and pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, except those resulting from acts constituting gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In addition, we have been recovered. Additionally,agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor and its affiliates may continue to incur offering costsaffiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees from and against any claims or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred, arising out of or in connection with our business and operations or any action taken or omitted on our behalf throughoutpursuant to authority granted by the Offering and for which we will also be conditionally liable.
Investment Advisory Agreement, except where attributable to gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. These protections may lead OFS Advisor has provided us with expense support under the Expense Support Agreement that ensures no portion of our distributions to stockholders will be paid from Offering proceeds, and provides for expense-reduction payments to us in any quarterly period in which our cumulative distributions to stockholders exceed our cumulative distributable ordinary income and net realized gains. We may become obligated to reimburse OFS Advisor for expense support payments, conditioned upon maintenance of our per-share distribution rate and our realization of improved unsupported expense ratios. See “Item 8 – Financial Statements – Note 3. Related Party Transactions."
We are subject to risks related to corporate social responsibility.
Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) activities. We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as environmental stewardship, corporate governance and transparency and considering ESG factors inriskier manner when acting on 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.behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
Risks Related to BDCs
Regulations governing our operation as a BDC affect our ability to and the way in which we raise additional capital. As a BDC, we will need to raise additional capital, which will expose us to risks, including the typical risks associated with leverage.
We may issue debt securities or preferred stock and/or borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, as modified by the SBCAA, we are permitted as a BDC to issue senior securities in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 150% of gross assets less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, after each issuance of senior securities. If the value of our assets decline, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments and, depending on the nature of our leverage, repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous. Also, any amounts that we use to service our indebtedness would not be available for distributions to our common stockholders. If we issue senior securities, we will be exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including an increased risk of loss.
If we issue preferred stock, the preferred stock would rank “senior” to common stock in our capital structure, preferred stockholders would have separate voting rights on certain matters and might have other rights, preferences or privileges more favorable than those of our common stockholders, and the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in our stockholders’ best interest. Holders of our common stock will directly or indirectly bear all of the costs associated with offering and servicing any preferred stock that we issue. In addition, any interests of preferred stockholders may not necessarily align with the interests of holders of our common stock and the rights of holders of shares of preferred stock to receive dividends would be senior to those of holders of shares of our common stock. We are not generally able to issue and sell our common stock at a price below net asset value per share. We may, however, sell our common stock, or warrants, options or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the then-current net asset value per share of our common stock if our board of directorsBoard determines that such sale is in the best interests of us and our stockholders, and if our stockholders approve any such sale. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be
less than a price that, in the determination of our board of directors,Board, closely approximates the market value of such securities (less any distributing commission or discount). If we raise additional funds by issuing common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, then the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time will decrease, and our stockholders might experience dilution.
Our ability to invest in public companies may be limited in certain circumstances.
To maintain our status as a BDC, we are not permitted to acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” specified in the 1940 Act unless, at the time the acquisition is made, at least 70% of our assets, as defined by the 1940 Act, are qualifying assets (with certain limited exceptions). Subject to certain exceptions for follow-on investments and distressed companies, an investment in an issuer that has outstanding securities listed on a national securities exchange may be treated as a qualifying asset only if such issuer has a common equity market capitalization that is less than $250 million at the time of such investment and meets the other specified requirements.
If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could fail to continue to qualify as a BDC or be precluded from investing according to our current business strategy.
As a BDC, we may not acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such acquisition, at least 70% of our assets, as defined by the 1940 Act, are qualifying assets.
We believe that most of the investments that we may acquire in the future will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If a sufficient portion of our assets are not qualifying assets, we could violate the 1940 Act provisions applicable to BDCs. As a result of such violation, specific rules under the 1940 Act could prevent us, for example, from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies (which could result in the dilution of our position) or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to come into compliance with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of such investments quickly, it could be difficult to dispose of such investments on favorable terms. We may not be able to find a buyer for such investments and, even if we do find a buyer, we may have to sell the investments at a substantial loss. Any such outcomes would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we do not maintain our status as a BDC, we would be subject to regulation as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act. As a registered closed-end fund, we would be subject to substantially more regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act which would significantly decrease our operating flexibility.
Risks Related to Our Investments
Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.
We expect that many of our portfolio companies will be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our loans during these periods. Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our loans and the value of our equity investments. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing our investments and harm our operating results.
A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company. In addition, lenders in certain cases can be subject to lender liability claims for actions taken by them when they become too involved in the borrower’s business or exercise control over a borrower. It is possible that we could become subject to a lender liability claim, including as a result of actions taken if we render significant managerial assistance to the borrower. Furthermore, if one of our portfolio companies were to file for bankruptcy protection, even though we may have structured our investment as senior secured debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which we provided managerial assistance to that portfolio company, a bankruptcy court might re-characterize our debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to claims of other creditors.
Our investments in the debt instruments of leveraged portfolio companies may be risky and, due to the significant volatility of such companies, we could lose all or part of our investment in bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise.
Investment in leveraged companies involves a number of significant risks. Leveraged companies in which we invest may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold due
to the significant volatility of such companies. Negative developments may be accompanied by deterioration of the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees that we may have obtained in connection with our investment. Such developments may ultimately result in the leveraged companies in which we invest entering into bankruptcy proceedings, which have a number of inherent risks. Many events in a bankruptcy proceeding are the product of contested matters and adversary proceedings and are beyond the control of the creditors. A bankruptcy filing by an issuer may adversely and permanently affect the issuer. If the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the value of the issuer may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is also difficult to predict, and a creditor’s return on investment can be adversely affected by delays until the plan of reorganization or liquidation ultimately becomes effective. The administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and would be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Because the standards for classification of claims under bankruptcy law are vague, our influence with respect to the class of securities or other obligations we own may be lost by increases in the number and amount of claims in the same class or by different classification and treatment. In the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. In addition, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be substantial. In addition, since our mezzanine loans are generally subordinated to senior loans and are generally unsecured, other creditors may rank senior to us in the event of a bankruptcy proceeding.
Our investments in debt instruments may include “covenant-lite” loans. Covenants are contractual restrictions that lenders place on companies to limit the corporate actions a company may pursue. Generally, the loans in which we expect to invest will have financial maintenance covenants, which are used to proactively address materially adverse changes in a portfolio company’s financial performance. However, to a lesser extent, we may invest in “covenant-lite” loans. We use the term “covenant-lite” 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 invest in “covenant-lite” loans, we may have fewer rights against a borrower and may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with financial maintenance covenants.
The documents governing the loans underlying our CLO investments may allow for “priming transactions”.
The documents governing the loans underlying our CLO investments may allow for “priming transactions,” where majority lenders or debtors can amend the documents to the detriment of other lenders, amend the documents in order to move collateral, or amend the documents in order to facilitate capital outflow to other parties/subsidiaries in a capital structure, any of which may adversely affect the rights and security priority with respect to such loans.
Our investments in private and middle-market portfolio companies are generally considered lower credit quality obligations, are risky, and we could lose all or part of our investment.
Investment in private and middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and we rely on the ability of OFS Advisor’s investment professionals to obtain adequate information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If we are unable to uncover all material information about these companies, we may not make a fully informed investment decision, and we may lose money on our investments. Middle-market companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees we may have obtained in connection with our investment. Such companies typically have shorter operating histories, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns.
Middle-market companies are more likely to be considered lower grade investments, commonly called “junk bonds,” which are either rated below investment grade by one or more nationally-recognized statistical rating agencies at the time of investment, or may be unrated but determined by the OFS Advisor to be of comparable quality. Lower grade securities or comparable unrated securities are considered predominantly speculative regarding the issuer’s ability to pay interest and principal, and are susceptible to default or decline in market value due to adverse economic and business developments. The market values for lower grade debt tend to be very volatile and are less liquid than investment grade securities. For these reasons, an investment in our company is subject to the following specific risks: increased price sensitivity to a deteriorating economic environment; greater risk of loss due to default or declining credit quality; adverse company specific events are more likely to render the issuer unable to make interest and/or principal payments; and if a negative perception of the lower grade debt market develops, the price and liquidity of lower grade securities may be depressed. This negative perception could last for a significant period of time.
Additionally, middle-market companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons. Therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on our portfolio company and, in turn, on us. Middle-market companies also may be parties to litigation and may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence. In addition, our executive officers, directors and OFS Advisor may, in the ordinary course of business, be named as defendants in litigation arising from our investments in the portfolio companies.
Investments in equity securities involve a substantial degree of risk.
We may purchase common stock and other equity securities, including warrants, in various portfolio companies. Although equity securities historically have generated higher average total returns than debt securities over the long term, equity securities may experience more volatility in those returns than debt securities. The equity securities we acquire may fail to appreciate, decline in value or lose all value, and our ability to recover our investment will depend on our portfolio company's success. Investments in equity securities involve a number of significant risks, including the risk of further dilution in the event the portfolio company issues additional securities. Investments in preferred securities involve special risks, such as the risk of deferred distributions, illiquidity and limited voting rights.
Our equity ownership in a portfolio company may represent a control investment. Our ability to exit a control investment in a timely manner could result in a realized loss on the investment.
If we obtain a control investment in a portfolio company, our ability to divest ourselves from a debt or equity investment could be restricted due to illiquidity in a private stock, limited trading volume on a public company’s stock, inside information on a company’s performance, insider blackout periods, or other factors that could prohibit us from disposing of the investment as we would if it were not a control investment. Additionally, we may choose not to take certain actions to protect a debt investment in a control investment portfolio company. As a result, we could experience a decrease in the value of our portfolio company holdings and potentially incur a realized loss on the investment.
Our investments in Structured Finance Notes carry additional risks to the risks associated with investing in private debt.
In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities and structured products discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including, but not limited to (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in CLOs are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof, (iv) the potential of spread compression in the underlying loans of the CLO, which could reduce credit enhancement in the CLOs and (v) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. CLO equity securities that we may acquire are subordinated to more senior tranches of CLO debt. CLO equity securities are subject to increased risks of default relative to the holders of superior priority interests in the same
securities. In addition, at the time of issuance, CLO equity securities are under-collateralized in that the liabilities of a CLO at inception exceed its total assets. When we invest in CLOs, we may be in a first loss or subordinated position with respect to realized losses on the assets of the CLOs in which it is invested. We may recognize phantom taxable income from our investments in the subordinated tranches of CLOs.
Between the closing date and the effective date of a CLO, the CLO collateral manager will generally expect to purchase additional collateral obligations for the CLO. During this period, the price and availability of these collateral obligations may be adversely affected by a number of market factors, including price volatility and availability of investments suitable for the CLO, which could hamper the ability of the collateral manager to acquire a portfolio of collateral obligations that will satisfy specified concentration limitations and allow the CLO to reach the initial par amount of collateral prior to the effective date. An inability or delay in reaching the target initial par amount of collateral may adversely affect the timing and amount of interest or principal payments received by the holders of the CLO debt securities and distributions of the CLO on equity securities and could result in early redemptions which may cause CLO debt and equity investors to receive less than the face value of their investment.
In addition, the portfolios of certain CLOs in which we may invest may contain “covenant-lite” loans. 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.The failure by a CLO in which we invest to satisfy financial covenants, including with respect to adequate collateralization and/or interest coverage tests, could lead to a reduction in the payments we receive from the CLO. In the event that a CLO fails certain tests, holders of CLO senior debt may be entitled to additional payments that would, in turn, reduce the payments we would otherwise be entitled to receive. Separately, 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 CLO or any other investment we may make. If any of these occur, it could adversely affect our operating results and cash flows.
Our CLO investments will be exposed to leveraged credit risk. If a CLO does not meet certain minimum collateral value ratios and/or interest coverage ratios, primarily due to senior secured loan defaults, then cash flow that otherwise would have been available to pay us distributions may instead be used to redeem any senior notes or to purchase additional senior secured loans, until the ratios again exceed the minimum required levels or any senior notes are repaid in full.
Our investments in Structured Finance Notes are more likely to suffer a loss of all or a portion of their value in the event of a default.
From time to time, we invest in Structured Finance Notes that comprise the equity tranche of CLOs, which are junior in priority of payment and are subject to certain payment restrictions generally set forth in an indenture governing such investments. In addition, Structured Finance Notes generally do not benefit from any creditors’ rights or ability to exercise remedies under the indenture governing such investments. Structured Finance Notes are not guaranteed by another party and are subject to greater risk than the secured notes issued by the CLO. CLOs are typically highly levered, utilizing up to approximately 9-13 times leverage, and therefore Structured Finance Notes are subject to a risk of total loss. There can be no assurance that distributions on the assets held by the CLO will be sufficient to make any distributions or that the yield on the Structured Finance Notes will meet our expectations.
CLOs generally may make payments on Structured Finance Notes only to the extent permitted by the payment priority provisions of an indenture governing the notes issued by the CLO. CLO indentures generally provide that principal payments on Structured Finance Notes may not be made on any payment date unless all amounts owing under secured notes are paid in full. In addition, if a CLO does not meet the asset coverage tests or the interest coverage test set forth in the indenture governing the Structured Finance Notes issued by the CLO, cash would be diverted from the Structured Finance Notes to first pay the secured notes in amounts sufficient to cause such tests to be satisfied.
We will have no influence on management of underlying investments managed by non-affiliated third-party CLO collateral managers.
We are not responsible for, and have no influence over, the asset management of the portfolios underlying the Structured Finance Notes we hold as those portfolios are managed by non-affiliated third-party CLO collateral managers. Similarly, we are not responsible for and have no influence over the day-to-day management, administration or any other aspect of the issuers of the CLOs. As a result, the values of the portfolios underlying our Structured Finance Notes could decrease as a result of decisions made by third-party CLO collateral managers.
We may suffer a loss if a portfolio company defaults on a loan and the underlying collateral is not sufficient.
We will at times take a security interest in the available assets of our portfolio companies, including the equity interests of their subsidiaries and, in some cases, the equity interests of our portfolio companies held by their stockholders. In the event of a default by a portfolio company on a secured loan, we will only have recourse to the assets collateralizing the loan. There is a risk that the collateral securing our loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely
manner, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value based upon the success or deterioration of the business and market conditions, including as a result of the inability of a portfolio company to raise additional capital. Additionally, in the case of certain of our investments, we do not have a first lien position on the collateral and may not receive the full value of the collateral upon liquidation. If the underlying collateral value is less than the loan amount, we will suffer a loss.
In the event of bankruptcy of a portfolio company, we may not have full recourse to its assets in order to satisfy our loan, or our loan may be subject to equitable subordination. In addition, certain of our loans are subordinate to other debt of the portfolio company. If a portfolio company defaults on our loan or on debt senior to our loan, or in the event of a portfolio company bankruptcy, our loan will be satisfied only after the senior debt receives payment. Where debt senior to our loan exists, the presence of inter-creditor arrangements may limit our ability to amend our loan documents, assign our loans, accept prepayments, exercise our remedies (through “standstill” periods) and control decisions made in bankruptcy proceedings relating to the portfolio company. Bankruptcy and portfolio company litigation can significantly increase collection losses and the time needed for us to acquire the underlying collateral in the event of a default, during which time the collateral may decline in value, causing us to suffer losses.
Borrowers of broadly syndicated loans may be permitted to designate unrestricted subsidiaries under the terms of their financing agreements, which would exclude such unrestricted subsidiaries from restrictive covenants under the financing agreement with the borrower. Without restriction under the financing agreement, the borrower could take various actions with respect to the unrestricted subsidiary including, among other things, incur debt, grant security on its assets, sell assets, pay dividends or distribute shares of the unrestricted subsidiary to the borrower’s shareholders. Any of these actions could increase the amount of leverage that the borrower is able to incur and increase the risk involved in our investments in broadly syndicated loans accordingly.
If the value of collateral underlying our loan declines or interest rates increase during the term of our loan, a portfolio company may not be able to obtain the necessary funds to repay our loan at maturity through refinancing. Decreasing collateral value and/or increasing interest rates may hinder a portfolio company’s ability to refinance our loan because the underlying collateral cannot satisfy the debt service coverage requirements necessary to obtain new financing. If a borrower is unable to repay our loan at maturity, we could suffer a loss which may adversely impact our financial performance.
The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.
We expect that all of our assets will be invested in illiquid securities, and a substantial portion of our investments will be in leveraged companies will be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will be otherwise less liquid than more broadly traded public securities. The illiquidity of these investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if the need arises. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded these investments. We may also face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we, OFS Advisor, OFSAM or any of its other affiliates have material nonpublic information regarding such portfolio company.
Price declines and illiquidity in the corporate debt markets may adversely affect the fair value of our portfolio investments, reducing our net asset value through increased net unrealized depreciation.
As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at market value or, if no market value is ascertainable, at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors.Board. As part of the valuation process, we may take into account the following types of factors, if relevant, in determining the fair value of our investments:
•a comparison of the portfolio company’s securities to publicly traded securities;
•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
•changes in the interest rate environment and the credit markets generally that may affect the price at which similar investments may be made in the future and other relevant factors.
When an external event such as a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent equity sale occurs, we will use the pricing indicated by the external event to corroborate our valuation. We will record decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments as unrealized depreciation. Declines in prices and liquidity in the corporate debt markets may result in significant net unrealized depreciation in our portfolio. The effect of all of these factors on our portfolio may reduce our net asset value by increasing net unrealized depreciation in our portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur
substantial realized losses and may suffer additional unrealized losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.
We are classified as a non-diversified management investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that we may invest in securities of a single issuer. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our net asset value may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. Beyond our asset diversification requirements as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in relatively few portfolio companies.
Our portfolio may be concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries, which will subject us to a risk of significant loss if any of these companies defaults on its obligations under any of its debt instruments or if there is a downturn in a particular industry.
Our portfolio is, and may in the future be, concentrated in a limited number of portfolio companies and industries. Beyond the asset diversification requirements associated with our qualification as a RIC under the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification. As a result, the aggregate returns we realize may be significantly adversely affected if a small number of investments perform poorly or if we need to write down the value of any one investment. Additionally, while we are not targeting any specific industries, our investments may be concentrated in relatively few industries. As a result, a downturn in any particular industry in which we are invested could also significantly impact the aggregate returns we realize.
Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our portfolio.
Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in seeking to:
•increase or maintain in whole or in part our position as a creditor or equity ownership percentage in a portfolio company;
•exercise warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; or
•preserve or enhance the value of our investment.
We have discretion to make follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources. Failure on our part to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our level of risk, because we prefer other opportunities or because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or the desire to maintain our RIC status. Our ability to make follow-on investments may also be limited by OFS Advisor’s allocation policy.
Because we generally do not hold controlling equity interests in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by management of our portfolio companies that could decrease the value of our investments.
We generally do not hold controlling equity positions in our portfolio companies. For portfolio companies in which we do not hold a controlling equity interest, we are subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and that the management and/or stockholders of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity of the debt and equity investments that we typically hold
in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company and may therefore suffer a decrease in the value of our investments.
Defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.
A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans and foreclosure on its assets. This could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize such portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt or equity securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting portfolio company.
Our investments in the health care and social assistance sector face considerable uncertainties including substantial regulatory challenges.
As of December 31, 2019,2020, our investments in the health care and social assistance sector represented 16.9%14.6% of our total portfolio at fair value. Our investments in the health care and social assistance sector, which include portfolio companies providing services such as child care, home healthcare, substance abuse treatment and mental health outpatient treatments, are subject to substantial risks. Our portfolio companies in the health care and social assistance sector are often subject to various federal, state and local laws, as well as a variety of regulatory provisions related to zoning, sanitation, licensing, curriculum, health and safety, among others. The laws and rules governing the business of social assistance companies and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change. Broad latitude is given to the agencies administering those regulations. In particular, policies and regulations regarding government and third-party reimbursement and insurance coverage of in-home healthcare and mental health and substance abuse treatment fluctuate often. Existing or future laws and rules could force our portfolio companies in the health care and social assistance sector to change how they do business, restrict revenue, increase costs, change reserve levels, change business practices and increase liability in federal and state courts. Participants in the health care and social assistance industry may be subject to certain claims, allegations or litigation involving the care, development and supervision of patients and clients. Such claims, allegations or litigation could significantly damage the reputation of the provider and have adverse effects on the social assistance industry, the financial condition of our portfolio companies, and in turn, our returns, even if such claims, allegations or litigation are proven false.
Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies.
We have invested a substantial portion of our capital in senior secured, unitranche, second-lien and mezzanine loans issued by our portfolio companies. The portfolio companies may be permitted to incur other debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, the debt securities in which we invest. By their terms, such debt instruments may provide that the holders are entitled to receive payment of interest or principal on or before the dates on which we are entitled to receive payments in respect of the debt securities in which we invest. Also, in the event of insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of a portfolio company, holders of debt instruments ranking senior to our investment in that portfolio company would typically be entitled to receive payment in full before we receive any distribution in respect of our investment. After repaying senior creditors, the portfolio company may not have any remaining assets to use for repaying its obligation to us. In the case of debt ranking equally with debt securities in which we invest, we would have to share any distributions on an equal and ratable basis with other creditors holding such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company.
Additionally, certain loans that we make to portfolio companies may be secured on a second-priority basis by the same collateral securing first-priority debt of such companies. The senior-secured liens on the collateral will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under any outstanding senior debt and may secure certain other future debt that may be permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under the agreements governing the loans. The holders of obligations secured by first-priority liens on the collateral will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of the collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of all of the collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens after payment in full of all obligations secured by the first-priority liens on the collateral. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay amounts outstanding under the loan obligations secured by the second-priority liens, then we, to the extent not repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral, would only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.
The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with more senior debt outstanding may also be limited pursuant to the terms of one or more intercreditor agreements that we enter into with the holders of such senior debt. Under a typical intercreditor agreement, at any time that obligations that have the benefit of the first-priority liens are outstanding, any of the following actions that may be taken in respect of the collateral will be at the direction of the holders of the obligations secured by the first-priority liens:
•the ability to cause the commencement of enforcement proceedings against the collateral;
•the ability to control the conduct of such proceedings;
•the approval of amendments to collateral documents;
•releases of liens on the collateral; and
•waivers of past defaults under collateral documents.
We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if our rights are adversely affected.
We may also make unsecured loans to portfolio companies, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such companies. Liens on such portfolio companies’ collateral, if any, will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under its outstanding secured debt and may secure certain future debt that is permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under its secured loan agreements. The holders of obligations secured by such liens will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of such collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of such collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of such collateral would be sufficient to satisfy our unsecured loan obligations after payment in full of all secured loan obligations. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay the outstanding secured loan obligations, then our unsecured claims would rank equally with the unpaid portion of such secured creditors’ claims against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.
If we make subordinated investments, the obligors or the portfolio companies may not generate sufficient cash flow to service their debt obligations to us.
We may make subordinated investments that rank below other obligations of the obligor in right of payment. Subordinated investments are subject to greater risk of default than senior obligations as a result of adverse changes in the financial condition of the obligor or in general economic conditions. If we make a subordinated investment in a portfolio company, the portfolio company may be highly leveraged, and its relatively high debt-to-equity ratio may create increased risks that its operations might not generate sufficient cash flow to service all of its debt obligations.
Changes to United States tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our portfolio companies and, in turn, harm us.
There has been on-going discussion and commentary regarding potential significant changes to United States trade policies, treaties and tariffs. The current administration, along with Congress, has created significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to the trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between the impacted nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our portfolio companies’ access to suppliers or customers and have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition and results of operations, which in turn would negatively impact us.
The disposition of our investments may result in contingent liabilities.
We expect that a significant portion of our investments will involve private securities. In connection with the disposition of an investment in private securities, we may be required to make representations about the business and financial affairs of the portfolio company typical of those made in connection with the sale of a business. We may also be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations turn out to be inaccurate, or with respect to potential liabilities. These arrangements may result in contingent liabilities that ultimately result in funding obligations that we must satisfy through our return of distributions previously made to us.
Our base management fee may induce OFS Advisor to cause us to incur leverage.
Our base management fee is payable based upon our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity. This fee structure may encourage OFS Advisor to cause us to borrow money to finance additional investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of borrowed money may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor holders of our common stock. Given the subjective nature of the investment decisions made by OFS Advisor on our behalf, our board of directors may not be able to monitor this potential conflict of interest effectively.
Our incentive fee may induce OFS Advisor to make certain investments, including speculative investments.
The incentive fee payable by us to OFS Advisor may create an incentive for OFS Advisor to make investments on our behalf that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The way
in which the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor is determined may encourage OFS Advisor to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor our stockholders.
OFS Advisor receives an incentive fee based, in part, upon net capital gains realized on our investments. Unlike that portion of the incentive fee based on income, there is no hurdle rate applicable to the portion of the incentive fee based on net capital gains. As a result, OFS Advisor may have a tendency to invest more capital in investments that are likely to result in capital gains as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.
We may invest, to the extent permitted by law, in the securities and instruments of other investment companies, including private funds, and, to the extent we so invest, will bear our ratable share of any such investment company’s expenses, including management and performance fees. We remain obligated to pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor with respect to the assets invested in the securities and instruments of other investment companies. With respect to each of these investments, each of our stockholders will bear his or her share of the management and incentive fee of OFS Advisor as well as indirectly bearing the management and performance fees and other expenses of any investment companies in which we invest.
Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our board of directors is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate.
Our incentive fee structure may create incentives for OFS Advisor that are not fully aligned with the interests of our stockholders.
In the course of our investing activities, we will pay management and incentive fees to OFS Advisor. The base management fee is based on our total assets (other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including assets owned by any consolidated entity). As a result, investors in our common stock will invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in a lower rate of return than one might achieve through direct investments. Because these fees are based on our total assets, other than cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts and including any assets owned by any consolidated entity, OFS Advisor will benefit when we incur debt or use leverage. Our board of directors is charged with protecting our interests by monitoring how OFS Advisor addresses these and other conflicts of interests associated with its management services and compensation. While our board of directors is not expected to review or approve each borrowing or incurrence of leverage, our independent directors will periodically review OFS Advisor’s services and fees as well as its portfolio management decisions and portfolio performance. In connection with these reviews, our independent directors will consider whether our fees and expenses (including those related to leverage) remain appropriate. As a result of this arrangement, OFS Advisor or its affiliates may from time to time have interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a conflict.
We may pay an incentive fee on income we do not receive in cash.
The part of the incentive fee payable to OFS Advisor that relates to our pre-incentive fee net investment income is computed and paid on income that may include interest income that has been accrued but not yet received in cash. This fee structure may be considered to involve a conflict of interest for OFS Advisor to the extent that it may encourage OFS Advisor to favor debt financings that provide for deferred interest, rather than current cash payments of interest. OFS Advisor may have an incentive to invest in deferred interest securities in circumstances where it would not have done so but for the opportunity to continue to earn the incentive fee even when the issuers of the deferred interest securities would not be able to make actual cash payments to us on such securities. This risk could be increased because OFS Advisor is not obligated to reimburse us for any incentive fees received even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued.
OFS Advisor’s liability is limited under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and we have agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor against certain liabilities, which may lead OFS Advisor to act in a riskier manner on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor will not assume any responsibility to us other than to render the services called for under that agreement, and it will not be responsible for any action of our board of directors in following or declining to follow OFS Advisor’s advice or recommendations. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, OFS Advisor and its affiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees will not be liable to us, any subsidiary of ours, our directors, our stockholders or any subsidiary’s stockholders or partners for acts or
omissions performed in accordance with and pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, except those resulting from acts constituting gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to indemnify OFS Advisor and its affiliates’ respective officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees from and against any claims or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred, arising out of or in connection with our business and operations or any action taken or omitted on our behalf pursuant to authority granted by the Investment Advisory Agreement, except where attributable to gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Investment Advisory Agreement. These protections may lead OFS Advisor to act in a riskier manner when acting on our behalf than it would when acting for its own account.
We may be subject to additional risks if we engage in hedging transactions and/or invest in foreign securities.
The 1940 Act generally requires that 70% of our investments be in issuers each of whom is organized under the laws of, and has its principal place of business in, any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or any other possession of the United States. Our investment strategy does not presently contemplate investments in securities of non-U.S. companies. We expect that these investments would focus on the same debt investments that we make in U.S. middle-market companies and accordingly would be complementary to our overall strategy and enhance the diversity of our holdings. Investing in securities of emerging market issuers involves many risks, including economic, social, political, financial, tax and security conditions in the emerging market, potential inflationary economic environments, regulation by foreign governments, different accounting standards and political uncertainties. Economic, social, political, financial, tax and security conditions also could negatively affect the value of emerging market companies. These factors could include changes in the emerging market government’s economic and fiscal policies, the possible imposition of, or changes in, currency exchange laws or other laws or restrictions applicable to the emerging market companies or investments in their securities and the possibility of fluctuations in the rate of exchange between currencies.
Engaging in either hedging transactions or investing in foreign securities would entail additional risks to our stockholders. We could, for example, use instruments such as interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors and, if we were to invest in foreign securities, we could use instruments such as forward contracts or currency options and borrow under a credit facility in currencies selected to minimize our foreign currency exposure. In each such case, we generally would seek to hedge against fluctuations of the relative values of our portfolio positions from changes in market interest rates or currency exchange rates. Hedging against a decline in the values of our portfolio positions would not eliminate the possibility of fluctuations in the values of such positions or prevent losses if the values of the positions declined. However, such hedging could establish other positions designed to gain from those same developments, thereby offsetting the decline in the value of such portfolio positions. Such hedging transactions could also limit the opportunity for gain if the values of the underlying portfolio positions increased. Moreover, it might not be possible to hedge against an exchange rate or interest rate fluctuation that was so generally anticipated that we would not be able to enter into a hedging transaction at an acceptable price.
While we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce currency exchange rate and interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates could result in poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged could vary. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we might not seek to establish a perfect correlation between the hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation could prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it might not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of
securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities would likely fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations.
We may not realize gains from our equity investments.
When we invest in senior secured, unitranche, second-lien and mezzanine loans, we may acquire warrants or other equity securities of portfolio companies as well. We may also invest in equity securities directly. To the extent we hold equity investments, except as described below, we will attempt to dispose of them and realize gains upon our disposition of them. However, the equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and may decline in value. As a result, we may not be able to realize gains from our equity interests, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.
Uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process may adversely affect the value of any portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
Concerns have been publicized that some of the member banks surveyed by the British Bankers' Association (“BBA”) in connection with the calculation of LIBOR across a range of maturities and currencies may have been under-reporting or otherwise manipulating the inter-bank lending rate applicable to them in order to profit on their derivatives positions or to avoid an appearance of capital insufficiency or adverse reputational or other consequences that may have
resulted from reporting inter-bank lending rates higher than those they actually submitted. A number of BBA member banks have entered into settlements with their regulators and law enforcement agencies with respect to alleged manipulation of LIBOR, and investigations by regulators and governmental authorities in various jurisdictions are ongoing.
Actions by the BBA, regulators or law enforcement agencies may result in changes to the manner in which LIBOR is determined. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential changes may adversely affect the market for LIBOR-based securities, including our potential portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities. In addition, any further changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in reported LIBOR, which could have an adverse impact on the market for LIBOR-based securities or the value of our potential portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
Uncertainty relating to the LIBOR calculation process may adversely affect the value of any portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities. Concerns have been publicized that some of the member banks surveyed by the British Bankers' Association (“BBA”) in connection with the calculation of LIBOR across a range of maturities and currencies may have been under-reporting or otherwise manipulating the inter-bank lending rate applicable to them in order to profit on their derivatives positions or to avoid an appearance of capital insufficiency or adverse reputational or other consequences that may have resulted from reporting inter-bank lending rates higher than those they actually submitted. A number of BBA member banks have entered into settlements with their regulators and law enforcement agencies with respect to alleged manipulation of LIBOR, and investigations by regulators and governmental authorities in various jurisdictions are ongoing. Actions by the BBA, regulators or law enforcement agencies may result in changes to the manner in which LIBOR is determined. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential changes may adversely affect the market for LIBOR-based securities, including our potential portfolio of LIBOR-indexed, floating-rate debt securities. In addition, any further changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in reported LIBOR, which could have an adverse impact on the market for LIBOR-based securities or the value of our potential portfolio of LIBOR indexed, floating-rate debt securities.
On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is expected that a transition away from the widespread use of LIBOR to alternative rates will occur over the course of the next several years. As a result of this transition, interest rates on financial instruments tied to LIBOR rates, as well as the revenue and expenses associated with those financial instruments, may be adversely affected. Further, any uncertainty regarding the continued use and reliability of LIBOR as a benchmark interest rate could adversely affect the value of our financial instruments tied to LIBOR rates. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a new index calculated by short term repurchase agreements, backed by Treasury securities, called the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The first publication of SOFR was released in April 2018. Whether or not SOFR attains market traction as a LIBOR replacement remains a question and the future of LIBOR at this time is uncertain.
Additionally, on July 12, 2019 the Staff of the SEC’s Division of Corporate Finance, Division of Investment Management, Division of Trading and Markets, and Office of the Chief Accountant issued a statement about the potentially significant effects on financial markets and market participants when LIBOR is discontinued in 2021 and no longer available as a reference benchmark rate. The Staff encouraged all market participants to identify contracts that reference LIBOR and begin transitions to alternative rates. On December 30, 2019, the SEC’s Chairman, Division of Corporate Finance and Office of the Chief Accountant issued a statement to encourage audit committees in particular to understand management’s plans to identify and address the risks associated with the elimination of LIBOR, and, specifically, the impact on accounting and financial reporting and any related issues associated with financial products and contracts that reference LIBOR, as the risks associated with the discontinuation of LIBOR and transition to an alternative reference rate will be exacerbated if the work is not completed in a timely manner.
On March 5, 2021, the FCA announced that it will not compel banks to contribute to the overnight and 1, 3, 6, and 12 month UST LIBOR tenors after June 30, 2023 and all other tenors after December 31, 2021. It is unclear if at that time LIBOR will cease to exist or if new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. Central banks and regulators in a number of major jurisdictions (for example, United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Switzerland and Japan) have convened working groups to find, and implement the transition to, suitable replacements for interbank offered rates (“IBORs”). To identify a successor rate for U.S. dollar LIBOR, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (“ARRC”), a U.S.-based group convened by the 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. 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.
The elimination of LIBOR or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us, or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. If LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate the credit agreements extending beyond 2021 with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established.
Risks Related to Our Securities
Our shares are not listed on an exchange or quoted through a quotation system and will not be listed for the foreseeable future, if ever. Therefore, our stockholders have limited liquidity and may not receive a full return of invested capital (including front-end commissions, fees and expenses), upon selling their shares or upon liquidation of our company.
Our shares are illiquid investments for which there is not a secondary market nor is it expected that any such secondary market will develop in the future. Our Board must contemplate a liquidity event for our stockholders on or before ten years after the completion of a private offering, which such ten-year period may be extended, in the sole discretion of the OFS Advisor for up to two additional one-year periods. A future liquidity event could include: (i) a listing of our shares on a national securities exchange; (ii) a merger or another transaction approved by our Board in which our stockholders will receive cash or shares of a listed company; or (iii) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets either on a complete portfolio basis or individually followed by a liquidation. Certain types of liquidity events, such as a listing, would allow us to retain our investment portfolio intact while providing our stockholders with access to a trading market for their securities.
We do not know at this time what circumstances will exist in the future and therefore we do not know what factors our Board will consider in determining whether to pursue a liquidity event in the future. A liquidity event may include a sale, merger or rollover transaction with one or more affiliated investment companies managed by OFS Advisor.
If our shares are listed on a national securities exchange or quoted through a quotation system, we cannot assure our stockholders that a public trading market will develop or, if one develops, that such trading market can be sustained. Shares of
companies offered in an initial public offering often trade at a discount to the initial offering price due to underwriting discounts and related offering expenses. Also, shares of closed-end investment companies and BDCs frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This characteristic of closed-end investment companies is separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value per share of common stock may decline. We cannot predict whether our common stock, if listed on a national securities exchange, will trade at, above or below net asset value.
If we are unable to raise substantial funds in the Offering, we may be limited in the number and type of investments we may make, the value of an investment in us may be reduced in the event our assets under-perform and we may be unable to continue our operations.
To the extent that less than the maximum number of shares is subscribed for, the opportunity for diversification of our investments may be decreased and the returns achieved on those investments may be reduced as a result of allocating all of our expenses among a smaller capital base. In addition, if we are unable to raise substantial funds in the Offering, we may be unable to continue our operations.
Our dealer manager in the Offering may be unable to sell a sufficient number of shares of common stock for us to achieve our investment objective. Our ability to conduct the Offering successfully is dependent, in part, on the ability of CCO to successfully establish, operate and maintain relationships with a network of broker-dealers.
The success of the Offering, and correspondingly our ability to implement our business strategy, is dependent upon the ability of CCO to establish and maintain relationships with a network of licensed securities broker-dealers and other agents to sell our shares. If CCO fails to perform, we may not be able to raise adequate proceeds through the Offering to implement our investment strategy. If we are unsuccessful in implementing our investment strategy, you could lose all or a part of your investment.
The dealer manager in the Offering has limited experience selling shares on behalf of a BDC and may be unable to sell a sufficient number of shares of common stock for us to achieve our investment objective.
The success of the Offering, and correspondingly our ability to implement our business strategy, is dependent upon the ability of CCO to establish and maintain a network of licensed securities brokers-dealers and other agents. Our dealer manager in the Offering has no prior experience selling shares on behalf of a BDC. There is therefore no assurance that CCO will be able to sell a sufficient number of shares to allow us to have adequate funds to purchase a diversified portfolio of investments. If CCO fails to perform, we may not be able to raise adequate proceeds through the Offering to implement our investment strategy. As a result, we may be unable to achieve our investment objective, and you could lose some or all of the value of your investment. In addition, because CCO is an affiliate of OFS Advisor and CIM Capital, it may face conflicts of
interest. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors - Our dealer manager may face conflicts of interest as a result of a compensation arrangement between one of its affiliates and OFS Advisor”.
Our ability to grow depends on our ability to raise additional capital.
We will need to periodically access the capital markets to raise cash to fund new investments. We may be unable to raise substantial capital, which could result in us being unable to structure our investment portfolio as anticipated. If we are unable to structure our investment portfolio as anticipated, the opportunity for diversification of our investments may be decreased and the returns achieved on those investments may be reduced as a result of allocating all of our expenses among a smaller capital base.
We expect to use debt financing and issue additional securities to fund our growth, if any. We cannot assure investors that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. As a BDC, we are generally be required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 150% at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. This requirement limits the amount that we may borrow. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, as a BDC, we will generally not be permitted to issue common stock priced below net asset value without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our net asset value could decline.
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our Board approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with Section 61(a)(2) of the SBCAA,1940 Act, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
A stockholder’s interest in us will be diluted if we issue additional shares, which could reduce the overall value of an investment in us.
Our stockholders will not have preemptive rights to any shares we issue in the future. Our charter authorizes us to issue up to 100 million shares of common stock. Pursuant to our charter, a majority of our entire Board may amend our charter to increase our authorized shares without stockholder approval. Our board may elect to sell additional shares in the future or issue equity interests in private offerings. To the extent we issue additional equity interests at or below net asset value a stockholder’s percentage ownership interest in us may be diluted. In addition, depending upon the terms and pricing of any additional offerings and the value of our investments, a stockholder may also experience dilution in the book value and fair value of its shares.
Under the 1940 Act, we are generally prohibited from issuing or selling our common stock at a price below net asset value per share, which may be a disadvantage as compared with certain public companies. We may, however, sell our common stock, or warrants, options, or rights to acquire our common stock, at a price below the current net asset value of our common stock if our Board and independent directors determine that such sale is in our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders, and our stockholders, including a majority of those stockholders that are not affiliated with us, approve such sale. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be less than a price that, in the determination of our Board, closely approximates the fair value of such securities (less any distributing commission or discount). If we raise additional funds by issuing common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, then the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time will decrease and our stockholders will experience dilution.
Certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and of our charter and bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse impact on the value of our common stock.
The Maryland General Corporation Law contains and our charter and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage, delay or make more difficult a change in control of the Company or the removal of our directors. We are subject to the Maryland Business Combination Act, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. Our Board has adopted a resolution exempting from the Business Combination Act any business combination between us and any other person, subject to prior approval of such business combination by our board, including approval by a majority of our independent directors. If the resolution exempting business combinations is repealed or our board does not approve a business combination, the Business Combination Act may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer. Our bylaws exempt from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act acquisitions of our stock by any person. If we amend our bylaws to repeal the exemption from the Control Share Acquisition Act, the Control Share
Acquisition Act also may make it more difficult for a third-party to obtain control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such a transaction.
We also adopted measures that may make it difficult for a third-party to obtain control of us, including provisions of our charter classifying our Board in three classes serving staggered three-year terms, and authorizing our Board to classify or reclassify shares of our stock in one or more classes or series, to cause the issuance of additional shares of our stock, to amend our charter without stockholder approval and to increase or decrease the number of shares of stock that we have authority to issue. These provisions, as well as other provisions of our charter and bylaws, may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. The foregoing provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board. However, these provisions may deprive a stockholder of the opportunity to sell such stockholder’s shares at a premium to a potential acquirer.
We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms. Our Board has considered both the positive and negative effects of the foregoing provisions and determined that they are in the best interest of our stockholders.
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk.
The investments we make in accordance with our investment objective may result in a higher amount of risk than alternative investment options and includes volatility or loss of principal. Our investments in portfolio companies may be highly speculative and aggressive and, therefore, an investment in our common stock may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
The net asset value of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.
The net asset value and liquidity, if any, of the market for shares of our common stock may be significantly affected by numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be directly related to our operating performance. These factors include:
•changes in the value of our portfolio of investments and derivative instruments as a result of changes in market factors, such as interest rate shifts, and also portfolio specific performance, such as portfolio company defaults, among other reasons;
•changes in regulatory policies or tax guidelines, particularly with respect to RICs or BDCs;
•loss of RIC or BDC status;
•distributions that exceed our net investment income and net income as reported according to GAAP;
•changes in earnings or variations in operating results;
•changes in accounting guidelines governing valuation of our investments;
•any shortfall in revenue or net income or any increase in losses from levels expected by investors;
•departure of either of OFS Advisor or certain of their respective key personnel;
•general economic trends and other external factors; and
•loss of a major funding source.
Our Unsecured Note is effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we have currently incurred or may incur in the future and will rank pari passu with, or equal to, all outstanding and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness issued by us and our general liabilities.
Our Unsecured Note is not secured by any of our assets or any of the assets of any of our subsidiaries. As a result, the Unsecured Note is effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we have outstanding (including the PWB Credit
Facility (as defined hereinafter) or that we may incur in the future (or any indebtedness that is initially unsecured as to which we subsequently grant a security interest) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. In any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other similar proceeding, the holders of any of our secured indebtedness may assert rights against the assets pledged to secure that indebtedness in order to receive full payment of their indebtedness before the assets may be used to pay other creditors, including the holder of the Unsecured Note.
There is a risk that stockholders may not receive distributions or that our distributions may not grow over time and a portion of our distributions may be a return of capital.
Subject to our board of directors’Board’s discretion and applicable legal restrictions, we intend to authorize, declare and pay cash distributions on a quarterly basis. We expect to pay distributions out of assets legally available for distribution. We cannot assure stockholders that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. Our ability to pay distributions might be adversely affected by the impact of one or more of the risk factors described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Due to the asset coverage test applicable to us under the 1940 Act as a BDC, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions.
When we make distributions, we will be required to determine the extent to which such distributions are paid out of current or accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of an investor’s basis in our stock and, assuming that an investor holds our stock as a capital asset, thereafter as a capital gain. A return of capital is a return to stockholders of a portion of their original investment in us rather than income or capital gains.
We may pay distributions from offering proceeds, borrowings or the sale of assets to the extent our cash flows from operations, net investment income or earnings are not sufficient to fund declared distributions.
We may fund distributions from the uninvested proceeds of an offering and borrowings, and we have not established limits on the amount of funds we may use from such proceeds or borrowings to make any such distributions. We may pay distributions from the sale of assets to the extent distributions exceed our earnings or cash flows from operations. Distributions from offering proceeds or from borrowings could reduce the amount of capital we ultimately invest in our investment portfolio.
The existence of a large number of outstanding shares and stockholders prior to completion of the listing of our securities on a national securities exchange could negatively affect our stock price.
The ability of our stockholders to liquidate their investments is limited. If we were to list our common stock on a securities exchange in the future, a large volume of sales of these shares could decrease the prevailing market prices of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities in the future. Even if a substantial number of sales were not affected, the mere perception of the possibility of these sales could depress the market price of our common stock and have a negative effect on our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, anticipated downward pressure on our common stock price due to actual or anticipated sales of common stock from this market overhang could cause some institutions or individuals to engage in short sales of our common stock, which may itself cause the price of our stock to decline.
Because the Company is not currently a “publicly offered regulated investment company,” as defined in the Code, certain U.S. stockholders will be treated as having received a dividend from us in the amount of such U.S. stockholders’ allocable share of certain Company expenses, including a portion of its management fees, and such expenses will be treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions of such U.S. stockholders that are not currently deductible.
The Company does not currently qualify as a “publicly offered regulated investment company,” as defined in the Code. Accordingly, stockholders will be taxed as though they received a distribution of some of the Company’s expenses. A “publicly offered regulated investment company” is a RIC whose shares are either (i) continuously offered pursuant to a public offering, (ii) regularly traded on an established securities market, or (iii) held by at least 500 persons at all times during the taxable year. The Company anticipates that it will not qualify as a publicly offered RIC for the 20202021 tax year, and the Company cannot determine when it will qualify as a publicly offered RIC. Since the Company is not a publicly offered RIC, a non-corporate stockholder’s allocable portion of the Company’s affected expenses, including a portion of its management fees, will be treated as an additional distribution to the stockholder. A non-corporate stockholder’s allocable portion of these expenses are treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions that are not currently deductible by such stockholders.
General Risk Factors
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. The investments we make in accordance with our investment objective may result in a higher amount of risk than alternative investment options and includes volatility or loss of principal. Our investments in portfolio companies may be highly speculative and aggressive and, therefore, an investment in our common stock may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.
We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.
We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including the interest rate payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, distributions from our subsidiaries and portfolio companies, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. In light of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.
We incur significant costs as a result of being a public company.
As a public company, we incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicable to a company registered under the Exchange Act, as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other rules implemented by the SEC.
Global capital markets could enter a period of severe disruption and instability. These conditions have historically affected and could again materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and around the world and our business.
The current worldwide financial market situation, as well as various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, may contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and may cause economic uncertainties or deterioration in the U.S. and worldwide. The impact of downgrades by rating agencies to the U.S. government’s sovereign credit rating or its perceived creditworthiness as well as potential government shutdowns could adversely affect the U.S. and global financial markets and economic conditions. Since 2010, several European Union, or EU, countries have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the Euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. In addition, the fiscal policy of foreign nations, such as Russia and China, may have a severe impact on the worldwide and U.S. financial markets. The decision made in the United Kingdom referendum to leave the EU (commonly known as “Brexit”) has led to volatility in global financial markets and may lead to weakening in consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. Under the terms of the withdrawal agreement negotiated and agreed to between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union was followed by a transition period which ran until December 31, 2020 and during which the United Kingdom continued to apply European Union law and was treated for all material purposes as if it were still a member of the European Union. On December 24, 2020, the European Union and United Kingdom governments signed a trade deal that became provisionally effective on January 1, 2021 and that now governs the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union (the “Trade Agreement”). The Trade Agreement implements significant regulation around trade, transport of goods and travel restrictions between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the longer term economic, legal, political, and social framework to be put in place between the United Kingdom and the European Union are unclear at this stage and are likely to lead to ongoing political and economic uncertainty. Additionally, trade wars and volatility in the U.S. repo market, the U.S. high yield bond markets, the Chinese stock markets and global markets for commodities may affect other financial markets worldwide. While recent government stimulus measures worldwide have reduced volatility in the financial markets, volatility may return as such measures are phased out, and the long-term impacts of such stimulus on fiscal policy and inflation remain unknown. We monitor developments in economic, political and market conditions and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability and we cannot predict when these conditions will occur. Such market conditions could materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global capital markets have experienced a period of disruption as evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk and the failure of certain major financial institutions. While the capital markets have improved, these conditions could deteriorate again in the future. During such market disruptions, we may have difficulty raising debt or equity capital, especially as a result of regulatory constraints.
Market conditions may in the future make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if required. As a result, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments. In addition, significant changes in the capital markets, including the disruption and volatility, have had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. An inability to raise capital, and any required sale of our investments for liquidity purposes, could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, including in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, may continue to contribute to increased market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets, and may cause further economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, continue to face budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is also continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among European Economic and Monetary Union member countries. The recent United States and global economic downturn, or a return to the recessionary period in the United States, could adversely impact our investments. We cannot predict the duration of the effects related to these or similar events in the future on the United States economy and securities markets or on our investments. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.
Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, including domestic terrorism, 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.
We are subject to risks related to corporate social responsibility.
Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) activities. We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as environmental stewardship, corporate governance and transparency and considering ESG factors in our investment processes. Adverse incidents with respect to ESG activities could impact the value of our brand, the cost of our operations and relationships with investors, all of which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, new regulatory initiatives related to ESG could adversely affect our business.
The failure in cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.
The occurrence of a disaster such as a cyberattack, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of our managers were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct our business could be severely compromised.
We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems could be subject to cyberattacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. Like other companies, we may experience threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss.
Third parties with whom we do business may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risks. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as customer, counterparty, employee and borrower information. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure or destruction of data, or other cybersecurity incidents, with increased costs and other consequences, including those described above.
Cybersecurity risks and cyber incidents may adversely affect our business or the business of our portfolio companies by causing a disruption to our operations or the operations of our portfolio companies, a compromise or corruption of our confidential information or the confidential information of our portfolio companies and/or damage to our business relationships or the business relationships of our portfolio companies, all of which could negatively impact the business, financial condition and operating results of us or our portfolio companies.
A cyber incident is considered to be any adverse event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the information resources of us or our portfolio companies. These incidents may be an intentional attack or an unintentional event and could involve gaining unauthorized access to our information systems or those of our portfolio companies for purposes of misappropriating assets, stealing confidential information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. We and OFS Advisor’s employees have been and expect to continue to be the target of fraudulent calls, emails and other forms of activities. The result of these incidents may include disrupted operations, misstated or unreliable financial data, liability for stolen assets or information, increased cybersecurity protection and insurance costs, litigation damage to business relationships and damage to our competitiveness, stock price and long-term stockholder value. The costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means. As our and our portfolio companies’ reliance on technology has increased, so have the risks posed to our information systems, both internal and those provided by OFS Services and third-party service providers, and the information systems of our portfolio companies. OFS Advisor has implemented processes, procedures and internal controls to help mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the nature and extent of a risk of a cyber incident, do not guarantee that a cyber incident will not occur and/or that our financial results, operations or confidential information will not be negatively impacted by such an incident. In addition, cybersecurity has become a top priority for regulators around the world, and some jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data. If we fail to comply with the relevant laws and regulations, we could suffer financial losses, a disruption of our businesses, liability to investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.
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Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments |
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
Item 2. Properties
We do not own or lease any real estate or other physical properties material to our operation. Our headquarters are located at 10 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL, 60606, and are provided by OFS Services pursuant to the Administration Agreement. Additional operations are conducted from offices in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California, which are also provided by OFS Services pursuant to the Administration Agreement. We believe that our office facilities are suitable and adequate for our business as we contemplate continuing to conduct it.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
We, OFS Advisor and OFS Services, are not currently subject to any material pending legal proceedings threatened against us as of December 31, 2019.2020. From time to time, we may be a party to certain legal proceedings incidental to the normal course of our business including the enforcement of our rights under contracts with our portfolio companies. Furthermore, third parties may try to seek to impose liability on us in connection with the activities of our portfolio companies. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
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Item 4. | Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures |
Not applicable.
PART II
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Item 5. | Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities |
There is currently no market for our common stock, nor can we give any assurance that one will develop. Until a market for our common stock develops, it may only be offered and sold in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act under Section 4(2) and Regulation D.
Stockholders
As of March 19, 2020,24, 2021, there were 451442 holders of record of our stock.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
On November 6, 2018, a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of our board of directors approved the application of a reduced 150% asset coverage ratio to us. In accordance with Section 61(a)(2) of the SBCAA,1940 Act, we extended to each of our stockholders as of November 6, 2018, an offer to repurchase the equity securities held by such stockholders, with 25% of such equity securities to be repurchased in each of the four quarters following November 6, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage ratio test applicable to us decreased from 200% to 150%, effective November 6, 2019.
The following table summarizes the common stock repurchases by us as of December 31, 2019:2020:
| | | | Number of Shares | | Amount | | Number of Shares | | Amount |
November 6, 2018 through December 31, 2018 | | 18,425 |
| | $ | 243,030 |
| November 6, 2018 through December 31, 2018 | | 18,425 | | | $ | 243,030 | |
January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2019 (1) | | — |
| | — |
| |
April 1, 2019 through June 30, 2019 | | 16,435 |
| | 218,117 |
| |
January 1, 2019 through April 5, 2019 (1) | | January 1, 2019 through April 5, 2019 (1) | | 7,407 | | | 98,296 | |
April 6, 2019 through June 30, 2019 | | April 6, 2019 through June 30, 2019 | | 9,029 | | | 119,821 | |
July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019 | | 7,407 |
| | 97,112 |
| July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019 | | 7,407 | | | 97,111 | |
October 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 | | 15,597 |
| | 204,317 |
| October 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 | | 15,597 | | | 204,317 | |
January 1, 2020 through April 3, 2020 (2) | | January 1, 2020 through April 3, 2020 (2) | | 32,622 | | | 364,384 | |
April 4, 2020 through June 30, 2020 | | April 4, 2020 through June 30, 2020 | | 53,665 | | | 654,713 | |
July 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020 | | July 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020 | | 55,320 | | | 694,819 | |
October 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 | | October 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 | | 55,674 | | | 700,935 | |
The offer and sale of the Company’s Common Stock in the private placement was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of, and Rule 506 of Regulation D under, the Securities Act. We paid $297,881$144,810 in commissions in connection with the sale of the shares. OFS Advisor paid commissions of $122,036.
Because shares of our common stock have been acquired by investors in our more transactions "not involving a public offering," they are "restricted securities" and may be required to be held indefinitely. Our common shares may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise disposed of unless (i) the transferor provides OFS Advisor with at least 10 days written notice of the transfer; (ii) the transfer is made in accordance with applicable securities laws; and (iii) the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by these restrictions and the other restrictions imposed on the common shares and to execute such other instruments or certifications as are reasonably required by us. Accordingly, an investor must be willing to bear the economic risk of investment in the common shares until we are liquidated. No sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or involuntary, of the common shares may be made except by registration of the transfer on our books.
We generally intend to distribute, out of assets legally available for distribution, substantially all of our available earnings, on a quarterly basis, as determined by our Board in its discretion. Distributions directly affect our taxable income. See "Item 1. Business–Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations–Considerations–Taxation as a RIC.RIC."
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated ICTI are reported as returns of capital; the tax treatment to the stockholder will depend on a variety of factors including the stockholder’s tax basis in our shares. The determination of the tax attributes of our distributions is made annually as of the end of the year, and is based on our taxable income for the full year and distributions paid for the full year; therefore, determinations made on a quarterly basis may not be representative of the tax attributes of our distributions to stockholders. Each year a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the source of the distribution (i.e., paid from ordinary income, paid from net capital gains on the sale of securities, and/or a return of paid-in-
The following selected financial and other data for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 2016 and period December 8 (inception) through December 31, 20152016 are derived from our consolidated financial statements. The selected financial and other data for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 have been audited by KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm. The selected financial and other data for the yearyears ended December 31, 2018, 2017 2016 and period December 8 (inception) through December 31, 20152016 have been audited by BDO USA, LLP, our former independent registered public accounting firm. The data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which are included in this annual report on Form 10-K.
(1) The determination of the tax attributes of our distributions is made annually as of the end of our fiscal year based upon our taxable income for the full year and distributions paid for the full year. Therefore, a determination made on a quarterly basis may not be representative of the actual tax attributes of our distributions for a full year. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017, all of our distributions were paid from ordinary income.
(2) The weighted average yield on our debt investments is computed as (a) the annual stated accruing interest on our debt investments at the balance sheet date, plus the annualized accretion Net Loan Fees divided by (b) amortized cost of our debt investments as of the balance sheet date, excluding debt investments in non-accrual status as of the balance sheet date.
Although we believe that the foregoing analysis is indicative of our net investment income sensitivity to interest rate changes, it does not adjust for potential changes in the credit market, credit quality, size and composition of the assets in our
portfolio including the impact of prepayments, and other business developments, including future borrowings, that could affect net increase in net assets resulting from operations, or net income. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that actual results would not differ materially from the statement above.
We are subject to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates. Changes in interest rates affect the valuation of our investment. Our risk management systems and procedures are designed to identify and analyze our risk, to set appropriate policies and limits and to continually monitor these risks and limits by means of reliable administrative and information systems and other policies and programs. Our investment and investment income may be affected by changes in various interest rates, including LIBOR.
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Such procedures also included confirmation of investments owned as of December 31, 2019, by correspondence with the custodian, loan agents, or portfolio companies, or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies were not received. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
We served as the Company’s auditor from 2015 to 2019.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Hancock Park Corporate Income, Inc.
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments reported in the statements of operations includes $85,018, $20,570 $2,717 and $-0-$2,717 of net deferred tax expense (benefit) for the yearyears ended December 31, 2020, 2019 2018 and 2017,2018, respectively.
Note 9. Financial Highlights
Note 10. Capital Transactions
Below is a summary of transactions with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock issued in the Offering during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 2018 and 2017:2018: