Exhibit 4.1
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, Investcorp US Institutional Private Credit Fund (“we,” “our” or the “Fund”) has one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”): its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”). The following description is based on relevant portions of Delaware law, its Declaration of Trust and its Bylaws, each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This summary is not necessarily complete, and the Fund refers investors to Delaware law and its Declaration of Trust and Bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below.
General
The terms of the Declaration of Trust authorize an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest of any class, par value $0.01 per share. As of September 15, 2023, 2,522,659 Common Shares were outstanding. The Declaration of Trust provides that, without shareholder approval, the Board may divide, reclassify or combine the Common Shares into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in such Common Shares. There is currently no market for the Common Shares, and the Fund can offer no assurances that a market for the Common Shares will develop in the future. The Fund does not intend for the Common Shares to be listed on any national securities exchange. There are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase the Common Shares. No Common Shares have been authorized for issuance under any equity compensation plans. Under the terms of the Declaration of Trust, shareholders shall be entitled to the same limited liability extended to shareholders of private Delaware for profit corporations formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law, 8 Del. C. § 100, et. seq. The Declaration of Trust provides that no shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to us by reason of being a shareholder, nor shall any shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any person in connection with the Fund’s assets or the affairs of the Fund by reason of being a shareholder. None of our shares are subject to further calls or to assessments associated with ownership of the security (not including investment risks). In addition, except as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of any class or series of Common Shares, no shareholder shall be entitled to exercise preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or exchange rights in connection with any transaction.
Each whole share is entitled to one vote on any matter on which it is entitled to vote, and each fractional share is entitled to a proportional fractional vote. All Common Shares will have equal rights as to voting and, when they are issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, and fully paid. Dividends and distributions may be paid to the holders of Common Shares if, as and when authorized by the Board and declared by the Fund out of funds legally available therefore. Except as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of classified or reclassified shares, the Common Shares will have no preference, preemptive, exchange, conversion or appraisal rights. In the event of the Fund’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of the Common Shares would be entitled to share pro rata in all of the Fund’s assets that are legally available for distribution after it pays all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of its preferred shares, if any preferred shares are outstanding at such time. Unless otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, each outstanding share owned of record, regardless of class, is entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of shareholders, including the election of trustees. There will be no cumulative voting in the election of trustees. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any class or series of preferred shares to elect trustees, each trustee will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast with respect to such trustee’s election except in the case of a “contested election” (as defined in the Fund’s bylaws), in which case trustees will be elected by a majority of the votes cast in the contested election of trustees.
Transferability of Common Shares
Shareholders may not sell, assign, transfer or pledge (each, a “Transfer”) any Common Shares, rights or obligations unless (i) the Fund gives consent, (ii) the Transfer is made in accordance with applicable securities laws and (iii) the Transfer is otherwise in compliance with the transfer restrictions in the subscription agreement. No Transfer will be effectuated except by registration of the Transfer on the Fund’s books. Each transferee must agree to be bound by these restrictions and all other obligations as a shareholder in the Fund.
While the Fund does not intend to list the Common Shares on any securities exchange, if any class of its Common Shares is listed on a national securities exchange, shareholders may be restricted from selling or transferring their Common Shares for a certain period of time by applicable securities laws or contractually by a lock-up agreement with the underwriters of the initial public offering.
Preferred Shares
Under the terms of the Declaration of Trust, the Board may authorize the Fund to issue preferred shares in one or more classes or series without shareholder approval, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. The Board has the power to fix the terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of each class or series of preferred shares. The Fund does not currently anticipate issuing preferred shares in the near future. In the event it issues preferred shares, the Fund will make any required disclosure to shareholders.
Preferred shares could be issued with terms that would adversely affect the shareholders, provided that the Fund may not issue any preferred shares that would limit or subordinate the voting rights of holders of Common Shares. Preferred shares could also be used as an anti-takeover device through the issuance of shares of a class or series of preferred shares with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control. Every issuance of preferred shares will be required to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that: (1) immediately after issuance and before any dividend or other distribution is made with respect to common stock and before any purchase of common stock is made, such preferred shares together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 66 and 2/3% of the Fund’s total assets after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred shares, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class voting separately to elect two trustees at all times and to elect a majority of the trustees if distributions on such preferred shares are in arrears by two full years or more. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of preferred shares (as determined in accordance with the 1940 Act) voting together as a separate class. For example, the vote of such holders of preferred shares would be required to approve a proposal involving a plan of reorganization adversely affecting such securities. The issuance of any preferred shares must be approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees not otherwise interested in the transaction.
Limitation on Liability of Trustees and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses
Delaware law permits a Delaware statutory trust to include in its declaration of trust a provision to indemnify and hold harmless any trustee or beneficial owner or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. The Declaration of Trust provides that our trustees shall not be subject to any personal liability in their capacity as trustees to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, except for liability to the Fund and its shareholders arising from bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his or her duty. The Declaration of Trust provides for the indemnification of any person who at any time serves as a trustee, officer or employee of the Fund against any liabilities and expenses while acting in such capacity by reason of having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he or she shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interest of the Fund or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he or she shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position.
In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Fund will not indemnify certain persons for any liability to which such persons would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, with respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee (1) was authorized by a majority of the trustees or (2) was instituted by the indemnitee to enforce his or her rights to indemnification hereunder in a case in which the indemnitee is found to be entitled to such indemnification. The Declaration of Trust also provides that no indemnification shall be made unless there has been a determination (i) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent jurisdiction before
whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (ii) in the absence of such a decision, by (1) a majority vote of a quorum of those Independent Trustees, that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (2) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion concludes that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder.
In addition, the Declaration of Trust permits the Fund to advance reasonable expenses to an indemnitee in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought if the Fund receives a written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standards of conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Fund unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (i) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (ii) the Fund shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the Independent Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct, legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
Delaware Law and Certain Declaration of Trust Provisions
Organization and Duration
We were formed in Delaware on April 6, 2022 and will remain in existence until dissolved in accordance with our Declaration of Trust or pursuant to Delaware law.
Purpose
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Fund is permitted to engage in any business activity that lawfully may be conducted by a statutory trust organized under Delaware law for the accomplishment of the business of a business development company regulated under the 1940 Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon us pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity.
The Declaration of Trust contains provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquirer to acquire the Fund by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. The Board may, without shareholder action, authorize the issuance of shares in one or more classes or series, including preferred shares; and the Board may, without shareholder action, amend our Declaration of Trust to increase the number of the Common Shares, of any class or series, that the Fund will have authority to issue. While the Fund does not intend to list the Common Shares on any securities exchange, if any class of its shares is listed on a national securities exchange, the Board will be divided into three classes of trustees serving staggered terms of three years each. These 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 the Board. The Fund believes 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.
Number of Trustees; Vacancies; Removal
The Declaration of Trust provides that the number of trustees will be set by the Board in accordance with the Fund’s Bylaws. The Bylaws provide that a majority of the entire Board may at any time increase or decrease the number of trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides that the number of trustees generally may not be less than one. Except as otherwise required by applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred shares, pursuant to an election under the Declaration of Trust, any and all vacancies on the Board may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining trustees in office, even if the remaining trustees do not constitute a quorum, and any trustee elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the trustee for whom the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualified, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. Independent Trustees will nominate replacements for any vacancies among the Independent Trustees’ positions.
The Declaration of Trust provides that a trustee may be removed for cause only, and not without cause, and only by action taken by a majority of the remaining trustees (or in the case of the removal of a trustee who is not an interested person, a majority of the remaining trustees who are not interested persons) and by holders of at least a majority of the shares entitled to vote in an election of such trustee.
The Fund has a total of three members of the Board, two of whom are Independent Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides that a majority of the Board must be Independent Trustees. Each trustee will hold office for life or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. While the Fund does not intend to list the Common Shares on any securities exchange, if any class of its shares is listed on a national securities exchange, the Board will be divided into three classes of trustees serving staggered terms of three years each.
Action by Shareholders
The Fund’s bylaws provide that shareholder action can be taken only at a special meeting of shareholders or by unanimous consent in lieu of a meeting. The shareholders will only have voting rights as required by the 1940 Act or as otherwise provided for in the Declaration of Trust. Under our Bylaws, the Fund is not required to hold annual shareholder meetings in any year in which the election of trustees is not required to be held under the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called by the trustees and certain of its officers, and will be limited to the purposes for any such special meeting set forth in the notice thereof. In addition, the Declaration of Trust provides that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the shareholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of shareholders will be called by any trustee of the Fund upon the written request of shareholders holding in the aggregate not less than thirty-three and one-third percent (331/3%) of the outstanding shares of the Fund (or in the case of a meeting called for the purpose of electing trustees or removing the Adviser, not less than fifty-one percent (51%)). Any special meeting called by such shareholders is required to be held not less than 15 nor more than 60 days after we are provided notice by such shareholders of the request for a special meeting. These provisions will have the effect of significantly reducing the ability of shareholders being able to have proposals considered at a meeting of shareholders.
With respect to special meetings of shareholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at a special meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of the Board or (3) provided that the Board has determined that trustees will be elected at the meeting, by a shareholder who is shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in Section 11 of the Bylaws, and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in Section 11 of the Bylaws.
The purpose of requiring shareholders to give the Fund advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford the Board a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by the Board, to inform shareholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of shareholders. Although the Declaration of Trust does not give the Board any power to disapprove shareholder nominations for the election of trustees or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of trustees or the consideration of shareholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of trustees or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to the Fund and its shareholders.
Amendment of the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws
The Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders are entitled to vote upon a proposed amendment to the Declaration of Trust if the amendment would alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the shares held by such shareholders so as to affect them adversely or any amendment submitted to them by the trustees. Approval of any such amendment requires at least a majority of the votes cast by such shareholders at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. In addition, amendments to the Declaration of Trust to make the Common Shares a “redeemable security” or to convert the Fund, whether by merger or otherwise, from a closed-end company to an
open-end company each must be approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
The Declaration of Trust provides that the Board has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the Fund’s Bylaws and to make new bylaws. The Declaration of Trust relating to shareholder voting and the removal of trustees, the Declaration of Trust provides that the Board may amend the Declaration of Trust without any vote of the shareholders.
Actions Related to Merger, Conversion, Reorganization or Dissolution
An affirmative vote or consent of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund (or such higher approval threshold as may be provided in the Declaration) shall be required to approve merger, conversion, consolidation, or share exchange or sale of exchange of all or substantially all of the assets of the Fund, provided that 75% of the Continuing Trustees (as such term is defined by the Declaration) and a majority of the Board approve of such merger, conversion, consolidation, or share exchange or sale of exchange.
Derivative Actions
No person, other than a trustee, who is not a shareholder shall be entitled to bring any derivative action, suit or other proceeding on behalf of the Fund. No shareholder may maintain a derivative action on behalf of the Fund unless holders of at least fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares join in the bringing of such action.
In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 3816 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute, a shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Fund only if the following conditions are met: (i) the shareholder or shareholders must make a pre-suit demand upon the Board to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Board to bring such an action is not likely to succeed; and a demand on the Board shall only be deemed not likely to succeed and therefore excused if a majority of the Board, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, is composed of Board who are not “Independent Trustees” (as that term is defined in the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute); and (ii) unless a demand is not required under clause (i) above, the Board must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim; and the Board shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and may require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the Fund for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Board determine not to bring such action. For purposes of this paragraph, the Board may designate a committee of one or more trustees to consider a shareholder demand. Nothing disclosed in this sub-section will apply to any claims, suits, actions or proceedings asserting a claim brought under federal securities laws.
Exclusive Delaware Jurisdiction
Each trustee, each officer and each person legally or beneficially owning a share or an interest in a share of the Fund (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise), to the fullest extent permitted by law, including Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute, (i) irrevocably agrees that except for any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising under the federal securities laws, any claims, suits, actions or proceedings asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs (or similar) doctrine or arising out of or relating in any way to the Fund, the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute, the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws (including, without limitation, any claims, suits, actions or proceedings to interpret, apply or enforce (A) the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, (B) the duties (including fiduciary duties), obligations or liabilities of the Fund to the shareholders or the Board, or of officers or the Board to the Fund, to the shareholders or each other, (C) the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Fund, the officers, the Board or the shareholders, (D) any provision of the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute or other laws of the State of Delaware pertaining to trusts made applicable to the Fund pursuant to Section 3809 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute or (E) any other instrument, document, agreement or certificate contemplated by any provision of the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute or the Declaration of Trust relating in any way to the Fund (regardless, in each case, of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings (x) sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, (y) are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds or (z) are derivative or direct claims)), shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction, (ii) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising under the federal
securities laws shall be exclusively brought in the federal district courts of the United States of America, (iii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding, (iv) irrevocably agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper, (v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, nothing in clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law, and (vi) irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the Fund may, at its sole discretion, select and/or consent to an appropriate alternative forum for any claims, suits, actions or proceedings relating in any way to the Fund.
Access to Records
Any shareholder will be permitted access to all of the Fund’s records to which they are entitled under applicable law at all reasonable times and may inspect and copy any of them for a reasonable copying charge.
Conflict with the 1940 Act
Our Bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of Delaware law, or any provision of our Declaration of Trust or Bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control; provided, however, that such conflict shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Bylaws or Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.