TICC Capital Corp., et al., 24406-24411 [2017-10830]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 101 / Friday, May 26, 2017 / Notices
as well as other information. Rule 482
advertisements are deemed to be
‘‘prospectuses’’ under Section 10(b) of
the Securities Act.2
Rule 482 contains certain
requirements regarding the disclosure
that funds are required to provide in
qualifying advertisements. These
requirements are intended to encourage
the provision to investors of information
that is balanced and informative,
particularly in the area of investment
performance. For example, a fund is
required to include disclosure advising
investors to consider the fund’s
investment objectives, risks, charges and
expenses, and other information
described in the fund’s prospectus, and
highlighting the availability of the
fund’s prospectus and, if applicable, its
summary prospectus. In addition, rule
482 advertisements that include
performance data of open-end funds or
insurance company separate accounts
offering variable annuity contracts are
required to include certain standardized
performance information, information
about any sales loads or other
nonrecurring fees, and a legend warning
that past performance does not
guarantee future results. Such funds
including performance information in
rule 482 advertisements are also
required to make available to investors
month-end performance figures via Web
site disclosure or by a toll-free
telephone number, and to disclose the
availability of the month-end
performance data in the advertisement.
The rule also sets forth requirements
regarding the prominence of certain
disclosures, requirements regarding
advertisements that make tax
representations, requirements regarding
advertisements used prior to the
effectiveness of the fund’s registration
statement, requirements regarding the
timeliness of performance data, and
certain required disclosures by money
market funds.
Rule 482 advertisements must be filed
with the Commission or, in the
alternative, with the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (‘‘FINRA’’).3 This
information collection differs from
many other federal information
collections that are primarily for the use
and benefit of the collecting agency.
Rule 482 contains requirements that
are intended to encourage the provision
to investors of information that is
balanced and informative, particularly
2 15
U.S.C. 77j(b).
3 See rule 24b–3 under the Investment Company
Act (17 CFR 270.24b–3), which provides that any
sales material, including rule 482 advertisements,
shall be deemed filed with the Commission for
purposes of Section 24(b) of the Investment
Company Act upon filing with FINRA.
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in the area of investment performance.
The Commission is concerned that in
the absence of such provisions fund
investors may be misled by deceptive
rule 482 advertisements and may rely
on less-than-adequate information when
determining in which funds they should
invest money. As a result, the
Commission believes it is beneficial for
funds to provide investors with
balanced information in fund
advertisements in order to allow
investors to make better-informed
decisions.
The Commission estimates that
53,907 4 responses to rule 482 are filed
annually by 3,278 investment
companies offering approximately
15,494 portfolios, or approximately 3.5
responses per portfolio annually.5 The
burden associated with rule 482 is
presently estimated to be 5.16 hours per
response. The annual hourly burden is
therefore approximately 278,161 hours.6
The estimate of average burden hours
is made solely for the purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act and is not
derived from a comprehensive or even
a representative survey or study of the
costs of Commission rules and forms.
The provision of information under rule
482 is necessary to obtain the benefits
of the safe harbor offered by the rule.
The information provided under rule
482 will not be kept confidential. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and
a person is not required to respond to,
a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
The public may view the background
documentation for this information
collection at the following Web site,
www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be
directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Room 10102, New Executive
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503,
or by sending an email to: Shagufta_
Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Pamela
Dyson, Director/Chief Information
Officer, Securities and Exchange
Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549
or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@
sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to
OMB within 30 days of this notice.
4 This estimated number of responses to rule 482
is composed of 53,746 responses filed with FINRA
and 161 responses filed with the Commission in
2016.
5 53,907 responses ÷ 15,494 portfolios = 3.5
responses per portfolio.
6 53,907 responses × 5.16 hours per response =
278,161 hours.
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Dated: May 19, 2017.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–10793 Filed 5–25–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
32641; 812-14707]
TICC Capital Corp., et al.
May 19, 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 certain
closed-end management investment
companies to co-invest in portfolio
companies with each other and with
affiliated investment funds.
Applicants: TICC Capital Corp.
(‘‘TICC’’), Oxford Lane Capital Corp.
(‘‘OXLC’’ and together with TICC, the
‘‘Existing Regulated Funds’’), TICC
Management, LLC (‘‘TICC Adviser’’) on
behalf of itself and its successors,1
Oxford Lane Management, LLC (‘‘OXLC
Adviser’’), Oxford Bridge, LLC (the
‘‘Private Fund’’), and Oxford Bridge
Management, LLC (the ‘‘Private Fund
Adviser’’).
Filing Dates: The application was
filed on October 13, 2016, and amended
on February 7, 2017 and May 12, 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 13, 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
1 The term ‘‘successor,’’ as applied to each
Adviser (as defined below), means an entity that
results from a reorganization into another
jurisdiction or change in the type of business
organization.
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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: Brent J. Fields, Secretary,
U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F St. NE., Washington,
DC 20549–1090. Applicants: TICC
Capital Corp. and Oxford Lane Capital
Corp., 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255,
Greenwich, Connecticut 06830,
Attention: Jonathan H. Cohen.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura J. Riegel, Senior Counsel, at (202)
551–3038 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.
Applicants’ Representations
1. TICC is a Maryland corporation
organized as a closed-end management
investment company that has elected to
be regulated as a business development
company (‘‘BDC’’) under section 54(a) of
the Act.2 The Objectives and Strategies 3
of TICC are to maximize its risk adjusted
total return by investing primarily in
corporate debt securities. The board of
directors of TICC (the ‘‘Board’’) 4 is
comprised of five directors, three of
whom are not ‘‘interested persons,’’
within the meaning of section 2(a)(19) of
the Act (‘‘Non-Interested Directors’’).
2. OXLC is a Maryland corporation
that is a non-diversified closed-end
management investment company
registered as an investment company
under the Act. OXLC’s Objectives and
Strategies are to maximize its portfolio’s
risk-adjusted total return by purchasing
portions of equity and junior debt
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.
3 ‘‘Objectives and Strategies’’ means the
investment objectives and strategies of a Regulated
Fund (as defined below), 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 of 1933
(the ‘‘Securities Act’’), or under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated Fund’s
reports to shareholders.
4 The term ‘‘Board’’ refers to the board of directors
or trustees of any Regulated Fund.
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tranches of collateralized loan
obligation (‘‘CLO’’) vehicles. The Board
of OXLC is comprised of five directors,
three of whom are Non-Interested
Directors.
3. The Private Fund is a Delaware
limited liability company with the
investment objective to maximize its
portfolio’s risk-adjusted total return by
investing primarily in structured
finance investments, specifically the
equity and junior debt tranches of CLO
vehicles and in warehouse facilities.
The Private Fund would be an
investment company but for the
exclusion from the definition of
investment company provided by
section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
4. TICC Adviser is a Delaware limited
liability company and is registered as an
investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the
‘‘Advisers Act’’). TICC Adviser serves as
the investment adviser to TICC.
5. OXLC Adviser is a Connecticut
limited liability company and is
registered as an investment adviser
under the Advisers Act. OXLC Adviser
serves as the investment adviser to
OXLC.
6. The Private Fund Adviser is a
Connecticut limited liability company
and is registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act. The
Private Fund Adviser serves as the
investment adviser to the Private Fund.
7. Applicants seek an order (‘‘Order’’)
to permit one or more Regulated Funds 5
and/or one or more Affiliated Funds 6 to
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
5 ‘‘Regulated Fund’’ means any of the Existing
Regulated Funds 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 BDC, (b) whose investment adviser is
an Adviser, and (c) that intends to participate in the
Co-Investment Program. The term ‘‘Adviser’’ means
(a) TICC Adviser, (b) OXLC Adviser, (c) the Private
Fund Adviser, and (d) any future investment
adviser that controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with TICC Adviser, OXLC Adviser
and the Private Fund Adviser and is registered as
an investment adviser under the Advisers Act.
6 ‘‘Affiliated Fund’’ means the Private Fund and
any Future Affiliated Fund. ‘‘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.
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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,
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.8
8. Applicants state any of the
Regulated Funds may, from time to
time, form one or more Wholly-Owned
Investment Subs.9 A Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub would be prohibited
from investing in a Co-Investment
Transaction with any Affiliated Fund or
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
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.
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.
9 The term ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’’
means an entity (a) 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); (b) whose sole
business purpose is to hold one or more
investments on behalf of the Regulated Fund (and
in the case of a 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); (c) with respect to which the
Regulated Fund’s Board has the sole authority to
make all determinations with respect to the WhollyOwned Investment Sub’s participation under the
conditions of the application; and (d) that would be
an investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or
3(c)(7) of the Act. ‘‘SBIC Subsidiary’’ means a
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub that is licensed by
the Small Business Administration (‘‘SBA’’) to
operate under the Small Business Investment Act of
1958 (the ‘‘SBA Act’’) as a small business
investment company.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 101 / Friday, May 26, 2017 / Notices
participating directly.10 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.
9. 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 (‘‘Available Capital’’),11
and other pertinent factors applicable to
that Regulated Fund. 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.12
10. 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
10 All subsidiaries of the Regulated Funds
participating in Co-Investment Transactions will be
Wholly-Owned Investment Subs and will have
Objectives and Strategies are either the same as, or
a subset of, the Regulated Fund’s Objectives and
Strategies.
11 The amount of each Regulated Fund’s
Available Capital will be determined based on the
amount of cash on hand, existing commitments and
reserves, if any, the targeted leverage level, targeted
asset mix and other investment policies and
restrictions set from time to time by the Board of
the applicable Regulated Fund or imposed by
applicable laws, rules, regulations or
interpretations.
12 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 Act (‘‘Required Majority’’) 13 will
approve each Co-Investment
Transaction prior to any investment by
the participating Regulated Fund.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. If the Advisers, the principal
owners of any of the Advisers (the
‘‘Principals’’), or any person controlling,
controlled by, or under common control
with the Advisers 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 the Advisers 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 will
evaluate and approve any such
independent party, taking into account
13 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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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 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
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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,
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
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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
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24409
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 8,14
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:
14 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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(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
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19:14 May 25, 2017
Jkt 241001
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
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
PO 00000
Frm 00136
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 (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% of the Shares of a
Regulated Fund, then the Holders will
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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) under the Act, 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. 2017–10830 Filed 5–25–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
approximately one burden hour per
response and is filed by 490
respondents for a total of 490 total
burden hours.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid
control number.
The public may view the background
documentation for this information
collection at the following Web site,
www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be
directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Room 10102, New Executive
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503,
or by sending an email to: Shagufta_
Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Pamela
Dyson, Director/Chief Information
Officer, Securities and Exchange
Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549
or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@
sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to
OMB within 30 days of this notice.
Dated: May 23, 2017.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
[FR Doc. 2017–10891 Filed 5–25–17; 8:45 am]
Upon Written Request Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
20549–2736.
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
Extension:
Form 144, SEC File No. 270–112, OMB
Control No. 3235–0101.
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget this
request for extension of the previously
approved collections of information
discussed below.
Form 144 (17 CFR 239.144) is used to
report the sale of securities during any
three-month period that exceeds 5,000
shares or other units and has an
aggregate sales price that does not
exceed $50,000. Under Sections
2(a)(11), 4(a)(1), 4(a)(2), 4(a)(4) and 19(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C.
77b(a)(11), 77d(a)(1), 77d(a)(2), 77d(a)(4)
and 77s (a)) and Rule 144 (17 CFR
230.144) there under, the Commission is
authorized to solicit the information
required to be supplied by Form 144.
The objectives of the rule could not be
met, if the information collection was
not required. The information collected
must be filed with the Commission and
is publicly available. Form 144 takes
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19:14 May 25, 2017
Jkt 241001
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Extension:
Form 10, SEC File No. 270–51, OMB
Control No. 3235–0064.
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget this
request for extension of the previously
approved collection of information
discussed below.
Form 10 (17 CFR 249.210) is used by
issuers to register a class of securities
pursuant to Section 12(b) or Section
12(g) (15 U.S.C. 78l(b) and 78l(g)) of the
Exchange Act of 1934. Form 10 requires
financial and other information about
such matters as the issuer’s business,
properties, identity and remuneration of
management, outstanding securities and
securities to be registered and financial
Frm 00137
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
condition. The information provided by
Form 10 is intended to ensure the
adequacy of information available to
investors about a company. Form 10
takes approximately 215.21 hours per
response to prepare and is filed by
approximately 216 respondents. We
estimate that 25% of the 215.21 hours
per response (53.803 hours) is prepared
by the company for an annual reporting
burden of 11,621 hours (53.803 hours
per response x 216 responses).
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid
control number.
The public may view the background
documentation for this information
collection at the following Web site,
www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be
directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the
Securities and Exchange Commission,
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Room 10102, New Executive
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503,
or by sending an email to: Shagufta_
Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Pamela
Dyson, Director/Chief Information
Officer, Securities and Exchange
Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549
or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@
sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to
OMB within 30 days of this notice.
Dated: May 23, 2017.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–10890 Filed 5–25–17; 8:45 am]
Upon Written Request Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
20549–2736.
PO 00000
24411
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[SEC File No. 270–155, OMB Control No.
3235–0123]
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available
From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
20549–2736.
Extension:
Rule 17a–5
Notice is hereby given that pursuant
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (‘‘PRA’’), the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget
(‘‘OMB’’) a request for approval of
extension of the previously approved
collection of information provided for in
Rule 17a–5 (17 CFR 240.17a–5), under
E:\FR\FM\26MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 101 (Friday, May 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24406-24411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10830]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 32641; 812-14707]
TICC Capital Corp., et al.
May 19, 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
certain closed-end management investment companies to co-invest in
portfolio companies with each other and with affiliated investment
funds.
Applicants: TICC Capital Corp. (``TICC''), Oxford Lane Capital
Corp. (``OXLC'' and together with TICC, the ``Existing Regulated
Funds''), TICC Management, LLC (``TICC Adviser'') on behalf of itself
and its successors,\1\ Oxford Lane Management, LLC (``OXLC Adviser''),
Oxford Bridge, LLC (the ``Private Fund''), and Oxford Bridge
Management, LLC (the ``Private Fund Adviser'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The term ``successor,'' as applied to each Adviser (as
defined below), 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 October 13, 2016, and
amended on February 7, 2017 and May 12, 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 13, 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
[[Page 24407]]
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: Brent J. Fields, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F St. NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants: TICC
Capital Corp. and Oxford Lane Capital Corp., 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite
255, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830, Attention: Jonathan H. Cohen.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura J. Riegel, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-3038 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.
Applicants' Representations
1. TICC is a Maryland corporation organized as a closed-end
management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a
business development company (``BDC'') under section 54(a) of the
Act.\2\ The Objectives and Strategies \3\ of TICC are to maximize its
risk adjusted total return by investing primarily in corporate debt
securities. The board of directors of TICC (the ``Board'') \4\ is
comprised of five directors, three of whom are not ``interested
persons,'' within the meaning of 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.
\3\ ``Objectives and Strategies'' means the investment
objectives and strategies of a Regulated Fund (as defined below), 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 of 1933 (the ``Securities Act''), or under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated Fund's
reports to shareholders.
\4\ The term ``Board'' refers to the board of directors or
trustees of any Regulated Fund.
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2. OXLC is a Maryland corporation that is a non-diversified closed-
end management investment company registered as an investment company
under the Act. OXLC's Objectives and Strategies are to maximize its
portfolio's risk-adjusted total return by purchasing portions of equity
and junior debt tranches of collateralized loan obligation (``CLO'')
vehicles. The Board of OXLC is comprised of five directors, three of
whom are Non-Interested Directors.
3. The Private Fund is a Delaware limited liability company with
the investment objective to maximize its portfolio's risk-adjusted
total return by investing primarily in structured finance investments,
specifically the equity and junior debt tranches of CLO vehicles and in
warehouse facilities. The Private Fund would be an investment company
but for the exclusion from the definition of investment company
provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
4. TICC Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company and is
registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940 (the ``Advisers Act''). TICC Adviser serves as the investment
adviser to TICC.
5. OXLC Adviser is a Connecticut limited liability company and is
registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. OXLC
Adviser serves as the investment adviser to OXLC.
6. The Private Fund Adviser is a Connecticut limited liability
company and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers
Act. The Private Fund Adviser serves as the investment adviser to the
Private Fund.
7. Applicants seek an order (``Order'') to permit one or more
Regulated Funds \5\ 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, 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.\8\
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\5\ ``Regulated Fund'' means any of the Existing Regulated Funds
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 BDC, (b) whose
investment adviser is an Adviser, and (c) that intends to
participate in the Co-Investment Program. The term ``Adviser'' means
(a) TICC Adviser, (b) OXLC Adviser, (c) the Private Fund Adviser,
and (d) any future investment adviser that controls, is controlled
by or is under common control with TICC Adviser, OXLC Adviser and
the Private Fund Adviser and is registered as an investment adviser
under the Advisers Act.
\6\ ``Affiliated Fund'' means the Private Fund and any Future
Affiliated Fund. ``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.
\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.
\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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8. Applicants state any of the Regulated Funds may, from time to
time, form one or more Wholly-Owned Investment Subs.\9\ A Wholly-Owned
Investment Sub would be prohibited from investing in a Co-Investment
Transaction with any Affiliated Fund or 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
[[Page 24408]]
participating directly.\10\ 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 (a)
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); (b) whose sole business purpose is to hold
one or more investments on behalf of the Regulated Fund (and in the
case of a 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); (c) with respect to which the
Regulated Fund's Board has the sole authority to make all
determinations with respect to the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub's
participation under the conditions of the application; and (d) that
would be an investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of
the Act. ``SBIC Subsidiary'' means a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub
that is licensed by the Small Business Administration (``SBA'') to
operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (the ``SBA
Act'') as a small business investment company.
\10\ All subsidiaries of the Regulated Funds participating in
Co-Investment Transactions will be Wholly-Owned Investment Subs and
will have Objectives and Strategies are either the same as, or a
subset of, the Regulated Fund's Objectives and Strategies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. 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 (``Available Capital''),\11\ and other
pertinent factors applicable to that Regulated Fund. 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.\12\
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\11\ The amount of each Regulated Fund's Available Capital will
be determined based on the amount of cash on hand, existing
commitments and reserves, if any, the targeted leverage level,
targeted asset mix and other investment policies and restrictions
set from time to time by the Board of the applicable Regulated Fund
or imposed by applicable laws, rules, regulations or
interpretations.
\12\ The Regulated Funds, however, will not be obligated to
invest, or co-invest, when investment opportunities are referred to
them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. 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'') \13\ will approve each
Co-Investment Transaction prior to any investment by the participating
Regulated Fund.
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\13\ 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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11. 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.
12. 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.
13. If the Advisers, the principal owners of any of the Advisers
(the ``Principals''), or any person controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with the Advisers 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 the
Advisers 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 will 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 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
[[Page 24409]]
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,\14\ 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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\14\ 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
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:
[[Page 24410]]
(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 (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% of the Shares
of a Regulated Fund, then the Holders will
[[Page 24411]]
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) under the Act, 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. 2017-10830 Filed 5-25-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
