New Mountain Finance Corporation, et al., 22165-22170 [2017-09643]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 91 / Friday, May 12, 2017 / Notices
2. Date: June 26, 2017.
This meeting will discuss
applications on the subjects of the Arts,
Media & Communication, Philosophy &
Religion, for the Awards for Faculty
grant program, submitted to the Division
of Research Programs.
3. Date: June 27, 2017.
This meeting will discuss
applications on the subjects of World
History, Linguistics, and the Social
Sciences, for NEH-Mellon Fellowships
for Digital Publication, submitted to the
Division of Research Programs.
4. Date: June 27, 2017.
This meeting will discuss
applications on the subject of Literature
Studies, for the Awards for Faculty
grant program, submitted to the Division
of Research Programs.
5. Date: June 28, 2017.
This meeting will discuss
applications on the subjects of History
& Politics, for the Awards for Faculty
grant program, submitted to the Division
of Research Programs.
6. Date: June 29, 2017.
This meeting will discuss
applications on the subjects of
American History, American Studies &
Social Sciences, for the Awards for
Faculty grant program, submitted to the
Division of Research Programs.
Because these meetings will include
review of personal and/or proprietary
financial and commercial information
given in confidence to the agency by
grant applicants, the meetings will be
closed to the public pursuant to sections
552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6) of Title 5,
U.S.C., as amended. I have made this
determination pursuant to the authority
granted me by the Chairman’s
Delegation of Authority to Close
Advisory Committee Meetings dated
April 15, 2016.
Dated: May 8, 2017.
Elizabeth Voyatzis,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017–09600 Filed 5–11–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7536–01–P
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. MC2017–129 and CP2017–182]
New Postal Products
Postal Regulatory Commission.
Notice.
AGENCY:
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ACTION:
The Commission is noticing a
recent Postal Service filing for the
Commission’s consideration concerning
negotiated service agreements. This
notice informs the public of the filing,
invites public comment, and takes other
administrative steps.
SUMMARY:
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Comments are due May 15, 2017.
Submit comments
electronically via the Commission’s
Filing Online system at https://
www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit
comments electronically should contact
the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section by
telephone for advice on filing
alternatives.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at
202–789–6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
ADDRESSES:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Docketed Proceeding(s)
I. Introduction
The Commission gives notice that the
Postal Service filed request(s) for the
Commission to consider matters related
to negotiated service agreement(s). The
request(s) may propose the addition or
removal of a negotiated service
agreement from the market dominant or
the competitive product list, or the
modification of an existing product
currently appearing on the market
dominant or the competitive product
list.
Section II identifies the docket
number(s) associated with each Postal
Service request, the title of each Postal
Service request, the request’s acceptance
date, and the authority cited by the
Postal Service for each request. For each
request, the Commission appoints an
officer of the Commission to represent
the interests of the general public in the
proceeding, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505
(Public Representative). Section II also
establishes comment deadline(s)
pertaining to each request.
The public portions of the Postal
Service’s request(s) can be accessed via
the Commission’s Web site (https://
www.prc.gov). Non-public portions of
the Postal Service’s request(s), if any,
can be accessed through compliance
with the requirements of 39 CFR
3007.40.
The Commission invites comments on
whether the Postal Service’s request(s)
in the captioned docket(s) are consistent
with the policies of title 39. For
request(s) that the Postal Service states
concern market dominant product(s),
applicable statutory and regulatory
requirements include 39 U.S.C. 3622, 39
U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3010, and 39
CFR part 3020, subpart B. For request(s)
that the Postal Service states concern
competitive product(s), applicable
statutory and regulatory requirements
include 39 U.S.C. 3632, 39 U.S.C. 3633,
39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3015, and
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39 CFR part 3020, subpart B. Comment
deadline(s) for each request appear in
section II.
II. Docketed Proceeding(s)
1. Docket No(s).: MC2017–129 and
CP2017–182; Filing Title: Request of the
United States Postal Service to Add
Priority Mail Contract 317 to
Competitive Product List and Notice of
Filing (Under Seal) of Unredacted
Governors’ Decision, Contract, and
Supporting Data; Filing Acceptance
Date: May 5, 2017; Filing Authority: 39
U.S.C. 3642 and 39 CFR 3020.30 et seq.;
Public Representative: Kenneth R.
Moeller; Comments Due: May 15, 2017.
This notice will be published in the
Federal Register.
Stacy L. Ruble,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–09615 Filed 5–11–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
32630; 812–14699]
New Mountain Finance Corporation, et
al.
May 8, 2017.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice of application for an order
under sections 17(d) and 57(i) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
‘‘Act’’) and rule 17d–1 under the Act
permitting certain joint transactions
otherwise prohibited by sections 17(d)
and 57(a)(4) of the Act and under rule
17d–1 under the Act.
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants
request an order to permit one or more
business development companies (each,
a ‘‘BDC’’) and certain other closed-end
management investment companies to
co-invest in portfolio companies with
each other and with affiliated
investment funds.
APPLICANTS: New Mountain Finance
Corporation (‘‘NMFC’’); NMF Ancora
Holdings, Inc., NMF QID NGL Holdings,
Inc., and NMF YP Holdings, Inc.
(collectively, the ‘‘NMFC Subsidiaries’’);
New Mountain Finance SBIC, L.P.
(‘‘SBIC LP’’); New Mountain Guardian
Partners II, L.P. (‘‘Guardian II’’); New
Mountain Guardian II Master Fund-A,
L.P. (‘‘Guardian II Master A’’); New
Mountain Guardian II Master Fund-B,
L.P. (‘‘Guardian II Master B,’’ and
together with Guardian II and Guardian
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 91 / Friday, May 12, 2017 / Notices
II Master-A, the ‘‘Guardian II Funds’’);
and New Mountain Finance Advisers
BDC, L.L.C. (the ‘‘BDC Adviser’’) on
behalf of itself and its successors.1
FILING DATES: The application was filed
on September 12, 2016, and amended
on February 1, 2017 and April 7, 2017.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING:
An order granting the requested relief
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 June 2, 2017, and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an
affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the
Act, hearing requests should state the
nature of the writer’s interest, any facts
bearing upon the desirability of a
hearing on the matter, 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 St.
NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.
Applicants: Robert A. Hamwee, Chief
Executive Officer, 787 Seventh Avenue,
48th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rochelle Kauffman Plesset, Senior
Counsel, or David Marcinkus, Branch
Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of
Investment Management, Chief
Counsel’s Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained via the Commission’s
Web site by searching for the file
number, or for an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
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Applicants’ Representations
1. NMFC, a Delaware corporation, is
organized as a closed-end management
investment company that has elected to
be regulated as a BDC under section
54(a) of the Act.2 Applicants state that
NMFC seeks to generate both current
1 The term ‘‘successor,’’ as applied to an Adviser,
means an entity that results from a reorganization
into another jurisdiction or change in the type of
business organization.
2 Section 2(a)(48) defines a BDC to be any closedend investment company that operates for the
purpose of making investments in securities
described in sections 55(a)(1) through 55(a)(3) of the
Act and makes available significant managerial
assistance with respect to the issuers of such
securities.
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income and capital appreciation
through the sourcing and origination of
debt securities at all levels of the capital
structure. The board of directors
(‘‘Board’’) of NMFC is comprised of
seven directors, four of whom are not
‘‘interested directors’’ as defined in
section 2(a)(19) of the Act (‘‘NonInterested Directors’’).
2. The NMFC Subsidiaries are whollyowned subsidiaries of NMFC, each
structured as a Delaware corporation to
hold equity or equity-like investments
in portfolio companies organized as
limited liability companies or other
forms of pass-through entities. The
NMFC Subsidiaries are not registered
under the Act in reliance on the
exclusion from the definition of
‘‘investment company’’ in section
3(c)(7) of the Act.
3. SBIC LP, a Delaware limited
partnership, received a license from the
Small Business Administration to
operate as a small business investment
company. SBIC LP is a consolidated
wholly-owned subsidiary of NMFC.
4. Guardian II is a private fund
organized in Delaware on August 25,
2016. Both Guardian II Master A and
Guardian II Master B are private funds
organized as Cayman Islands exempted
limited partnerships on January 3, 2017.
The Guardian II Funds have not yet
formally commenced principal
operations. Applicants state that the
investment objective of each of these
funds is to generate both current income
and capital appreciation by investing
primarily in first lien and second lien
secured loans as well as subordinated
debt. None of the Guardian II Funds is
registered under the Act in reliance on
the exclusion from the definition of
‘‘investment company’’ in section
3(c)(7) of the Act.
5. BDC Adviser, a Delaware limited
liability company, is registered with the
Commission as an investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’). BDC Adviser
serves as investment adviser to NMFC
and will serve as investment adviser to
the Guardian II Funds.
6. Applicants seek an order (‘‘Order’’)
to permit one or more Regulated Funds 3
and/or one or more Affiliated Funds 4 to
3 ‘‘Regulated Fund’’ means NMFC and any Future
Regulated Fund. ‘‘Future Regulated Fund’’ means
any closed-end management investment company
(a) that is registered under the Act or has elected
to be regulated as a BDC, (b) whose investment
adviser is an Adviser, and (c) that intends to
participate in the Co-Investment Program. The term
‘‘Adviser’’ means (a) the BDC Adviser and (b) any
future investment adviser that controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with the
BDC Adviser and is registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act.
4 ‘‘Affiliated Fund’’ means the Guardian II Funds
and any Future Affiliated Funds. ‘‘Future Affiliated
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participate in the same investment
opportunities through a proposed coinvestment program (the ‘‘CoInvestment Program’’) where such
participation would otherwise be
prohibited under section 57(a)(4) and
rule 17d–1 by (a) co-investing with each
other in securities issued by issuers in
private placement transactions in which
an Adviser negotiates terms in addition
to price; 5 and (b) making additional
investments in securities of such
issuers, including through the exercise
of warrants, conversion privileges, and
other rights to purchase securities of the
issuers (‘‘Follow-On Investments’’). ‘‘CoInvestment Transaction’’ means any
transaction in which a Regulated Fund
(or its Wholly-Owned Investment Sub,
as defined below) participated together
with one or more other Regulated Funds
and/or one or more Affiliated Funds in
reliance on the requested Order.
‘‘Potential Co-Investment Transaction’’
means any investment opportunity in
which a Regulated Fund (or its WhollyOwned Investment Sub) could not
participate together with one or more
Affiliated Funds and/or one or more
other Regulated Funds without
obtaining and relying on the Order.6
7. Applicants state any of the
Regulated Funds may, from time to
time, form one or more Wholly-Owned
Investment Subs.7 A Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub would be prohibited
from investing in a Co-Investment
Transaction with any Affiliated Fund or
Fund’’ means any entity (a) whose investment
adviser is an Adviser, (b) that would be an
investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or
3(c)(7) of the Act, and (c) that intends to participate
in the Co-Investment Program.
5 The term ‘‘private placement transactions’’
means transactions in which the offer and sale of
securities by the issuer are exempt from registration
under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘‘Securities
Act’’).
6 All existing entities that currently intend to rely
upon the requested Order have been named as
applicants. Any other existing or future entity that
subsequently relies on the Order will comply with
the terms and conditions of the application.
7 The term ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’’
means an entity (i) that is wholly-owned by a
Regulated Fund (with the Regulated Fund at all
times holding, beneficially and of record, 100% of
the voting and economic interests); (ii) whose sole
business purpose is to hold one or more
investments on behalf of the Regulated Fund (and,
in the case of an SBIC Subsidiary, maintain a
license under the Small Business Investment Act of
1958 and issue debentures guaranteed by the SBA;
(iii) with respect to which the Regulated Fund’s
Board has the sole authority to make all
determinations with respect to the entity’s
participation under the conditions of the
application; and (iv) that would be an investment
company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
Each of the NMFC Subsidiaries and SBIC LP is a
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub of NMFC and any
future subsidiaries of the Regulated Funds that
participate in Co-Investment Transactions will be
Wholly-Owned Investment Subs.
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Regulated Fund because it would be a
company controlled by its parent
Regulated Fund for purposes of section
57(a)(4) and rule 17d–1. Applicants
request that each Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub be permitted to
participate in Co-Investment
Transactions in lieu of its parent
Regulated Fund and that the WhollyOwned Investment Sub’s participation
in any such transaction be treated, for
purposes of the requested order, as
though the parent Regulated Fund were
participating directly. Applicants
represent that this treatment is justified
because a Wholly-Owned Investment
Sub would have no purpose other than
serving as a holding vehicle for the
Regulated Fund’s investments and,
therefore, no conflicts of interest could
arise between the Regulated Fund and
the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub. The
Regulated Fund’s Board would make all
relevant determinations under the
conditions with regard to a WhollyOwned Investment Sub’s participation
in a Co-Investment Transaction, and the
Regulated Fund’s Board would be
informed of, and take into
consideration, any proposed use of a
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub in the
Regulated Fund’s place. If the Regulated
Fund proposes to participate in the
same Co-Investment Transaction with
any of its Wholly-Owned Investment
Subs, the Board will also be informed
of, and take into consideration, the
relative participation of the Regulated
Fund and the Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub.
8. When considering Potential CoInvestment Transactions for any
Regulated Fund, the applicable Adviser
will consider only the Objectives and
Strategies, investment policies,
investment positions, capital available
for investment as described in the
application (‘‘Available Capital’’), and
other pertinent factors applicable to that
Regulated Fund.8 The Board of each
Regulated Fund, including the NonInterested Directors, has (or will have
prior to relying on the requested Order)
determined that it is in the best interests
of the Regulated Fund to participate in
Co-Investment Transactions.9
9. Other than pro rata dispositions
and Follow-On Investments as provided
in conditions 7 and 8, and after making
8 ‘‘Objectives and Strategies’’ means a Regulated
Fund’s investment objectives and strategies, as
described in the Regulated Fund’s registration
statement on Form N–2 or Form 10, as applicable,
other filings the Regulated Fund has made with the
Commission under the Securities Act, or under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated
Fund’s reports to shareholders.
9 The Regulated Funds, however, will not be
obligated to invest, or co-invest, when investment
opportunities are referred to them.
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the determinations required in
conditions 1 and 2(a), the Adviser will
present each Potential Co-Investment
Transaction and the proposed allocation
to the directors of the Board eligible to
vote under section 57(o) of the Act
(‘‘Eligible Directors’’), and the ‘‘required
majority,’’ as defined in section 57(o) of
the Act (‘‘Required Majority’’) 10 will
approve each Co-Investment
Transaction prior to any investment by
the participating Regulated Fund.
10. With respect to the pro rata
dispositions and Follow-On Investments
provided in conditions 7 and 8, a
Regulated Fund may participate in a pro
rata disposition or Follow-On
Investment without obtaining prior
approval of the Required Majority if,
among other things: (i) the proposed
participation of each Regulated Fund
and Affiliated Fund in such disposition
is proportionate to its outstanding
investments in the issuer immediately
preceding the disposition or Follow-On
Investment, as the case may be; and (ii)
the Board of the Regulated Fund has
approved that Regulated Fund’s
participation in pro rata dispositions
and Follow-On Investments as being in
the best interests of the Regulated Fund.
If the Board does not so approve, any
such disposition or Follow-On
Investment will be submitted to the
Regulated Fund’s Eligible Directors. The
Board of any Regulated Fund may at any
time rescind, suspend or qualify its
approval of pro rata dispositions and
Follow-On Investments with the result
that all dispositions and/or Follow-On
Investments must be submitted to the
Eligible Directors.
11. No Non-Interested Director of a
Regulated Fund will have a financial
interest in any Co-Investment
Transaction, other than through share
ownership in one of the Regulated
Funds.
12. If an Adviser or its principal
owners (the ‘‘Principals’’), or any person
controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with an Adviser or the
Principals, and any Affiliated Fund
(collectively, the ‘‘Holders’’) own in the
aggregate more than 25 per cent of the
outstanding voting shares of a Regulated
Fund (the ‘‘Shares’’), then the Holders
will vote such Shares as required under
condition 14. Applicants believe that
this condition will ensure that the NonInterested Directors will act
independently in evaluating the CoInvestment Program, because the ability
of an Adviser or the Principals to
10 In the case of a Regulated Fund that is a
registered closed-end fund, the Board members that
make up the Required Majority will be determined
as if the Regulated Fund were a BDC subject to
section 57(o).
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influence the Non-Interested Directors
by a suggestion, explicit or implied, that
the Non-Interested Directors can be
removed will be limited significantly.
The Non-Interested Directors shall
evaluate and approve any such
independent third party, taking into
account its qualifications, reputation for
independence, cost to the shareholders,
and other factors that they deem
relevant.
Applicants’ Legal Analysis
1. Section 57(a)(4) of the Act prohibits
certain affiliated persons of a BDC from
participating in joint transactions with
the BDC or a company controlled by a
BDC in contravention of rules as
prescribed by the Commission. Under
section 57(b)(2) of the Act, any person
who is directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by, or under common control
with a BDC is subject to section 57(a)(4).
Applicants submit that each of the
Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds
could be deemed to be a person related
to each Regulated Fund in a manner
described by section 57(b) by virtue of
being under common control. Section
57(i) of the Act provides that, until the
Commission prescribes rules under
section 57(a)(4), the Commission’s rules
under section 17(d) of the Act
applicable to registered closed-end
investment companies will be deemed
to apply to transactions subject to
section 57(a)(4). Because the
Commission has not adopted any rules
under section 57(a)(4), rule 17d–1 also
applies to joint transactions with
Regulated Funds that are BDCs. Section
17(d) of the Act and rule 17d–1 under
the Act are applicable to Regulated
Funds that are registered closed-end
investment companies.
2. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule
17d–1 under the Act prohibit affiliated
persons of a registered investment
company from participating in joint
transactions with the company unless
the Commission has granted an order
permitting such transactions. In passing
upon applications under rule 17d–1, the
Commission considers whether the
company’s participation in the joint
transaction is consistent with the
provisions, policies, and purposes of the
Act and the extent to which such
participation is on a basis different from
or less advantageous than that of other
participants.
3. Applicants state that in the absence
of the requested relief, the Regulated
Funds would be, in some
circumstances, limited in their ability to
participate in attractive and appropriate
investment opportunities. Applicants
believe that the proposed terms and
conditions will ensure that the Co-
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Investment Transactions are consistent
with the protection of each Regulated
Fund’s shareholders and with the
purposes intended by the policies and
provisions of the Act. Applicants state
that the Regulated Funds’ participation
in the Co-Investment Transactions will
be consistent with the provisions,
policies, and purposes of the Act and on
a basis that is not different from or less
advantageous than that of other
participants.
Applicants’ Conditions
Applicants agree that the Order will
be subject to the following conditions:
1. Each time an Adviser considers a
Potential Co-Investment Transaction for
an Affiliated Fund or another Regulated
Fund that falls within a Regulated
Fund’s then-current Objectives and
Strategies, the Regulated Fund’s Adviser
will make an independent
determination of the appropriateness of
the investment for such Regulated Fund
in light of the Regulated Fund’s thencurrent circumstances.
2. (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated
Fund’s participation in any Potential
Co-Investment Transaction to be
appropriate for the Regulated Fund, it
will then determine an appropriate level
of investment for the Regulated Fund.
(b) If the aggregate amount
recommended by the applicable Adviser
to be invested by the applicable
Regulated Fund in the Potential CoInvestment Transaction, together with
the amount proposed to be invested by
the other participating Regulated Funds
and Affiliated Funds, collectively, in the
same transaction, exceeds the amount of
the investment opportunity, the
investment opportunity will be
allocated among them pro rata based on
each participant’s Available Capital, up
to the amount proposed to be invested
by each. The applicable Adviser will
provide the Eligible Directors of each
participating Regulated Fund with
information concerning each
participating party’s Available Capital to
assist the Eligible Directors with their
review of the Regulated Fund’s
investments for compliance with these
allocation procedures.
(c) After making the determinations
required in conditions 1 and 2(a), the
applicable Adviser will distribute
written information concerning the
Potential Co-Investment Transaction
(including the amount proposed to be
invested by each participating Regulated
Fund and Affiliated Fund) to the
Eligible Directors of each participating
Regulated Fund for their consideration.
A Regulated Fund will co-invest with
one or more other Regulated Funds and/
or one or more Affiliated Funds only if,
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prior to the Regulated Fund’s
participation in the Potential CoInvestment Transaction, a Required
Majority concludes that:
(i) The terms of the Potential CoInvestment Transaction, including the
consideration to be paid, are reasonable
and fair to the Regulated Fund and its
shareholders and do not involve
overreaching in respect of the Regulated
Fund or its shareholders on the part of
any person concerned;
(ii) the Potential Co-Investment
Transaction is consistent with:
(A) The interests of the shareholders
of the Regulated Fund; and
(B) the Regulated Fund’s then-current
Objectives and Strategies;
(iii) the investment by any other
Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds
would not disadvantage the Regulated
Fund, and participation by the
Regulated Fund would not be on a basis
different from or less advantageous than
that of other Regulated Funds or
Affiliated Funds; provided that, if any
other Regulated Fund or Affiliated
Fund, but not the Regulated Fund itself,
gains the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company’s board
of directors or the right to have a board
observer or any similar right to
participate in the governance or
management of the portfolio company,
such event shall not be interpreted to
prohibit the Required Majority from
reaching the conclusions required by
this condition (2)(c)(iii), if:
(A) The Eligible Directors will have
the right to ratify the selection of such
director or board observer, if any;
(B) the applicable Adviser agrees to,
and does, provide periodic reports to
the Regulated Fund’s Board with respect
to the actions of such director or the
information received by such board
observer or obtained through the
exercise of any similar right to
participate in the governance or
management of the portfolio company;
and
(C) any fees or other compensation
that any Affiliated Fund or any
Regulated Fund or any affiliated person
of any Affiliated Fund or any Regulated
Fund receives in connection with the
right of the Affiliated Fund or a
Regulated Fund to nominate a director
or appoint a board observer or otherwise
to participate in the governance or
management of the portfolio company
will be shared proportionately among
the participating Affiliated Funds (who
each may, in turn, share its portion with
its affiliated persons) and the
participating Regulated Funds in
accordance with the amount of each
party’s investment; and
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(iv) the proposed investment by the
Regulated Fund will not benefit the
Advisers, the Affiliated Funds or the
other Regulated Funds or any affiliated
person of any of them (other than the
parties to the Co-Investment
Transaction), except (A) to the extent
permitted by condition 13, (B) to the
extent permitted by section 17(e) or
57(k) of the Act, as applicable, (C)
indirectly, as a result of an interest in
the securities issued by one of the
parties to the Co-Investment
Transaction, or (D) in the case of fees or
other compensation described in
condition 2(c)(iii)(C).
3. Each Regulated Fund has the right
to decline to participate in any Potential
Co-Investment Transaction or to invest
less than the amount proposed.
4. The applicable Adviser will present
to the Board of each Regulated Fund, on
a quarterly basis, a record of all
investments in Potential Co-Investment
Transactions made by any of the other
Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds
during the preceding quarter that fell
within the Regulated Fund’s thencurrent Objectives and Strategies that
were not made available to the
Regulated Fund, and an explanation of
why the investment opportunities were
not offered to the Regulated Fund. All
information presented to the Board
pursuant to this condition will be kept
for the life of the Regulated Fund and
at least two years thereafter, and will be
subject to examination by the
Commission and its staff.
5. Except for Follow-On Investments
made in accordance with condition 8,11
a Regulated Fund will not invest in
reliance on the Order in any issuer in
which another Regulated Fund,
Affiliated Fund, or any affiliated person
of another Regulated Fund or Affiliated
Fund is an existing investor.
6. A Regulated Fund will not
participate in any Potential CoInvestment Transaction unless the
terms, conditions, price, class of
securities to be purchased, settlement
date, and registration rights will be the
same for each participating Regulated
Fund and Affiliated Fund. The grant to
an Affiliated Fund or another Regulated
Fund, but not the Regulated Fund, of
the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company’s board
of directors, the right to have an
observer on the board of directors or
similar rights to participate in the
governance or management of the
portfolio company will not be
11 This exception applies only to Follow-On
Investments by a Regulated Fund in issuers in
which that Regulated Fund already holds
investments.
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interpreted so as to violate this
condition 6, if conditions 2(c)(iii)(A), (B)
and (C) are met.
7. (a) If any Affiliated Fund or any
Regulated Fund elects to sell, exchange
or otherwise dispose of an interest in a
security that was acquired in a CoInvestment Transaction, the applicable
Advisers will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Fund that
participated in the Co-Investment
Transaction of the proposed disposition
at the earliest practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to
participation by each Regulated Fund in
the disposition.
(b) Each Regulated Fund will have the
right to participate in such disposition
on a proportionate basis, at the same
price and on the same terms and
conditions as those applicable to the
participating Affiliated Funds and
Regulated Funds.
(c) A Regulated Fund may participate
in such disposition without obtaining
prior approval of the Required Majority
if: (i) The proposed participation of each
Regulated Fund and each Affiliated
Fund in such disposition is
proportionate to its outstanding
investments in the issuer immediately
preceding the disposition; (ii) the Board
of the Regulated Fund has approved as
being in the best interests of the
Regulated Fund the ability to participate
in such dispositions on a pro rata basis
(as described in greater detail in the
application); and (iii) the Board of the
Regulated Fund is provided on a
quarterly basis with a list of all
dispositions made in accordance with
this condition. In all other cases, the
Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated
Fund’s participation to the Eligible
Directors, and the Regulated Fund will
participate in such disposition solely to
the extent that a Required Majority
determines that it is in the Regulated
Fund’s best interests.
(d) Each Affiliated Fund and each
Regulated Fund will bear its own
expenses in connection with any such
disposition.
8. (a) If any Affiliated Fund or any
Regulated Fund desires to make a
Follow-On Investment in a portfolio
company whose securities were
acquired in a Co-Investment
Transaction, the applicable Advisers
will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Fund that
participated in the Co-Investment
Transaction of the proposed transaction
at the earliest practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to
the proposed participation, including
the amount of the proposed Follow-On
Investment, by each Regulated Fund.
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17:41 May 11, 2017
Jkt 241001
(b) A Regulated Fund may participate
in such Follow-On Investment without
obtaining prior approval of the Required
Majority if: (i) The proposed
participation of each Regulated Fund
and each Affiliated Fund in such
investment is proportionate to its
outstanding investments in the issuer
immediately preceding the Follow-On
Investment; and (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Fund has approved as being
in the best interests of the Regulated
Fund the ability to participate in
Follow-On Investments on a pro rata
basis (as described in greater detail in
the application). In all other cases, the
Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated
Fund’s participation to the Eligible
Directors, and the Regulated Fund will
participate in such Follow-On
Investment solely to the extent that a
Required Majority determines that it is
in the Regulated Fund’s best interests.
(c) If, with respect to any Follow-On
Investment:
(i) The amount of the opportunity is
not based on the Regulated Funds’ and
the Affiliated Funds’ outstanding
investments immediately preceding the
Follow-On Investment; and
(ii) the aggregate amount
recommended by the applicable Adviser
to be invested by the applicable
Regulated Fund in the Follow-On
Investment, together with the amount
proposed to be invested by the other
participating Regulated Funds and
Affiliated Funds, collectively, in the
same transaction, exceeds the amount of
the investment opportunity; then the
investment opportunity will be
allocated among them pro rata based on
each participant’s Available Capital, up
to the maximum amount proposed to be
invested by each.
(d) The acquisition of Follow-On
Investments as permitted by this
condition will be considered a CoInvestment Transaction for all purposes
and subject to the other conditions set
forth in this application.
9. The Non-Interested Directors of
each Regulated Fund will be provided
quarterly for review all information
concerning Potential Co-Investment
Transactions and Co-Investment
Transactions, including investments
made by other Regulated Funds or
Affiliated Funds that the Regulated
Fund considered but declined to
participate in, so that the Non-Interested
Directors may determine whether all
investments made during the preceding
quarter, including those investments
that the Regulated Fund considered but
declined to participate in, comply with
the conditions of the Order. In addition,
the Non-Interested Directors will
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
22169
consider at least annually the continued
appropriateness for the Regulated Fund
of participating in new and existing CoInvestment Transactions.
10. Each Regulated Fund will
maintain the records required by section
57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the
Regulated Funds were a BDC and each
of the investments permitted under
these conditions were approved by the
Required Majority under section 57(f) of
the Act.
11. No Non-Interested Director of a
Regulated Fund will also be a director,
general partner, managing member or
principal, or otherwise an ‘‘affiliated
person’’ (as defined in the Act) of an
Affiliated Fund.
12. The expenses, if any, associated
with acquiring, holding or disposing of
any securities acquired in a CoInvestment Transaction (including,
without limitation, the expenses of the
distribution of any such securities
registered for sale under the Securities
Act) will, to the extent not payable by
the Advisers under their respective
investment advisory agreements with
Affiliated Funds and the Regulated
Funds, be shared by the Regulated
Funds and the Affiliated Funds in
proportion to the relative amounts of the
securities held or to be acquired or
disposed of, as the case may be.
13. Any transaction fee 12 (including
break-up or commitment fees but
excluding broker’s fees contemplated by
section 17(e) or 57(k) of the Act, as
applicable), received in connection with
a Co-Investment Transaction will be
distributed to the participating
Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds
on a pro rata basis based on the amounts
they invested or committed, as the case
may be, in such Co-Investment
Transaction. If any transaction fee is to
be held by an Adviser pending
consummation of the transaction, the
fee will be deposited into an account
maintained by such Adviser at a bank or
banks having the qualifications
prescribed in section 26(a)(1) of the Act,
and the account will earn a competitive
rate of interest that will also be divided
pro rata among the participating
Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds
based on the amounts they invest in
such Co-Investment Transaction. None
of the Affiliated Funds, the Advisers,
the other Regulated Funds or any
affiliated person of the Regulated Funds
or Affiliated Funds will receive
additional compensation or
remuneration of any kind as a result of
12 Applicants are not requesting and the staff is
not providing any relief for transaction fees
received in connection with any Co-Investment
Transaction.
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or in connection with a Co-Investment
Transaction (other than (a) in the case
of the Regulated Funds and the
Affiliated Funds, the pro rata
transaction fees described above and
fees or other compensation described in
condition 2(c)(iii)(C); and (b) in the case
of an Adviser, investment advisory fees
paid in accordance with the agreement
between the Adviser and the Regulated
Fund or Affiliated Fund.
14. If the Holders own in the aggregate
more than 25 percent of the Shares of
a Regulated Fund, then the Holders will
vote such Shares as directed by an
independent third party when voting on
(1) the election of directors; (2) the
removal of one or more directors; or (3)
any other matter under either the 1940
Act or applicable state law affecting the
Board’s composition, size or manner of
election.
15. Each Regulated Fund’s chief
compliance officer, as defined in rule
38a–1(a)(4), will prepare an annual
report for its Board each year that
evaluates (and documents the basis of
that evaluation) the Regulated Fund’s
compliance with the terms and
conditions of the application and the
procedures established to achieve such
compliance.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
MKT LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed
Rule Change To Harmonize the
Requirements of the NYSE MKT
Company Guide With Respect to
Periodic Reporting With Those of the
NYSE
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
May 8, 2017.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’),2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
notice is hereby given that, on April 25,
2017, NYSE MKT LLC (the ‘‘Exchange’’
or ‘‘NYSE MKT’’) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(the ‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I and II below, which Items have
U.S.C.78s(b)(1).
U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:41 May 11, 2017
Jkt 241001
The Exchange proposes to harmonize
the requirements of the NYSE MKT
Company Guide (the ‘‘Company Guide’’)
with respect to periodic reporting with
those of the NYSE. The proposed rule
change is available on the Exchange’s
Web site at www.nyse.com, at the
principal office of the Exchange, and at
the Commission’s Public Reference
Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
self-regulatory organization included
statements concerning the purpose of,
and basis for, the proposed rule change
and discussed any comments it received
on the proposed rule change. The text
of those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
The Exchange has prepared summaries,
set forth in sections A, B, and C below,
of the most significant parts of such
statements.
1. Purpose
[Release No. 34–80619; File No. SR–
NYSEMKT–2017–23]
2 15
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
[FR Doc. 2017–09643 Filed 5–11–17; 8:45 am]
1 15
been prepared by the self-regulatory
organization. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change
from interested persons.
The Exchange proposes to harmonize
the requirements of the Company Guide
with respect to periodic reporting with
those of the NYSE. A consistent
approach among the two NYSE sister
exchanges will avoid confusion among
investors and companies and their
service providers about the applicable
rules. Currently, the Exchange provides
companies that are late in making
required filings with a compliance plan
under its general provisions for
companies that are non-compliant with
Exchange rules, as set forth in Section
1009 of the Company Guide. Section
1009 gives the Exchange the discretion
to grant companies up to 18 months to
cure events of noncompliance and does
not provide specific guidance with
respect to how compliance periods
should be administered for companies
late in submitting their filings. By
contrast, Section 802.01E of the NYSE
Listed Company Manual limits
companies to a maximum cure period of
12 months to submit all delayed filings
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Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and includes specific provisions for
determining how much time companies
should be given to cure within the
context of that maximum 12 months and
what is required to be eligible for that
additional time. As such, the Exchange
believes that the NYSE’s process for
dealing with delayed filings is more
stringent and more transparent than its
own and believes that it is appropriate
to harmonize its own process with that
of the NYSE. The Exchange also
proposes to harmonize its requirements
with respect to semi-annual reporting by
foreign private issuers with that of the
NYSE, as the NYSE requirement is more
precise. This greater precision will
enable the Exchange to subject this
semi-annual reporting obligation to the
same compliance regime as it is
proposing for other delayed filings.
Semi-Annual Reporting by Foreign
Private Issuers
Section 110(d) of the Company Guide
currently requires all foreignincorporated listed companies to
publish, at least semi-annually, an
English language version of their
interim financial statements. As part of
its harmonization with the rules of the
NYSE and adoption of a more explicit
compliance approach,4 the Exchange
proposes to adopt new Section 110(e) as
a more specific interim reporting
requirement for listed foreign private
issuers.5 Under proposed Section
110(e), each listed foreign private issuer
will be required, at a minimum, to
submit to the SEC a Form 6–K that
includes (i) an interim balance sheet as
of the end of its second fiscal quarter
and (ii) a semi-annual income statement
that covers its first two fiscal quarters.
This Form 6–K must be submitted no
later than six months following the end
of the company’s second fiscal quarter.
The financial information included in
the Form 6–K must be presented in
English, but does not have to be
reconciled to U.S. GAAP.
Amendments to Chapter Six of the
Company Guide
Section 610(a) currently requires
listed companies to provide specific
enumerated disclosures with regard to
outstanding options.6 The Exchange
4 See Section 203.03 of the NYSE Listed Company
Manual.
5 Foreign-incorporated listed companies that are
not foreign private issuers are required to file
quarterly reports on Form 10–Q as domestic filers,
so proposed Section 110(e) is not relevant to them.
Existing Section 110(e) will be renumbered as
Section 110(f).
6 Section 610(a) provides that the company must
disclose in its annual report to security holders, for
the year covered by the report: (a) The number of
unoptioned shares available at the beginning and at
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 91 (Friday, May 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22165-22170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09643]
=======================================================================
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 32630; 812-14699]
New Mountain Finance Corporation, et al.
May 8, 2017.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice of application for an order under sections 17(d) and 57(i)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') and rule 17d-1
under the Act permitting certain joint transactions otherwise
prohibited by sections 17(d) and 57(a)(4) of the Act and under rule
17d-1 under the Act.
Summary of Application: Applicants request an order to permit one or
more business development companies (each, a ``BDC'') and certain other
closed-end management investment companies to co-invest in portfolio
companies with each other and with affiliated investment funds.
Applicants: New Mountain Finance Corporation (``NMFC''); NMF Ancora
Holdings, Inc., NMF QID NGL Holdings, Inc., and NMF YP Holdings, Inc.
(collectively, the ``NMFC Subsidiaries''); New Mountain Finance SBIC,
L.P. (``SBIC LP''); New Mountain Guardian Partners II, L.P. (``Guardian
II''); New Mountain Guardian II Master Fund-A, L.P. (``Guardian II
Master A''); New Mountain Guardian II Master Fund-B, L.P. (``Guardian
II Master B,'' and together with Guardian II and Guardian
[[Page 22166]]
II Master-A, the ``Guardian II Funds''); and New Mountain Finance
Advisers BDC, L.L.C. (the ``BDC Adviser'') on behalf of itself and its
successors.\1\
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\1\ The term ``successor,'' as applied to an Adviser, means an
entity that results from a reorganization into another jurisdiction
or change in the type of business organization.
Filing Dates: The application was filed on September 12, 2016, and
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amended on February 1, 2017 and April 7, 2017.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested
relief 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 June 2, 2017, and should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Act, hearing
requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts
bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, 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
St. NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants: Robert A. Hamwee, Chief
Executive Officer, 787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rochelle Kauffman Plesset, Senior
Counsel, or David Marcinkus, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821 (Division
of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number, or for an
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Applicants' Representations
1. NMFC, a Delaware corporation, is organized as a closed-end
management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a BDC
under section 54(a) of the Act.\2\ Applicants state that NMFC seeks to
generate both current income and capital appreciation through the
sourcing and origination of debt securities at all levels of the
capital structure. The board of directors (``Board'') of NMFC is
comprised of seven directors, four of whom are not ``interested
directors'' as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act (``Non-Interested
Directors'').
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\2\ Section 2(a)(48) defines a BDC to be any closed-end
investment company that operates for the purpose of making
investments in securities described in sections 55(a)(1) through
55(a)(3) of the Act and makes available significant managerial
assistance with respect to the issuers of such securities.
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2. The NMFC Subsidiaries are wholly-owned subsidiaries of NMFC,
each structured as a Delaware corporation to hold equity or equity-like
investments in portfolio companies organized as limited liability
companies or other forms of pass-through entities. The NMFC
Subsidiaries are not registered under the Act in reliance on the
exclusion from the definition of ``investment company'' in section
3(c)(7) of the Act.
3. SBIC LP, a Delaware limited partnership, received a license from
the Small Business Administration to operate as a small business
investment company. SBIC LP is a consolidated wholly-owned subsidiary
of NMFC.
4. Guardian II is a private fund organized in Delaware on August
25, 2016. Both Guardian II Master A and Guardian II Master B are
private funds organized as Cayman Islands exempted limited partnerships
on January 3, 2017. The Guardian II Funds have not yet formally
commenced principal operations. Applicants state that the investment
objective of each of these funds is to generate both current income and
capital appreciation by investing primarily in first lien and second
lien secured loans as well as subordinated debt. None of the Guardian
II Funds is registered under the Act in reliance on the exclusion from
the definition of ``investment company'' in section 3(c)(7) of the Act.
5. BDC Adviser, a Delaware limited liability company, is registered
with the Commission as an investment adviser under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers Act''). BDC Adviser serves as
investment adviser to NMFC and will serve as investment adviser to the
Guardian II Funds.
6. Applicants seek an order (``Order'') to permit one or more
Regulated Funds \3\ and/or one or more Affiliated Funds \4\ to
participate in the same investment opportunities through a proposed co-
investment program (the ``Co-Investment Program'') where such
participation would otherwise be prohibited under section 57(a)(4) and
rule 17d-1 by (a) co-investing with each other in securities issued by
issuers in private placement transactions in which an Adviser
negotiates terms in addition to price; \5\ and (b) making additional
investments in securities of such issuers, including through the
exercise of warrants, conversion privileges, and other rights to
purchase securities of the issuers (``Follow-On Investments''). ``Co-
Investment Transaction'' means any transaction in which a Regulated
Fund (or its Wholly-Owned Investment Sub, as defined below)
participated together with one or more other Regulated Funds and/or one
or more Affiliated Funds in reliance on the requested Order.
``Potential Co-Investment Transaction'' means any investment
opportunity in which a Regulated Fund (or its Wholly-Owned Investment
Sub) could not participate together with one or more Affiliated Funds
and/or one or more other Regulated Funds without obtaining and relying
on the Order.\6\
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\3\ ``Regulated Fund'' means NMFC and any Future Regulated Fund.
``Future Regulated Fund'' means any closed-end management investment
company (a) that is registered under the Act or has elected to be
regulated as a BDC, (b) whose investment adviser is an Adviser, and
(c) that intends to participate in the Co-Investment Program. The
term ``Adviser'' means (a) the BDC Adviser and (b) any future
investment adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with the BDC Adviser and is registered as an
investment adviser under the Advisers Act.
\4\ ``Affiliated Fund'' means the Guardian II Funds and any
Future Affiliated Funds. ``Future Affiliated Fund'' means any entity
(a) whose investment adviser is an Adviser, (b) that would be an
investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act,
and (c) that intends to participate in the Co-Investment Program.
\5\ The term ``private placement transactions'' means
transactions in which the offer and sale of securities by the issuer
are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
``Securities Act'').
\6\ All existing entities that currently intend to rely upon the
requested Order have been named as applicants. Any other existing or
future entity that subsequently relies on the Order will comply with
the terms and conditions of the application.
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7. Applicants state any of the Regulated Funds may, from time to
time, form one or more Wholly-Owned Investment Subs.\7\ A Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub would be prohibited from investing in a Co-Investment
Transaction with any Affiliated Fund or
[[Page 22167]]
Regulated Fund because it would be a company controlled by its parent
Regulated Fund for purposes of section 57(a)(4) and rule 17d-1.
Applicants request that each Wholly-Owned Investment Sub be permitted
to participate in Co-Investment Transactions in lieu of its parent
Regulated Fund and that the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub's participation
in any such transaction be treated, for purposes of the requested
order, as though the parent Regulated Fund were participating directly.
Applicants represent that this treatment is justified because a Wholly-
Owned Investment Sub would have no purpose other than serving as a
holding vehicle for the Regulated Fund's investments and, therefore, no
conflicts of interest could arise between the Regulated Fund and the
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub. The Regulated Fund's Board would make all
relevant determinations under the conditions with regard to a Wholly-
Owned Investment Sub's participation in a Co-Investment Transaction,
and the Regulated Fund's Board would be informed of, and take into
consideration, any proposed use of a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub in the
Regulated Fund's place. If the Regulated Fund proposes to participate
in the same Co-Investment Transaction with any of its Wholly-Owned
Investment Subs, the Board will also be informed of, and take into
consideration, the relative participation of the Regulated Fund and the
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub.
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\7\ The term ``Wholly-Owned Investment Sub'' means an entity (i)
that is wholly-owned by a Regulated Fund (with the Regulated Fund at
all times holding, beneficially and of record, 100% of the voting
and economic interests); (ii) whose sole business purpose is to hold
one or more investments on behalf of the Regulated Fund (and, in the
case of an SBIC Subsidiary, maintain a license under the Small
Business Investment Act of 1958 and issue debentures guaranteed by
the SBA; (iii) with respect to which the Regulated Fund's Board has
the sole authority to make all determinations with respect to the
entity's participation under the conditions of the application; and
(iv) that would be an investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or
3(c)(7) of the Act. Each of the NMFC Subsidiaries and SBIC LP is a
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub of NMFC and any future subsidiaries of
the Regulated Funds that participate in Co-Investment Transactions
will be Wholly-Owned Investment Subs.
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8. When considering Potential Co-Investment Transactions for any
Regulated Fund, the applicable Adviser will consider only the
Objectives and Strategies, investment policies, investment positions,
capital available for investment as described in the application
(``Available Capital''), and other pertinent factors applicable to that
Regulated Fund.\8\ The Board of each Regulated Fund, including the Non-
Interested Directors, has (or will have prior to relying on the
requested Order) determined that it is in the best interests of the
Regulated Fund to participate in Co-Investment Transactions.\9\
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\8\ ``Objectives and Strategies'' means a Regulated Fund's
investment objectives and strategies, as described in the Regulated
Fund's registration statement on Form N-2 or Form 10, as applicable,
other filings the Regulated Fund has made with the Commission under
the Securities Act, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
and the Regulated Fund's reports to shareholders.
\9\ The Regulated Funds, however, will not be obligated to
invest, or co-invest, when investment opportunities are referred to
them.
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9. Other than pro rata dispositions and Follow-On Investments as
provided in conditions 7 and 8, and after making the determinations
required in conditions 1 and 2(a), the Adviser will present each
Potential Co-Investment Transaction and the proposed allocation to the
directors of the Board eligible to vote under section 57(o) of the Act
(``Eligible Directors''), and the ``required majority,'' as defined in
section 57(o) of the Act (``Required Majority'') \10\ will approve each
Co-Investment Transaction prior to any investment by the participating
Regulated Fund.
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\10\ In the case of a Regulated Fund that is a registered
closed-end fund, the Board members that make up the Required
Majority will be determined as if the Regulated Fund were a BDC
subject to section 57(o).
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10. With respect to the pro rata dispositions and Follow-On
Investments provided in conditions 7 and 8, a Regulated Fund may
participate in a pro rata disposition or Follow-On Investment without
obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if, among other
things: (i) the proposed participation of each Regulated Fund and
Affiliated Fund in such disposition is proportionate to its outstanding
investments in the issuer immediately preceding the disposition or
Follow-On Investment, as the case may be; and (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Fund has approved that Regulated Fund's participation in pro
rata dispositions and Follow-On Investments as being in the best
interests of the Regulated Fund. If the Board does not so approve, any
such disposition or Follow-On Investment will be submitted to the
Regulated Fund's Eligible Directors. The Board of any Regulated Fund
may at any time rescind, suspend or qualify its approval of pro rata
dispositions and Follow-On Investments with the result that all
dispositions and/or Follow-On Investments must be submitted to the
Eligible Directors.
11. No Non-Interested Director of a Regulated Fund will have a
financial interest in any Co-Investment Transaction, other than through
share ownership in one of the Regulated Funds.
12. If an Adviser or its principal owners (the ``Principals''), or
any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an
Adviser or the Principals, and any Affiliated Fund (collectively, the
``Holders'') own in the aggregate more than 25 per cent of the
outstanding voting shares of a Regulated Fund (the ``Shares''), then
the Holders will vote such Shares as required under condition 14.
Applicants believe that this condition will ensure that the Non-
Interested Directors will act independently in evaluating the Co-
Investment Program, because the ability of an Adviser or the Principals
to influence the Non-Interested Directors by a suggestion, explicit or
implied, that the Non-Interested Directors can be removed will be
limited significantly. The Non-Interested Directors shall evaluate and
approve any such independent third party, taking into account its
qualifications, reputation for independence, cost to the shareholders,
and other factors that they deem relevant.
Applicants' Legal Analysis
1. Section 57(a)(4) of the Act prohibits certain affiliated persons
of a BDC from participating in joint transactions with the BDC or a
company controlled by a BDC in contravention of rules as prescribed by
the Commission. Under section 57(b)(2) of the Act, any person who is
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with a BDC is subject to section 57(a)(4). Applicants submit
that each of the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds could be deemed
to be a person related to each Regulated Fund in a manner described by
section 57(b) by virtue of being under common control. Section 57(i) of
the Act provides that, until the Commission prescribes rules under
section 57(a)(4), the Commission's rules under section 17(d) of the Act
applicable to registered closed-end investment companies will be deemed
to apply to transactions subject to section 57(a)(4). Because the
Commission has not adopted any rules under section 57(a)(4), rule 17d-1
also applies to joint transactions with Regulated Funds that are BDCs.
Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act are applicable to
Regulated Funds that are registered closed-end investment companies.
2. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act prohibit
affiliated persons of a registered investment company from
participating in joint transactions with the company unless the
Commission has granted an order permitting such transactions. In
passing upon applications under rule 17d-1, the Commission considers
whether the company's participation in the joint transaction is
consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act and
the extent to which such participation is on a basis different from or
less advantageous than that of other participants.
3. Applicants state that in the absence of the requested relief,
the Regulated Funds would be, in some circumstances, limited in their
ability to participate in attractive and appropriate investment
opportunities. Applicants believe that the proposed terms and
conditions will ensure that the Co-
[[Page 22168]]
Investment Transactions are consistent with the protection of each
Regulated Fund's shareholders and with the purposes intended by the
policies and provisions of the Act. Applicants state that the Regulated
Funds' participation in the Co-Investment Transactions will be
consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act and
on a basis that is not different from or less advantageous than that of
other participants.
Applicants' Conditions
Applicants agree that the Order will be subject to the following
conditions:
1. Each time an Adviser considers a Potential Co-Investment
Transaction for an Affiliated Fund or another Regulated Fund that falls
within a Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and Strategies, the
Regulated Fund's Adviser will make an independent determination of the
appropriateness of the investment for such Regulated Fund in light of
the Regulated Fund's then-current circumstances.
2. (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated Fund's participation in any
Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be appropriate for the Regulated
Fund, it will then determine an appropriate level of investment for the
Regulated Fund.
(b) If the aggregate amount recommended by the applicable Adviser
to be invested by the applicable Regulated Fund in the Potential Co-
Investment Transaction, together with the amount proposed to be
invested by the other participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated
Funds, collectively, in the same transaction, exceeds the amount of the
investment opportunity, the investment opportunity will be allocated
among them pro rata based on each participant's Available Capital, up
to the amount proposed to be invested by each. The applicable Adviser
will provide the Eligible Directors of each participating Regulated
Fund with information concerning each participating party's Available
Capital to assist the Eligible Directors with their review of the
Regulated Fund's investments for compliance with these allocation
procedures.
(c) After making the determinations required in conditions 1 and
2(a), the applicable Adviser will distribute written information
concerning the Potential Co-Investment Transaction (including the
amount proposed to be invested by each participating Regulated Fund and
Affiliated Fund) to the Eligible Directors of each participating
Regulated Fund for their consideration. A Regulated Fund will co-invest
with one or more other Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated
Funds only if, prior to the Regulated Fund's participation in the
Potential Co-Investment Transaction, a Required Majority concludes
that:
(i) The terms of the Potential Co-Investment Transaction, including
the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the Regulated
Fund and its shareholders and do not involve overreaching in respect of
the Regulated Fund or its shareholders on the part of any person
concerned;
(ii) the Potential Co-Investment Transaction is consistent with:
(A) The interests of the shareholders of the Regulated Fund; and
(B) the Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and Strategies;
(iii) the investment by any other Regulated Funds or Affiliated
Funds would not disadvantage the Regulated Fund, and participation by
the Regulated Fund would not be on a basis different from or less
advantageous than that of other Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds;
provided that, if any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund, but not
the Regulated Fund itself, gains the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company's board of directors or the right to
have a board observer or any similar right to participate in the
governance or management of the portfolio company, such event shall not
be interpreted to prohibit the Required Majority from reaching the
conclusions required by this condition (2)(c)(iii), if:
(A) The Eligible Directors will have the right to ratify the
selection of such director or board observer, if any;
(B) the applicable Adviser agrees to, and does, provide periodic
reports to the Regulated Fund's Board with respect to the actions of
such director or the information received by such board observer or
obtained through the exercise of any similar right to participate in
the governance or management of the portfolio company; and
(C) any fees or other compensation that any Affiliated Fund or any
Regulated Fund or any affiliated person of any Affiliated Fund or any
Regulated Fund receives in connection with the right of the Affiliated
Fund or a Regulated Fund to nominate a director or appoint a board
observer or otherwise to participate in the governance or management of
the portfolio company will be shared proportionately among the
participating Affiliated Funds (who each may, in turn, share its
portion with its affiliated persons) and the participating Regulated
Funds in accordance with the amount of each party's investment; and
(iv) the proposed investment by the Regulated Fund will not benefit
the Advisers, the Affiliated Funds or the other Regulated Funds or any
affiliated person of any of them (other than the parties to the Co-
Investment Transaction), except (A) to the extent permitted by
condition 13, (B) to the extent permitted by section 17(e) or 57(k) of
the Act, as applicable, (C) indirectly, as a result of an interest in
the securities issued by one of the parties to the Co-Investment
Transaction, or (D) in the case of fees or other compensation described
in condition 2(c)(iii)(C).
3. Each Regulated Fund has the right to decline to participate in
any Potential Co-Investment Transaction or to invest less than the
amount proposed.
4. The applicable Adviser will present to the Board of each
Regulated Fund, on a quarterly basis, a record of all investments in
Potential Co-Investment Transactions made by any of the other Regulated
Funds or Affiliated Funds during the preceding quarter that fell within
the Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and Strategies that were
not made available to the Regulated Fund, and an explanation of why the
investment opportunities were not offered to the Regulated Fund. All
information presented to the Board pursuant to this condition will be
kept for the life of the Regulated Fund and at least two years
thereafter, and will be subject to examination by the Commission and
its staff.
5. Except for Follow-On Investments made in accordance with
condition 8,\11\ a Regulated Fund will not invest in reliance on the
Order in any issuer in which another Regulated Fund, Affiliated Fund,
or any affiliated person of another Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund
is an existing investor.
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\11\ This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a
Regulated Fund in issuers in which that Regulated Fund already holds
investments.
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6. A Regulated Fund will not participate in any Potential Co-
Investment Transaction unless the terms, conditions, price, class of
securities to be purchased, settlement date, and registration rights
will be the same for each participating Regulated Fund and Affiliated
Fund. The grant to an Affiliated Fund or another Regulated Fund, but
not the Regulated Fund, of the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company's board of directors, the right to have
an observer on the board of directors or similar rights to participate
in the governance or management of the portfolio company will not be
[[Page 22169]]
interpreted so as to violate this condition 6, if conditions
2(c)(iii)(A), (B) and (C) are met.
7. (a) If any Affiliated Fund or any Regulated Fund elects to sell,
exchange or otherwise dispose of an interest in a security that was
acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction, the applicable Advisers will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Fund that participated in the Co-
Investment Transaction of the proposed disposition at the earliest
practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to participation by each
Regulated Fund in the disposition.
(b) Each Regulated Fund will have the right to participate in such
disposition on a proportionate basis, at the same price and on the same
terms and conditions as those applicable to the participating
Affiliated Funds and Regulated Funds.
(c) A Regulated Fund may participate in such disposition without
obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: (i) The proposed
participation of each Regulated Fund and each Affiliated Fund in such
disposition is proportionate to its outstanding investments in the
issuer immediately preceding the disposition; (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Fund has approved as being in the best interests of the
Regulated Fund the ability to participate in such dispositions on a pro
rata basis (as described in greater detail in the application); and
(iii) the Board of the Regulated Fund is provided on a quarterly basis
with a list of all dispositions made in accordance with this condition.
In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its written recommendation
as to the Regulated Fund's participation to the Eligible Directors, and
the Regulated Fund will participate in such disposition solely to the
extent that a Required Majority determines that it is in the Regulated
Fund's best interests.
(d) Each Affiliated Fund and each Regulated Fund will bear its own
expenses in connection with any such disposition.
8. (a) If any Affiliated Fund or any Regulated Fund desires to make
a Follow-On Investment in a portfolio company whose securities were
acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction, the applicable Advisers will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Fund that participated in the Co-
Investment Transaction of the proposed transaction at the earliest
practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to the proposed participation,
including the amount of the proposed Follow-On Investment, by each
Regulated Fund.
(b) A Regulated Fund may participate in such Follow-On Investment
without obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: (i) The
proposed participation of each Regulated Fund and each Affiliated Fund
in such investment is proportionate to its outstanding investments in
the issuer immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (ii) the
Board of the Regulated Fund has approved as being in the best interests
of the Regulated Fund the ability to participate in Follow-On
Investments on a pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in the
application). In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated Fund's participation to the Eligible
Directors, and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Follow-On
Investment solely to the extent that a Required Majority determines
that it is in the Regulated Fund's best interests.
(c) If, with respect to any Follow-On Investment:
(i) The amount of the opportunity is not based on the Regulated
Funds' and the Affiliated Funds' outstanding investments immediately
preceding the Follow-On Investment; and
(ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the applicable Adviser to
be invested by the applicable Regulated Fund in the Follow-On
Investment, together with the amount proposed to be invested by the
other participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, collectively,
in the same transaction, exceeds the amount of the investment
opportunity; then the investment opportunity will be allocated among
them pro rata based on each participant's Available Capital, up to the
maximum amount proposed to be invested by each.
(d) The acquisition of Follow-On Investments as permitted by this
condition will be considered a Co-Investment Transaction for all
purposes and subject to the other conditions set forth in this
application.
9. The Non-Interested Directors of each Regulated Fund will be
provided quarterly for review all information concerning Potential Co-
Investment Transactions and Co-Investment Transactions, including
investments made by other Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds that the
Regulated Fund considered but declined to participate in, so that the
Non-Interested Directors may determine whether all investments made
during the preceding quarter, including those investments that the
Regulated Fund considered but declined to participate in, comply with
the conditions of the Order. In addition, the Non-Interested Directors
will consider at least annually the continued appropriateness for the
Regulated Fund of participating in new and existing Co-Investment
Transactions.
10. Each Regulated Fund will maintain the records required by
section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the Regulated Funds were a
BDC and each of the investments permitted under these conditions were
approved by the Required Majority under section 57(f) of the Act.
11. No Non-Interested Director of a Regulated Fund will also be a
director, general partner, managing member or principal, or otherwise
an ``affiliated person'' (as defined in the Act) of an Affiliated Fund.
12. The expenses, if any, associated with acquiring, holding or
disposing of any securities acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction
(including, without limitation, the expenses of the distribution of any
such securities registered for sale under the Securities Act) will, to
the extent not payable by the Advisers under their respective
investment advisory agreements with Affiliated Funds and the Regulated
Funds, be shared by the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds in
proportion to the relative amounts of the securities held or to be
acquired or disposed of, as the case may be.
13. Any transaction fee \12\ (including break-up or commitment fees
but excluding broker's fees contemplated by section 17(e) or 57(k) of
the Act, as applicable), received in connection with a Co-Investment
Transaction will be distributed to the participating Regulated Funds
and Affiliated Funds on a pro rata basis based on the amounts they
invested or committed, as the case may be, in such Co-Investment
Transaction. If any transaction fee is to be held by an Adviser pending
consummation of the transaction, the fee will be deposited into an
account maintained by such Adviser at a bank or banks having the
qualifications prescribed in section 26(a)(1) of the Act, and the
account will earn a competitive rate of interest that will also be
divided pro rata among the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated
Funds based on the amounts they invest in such Co-Investment
Transaction. None of the Affiliated Funds, the Advisers, the other
Regulated Funds or any affiliated person of the Regulated Funds or
Affiliated Funds will receive additional compensation or remuneration
of any kind as a result of
[[Page 22170]]
or in connection with a Co-Investment Transaction (other than (a) in
the case of the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds, the pro rata
transaction fees described above and fees or other compensation
described in condition 2(c)(iii)(C); and (b) in the case of an Adviser,
investment advisory fees paid in accordance with the agreement between
the Adviser and the Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund.
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\12\ Applicants are not requesting and the staff is not
providing any relief for transaction fees received in connection
with any Co-Investment Transaction.
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14. If the Holders own in the aggregate more than 25 percent of the
Shares of a Regulated Fund, then the Holders will vote such Shares as
directed by an independent third party when voting on (1) the election
of directors; (2) the removal of one or more directors; or (3) any
other matter under either the 1940 Act or applicable state law
affecting the Board's composition, size or manner of election.
15. Each Regulated Fund's chief compliance officer, as defined in
rule 38a-1(a)(4), will prepare an annual report for its Board each year
that evaluates (and documents the basis of that evaluation) the
Regulated Fund's compliance with the terms and conditions of the
application and the procedures established to achieve such compliance.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-09643 Filed 5-11-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
