MCG Capital Corporation, et al.; Notice of Application, 58274-58276 [E8-23492]

Download as PDF jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES 58274 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 194 / Monday, October 6, 2008 / Notices Unregistered Funds in proportion to the relative amounts of such private placement securities held or being acquired or disposed of, as the case may be, by the Registered Funds and the Unregistered Funds. 8. Each quarter the Adviser will provide to each Registered Fund’s Joint Transactions Committee information concerning all investments in private placement securities made by all Registered and Unregistered Funds, including all investments in which the Registered Fund declined to participate, so that a Required Majority may determine whether all investments made during the preceding quarter, including those in which the Registered Fund declined to participate, comply with the conditions of the order. In addition, all of the Independent Trustees of each Registered Fund will consider at least annually the continued appropriateness of Co-investment Transactions by the Registered Fund with the Unregistered Funds and other Registered Funds, including whether engaging in Co-investment Transactions pursuant to the order continues to be in the best interests of the Registered Fund and its shareholders and does not involve overreaching on the part of any person concerned. 9. No investment will be made by a Registered Fund in a Co-investment Transaction in reliance on the order if the Adviser knows or reasonably should know that an Unregistered Fund or another Registered Fund or any affiliated person of such Unregistered Fund or another Registered Fund then currently holds a security issued by that issuer, except for a Follow-On Investment made pursuant to condition 5 of this order. 10. Any transaction fee (including break-up or commitment fees but excluding brokerage fees contemplated by section 17(e)(2) of the Act) received in connection with a transaction entered into in reliance on the order will be distributed to the participants on a pro rata basis based on the amounts they invested or committed, as the case may be, in such transaction. If any transaction fee is to be held by the Adviser, Promere General Partner, Promere Manager, Ardance General Partner or Ardance Manager pending consummation of the transaction, the fee will be deposited into an account maintained by the Adviser, Promere General Partner, Promere Manager, Ardance General Partner or Ardance Manager at a bank or banks having the qualifications prescribed in section 26(a) of the Act, and the account will earn a competitive rate of interest that also will be divided pro rata among the VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Oct 03, 2008 Jkt 217001 participants based on the amounts they invested or committed, as the case may be, in such transaction. None of the Adviser, Promere General Partner, Promere Manager, Ardance General Partner, or Ardance Manager will receive additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as a result of or in connection with a co-investment or compensation for its services in sponsoring, structuring, or providing managerial assistance to an issuer of private placement securities that is not shared pro rata with the coinvesting Registered Funds and Unregistered Funds. 11. Each applicant will maintain and preserve all records required to be preserved under the Act and the rules and regulations under the Act applicable to such applicant. The Registered Funds will maintain the records required by section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the Registered Funds were a business development company and the Co-investment Transactions were approved under section 57(f). For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. Florence E. Harmon, Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–23491 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 28427; 812–13428] MCG Capital Corporation, et al.; Notice of Application September 30, 2008. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from sections 18(a), 55(a), and 61(a) of the Act. AGENCY: SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION: Applicants request an order to permit: (1) A business development company to look to the assets of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, rather than the business development company’s interest in the subsidiaries themselves, in determining whether the business development company meets certain requirements for business development companies under the Act, and (2) the business development company to adhere to a modified asset coverage requirement. PO 00000 Frm 00165 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 MCG Capital Corporation (‘‘MCG’’), Solutions Capital G.P., LLC, Solutions Capital I, L.P., MCG Capital Advisory Services, Inc., MCG Equity Funding I, LLC, MCG Finance I, LLC, MCG Finance V, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Funding Trust, MCG Finance VII, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Trust 2006–1, MCG Finance VIII, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Trust 2006–2, MCG Finance IX, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Trust 2008–1, MCG IH Holdings, Inc., IH Helicon, Inc., IH NPS Holdings, LLC, MCG Opportunity Investment Fund I, LLC, Sleep Investors, LLC, TNR Investors, LLC, Crystal Media Network, Inc., IH Chesapeake Tower, Inc., IH Dayton Parts, Inc., IH GSD, Inc., IH Intran Inc., IH MTP, Inc., IH NDS, Inc., IH NEPG, Inc., IH NYL, Inc., IH Orbitel Holdings, Inc., IH OTM, Inc., IH PBI, Inc., IH Premier, Inc. and IH Quantum, Inc. FILING DATES: The application was filed on September 25, 2007, and amended on June 17, 2008, and September 17, 2008. Applicants have agreed to file an amendment during the notice period, the substance of which is contained in this notice. HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the application will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission’s Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on October 27, 2008, and should be accompanied by proof of service on the Applicant, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer’s interest, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission’s Secretary. ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549– 1090. Applicant, c/o Steven F. Tunney, President and Chief Executive Officer, MCG Capital Corporation, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 3000, Arlington, VA 22209. APPLICANTS: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Y. Greenlees, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–6879, or Marilyn Mann, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company Regulation). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: following is a summary of the E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1 The Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 194 / Monday, October 6, 2008 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the Commission’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549–1520 (tel. 202–551–5850). Applicants’ Representations 1. MCG, a Delaware corporation, is an internally managed, non-diversified, closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (‘‘BDC’’) under the Act. MCG is a commercial finance company that provides capital and advisory services to middle-market companies throughout the United States. 2. MCG conducts, and expects to continue to conduct, a portion of its business through its current and future subsidiaries, all of whose equity securities are owned or will be owned directly or indirectly by MCG (each, a ‘‘Subsidiary’’). There are three types of Subsidiaries that currently are active or are currently being contemplated: (1) Operating Subsidiaries, (2) financing subsidiaries, and (3) blocker subsidiaries. 3. MCG’s current operating subsidiaries are Solutions Capital I, L.P. (the ‘‘SBIC Subsidiary’’) and Solutions Capital G.P., LLC (the ‘‘SBIC GP’’). The SBIC Subsidiary, a Delaware limited partnership, is a small business investment company (‘‘SBIC’’) licensed under the Small Business Administration (‘‘SBA’’) to operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (‘‘SBIA’’). The SBIC Subsidiary relies on section 3(c)(7) of the Act. The SBIC GP, a Delaware limited liability company, is the sole general partner of the SBIC Subsidiary. MCG is the SBIC GP’s sole member and owner. The SBIC GP is the sole general partner of the SBIC Subsidiary, and MCG is the sole limited partner of the SBIC Subsidiary. 4. MCG intends to operate the SBIC Subsidiary through the SBIC GP for the same investment purposes as MCG, and the SBIC Subsidiary will invest in the same kinds of securities as MCG. The operations of both the SBIC Subsidiary and the SBIC GP will be consolidated with those of MCG for financial reporting purposes. The assets of the SBIC Subsidiary and the SBIC GP are recorded on MCG’s balance sheet, and thus are considered assets of MCG for U.S. generally accepted accounting principles purposes. 5. From time to time, MCG transfers pools of loans and/or other investments to special purpose entities (the ‘‘Financing Subsidiaries’’) for use in connection with on-balance sheet financing transactions. The current VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Oct 03, 2008 Jkt 217001 Financing Subsidiaries are structured as Delaware limited liability companies. Each such current Financing Subsidiary, in turn, transfers such loans and/or other investments to a wholly owned trust (each, a ‘‘Financing Trust’’) that finances the acquisition of such assets through the issuance of debt securities. The current Financing Subsidiaries are excluded from the definition of investment company under section 3(c)(7) of the Act, and the current Financing Trusts are excluded from the definition of investment company under rule 3a–7 under the Act. 6. The purpose of the Financing Subsidiaries is to provide a legally separate entity to hold investments and/ or to hold the Financing Trust, which, in turn, hold the investments supporting MCG’s financings. MCG solely controls the operations of each Financing Trust, including the acquisition and disposition of assets by each Financing Trust. 7. MCG utilizes wholly owned subsidiaries to hold MCG’s interests in certain of MCG’s portfolio companies (the ‘‘Blocker Subsidiaries’’). The Blocker Subsidiaries are excluded from the definition of investment company under section 3(c)(7) of the Act. Certain of the Blocker Subsidiaries are structured as Delaware corporations and hold certain investment assets that are structured as pass-through tax entities in order to allow MCG to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company for tax purposes.1 Other Blocker Subsidiaries, organized as Delaware limited liability companies, hold MCG’s interests in MCG’s portfolio companies in order to block potential investor-related liability to MCG. 8. The Blocker Subsidiaries are not operating companies and do not have any employees. The Blocker Subsidiaries exist solely for the benefit of MCG in order to hold MCG’s interests in its portfolio companies and do not provide any services to any other company. MCG does and will continue to make available significant managerial assistance to the issuers of securities held by the Subsidiaries to the extent required by section 2(a)(48)(B).2 1 Applicants represent that these Blocker Subsidiaries are a lawful method of tax planning under the Internal Revenue Code and are frequently used by companies seeking to elect to be treated as regulated investment companies. MCG has obtained an opinion from tax counsel from the firm of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP confirming the appropriateness of this structure. 2 For the purposes of Section 2(a)(48)(B), MCG will treat securities held by the Subsidiaries as if they were held directly by MCG. PO 00000 Frm 00166 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58275 Applicants’ Legal Analysis A. Relief for MCG To Deem Assets Held by its Subsidiaries To Be Owned by MCG for Purposes of Determining Its Compliance With Section 55(a) of the Act 1. Section 2(a)(48) of the Act generally defines a BDC to be any closed-end investment company that operates for the purpose of making investments in securities described in section 55(a)(1) through (3) of the Act and makes available significant managerial assistance with respect to the issuers of these securities. Section 55(a) of the Act requires a BDC to have at least 70 percent of its assets invested in assets described in sections 55(a)(1) through (7) (‘‘Qualifying Assets’’). Qualifying Assets generally include securities issued by eligible portfolio companies as defined in section 2(a)(46) of the Act. Section 2(a)(46)(B) generally excludes from the definition of an eligible portfolio company an investment company, as defined under section 3 of the Act, and a company that would be an investment company but for the exclusion from the definition of investment company in section 3(c) of the Act. 2. Section 6(c) of the Act, in relevant part, permits the Commission to exempt any transaction or class of transactions from any provision of the Act if, and to the extent that, such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. Applicants request an order pursuant to section 6(c) to allow MCG to deem the assets of its current and future Subsidiaries as its own assets for purposes of determining its compliance with section 55(a). 3. Applicants state that each Subsidiary will be formed as a limited liability company (‘‘LLC’’), a corporation (‘‘Corporation ‘‘) or a partnership (‘‘Partnership’’). MCG and/ or one or more other Subsidiaries at all times will be the only members of each Subsidiary that is an LLC and will collectively hold all of the ownership interests in the LLC Subsidiary. No LLC Subsidiary will admit any person other than MCG or another Subsidiary as a member, and no LLC Subsidiary will issue interests other than to MCG or another Subsidiary. MCG and/or one or more other Subsidiaries at all times will own and hold all of the outstanding equity interests in each Subsidiary that is formed as a Corporation. MCG and/ or one or more other Subsidiaries will at all times be the sole limited partner of any Subsidiary that is formed as a E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1 58276 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 194 / Monday, October 6, 2008 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Partnership and the sole owner of such Subsidiary’s general partner. Applicants also state that since MCG, directly or indirectly through another Subsidiary, owns or would own the entire equity interest in any current and future Subsidiaries, any activity carried on by them will, in all material respects, have the same economic effect on MCG’s stockholders as if carried on directly by MCG. B. Relief for the Company To Adhere to a Modified Asset Coverage Requirement 1. Applicants request an exemption pursuant to section 6(c)of the Act from the provisions of sections 18(a) and 61(a) of the Act to permit MCG to adhere to a modified asset coverage requirement. 2. Section 18(a) of the Act prohibits a registered closed-end investment company from issuing any class of senior security or selling any such security of which it is the issuer unless the company complies with the asset coverage requirements set forth in that section. Section 61(a) of the Act makes section 18 applicable to BDCs, with certain modifications. Section 18(k) exempts an investment company operating as an SBIC from the asset coverage requirements for senior securities representing indebtedness that are contained in section 18(a)(1)(A) and (B). 3. Applicants state that a question exists as to whether MCG must comply with the asset coverage requirements of section 18(a) (as modified by section 61(a)) solely on an individual basis or whether MCG must also comply with the asset coverage requirements on a consolidated basis because MCG may be deemed to be an indirect issuer of any class of senior security issued by the SBIC Subsidiary. Applicants state that they wish to treat the SBIC Subsidiary as if it were a BDC subject to sections 18 and 61 of the Act. Applicants state that companies operating under the SBIA, such as the SBIC Subsidiary, will be subject to the SBA’s substantial regulation of permissible leverage in its capital structure. 4. Section 6(c) of the Act, in relevant part, permits the Commission to exempt any transaction or class of transactions from any provision of the Act if and to the extent that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. Applicants state that the requested relief satisfies the section 6(c) standard. Applicants contend that, since the SBIC Subsidiary would be entitled to rely on section VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:44 Oct 03, 2008 Jkt 217001 18(k) if it was a BDC itself, there is no policy reason to deny the benefit of that exemption to MCG. Applicants’ Conditions Applicants agree that the order granting the requested relief will be subject to the following conditions: Relief From Section 55(a) 1. Each Subsidiary will be formed as a limited liability company (‘‘LLC’’), a corporation (‘‘Corporation ‘‘) or a partnership (‘‘Partnership’’). MCG and/ or one or more other Subsidiaries at all times will be the only members of each Subsidiary that is an LLC and will collectively hold all of the ownership interests in the LLC Subsidiary. No LLC Subsidiary will admit any person other than MCG or another Subsidiary as a member, and no LLC Subsidiary will issue interests other than to MCG or another Subsidiary. MCG and/or one or more other Subsidiaries at all times will own and hold all of the outstanding equity interests in each Subsidiary that is formed as a Corporation. MCG and/ or one or more other Subsidiaries will at all times be the sole limited partner of any Subsidiary that is formed as a Partnership and the sole owner of such Subsidiary’s general partner. 2. The Subsidiaries, and any future Subsidiaries, may not acquire any asset if the acquisition would cause MCG to violate section 55(a). 3. No person shall serve or act as investment adviser to a Subsidiary unless the Board and stockholders of MCG shall have taken the action with respect thereto also required to be taken by the board of directors of the Subsidiary and stockholders of the Subsidiary as if the Subsidiary were a BDC. Relief From Section 18(a) 4. MCG will not issue or sell any senior security and MCG will not cause or permit the SBIC Subsidiary to issue or sell any senior security of which MCG or the SBIC Subsidiary is the issuer except to the extent permitted by section 18 (as modified for BDCs by section 61); provided that immediately after issuance or sale by any of MCG or the SBIC Subsidiary of any such senior security, MCG individually and on a consolidated basis, shall have the asset coverage required by section 18(a) (as modified by section 61(a)), except that, in determining whether MCG on a consolidated basis has the asset coverage required by section 18(a) (as modified by section 61(a)), any senior securities representing indebtedness of the SBIC Subsidiary shall not be considered senior securities and, for PO 00000 Frm 00167 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 purposes of the definition of ‘‘asset coverage’’ in section 18(h), will be treated as indebtedness not represented by senior securities. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. Florence E. Harmon, Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–23492 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the Government in the Sunshine Act, Public Law 94–409, that the Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a Closed Meeting on Wednesday, October 1, 2008, at 2 p.m. Commissioners, Counsels to the Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, and certain staff members who have an interest in the matter will attend the Closed Meeting. The General Counsel of the Commission, or his designee, has certified that, in his opinion, one or more of the exemptions as set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(8) and (9) and 17 CFR 200.402(a)(8) and (9), permit consideration of the scheduled matter at the Closed Meeting. Commissioner Aguilar, as duty officer, voted to consider the item listed for the closed meeting in closed session, and determined that no earlier notice thereof was possible. The subject matter of the Closed Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, 2008, will be: Matters Related to the Financial Markets. At times, changes in Commission priorities require alterations in the scheduling of meeting items. For further information and to ascertain what, if any, matters have been added, deleted or postponed, please contact: The Office of the Secretary at (202) 551–5400. Dated: October 1, 2008. Jill M. Peterson, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–23498 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT: [73 FR 55571, September 25, 2008]. E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 194 (Monday, October 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58274-58276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23492]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 28427; 812-13428]


MCG Capital Corporation, et al.; Notice of Application

September 30, 2008.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') for an exemption from 
sections 18(a), 55(a), and 61(a) of the Act.

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Summary of the Application:  Applicants request an order to permit: (1) 
A business development company to look to the assets of its wholly-
owned subsidiaries, rather than the business development company's 
interest in the subsidiaries themselves, in determining whether the 
business development company meets certain requirements for business 
development companies under the Act, and (2) the business development 
company to adhere to a modified asset coverage requirement.

Applicants:  MCG Capital Corporation (``MCG''), Solutions Capital G.P., 
LLC, Solutions Capital I, L.P., MCG Capital Advisory Services, Inc., 
MCG Equity Funding I, LLC, MCG Finance I, LLC, MCG Finance V, LLC, MCG 
Commercial Loan Funding Trust, MCG Finance VII, LLC, MCG Commercial 
Loan Trust 2006-1, MCG Finance VIII, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Trust 
2006-2, MCG Finance IX, LLC, MCG Commercial Loan Trust 2008-1, MCG IH 
Holdings, Inc., IH Helicon, Inc., IH NPS Holdings, LLC, MCG Opportunity 
Investment Fund I, LLC, Sleep Investors, LLC, TNR Investors, LLC, 
Crystal Media Network, Inc., IH Chesapeake Tower, Inc., IH Dayton 
Parts, Inc., IH GSD, Inc., IH Intran Inc., IH MTP, Inc., IH NDS, Inc., 
IH NEPG, Inc., IH NYL, Inc., IH Orbitel Holdings, Inc., IH OTM, Inc., 
IH PBI, Inc., IH Premier, Inc. and IH Quantum, Inc.

Filing Dates:  The application was filed on September 25, 2007, and 
amended on June 17, 2008, and September 17, 2008. Applicants have 
agreed to file an amendment during the notice period, the substance of 
which is contained in this notice.

Hearing or Notification of Hearing:  An order granting the application 
will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested 
persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary 
and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by 
mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 
p.m. on October 27, 2008, and should be accompanied by proof of service 
on the Applicant, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a 
certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the 
writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues 
contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request 
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F 
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicant, c/o Steven F. 
Tunney, President and Chief Executive Officer, MCG Capital Corporation, 
1100 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 3000, Arlington, VA 22209.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Y. Greenlees, Senior 
Counsel, at (202) 551-6879, or Marilyn Mann, Branch Chief, at (202) 
551-6821 (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment 
Company Regulation).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the

[[Page 58275]]

application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 
20549-1520 (tel. 202-551-5850).

Applicants' Representations

    1. MCG, a Delaware corporation, is an internally managed, non-
diversified, closed-end investment company that has elected to be 
regulated as a business development company (``BDC'') under the Act. 
MCG is a commercial finance company that provides capital and advisory 
services to middle-market companies throughout the United States.
    2. MCG conducts, and expects to continue to conduct, a portion of 
its business through its current and future subsidiaries, all of whose 
equity securities are owned or will be owned directly or indirectly by 
MCG (each, a ``Subsidiary''). There are three types of Subsidiaries 
that currently are active or are currently being contemplated: (1) 
Operating Subsidiaries, (2) financing subsidiaries, and (3) blocker 
subsidiaries.
    3. MCG's current operating subsidiaries are Solutions Capital I, 
L.P. (the ``SBIC Subsidiary'') and Solutions Capital G.P., LLC (the 
``SBIC GP''). The SBIC Subsidiary, a Delaware limited partnership, is a 
small business investment company (``SBIC'') licensed under the Small 
Business Administration (``SBA'') to operate under the Small Business 
Investment Act of 1958 (``SBIA''). The SBIC Subsidiary relies on 
section 3(c)(7) of the Act. The SBIC GP, a Delaware limited liability 
company, is the sole general partner of the SBIC Subsidiary. MCG is the 
SBIC GP's sole member and owner. The SBIC GP is the sole general 
partner of the SBIC Subsidiary, and MCG is the sole limited partner of 
the SBIC Subsidiary.
    4. MCG intends to operate the SBIC Subsidiary through the SBIC GP 
for the same investment purposes as MCG, and the SBIC Subsidiary will 
invest in the same kinds of securities as MCG. The operations of both 
the SBIC Subsidiary and the SBIC GP will be consolidated with those of 
MCG for financial reporting purposes. The assets of the SBIC Subsidiary 
and the SBIC GP are recorded on MCG's balance sheet, and thus are 
considered assets of MCG for U.S. generally accepted accounting 
principles purposes.
    5. From time to time, MCG transfers pools of loans and/or other 
investments to special purpose entities (the ``Financing 
Subsidiaries'') for use in connection with on-balance sheet financing 
transactions. The current Financing Subsidiaries are structured as 
Delaware limited liability companies. Each such current Financing 
Subsidiary, in turn, transfers such loans and/or other investments to a 
wholly owned trust (each, a ``Financing Trust'') that finances the 
acquisition of such assets through the issuance of debt securities. The 
current Financing Subsidiaries are excluded from the definition of 
investment company under section 3(c)(7) of the Act, and the current 
Financing Trusts are excluded from the definition of investment company 
under rule 3a-7 under the Act.
    6. The purpose of the Financing Subsidiaries is to provide a 
legally separate entity to hold investments and/or to hold the 
Financing Trust, which, in turn, hold the investments supporting MCG's 
financings. MCG solely controls the operations of each Financing Trust, 
including the acquisition and disposition of assets by each Financing 
Trust.
    7. MCG utilizes wholly owned subsidiaries to hold MCG's interests 
in certain of MCG's portfolio companies (the ``Blocker Subsidiaries''). 
The Blocker Subsidiaries are excluded from the definition of investment 
company under section 3(c)(7) of the Act. Certain of the Blocker 
Subsidiaries are structured as Delaware corporations and hold certain 
investment assets that are structured as pass-through tax entities in 
order to allow MCG to continue to qualify as a regulated investment 
company for tax purposes.\1\ Other Blocker Subsidiaries, organized as 
Delaware limited liability companies, hold MCG's interests in MCG's 
portfolio companies in order to block potential investor-related 
liability to MCG.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Applicants represent that these Blocker Subsidiaries are a 
lawful method of tax planning under the Internal Revenue Code and 
are frequently used by companies seeking to elect to be treated as 
regulated investment companies. MCG has obtained an opinion from tax 
counsel from the firm of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP confirming 
the appropriateness of this structure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. The Blocker Subsidiaries are not operating companies and do not 
have any employees. The Blocker Subsidiaries exist solely for the 
benefit of MCG in order to hold MCG's interests in its portfolio 
companies and do not provide any services to any other company. MCG 
does and will continue to make available significant managerial 
assistance to the issuers of securities held by the Subsidiaries to the 
extent required by section 2(a)(48)(B).\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ For the purposes of Section 2(a)(48)(B), MCG will treat 
securities held by the Subsidiaries as if they were held directly by 
MCG.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applicants' Legal Analysis

A. Relief for MCG To Deem Assets Held by its Subsidiaries To Be Owned 
by MCG for Purposes of Determining Its Compliance With Section 55(a) of 
the Act

    1. Section 2(a)(48) of the Act generally defines a BDC to be any 
closed-end investment company that operates for the purpose of making 
investments in securities described in section 55(a)(1) through (3) of 
the Act and makes available significant managerial assistance with 
respect to the issuers of these securities. Section 55(a) of the Act 
requires a BDC to have at least 70 percent of its assets invested in 
assets described in sections 55(a)(1) through (7) (``Qualifying 
Assets''). Qualifying Assets generally include securities issued by 
eligible portfolio companies as defined in section 2(a)(46) of the Act. 
Section 2(a)(46)(B) generally excludes from the definition of an 
eligible portfolio company an investment company, as defined under 
section 3 of the Act, and a company that would be an investment company 
but for the exclusion from the definition of investment company in 
section 3(c) of the Act.
    2. Section 6(c) of the Act, in relevant part, permits the 
Commission to exempt any transaction or class of transactions from any 
provision of the Act if, and to the extent that, such exemption is 
necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the 
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy 
and provisions of the Act. Applicants request an order pursuant to 
section 6(c) to allow MCG to deem the assets of its current and future 
Subsidiaries as its own assets for purposes of determining its 
compliance with section 55(a).
    3. Applicants state that each Subsidiary will be formed as a 
limited liability company (``LLC''), a corporation (``Corporation ``) 
or a partnership (``Partnership''). MCG and/or one or more other 
Subsidiaries at all times will be the only members of each Subsidiary 
that is an LLC and will collectively hold all of the ownership 
interests in the LLC Subsidiary. No LLC Subsidiary will admit any 
person other than MCG or another Subsidiary as a member, and no LLC 
Subsidiary will issue interests other than to MCG or another 
Subsidiary. MCG and/or one or more other Subsidiaries at all times will 
own and hold all of the outstanding equity interests in each Subsidiary 
that is formed as a Corporation. MCG and/or one or more other 
Subsidiaries will at all times be the sole limited partner of any 
Subsidiary that is formed as a

[[Page 58276]]

Partnership and the sole owner of such Subsidiary's general partner. 
Applicants also state that since MCG, directly or indirectly through 
another Subsidiary, owns or would own the entire equity interest in any 
current and future Subsidiaries, any activity carried on by them will, 
in all material respects, have the same economic effect on MCG's 
stockholders as if carried on directly by MCG.

B. Relief for the Company To Adhere to a Modified Asset Coverage 
Requirement

    1. Applicants request an exemption pursuant to section 6(c)of the 
Act from the provisions of sections 18(a) and 61(a) of the Act to 
permit MCG to adhere to a modified asset coverage requirement.
    2. Section 18(a) of the Act prohibits a registered closed-end 
investment company from issuing any class of senior security or selling 
any such security of which it is the issuer unless the company complies 
with the asset coverage requirements set forth in that section. Section 
61(a) of the Act makes section 18 applicable to BDCs, with certain 
modifications. Section 18(k) exempts an investment company operating as 
an SBIC from the asset coverage requirements for senior securities 
representing indebtedness that are contained in section 18(a)(1)(A) and 
(B).
    3. Applicants state that a question exists as to whether MCG must 
comply with the asset coverage requirements of section 18(a) (as 
modified by section 61(a)) solely on an individual basis or whether MCG 
must also comply with the asset coverage requirements on a consolidated 
basis because MCG may be deemed to be an indirect issuer of any class 
of senior security issued by the SBIC Subsidiary. Applicants state that 
they wish to treat the SBIC Subsidiary as if it were a BDC subject to 
sections 18 and 61 of the Act. Applicants state that companies 
operating under the SBIA, such as the SBIC Subsidiary, will be subject 
to the SBA's substantial regulation of permissible leverage in its 
capital structure.
    4. Section 6(c) of the Act, in relevant part, permits the 
Commission to exempt any transaction or class of transactions from any 
provision of the Act if and to the extent that such exemption is 
necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the 
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy 
and provisions of the Act. Applicants state that the requested relief 
satisfies the section 6(c) standard. Applicants contend that, since the 
SBIC Subsidiary would be entitled to rely on section 18(k) if it was a 
BDC itself, there is no policy reason to deny the benefit of that 
exemption to MCG.

Applicants' Conditions

    Applicants agree that the order granting the requested relief will 
be subject to the following conditions:

Relief From Section 55(a)

    1. Each Subsidiary will be formed as a limited liability company 
(``LLC''), a corporation (``Corporation ``) or a partnership 
(``Partnership''). MCG and/or one or more other Subsidiaries at all 
times will be the only members of each Subsidiary that is an LLC and 
will collectively hold all of the ownership interests in the LLC 
Subsidiary. No LLC Subsidiary will admit any person other than MCG or 
another Subsidiary as a member, and no LLC Subsidiary will issue 
interests other than to MCG or another Subsidiary. MCG and/or one or 
more other Subsidiaries at all times will own and hold all of the 
outstanding equity interests in each Subsidiary that is formed as a 
Corporation. MCG and/or one or more other Subsidiaries will at all 
times be the sole limited partner of any Subsidiary that is formed as a 
Partnership and the sole owner of such Subsidiary's general partner.
    2. The Subsidiaries, and any future Subsidiaries, may not acquire 
any asset if the acquisition would cause MCG to violate section 55(a).
    3. No person shall serve or act as investment adviser to a 
Subsidiary unless the Board and stockholders of MCG shall have taken 
the action with respect thereto also required to be taken by the board 
of directors of the Subsidiary and stockholders of the Subsidiary as if 
the Subsidiary were a BDC.

Relief From Section 18(a)

    4. MCG will not issue or sell any senior security and MCG will not 
cause or permit the SBIC Subsidiary to issue or sell any senior 
security of which MCG or the SBIC Subsidiary is the issuer except to 
the extent permitted by section 18 (as modified for BDCs by section 
61); provided that immediately after issuance or sale by any of MCG or 
the SBIC Subsidiary of any such senior security, MCG individually and 
on a consolidated basis, shall have the asset coverage required by 
section 18(a) (as modified by section 61(a)), except that, in 
determining whether MCG on a consolidated basis has the asset coverage 
required by section 18(a) (as modified by section 61(a)), any senior 
securities representing indebtedness of the SBIC Subsidiary shall not 
be considered senior securities and, for purposes of the definition of 
``asset coverage'' in section 18(h), will be treated as indebtedness 
not represented by senior securities.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
pursuant to delegated authority.
Florence E. Harmon,
Acting Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-23492 Filed 10-3-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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