Solar Capital Ltd., et al., 23390-23394 [2017-10355]

Download as PDF 23390 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.22 Eduardo A. Aleman, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017–10307 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. IC–32638; 812–14735] Solar Capital Ltd., et al. May 17, 2017. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice. mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: Notice of application for an order (‘‘Order’’) to amend a prior 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. Applicants request an order that would permit certain business development companies (each, a ‘‘BDC’’) and certain closed-end investment companies to co-invest in portfolio companies with each other and with affiliated investment funds. The Order would supersede the prior order.1 Applicants: Solar Capital Ltd. (‘‘Solar Capital’’); Solar Senior Capital Ltd. (‘‘Solar Senior’’ and together with Solar Capital, the ‘‘Solar Funds’’); SUNS SPV LLC (‘‘Solar Senior Subsidiary’’) and Solar Capital Partners, LLC (‘‘Solar Adviser’’). Filing Dates: The application was filed on January 13, 2017, and amended on April 4, 2017 and May 4, 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 12, 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 22 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). Capital Ltd., et al., Investment Company Act Rel. Nos. 31143 (Jul. 1, 2014) (notice) and 31187 (Jul. 28, 2014) (order). 1 Solar VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:17 May 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 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: Michael S. Gross, Solar Capital Ltd., 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara T. Heussler, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–6990 or Robert H. Shapiro, 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. Summary of the Application 1. The Solar Funds are Maryland corporations organized as closed-end management investment companies that have elected to be regulated as BDC’s under section 54(a) of the Act.2 Solar Capital’s investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investment. Solar Senior’s investment objective is to seek to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital. The Solar Funds each have a five-member Board,3 of which the same three members serve as Non-Interested Directors.4 2. Solar Senior Subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub, as defined below, whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more investments on behalf of Solar Senior. Because it is a wholly-owned, consolidated subsidiary of Solar Senior, and Solar Senior’s investment adviser is Solar Adviser, Solar Adviser also manages the assets the Solar Senior Subsidiary. 3. Solar Adviser, a privately held investment adviser registered with the 2 Section 2(a)(48) of the Act 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. 3 The term ‘‘Board’’ refers to the Board of Directors of the relevant Regulated Fund. 4 The term ‘‘Non-Interested Directors’’ means, with respect to any Board, the directors who are not ‘‘interested persons’’ within the meaning of section 2(a)(19). PO 00000 Frm 00221 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’), was organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the state of Delaware. Solar Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Solar Funds. 4. Applicants seek an Order to permit a Regulated Fund 5 and one or more other Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds 6 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) coinvesting with each other in securities issued by issuers in private placement transactions in which an Adviser negotiates terms in addition to price; 7 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) participated together with one or more other Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds in reliance on the requested Order. ‘‘Potential CoInvestment 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.8 5 ‘‘Regulated Fund’’ means Solar Capital, Solar Senior 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) Solar Adviser or its successors, and (b) any future investment adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Solar Adviser and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. The term ‘‘successor’’ means an entity that results from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or change in the type of business organization. 6 ‘‘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. 7 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’’). 8 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. E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES 5. Applicants state any of the Regulated Funds may, from time to time, form a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub.9 Such a subsidiary would be prohibited from investing in a CoInvestment Transaction with any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated 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 CoInvestment 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 Order, as though the 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 9 The term ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’’ means an entity (i) whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more investments on behalf of a Regulated Fund (and, in the case of an SBIC Subsidiary (as defined below), maintain a license under the SBA Act (as defined below) and issue debentures guaranteed by the SBA (as defined below)); (ii) that is wholly-owned by the Regulated Fund (with the Regulated Fund at all times holding, beneficially and of record, 100% of the voting and economic interests); (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. All subsidiaries of the Regulated Fund participating in the Co-Investment Transactions will be WhollyOwned Investment Subs and will have Objectives and Strategies (as defined below) that are either the same as, or a subset of, the Regulated Fund’s Objectives and Strategies. The term ‘‘SBIC Subsidiary’’ means a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub that is licensed by the Small Business Administration (the ‘‘SBA’’) to operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended (the ‘‘SBA Act’’) as a small business investment company (an ‘‘SBIC’’). VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:17 May 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 Fund and the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub. 6. When considering Potential CoInvestment Transactions for any Regulated Fund, the applicable Adviser will consider only the Objectives and Strategies,10 investment policies, investment positions, capital available for investment as described in the application (‘‘Available Capital’’), and other pertinent factors applicable to that Regulated Fund. The Advisers expect that any portfolio company that is an appropriate investment for a Regulated Fund should also be an appropriate investment for one or more other Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds, with certain exceptions based on available capital or diversification.11 7. 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’’) 12 will approve each Co-Investment Transaction prior to any investment by the participating Regulated Fund. 8. 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 10 ‘‘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, other filings the Regulated Fund has made with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated Fund’s reports to shareholders. 11 The Regulated Funds, however, will not be obligated to invest, or co-invest, when investment opportunities are referred to them. 12 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). PO 00000 Frm 00222 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 23391 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. 9. No Non-Interested Director of a Regulated Fund will have any direct or indirect financial interest in any CoInvestment Transaction or any interest in any portfolio company, other than through an interest (if any) in the securities of the Regulated Funds. 10. 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 the Affiliated Funds (collectively, the ‘‘Holders’’) own in the aggregate more than 25 percent 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 influence the Non-Interested Directors by a suggestion, explicit or implied, that the Non-Interested Directors can be removed if desired by the Holders will be limited significantly. The NonInterested Directors shall evaluate and approve any such independent 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 E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 23392 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES 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 CoInvestment 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:17 May 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 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, 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 PO 00000 Frm 00223 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 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 E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices subject to examination by the Commission and its staff. 5. Except for Follow-On Investments made in accordance with condition 8,13 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 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 13 This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a Regulated Fund in issuers in which that Regulated Fund already holds investments. VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:17 May 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 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 PO 00000 Frm 00224 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 23393 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 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. E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES 23394 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 97 / Monday, May 22, 2017 / Notices 13. Any transaction fee 14 (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 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 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. 14 Applicants are not requesting and the staff is not providing any relief for transaction fees received in connection with any Co-Investment Transaction. VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:17 May 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, under delegated authority. Eduardo A. Aleman, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017–10355 Filed 5–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–80699; File No. SR–MSRB– 2017–02] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board; Order Granting Approval of a Proposed Rule Change Consisting of Proposed Amendments to Rule G–3, on Professional Qualification Requirements, and Rule G–8, on Books and Records, To Establish Continuing Education Requirements for Municipal Advisors and Accompanying Recordkeeping Requirements May 16, 2017. I. Introduction On March 22, 2017, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the ‘‘MSRB’’ or ‘‘Board’’) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2 a proposed rule change consisting of (i) proposed amendments to MSRB Rule G–3, on professional qualification requirements, to establish continuing education requirements for municipal advisors; (ii) proposed amendments to MSRB Rule G–8, on books and records to be made by brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers (‘‘dealers’’) and municipal advisors; and (iii) proposed amendments to Rule G–3 to make minor technical changes to the rule to reflect the renumbering of sections and updates to cross-referenced provisions (collectively the ‘‘proposed rule change’’). The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on April 4, 2017.3 The Commission received one comment letter on the proposed rule change.4 On May 10, 2017, the MSRB 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). CFR 240.19b–4. 3 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 80327 (March 29, 2017) (the ‘‘Notice of Filing’’), 82 FR 16449 (April 4, 2017). 4 See Letter to Secretary, Commission, from Susan Gaffney, Executive Director, National Association of Municipal Advisors, dated April 25, 2017 (the ‘‘NAMA Letter’’). 2 17 PO 00000 Frm 00225 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 responded to the comments received by the Commission.5 II. Description of Proposed Rule Change According to the MSRB, the purpose of the proposed rule change is to amend Rule G–3(i) to prescribe continuing education requirements for municipal advisors pursuant to the MSRB’s statutory mandate under Section 15B(b) of the Act. As described in the Notice Filing, the goal of continuing educations is to ensure that certain associated persons of municipal advisors stay abreast of issues that may affect their job responsibilities and of product and regulatory developments.6 The proposed rule change also would amend Rule G–8 to establish recordkeeping requirements related to the administration of a municipal advisor’s continuing education program and make technical changes to Rule G–3 to reflect the renumbering of sections and updates to cross-referenced provisions. As further described in the Notice of Filing and the MSRB Response, the development of the proposed rule change drew from the principles and structure of the continuing education regulatory framework currently in place for dealers.7 Pursuant to the proposed rule change, a municipal advisor would be required to, at least annually, conduct a needs analysis that evaluates and prioritizes their specific training needs, develop a written training plan based on the needs identified in the analysis, and deliver training concerning municipal advisory activities designed to meet those training needs. However, the proposed requirements for municipal advisors would differ from dealers with respect to identifying those individuals that are subject to the training and the content that must be covered as part of the minimum standards for the annual training. Pursuant to proposed Rule G–3(i)(ii), a municipal advisor would be required to implement a continuing education training program for each individual qualified as either a municipal advisor representative or as a municipal advisor principal (collectively, ‘‘covered persons’’).8 The MSRB states that the 5 See Letter to Secretary, Commission, from Gail Marshall, Associate General Counsel, MSRB, dated May 10, 2017 (the ‘‘MSRB Response Letter’’), available at https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-msrb2017-02/msrb201702-1745890-151491.pdf.> 6 See Notice of Filing. 7 Id. 8 Under MSRB Rule G–3(d)(i)(A), ‘‘municipal advisor representative’’ means ‘‘a natural person associated with a municipal advisor who engages in municipal advisory activities on the municipal advisor’s behalf.’’ Under MSRB Rule G–3(e)(i), ‘‘municipal advisor principal’’ means ‘‘a natural E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23390-23394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10355]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. IC-32638; 812-14735]


Solar Capital Ltd., et al.

May 17, 2017.
AGENCY:  Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION:  Notice.

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    Notice of application for an order (``Order'') to amend a prior 
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. Applicants request an 
order that would permit certain business development companies (each, a 
``BDC'') and certain closed-end investment companies to co-invest in 
portfolio companies with each other and with affiliated investment 
funds. The Order would supersede the prior order.\1\
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    \1\ Solar Capital Ltd., et al., Investment Company Act Rel. Nos. 
31143 (Jul. 1, 2014) (notice) and 31187 (Jul. 28, 2014) (order).
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    Applicants: Solar Capital Ltd. (``Solar Capital''); Solar Senior 
Capital Ltd. (``Solar Senior'' and together with Solar Capital, the 
``Solar Funds''); SUNS SPV LLC (``Solar Senior Subsidiary'') and Solar 
Capital Partners, LLC (``Solar Adviser'').
    Filing Dates: The application was filed on January 13, 2017, and 
amended on April 4, 2017 and May 4, 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 12, 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: Michael S. Gross, Solar 
Capital Ltd., 500 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Barbara T. Heussler, Senior Counsel, 
at (202) 551-6990 or Robert H. Shapiro, 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.

Summary of the Application

    1. The Solar Funds are Maryland corporations organized as closed-
end management investment companies that have elected to be regulated 
as BDC's under section 54(a) of the Act.\2\ Solar Capital's investment 
objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation 
through debt and equity investment. Solar Senior's investment objective 
is to seek to maximize current income consistent with the preservation 
of capital. The Solar Funds each have a five-member Board,\3\ of which 
the same three members serve as Non-Interested Directors.\4\
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    \2\ Section 2(a)(48) of the Act 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.
    \3\ The term ``Board'' refers to the Board of Directors of the 
relevant Regulated Fund.
    \4\ The term ``Non-Interested Directors'' means, with respect to 
any Board, the directors who are not ``interested persons'' within 
the meaning of section 2(a)(19).
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    2. Solar Senior Subsidiary is a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub, as 
defined below, whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more 
investments on behalf of Solar Senior. Because it is a wholly-owned, 
consolidated subsidiary of Solar Senior, and Solar Senior's investment 
adviser is Solar Adviser, Solar Adviser also manages the assets the 
Solar Senior Subsidiary.
    3. Solar Adviser, a privately held investment adviser registered 
with the Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the 
``Advisers Act''), was organized as a limited liability company under 
the laws of the state of Delaware. Solar Adviser serves as the 
investment adviser to each of the Solar Funds.
    4. Applicants seek an Order to permit a Regulated Fund \5\ and one 
or more other Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds \6\ 
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; \7\ 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) 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.\8\
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    \5\ ``Regulated Fund'' means Solar Capital, Solar Senior 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) Solar Adviser 
or its successors, and (b) any future investment adviser that 
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Solar 
Adviser and is registered as an investment adviser under the 
Advisers Act. The term ``successor'' means an entity that results 
from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or change in the 
type of business organization.
    \6\ ``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.
    \7\ 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'').
    \8\ 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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[[Page 23391]]

    5. Applicants state any of the Regulated Funds may, from time to 
time, form a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub.\9\ Such a subsidiary would be 
prohibited from investing in a Co-Investment Transaction with any other 
Regulated Fund or Affiliated 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 Order, as though the 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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    \9\ The term ``Wholly-Owned Investment Sub'' means an entity (i) 
whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more investments on 
behalf of a Regulated Fund (and, in the case of an SBIC Subsidiary 
(as defined below), maintain a license under the SBA Act (as defined 
below) and issue debentures guaranteed by the SBA (as defined 
below)); (ii) that is wholly-owned by the Regulated Fund (with the 
Regulated Fund at all times holding, beneficially and of record, 
100% of the voting and economic interests); (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. All 
subsidiaries of the Regulated Fund participating in the Co-
Investment Transactions will be Wholly-Owned Investment Subs and 
will have Objectives and Strategies (as defined below) that are 
either the same as, or a subset of, the Regulated Fund's Objectives 
and Strategies. The term ``SBIC Subsidiary'' means a Wholly-Owned 
Investment Sub that is licensed by the Small Business Administration 
(the ``SBA'') to operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 
1958, as amended (the ``SBA Act'') as a small business investment 
company (an ``SBIC'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. When considering Potential Co-Investment Transactions for any 
Regulated Fund, the applicable Adviser will consider only the 
Objectives and Strategies,\10\ investment policies, investment 
positions, capital available for investment as described in the 
application (``Available Capital''), and other pertinent factors 
applicable to that Regulated Fund. The Advisers expect that any 
portfolio company that is an appropriate investment for a Regulated 
Fund should also be an appropriate investment for one or more other 
Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds, with certain 
exceptions based on available capital or diversification.\11\
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    \10\ ``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, other filings the 
Regulated Fund has made with the Commission under the Securities Act 
or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated Fund's 
reports to shareholders.
    \11\ The Regulated Funds, however, will not be obligated to 
invest, or co-invest, when investment opportunities are referred to 
them.
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    7. 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'') \12\ will approve each 
Co-Investment Transaction prior to any investment by the participating 
Regulated Fund.
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    \12\ 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. 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.
    9. No Non-Interested Director of a Regulated Fund will have any 
direct or indirect financial interest in any Co-Investment Transaction 
or any interest in any portfolio company, other than through an 
interest (if any) in the securities of the Regulated Funds.
    10. 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 the Affiliated Funds (collectively, the 
``Holders'') own in the aggregate more than 25 percent 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 if desired by 
the Holders will be limited significantly. The Non-Interested Directors 
shall evaluate and approve any such independent 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

[[Page 23392]]

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-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

[[Page 23393]]

subject to examination by the Commission and its staff.
    5. Except for Follow-On Investments made in accordance with 
condition 8,\13\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a 
Regulated Fund in issuers in which that Regulated Fund already holds 
investments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
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.

[[Page 23394]]

    13. Any transaction fee \14\ (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 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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    \14\ 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 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. 2017-10355 Filed 5-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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