As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 8, 2020

Securities Act File No. 333-237974

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-2

 

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ☒
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1    ☒

Post-Effective Amendment No.      ☐

 

 

NEWTEK BUSINESS SERVICES CORP.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including Area Code: (212) 356-9500
Barry Sloane
Chief Executive Officer and President
Newtek Business Services Corp.
4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120
Boca Raton, FL 33431

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

 

COPIES TO:
Steven B. Boehm
Cynthia M. Krus
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
700 Sixth Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 383-0100
Fax: (202) 637-3593

 

 

Approximate date of proposed public offering: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. ☒

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

☒ when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).

 

  

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Title of Security Being Registered

Amount Being  Registered

Proposed Maximum  Offer Price Per Note

Proposed Maximum  Aggregate Offer Price(1)

Amount of  Registration Fee(1)(7)

Common Stock, $0.02 par value per share(2)(3)

Preferred Stock, $0.02 par value per share(2)

Subscription Rights(2)

Warrants(4)

Debt Securities(5)

Total

$

300,000,000

(6)

$

13,034

 

(1)

Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(o) of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per security will be determined, from time to time, by Newtek Business Services Corp. (the “Registrant”) in connection with the sale of the securities registered under this Registration Statement.

​

(2)

Subject to note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights to purchase shares of the Registrant’s common stock as may be sold, from time to time.

​

(3)

Includes such indeterminate number of shares of the Registrant’s common stock as may, from time to time, be issued upon conversion or exchange of other securities registered hereunder, to the extent any such securities are, by their terms, convertible or exchangeable for common stock.

​

(4)

Subject to note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of the Registrant’s warrants as may be sold, from time to time, representing rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities of the Registrant.

​

(5)

Subject to note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of debt securities of the Registrant as may be sold, from time to time. If any debt securities of the Registrant are issued at an original issue discount, then the offering price shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate price to investors not to exceed $300,000,000.

​

(6)

In no event will the aggregate offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this Registration Statement exceed $300,000,000.

​

(7)	Previously paid.

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED June 8, 2020

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

  

 

Newtek Business Services Corp.
$300,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Subscription Rights
Warrants
Debt Securities

 

 

This prospectus relates to the offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, of up to $300,000,000 of common stock, preferred stock, warrants representing rights to purchase shares of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights or debt securities, which we refer to, collectively, as the “securities”. The preferred stock, subscription rights, warrants and debt securities offered hereby may be convertible or exchangeable into shares of common stock. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms to be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus.

 

In the event we offer common stock, the offering price per share of our common stock less any underwriting discounts or commissions will generally not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering. However, we may issue shares of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus at a price per share that is less than our net asset value per share (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the prior approval of the majority of our common stockholders or (iii) under such other circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission may permit. See the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as in any of our subsequent SEC filings, for more information.

 

We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. Each prospectus supplement relating to an offering will identify any agents or underwriters involved in the sale of the securities, and will disclose any applicable purchase price, fee, discount or commissions arrangement between us and our agents or underwriters or among our underwriters or the basis upon which such amount may be calculated. See “Plan of Distribution”. We may not sell any of the securities through agents, underwriters or dealers without delivery of this prospectus and a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.

 

Newtek Business Services Corp. is an internally managed, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Along with its wholly owned subsidiary and controlled portfolio companies, Newtek provides a wide range of business and financial solutions under the Newtek^® brand to the small- and medium-sized business market. Newtek’s products and services include: Business Lending including SBA 7(a) loans, 504 loans and conventional loans, Electronic Payment Processing, Managed Technology Solutions (Cloud Computing), Technology Consulting, eCommerce, Accounts Receivable and Inventory Financing, personal and commercial lines Insurance Services, Web Services, Data Backup, Storage and Retrieval, and Payroll and Benefits Solutions to small- and medium-sized business relationships nationwide across all industries.

 

 

Our investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation primarily through loans originated by our business finance platform and our equity investments in certain portfolio companies that we control.

 

Our common shares are currently traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NEWT.” As of June 2, 2020, the last reported closing price of our common shares on the Nasdaq Global Market was $17.23, which is a 14.9% premium to our net asset value of $15.00 as of March 31, 2020.

 

 

An investment in our securities is subject to risks and involves a heightened risk of total loss of investment. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to special risks. Shares of closed-end investment companies, including business development companies, frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. If our shares trade at a discount to our net asset value, it may increase the risk of loss for purchasers in this offering. In addition, the companies in which we invest are subject to their own risks. See the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as in any of our subsequent SEC filings, and in, or incorporated by reference into, the applicable prospectus supplement and in any free writing prospectuses we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, to read about factors you should consider, including the risk of leverage, before investing in our securities.

 

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

 

 

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to an offering of our securities. We will provide the specific terms of these offerings and securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference, before buying any of the securities being offered. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information about us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). This information is available free of charge by contacting us by mail at 4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, by telephone at (212) 356-9500 or on our website at http://www.NewtekOne.com. The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains such information. Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s web site about us is not incorporated into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus.

 

The date of this prospectus is              , 2020.

 

  

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement to this prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained in this prospectus or any such supplements as if we had authorized it. This prospectus and any such supplements do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any security other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The information contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus, any such supplements, or free writing prospectuses is, or will be, accurate as of the dates on their respective covers. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since then.

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS	1
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY	2
FEES AND EXPENSES	14
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS	16
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA	17
RISK FACTORS	18
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING  FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND PROJECTIONS	22
USE OF PROCEEDS	23
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DISTRIBUTIONS	24
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION	27
SENIOR SECURITIES	28
BUSINESS	29
PORTFOLIO COMPANIES	30
MANAGEMENT	30
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE	30
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION	30
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSACTIONS	30
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT	30
REGULATION	30
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE	31
SALES OF COMMON STOCK BELOW NET ASSET VALUE	33
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN	38
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS	39
DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK	46
DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED STOCK	52
DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS	53
DESCRIPTION OF OUR WARRANTS	54
DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES	55
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION	67
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES	69
CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AND DISTRIBUTION PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR	69
LEGAL MATTERS	69
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM	69
AVAILABLE INFORMATION	69
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE	69

 

  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC, using the “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, which constitutes a delayed offering in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act, Newtek Business Services Corp. may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to $300,000,000 of common stock, preferred stock, subscription rights to purchase shares of common stock, warrants or debt securities, on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker, into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.

 

We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. In a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we may also add, update, or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will include all material information relating to the applicable offering. Before buying any of the securities being offered, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with any exhibits and the additional information described in the sections titled “Available Information,” “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference,” “Prospectus Summary” and “Risk Factors” before making an investment decision.

 

This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described in this prospectus, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed, or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described in the section titled “Available Information.”

 

 

  

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and discussed in the sections titled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and in any subsequent filings we have made with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering. The risks described below and in these documents are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. This could cause our net asset value and the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section titled “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Projections.”

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND STRUCTURE

 

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

 

Many of our portfolio companies may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay our debt investments during these periods. The recent global outbreak of COVID-19 (more commonly known as the Coronavirus) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. Some economists and major investment banks have expressed concern that the continued spread of the virus globally could lead to a world-wide economic downturn. Many manufacturers of goods in China and other countries in Asia have seen a downturn in production due to the suspension of business and temporary closure of factories in an attempt to curb the spread of the illness. As the impact of the Coronavirus spreads to other parts of the world, similar impacts may occur with respect to affected countries. In the past, instability in the global capital markets resulted in disruptions in liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated credit market and the failure of major domestic and international financial institutions. In particular, in past periods of instability, the financial services sector was negatively impacted by significant write-offs as the value of the assets held by financial firms declined, impairing their capital positions and abilities to lend and invest. In addition, continued uncertainty surrounding the negotiation of trade deals between Britain and the European Union following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and uncertainty between the United States and other countries with respect to trade policies, treaties, and tariffs, among other factors, have caused disruption in the global markets. There can be no assurance that market conditions will not worsen in the future.

 

In an economic downturn, our non-performing assets may increase, and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions may also decrease the value of any collateral securing our loans. A severe recession may further decrease the value of such collateral and result in losses of value in our portfolio and a decrease in our revenues, net income, assets and net worth. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us on terms we deem acceptable. These events could prevent us from increasing investments and harm our operating results.

 

The occurrence of recessionary conditions and/or negative developments in the domestic and international credit markets may significantly affect the markets in which we do business, the value of our investments, and our ongoing operations, costs and profitability. Any such unfavorable economic conditions, including rising interest rates, may also increase our funding costs, limit our access to capital markets or negatively impact our ability to obtain financing, particularly from the debt markets. In addition, any future financial market uncertainty could lead to financial market disruptions and could further impact our ability to obtain financing. These events could limit our investment originations, limit our ability to grow and negatively impact our operating results and financial condition.

 

 

Terrorist attacks, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may impact the businesses in which we invest and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

Terrorist acts, acts of war, global health emergencies or natural disasters may disrupt our operations, as well as the operations of the businesses in which we invest. Such acts have created, and continue to create, economic and political uncertainties and have contributed to global economic instability. Future terrorist activities, military or security operations, global health emergencies or natural disasters could further weaken the domestic/global economies and create additional uncertainties, which may negatively impact the businesses in which we invest directly or indirectly and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Losses from terrorist attacks, global health emergencies and natural disasters are generally uninsurable.

 

Global economic, political and market conditions may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, including our revenue growth and profitability.

 

The current worldwide financial markets situation, as well as various social and political tensions in the United States and around the world, may contribute to increased market volatility, may negatively impact the secondary market for the sale of guaranteed portions of U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) loans, may have long term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets, and may cause economic uncertainties or deterioration in the United States and worldwide. We monitor developments and seek to manage our investments in a manner consistent with achieving our investment objective, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in doing so.

 

In August 2011 and then affirmed in August 2013, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services lowered its long term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. from “AAA” to “AA+”. Additionally, in January of 2012, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services lowered its long term sovereign credit rating for several large European countries. These ratings negatively impacted global markets and economic conditions. Although U.S. lawmakers have taken steps to avoid further downgrades, U.S. budget deficit concerns and similar conditions in Europe, China and elsewhere have increased the possibility of additional credit rating downgrades and worsening global economic and market conditions. The current political climate has also intensified concerns about a potential trade war between the United States and China in connection with each country’s recent proposed tariffs on the other country’s products. There can be no assurance that current or future governmental measures to mitigate these conditions will be effective. These conditions, government actions and future developments may cause interest rates and borrowing costs to rise, which may adversely affect our ability to access debt financing on favorable terms and may increase the interest costs of our borrowers, hampering their ability to repay us. Continued or future adverse economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

In October 2014, the Federal Reserve announced that it was concluding its bond buying program, or quantitative easing, which was designed to stimulate the economy and expand the Federal Reserve’s holdings of long term securities, suggesting that key economic indicators, such as the unemployment rate, had showed signs of improvement since the inception of the program. The Federal Reserve raised the Federal funds rate throughout the course of 2015 through 2018 and then pivoted in the fourth quarter of 2018 towards easier monetary policy and cut rates several times in 2019. Most recently, in March 2020, in response to the recent global outbreak of COVID-19 (more commonly known as the Coronavirus), the Federal Reserve announced a $700 billion quantitative easing program and further reduced the Federal funds rate to near-zero. This development, along with the United States government’s credit and deficit concerns, concerns about financial stability in Europe and an economic slowdown in China, could cause interest rates to be volatile, which may negatively impact our ability to access the debt and equity markets on favorable terms.

 

 

Capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability and we cannot predict when these conditions will occur. Such market conditions could materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

As a BDC, we must maintain our ability to raise additional capital for investment purposes. Without sufficient access to the capital markets or credit markets, we may be forced to curtail our business operations or we may not be able to pursue new business opportunities. The U.S. and global capital markets experienced extreme volatility and disruption during the economic downturn that began in mid-2007, and the U.S. economy was in a recession for several consecutive calendar quarters during the same period. In 2010, a financial crisis emerged in Europe, triggered by high budget deficits and rising direct and contingent sovereign debt, which created concerns about the ability of certain nations to continue to service their sovereign debt obligations. Risks resulting from such debt crisis, including any austerity measures taken in exchange for the bail out of certain nations, and any future debt crisis in Europe or any similar crisis elsewhere could have a detrimental impact on the global economic recovery, sovereign and non-sovereign debt in certain countries and the financial condition of financial institutions generally.

 

The decision made in the United Kingdom referendum to leave the European Union has led to volatility in global financial markets, and in particular in the markets of the United Kingdom and across Europe, and may also lead to weakening in consumer, corporate and financial confidence in the United Kingdom and Europe. The United Kingdom and European Union announced in March 2018 an agreement in principle to transitional provisions under which European Union law would remain in force in the United Kingdom until the end of December 2020, but this remains subject to the successful conclusion of an agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. In the absence of such an agreement there would be no transitional provisions and the United Kingdom would exit the European Union and the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union would be based on the World Trade Organization rules (a “hard Brexit”). On October 28, 2019, the United Kingdom came to an agreement with the European Union to delay the deadline for withdrawal. Under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the House of Commons passed the Brexit deal on December 20, 2019 and, after the European Parliament ratified the Brexit deal, the U.K. formally left the European Union on January 31, 2020. The U.K. has entered into a transition period until December 31, 2020, where agreements surrounding trade and other aspects of the U.K.’s future relationship with the European Union will need to be finalized.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the extent and process by which the United Kingdom will ultimately exit the European Union, and the longer term economic, legal, political and social framework to be put in place between the United Kingdom and the European Union are unclear at this stage and are likely to lead to ongoing political and economic uncertainty and periods of exacerbated volatility in both the United Kingdom and in wider European markets for some time.

 

In particular, the decision made in the United Kingdom referendum may lead to a call for similar referenda in other European jurisdictions which may cause increased economic volatility and uncertainty in the European and global markets. This volatility and uncertainty may have an adverse effect on the economy generally and on our ability, and the ability of our portfolio companies, to execute our respective strategies and to receive attractive returns. In particular, currency volatility may mean that our returns and the returns of our portfolio companies will be adversely affected by market movements and may make it more difficult, or more expensive, for us to implement appropriate currency hedging. Potential declines in the value of the British Pound and/or the euro against other currencies, along with the potential downgrading of the United Kingdom’s sovereign credit rating, may also have an impact on the performance of any of our portfolio companies located in the United Kingdom or Europe.

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we may not be able to increase our dividends and may reduce or defer our dividends and choose to incur US federal excise tax in order preserve cash and maintain flexibility. 

 

As a BDC, we are not required to make any distributions to shareholders other than in connection with our election to be taxed as a RIC under subchapter M of the Code.  In order to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC, we must distribute to shareholders for each taxable year at least 90% of our investment company taxable income (i.e., net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses).  If we qualify for taxation as a RIC, we generally will not be subject to corporate-level US federal income tax on our investment company taxable income and net capital gains (i.e., realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) that we timely distribute to shareholders.  We will be subject to a 4% US federal excise tax on undistributed earnings of a RIC unless we distribute each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98.0% of our ordinary income for the calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of our capital gains in excess of capital losses for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year, and (iii) any ordinary income and net capital gains for preceding years that were not distributed during such years and on which we paid no federal income tax. 

 

Under the Code, we may satisfy certain of our RIC distributions with dividends paid after the end of the current year.  In particular, if we pay a distribution in January of the following year that was declared in October, November, or December of the current year and is payable to shareholders of record in the current year, the dividend will be treated for all US federal tax purposes as if it were paid on December 31 of the current year.  In addition, under the Code, we may pay dividends, referred to as “spillover dividends,” that are paid during the following taxable year that will allow us to maintain our qualification for taxation as a RIC and eliminate our liability for corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.  Under these spillover dividend procedures, we may defer distribution of income earned during the current year until December of the following year.  For example, we may defer distributions of income earned during 2020 until as late as December 31, 2021.  If we choose to pay a spillover dividend, we will incur the 4% U.S. federal excise tax on some or all of the distribution.

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other disruptions in the economy, we may take certain actions with respect to the timing and amounts of our distributions in order to preserve cash and maintain flexibility.  For example, we may not be able to increase our dividends.  In addition, we may reduce our dividends and/or defer our dividends to later in the year or the following taxable year.  If we defer our dividends, we may choose to utilize the spillover dividend rules discussed above and incur the 4% U.S. federal excise tax on such amounts.  To further preserve cash, we may combine these reductions or deferrals of dividends with one or more distributions that are payable partially in our stock as discussed in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under “We may in the future choose to pay dividends in our own stock, in which case investors may be required to pay tax in excess of the cash they receive.”

 

 

Distributions on our common stock may exceed our taxable earnings and profits. Therefore, portions of the distributions that we pay may represent a return of capital to you. A return of capital is a return of a portion of your original investment in shares of our common stock. As a result, a return of capital will (i) lower your tax basis in your shares and thereby increase the amount of capital gain (or decrease the amount of capital loss) realized upon a subsequent sale or redemption of such shares, and (ii) reduce the amount of funds we have for investment in portfolio companies. We have not established any limit on the extent to which we may use offering proceeds to fund distributions.

        

We may pay our distributions from offering proceeds, which may constitute a return of your capital and will lower your tax basis in your shares, thereby increasing the amount of capital gain (or decreasing the amount of capital loss) realized upon a subsequent sale or redemption of such shares, even if such shares have not increased in value or have, in fact, lost value.

 

RISKS RELATED TO OUR INVESTMENTS GENERALLY

 

The SBA 7(a) loans issued by NSBF may be considered “covenant-lite” loans, which may provide NSBF with fewer rights against borrowers and may have a greater risk of loss compared to investments with financial maintenance covenants.

 

The SBA 7(a) loans issued by NSBF generally do not contain financial maintenance covenants and, therefore, may be considered to be “covenant-lite” loans.  Covenants are contractual restrictions that lenders place on companies to limit the corporate actions a company may pursue, and lenders generally use financial covenants to proactively address materially adverse changes in a borrowers company's financial performance.  The term "covenant-lite" generally refers to loans that do not have a complete set of financial maintenance covenants. Generally, "covenant-lite" loans provide borrower companies more freedom to negatively impact lenders because their covenants are incurrence-based, which means they are only tested and can only be breached following an affirmative action of the borrower, rather than by a deterioration in the borrower's financial condition. Since the SBA 7(a) loans issued by NSBF generally may be considered “covenant-lite” loans, NSBF may have fewer rights against a borrower and may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with financial maintenance covenants.

 

  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND PROJECTIONS

 

This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, contains, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein, may contain, forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including the impact of COVID-19 and related changes in base interest rates and significant market volatility on our business, our portfolio companies, our industry, and the global economy. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein, involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

 

●

our future operating results;

 

●

our business prospects and the prospects of our portfolio companies;

 

●

the impact of investments that we expect to make;

 

●

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

 

●

the dependence of our future success on the general economy and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

 

●

the ability of our portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

 

●

our expected financings and investments;

 

●

the impact of a protracted decline in the liquidity of credit markets on our business;

 

●

our ability to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to co-invest and to engage in joint restructuring transactions or joint follow-on investments;

 

●

the adequacy of our cash resources and working capital; and

 

●

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies.

 

These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

 

●

an economic downturn could impair our portfolio companies’ ability to continue to operate or repay their borrowings, which could lead to the loss of some or all of our investments in such portfolio companies;

 

●

a contraction of available credit and/or an inability to access the equity markets could impair our lending and investment activities;

 

●

interest rate volatility, including the decommissioning of LIBOR, could adversely affect our results, particularly if we elect to use leverage as part of our investment strategy; and

 

●

the risks, uncertainties and other factors we identify in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference.

 

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include the ability of NSBF to continue to originate loans under the SBA 7(a) program, maintain its PLP status and continue to sell SBA guaranteed portions of SBA 7(a) loans at premiums; our ability to originate new loans and investments; certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and elsewhere in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the dates of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including any documents incorporated by reference, and while we believe such information forms, or will form, a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus are excluded from the safe-harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act.

 

  

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We intend to use the net proceeds from selling our securities for funding investments in debt and equity securities in accordance with our investment objective and strategies described in this prospectus. Additionally, we may use net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which include funding investments, repaying any outstanding indebtedness, and other general corporate purposes. The supplement to this prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of proceeds from such offering.

 

We anticipate that substantially all of the net proceeds of any offering of our securities will be used for the above purposes within six to nine months from the consummation of the offering, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objective and market conditions. We cannot assure you we will achieve our targeted investment pace. We expect that it may take more than three months to invest all of the net proceeds of an offering of our securities, in part because investments in private companies often require substantial research and due diligence.

 

Pending such investments, we will invest the net proceeds primarily in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality temporary investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment.

 

  

PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NEWT.” The following table sets forth, for the two most recent fiscal years and the current fiscal year, the range of high and low sales prices of our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market:

 

		Price Range								NAV (1)				Premium (Discount) of High Sales Price to NAV (2)				Premium (Discount) of Low Sales Price to NAV (2)
		High				Low
2018
First Quarter		$	18.95			$	16.07			$	15.05				26	%			7	%
Second Quarter		$	20.76			$	17.53			$	15.06				38	%			16	%
Third Quarter		$	24.24			$	19.93			$	15.28				59	%			30	%
Fourth Quarter		$	21.85			$	15.59			$	15.19				44	%			3	%
2019
First Quarter		$	20.74			$	17.23			$	15.31				35	%			13	%
Second Quarter		$	23.83			$	19.70			$	15.33				55	%			29	%
Third Quarter		$	23.99			$	20.21			$	15.41				56	%			31	%
Fourth Quarter		$	23.73			$	20.75			$	15.70				51	%			32	%
2020
First Quarter		$	23.09			$	7.59			$	15.00				53	%			(49	)%
Second Quarter (through June 2, 2020)		$	17.73			$	9.03			$	*				*	%			*	%

 

(1)

Net asset value per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the net asset value per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The values reflect net asset value and are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.

(2)

Calculated as the respective high or low sales price divided by net asset value and subtracting 1.

*

Not determined at time of filing.

 

The last reported price for our common stock on June 2, 2020 was $17.23 per share. As of June 2, 2020, Newtek Business Services Corp. had approximately 91 stockholders of record.

 

Shares of BDCs may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from net asset value or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term are separate and distinct from the risk that our net asset value will decrease. It is not possible to predict whether the shares offered hereby will trade at, above, or below net asset value. As of June 2, 2020, our common stock closed at $17.23 per share. Our net asset value was $15.00 per share as of March 31, 2020.

 

Distributions

 

In order to receive tax treatment as a RIC, we must distribute to our stockholders, in respect of each taxable year, dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount generally at least equal to the Annual Distribution Requirement. Upon satisfying this requirement in respect of a taxable year, we generally will not be subject to corporate taxes on any income we distribute to our stockholders as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

However, as a RIC we will be subject to a 4% non-deductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income and gains unless we make distributions treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a timely manner to our stockholders in respect of each calendar year of an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of our net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of our capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years and on which we paid no corporate-level income tax (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”). We will not be subject to this excise tax on any amount on which we incurred U.S. federal corporate income tax (such as the tax imposed on a RIC’s retained net capital gains).

 

 

Depending on the level of taxable income earned in a taxable year, we may choose to carry over taxable income in excess of current taxable year distributions treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes from such taxable income into the next taxable year and incur a 4% excise tax on such taxable income, as required. The maximum amount of excess taxable income that may be carried over for distribution in the next taxable year under the Code is the total amount of distributions treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes paid in the following taxable year, subject to certain declaration and payment guidelines. To the extent we choose to carry over taxable income into the next taxable year, distributions declared and paid by us in a taxable year may differ from our taxable income for that taxable year as such distributions may include the distribution of current taxable year taxable income, the distribution of prior taxable year taxable income carried over into and distributed in the current taxable year, or returns of capital.

 

We can offer no assurance that we will achieve results that will permit the payment of any cash distributions and, if we issue senior securities, we will be prohibited from making distributions if doing so causes us to fail to maintain the asset coverage ratios stipulated by the 1940 Act or if distributions are limited by the terms of any of our borrowings. Our ability to make distributions will be limited by the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act.

 

The following table summarizes our dividend declarations and distributions through March 31, 2020:

 

Record Date		Payment Date		Distribution Declared
March 30, 2015		April 13, 2015		$	0.39
June 29, 2015		July 15, 2015		$	0.47
October 22, 2015		November 3, 2015		$	0.50
November 18, 2015(1)		December 31, 2015		$	2.69
January 7, 2016		January 19, 2016		$	0.40
March 22, 2016		March 31, 2016		$	0.35
June 20, 2016		June 30, 2016		$	0.35
September 20, 2016		September 30, 2016		$	0.43
December 15, 2016		December 30, 2016		$	0.40
March 20, 2017		March 31, 2017		$	0.36
May 31, 2017		June 30, 2017		$	0.40
September 22, 2017		September 29, 2017		$	0.44
December 18, 2017		December 28, 2017		$	0.44
March 20, 2018		March 30, 2018		$	0.40
June 15, 2018		June 29, 2018		$	0.42
September 17, 2018		September 28, 2018		$	0.48
December 18, 2018		December 28, 2018		$	0.50
March 15, 2019		March 29, 2019		$	0.40
June 14, 2019		June 28, 2019		$	0.46
September 20, 2019		September 30, 2019		$	0.58
December 16, 2019		December 30, 2019		$	0.71
March 18, 2020		March 31, 2020		$	0.44
				$	12.11

 

(1)

The Special dividend was declared as a result of the Company’s RIC election for tax year 2015 and represents the distribution of 100% of the Company’s accumulated earnings and profits through December 31, 2014. Pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulation and IRS guidance, 27% of the dividend was paid in cash and 73% was paid in newly issued shares of our common stock.

 

 

Our Board maintains a variable distribution policy with the objective of distributing four quarterly distributions in an amount that approximates 90-100% of our taxable quarterly income or potential annual income for a particular taxable year. In addition, at the end of our taxable year, our Board may choose to pay an additional special distribution, or fifth distribution, so that we may distribute approximately all of our annual taxable income in the taxable year in which it was earned, or may elect to maintain the option to spill over our excess taxable income into the following taxable year as part of any future distribution payments.

 

Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would generally be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of a stockholder’s tax basis in our shares, and any distributions paid in excess of a stockholder’s tax basis in our shares would generally be treated as a capital gain. The determination of the tax attributes of our distributions is made annually as of the end of our taxable year and is generally based upon our taxable income for the full taxable year and distributions paid for the full taxable year. Of the distributions declared during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, 100% were distributions derived from our current and accumulated earnings and profits and capital gains. There can be no certainty to stockholders that this determination is representative of the tax attributes of the 2020 distributions that we anticipate would be made to stockholders.

 

We maintain an “opt-out” dividend reinvestment plan for our common stockholders. As a result, if we declare a distribution, cash distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock unless the stockholder specifically “opts out” of the dividend reinvestment plan and chooses to receive cash distributions. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we issued 54,000 and 61,000 shares, respectively, of common stock to stockholders in connection with the dividend reinvestment plan.

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

The information in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in Part 1, Item 2 of our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is incorporated herein by reference.

 

  

SENIOR SECURITIES

 

Information about our senior securities is shown in the following table as of March 31, 2020 and the end of each fiscal year for the past ten years. The information as of December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010 has been derived from Newtek Business Services Corp. and Subsidiaries’, and Newtek Business Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries’, consolidated financial statements, which have been audited by independent registered public accounting firms. Information as of December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013 was audited by RSM US LLP and information as of December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010 was audited by our previous independent registered public accounting firm. RSM US LLP’s report on the senior securities table as of December 31, 2019 is incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

Class and Year		Total Amount Outstanding Exclusive of Treasury Securities (1) (in thousands)				Asset Coverage Ratio Per Unit (2)				Involuntary Liquidation Preference Per Unit (3)				Average Market Value Per Unit (4)
Securitization Trust
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			261,082				2,921				—			$	N/A
2019			276,637				2,754				—				N/A
2018			220,137				2,839				—				N/A
2017			165,432				3,018				—				N/A
2016			120,945				3,184				—				N/A
2015			91,745				3,692				—				N/A
2014			79,520				3,634				—				N/A
2013			60,140				2,966				—				N/A
2012			22,039				5,933				—				N/A
2011			26,368				3,758				—				N/A
2010			15,104				5,538				—				N/A
Bank Notes Payable
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			44,069				17,304				—				N/A
2019			30,000				25,392				—				N/A
2018			34,700				18,010				—				N/A
2017			—				—				—				N/A
2016			5,100				75,512				—				N/A
2015			29,100				11,641				—				N/A
2014			43,023				6,716				—				N/A
2013			41,218				4,327				—				N/A
2012			39,823				3,284				—				N/A
2011			13,565				7,305				—				N/A
2010			12,949				6,460				—				N/A
Notes Payable Related Parties
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			24,213				31,495				—				N/A
2019			12,163				62,633				—				N/A
2018			16,840				37,111				—				N/A
2017			7,001				71,324				—				N/A
2016			1,400				275,081				—				N/A
2015			5,647				59,990				—				N/A
2014			—				—				—				N/A
2013			—				—				—				N/A
2012			—				—				—				N/A
2011			—				—				—				N/A
2010			—				—				—				N/A
Notes due 2024
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			63,250				12,057				——				969
2019			63,250				7,670				—				1,009
Notes due 2023
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			57,500				13,262				——				1,015
2019			57,500				13,248				—				1,027
2018			57,500				10,869				—				1,023
Notes due 2022 (5)
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			—				—				—				N/A
2019			—				—				—				N/A
2018			8,324				75,078				—				968
2017			8,324				59,988				—				1,018
2016			8,324				46,265				—				969
2015			8,324				40,697				—				1,025
2014			—				—				—				N/A
2013			—				—				—				N/A
2012			—				—				—				N/A
2011			—				—				—				N/A
2010			—				—				—				N/A
Notes due 2021 (6)
March 31, 2020 (unaudited)			—				—				—				N/A
2019			—				—				—				N/A
2018			—				—				—				N/A
2017			40,250				12,406				—				1,019
2016			40,250				9,568				—				972
2015			—				—				—				N/A
2014			—				—				—				N/A
2013			—				—				—				N/A
2012			—				—				—				N/A
2011			—				—				—				N/A
2010			—				—				—				N/A

 

(1) Total amount of each class of senior securities outstanding at the end of the period presented.

(2) Asset coverage per unit is the ratio of the carrying value of our total consolidated assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, to the aggregate amount of senior securities representing indebtedness. Asset coverage per unit is expressed in terms of dollar amounts per $1,000 of indebtedness.

(3) The amount to which such class of senior security would be entitled upon the involuntary liquidation of the issuer in preference to any security junior to it. The “—” indicates information that the SEC expressly does not require to be disclosed for certain types of senior securities.

(4) Not applicable for senior securities that are not registered for public trading. The average market values per unit for our 2024 Notes, 2023 Notes, 2022 Notes, and for our 2021 Notes are based on the average daily prices of such notes and are expressed per $1,000 of indebtedness.

(5) The Company redeemed all $8,324,000 in aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes on August 29, 2019.

(6) The Company redeemed all $40,250,000 in aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Notes on March 23, 2018.

(7) The Company had $7,653,000 of unfunded commitments as of March 31, 2020, and our asset coverage ratio was 169%.

 

 

BUSINESS

 

Our business is described in “Item 1 – Business” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein.

 

 

PORTFOLIO COMPANIES

 

The tables, which set forth certain information as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 regarding each portfolio company in which we had a debt or equity investment, are in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, respectively, which are incorporated by reference herein. The general terms of our expected debt and equity investments are described in “Item 1. Business — Investments” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Other than these investments, our only formal relationships with our portfolio companies will be the managerial assistance we may provide upon request and the board observer or participation rights we may receive in connection with our investment.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Please refer to “Information about the Directors and Executive Officers,” in our most recent definitive proxy statement, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for information relating to the management of the Company.

 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

Please refer to “Corporate Governance Policies” in our most recent definitive proxy statement, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for information relating to the management of the Company.

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Please refer to “Executive Compensation” in our most recent definitive proxy statement, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for information relating to the management of the Company.

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSACTIONS

 

Please refer to “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” in our most recent definitive proxy statement, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for information relating to the management of the Company.

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

Please refer to “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in our most recent definitive proxy statement, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for information relating to the management of the Company.

 

REGULATION

 

We are subject to regulation as described in “Item 1 – Business” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein.

 

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

We determine the net asset value of our investment portfolio each quarter by subtracting our total liabilities from the fair value of our gross assets.

 

We conduct the valuation of our assets, pursuant to which our net asset value shall be determined, at all times consistent with GAAP and the 1940 Act. Our valuation procedures are set forth in more detail below.

 

Securities for which market quotations are readily available on an exchange shall be valued at such price as of the closing price on the day of valuation. We also obtain quotes with respect to certain of our investments from pricing services or brokers or dealers in order to value assets. When doing so, we determine whether the quote obtained is sufficient according to GAAP to determine the fair value of the security. If determined adequate, we will use the quote obtained.

 

Securities for which reliable market quotations are not readily available or for which the pricing source does not provide a valuation or methodology or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of our Board, does not represent fair value, which we expect may represent a substantial majority of the investments in our portfolio, shall be valued as follows: (i) each portfolio company or investment is initially valued by the investment professionals responsible for the portfolio investment; (ii) preliminary valuation conclusions are documented and discussed with our Senior Lending Team and Executive Committee; (iii) independent third-party valuation firms engaged by, or on behalf of, the Board will conduct independent appraisals, review management’s preliminary valuations and prepare separate preliminary valuation conclusions on a selected basis; and (iv) the Board will discuss valuations and determine the fair value of each investment in our portfolio in good faith.

 

Determination of the fair value involves subjective judgments and estimates not susceptible to substantiation by auditing procedures. Accordingly, under current auditing standards, the notes to our financial statements refer to the uncertainty with respect to the possible effect of such valuations, and any change in such valuations, on our financial statements.

 

The recommendation of fair value is generally based on the following factors, as relevant:

 

●

the nature and realizable value of any collateral;

 

●

the portfolio company’s ability to make payments;

●

the portfolio company’s earnings and discounted cash flow;

●

the markets in which the issuer does business; and

●

comparisons to publicly traded securities.

 

Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or for which a pricing source is not sufficient may include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

●

private placements and restricted securities that do not have an active trading market;

 

●

securities whose trading has been suspended or for which market quotes are no longer available;

 

●

debt securities that have recently gone into default and for which there is no current market;

 

●

securities whose prices are stale;

 

●

securities affected by significant events; and

 

●

securities that our investment professional believe were priced incorrectly.

 

Determination of fair value involves subjective judgments and estimates. Accordingly, the notes to our financial statements will express the uncertainty with respect to the possible effect of such valuations, and any change in such valuations, on our financial statements.

 

 

Determinations in Connection with Future Offerings

 

At a Special Meeting of Stockholders on July 26, 2018, our common stockholders approved a proposal that allowed us to issue common stock at a discount from our NAV per share, effective from the date of approval until the earlier of the one year anniversary of the date of the Meeting, or the date of our 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. At a Special Meeting of Stockholders on August 2, 2019, our common stockholders approved a proposal that allowed us to issue common stock at a discount from our NAV per share, effective from the date of approval until the earlier of the one year anniversary of the date of the Meeting, or the date of our 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. We intend to request that stockholders approve a similar proposal that would allow us to issue common stock at a discount from our NAV per share at a Special Meeting of Stockholders to take place in 2020. If the proposal is approved, in connection with a future offering, we may issue shares of common stock at a discount from our NAV if the majority of our non-interested directors approve and determine that such issuance is in the Company’s and stockholders’ best interests, and subject to certain limitations, including that the number of shares sold may not exceed 20% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock.

 

In the absence of stockholder approval to issue shares at a discount to NAV, in connection with future offerings of shares of our common stock, our Board or an authorized committee thereof will be required to make a good faith determination that we are not selling shares of our common stock at a price below the then current net asset value of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made. Our Board or an authorized committee thereof will consider the following factors, among others, in making such a determination:

 

●

the net asset value of our common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC;

 

●

our management’s assessment of whether any material change in the net asset value of our common stock has occurred (including through the realization of gains on the sale of our portfolio securities) during the period beginning on the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock and ending as of a time within 48 hours (excluding Sundays and holidays) of the sale of our common stock; and

 

●

the magnitude of the difference between (i) a value that our Board or an authorized committee thereof has determined reflects the current (as of a time within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays) net asset value of our common stock, which is based upon the net asset value of our common stock disclosed in the most recent periodic report that we filed with the SEC, as adjusted to reflect our management’s assessment of any material change in the net asset value of our common stock since the date of the most recently disclosed net asset value of our common stock, and (ii) the offering price of the shares of our common stock in the proposed offering.

 

Moreover, to the extent that there is even a remote possibility that we may (i) issue shares of our common stock at a price per share below the then current net asset value per share of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made or (ii) trigger the undertaking (which we provide in certain registration statements we file with the SEC) to suspend the offering of shares of its common stock if the net asset value per share of our common stock fluctuates by certain amounts in certain circumstances until the prospectus is amended, our Board will elect, in the case of clause (i) above, either to postpone the offering until such time that there is no longer the possibility of the occurrence of such event or to undertake to determine the net asset value per share of its common stock within two days prior to any such sale to ensure that such sale will not be below its then current net asset value per share, and, in the case of clause (ii) above, to comply with such undertaking or to undertake to determine the net asset value per share of its common stock to ensure that such undertaking has not been triggered.

 

These processes and procedures are part of our compliance policies and procedures. Records will be made contemporaneously with all determinations described in this section and these records will be maintained with other records that we are required to maintain under the 1940 Act.

 

  

SALES OF COMMON STOCK BELOW NET ASSET VALUE

 

At a Special Meeting of Stockholders on August 2, 2019, our common stockholders approved a proposal that would allow us to issue common stock at a discount from our net asset value (“NAV”) per share, effective from the date of approval until the earlier of the one year anniversary of the date of the special meeting, or the date of our 2020 annual meeting of stockholders. Under the proposal we have agreed to limit the number of shares that we issue at a price below net asset value pursuant to this authorization so that the aggregate dilutive effect on our then outstanding shares will not exceed 20%. Our Board, subject to its fiduciary duties and regulatory requirements, would have the discretion to determine the amount of the discount, and as a result, the discount could be up to 100% of net asset value per share.

 

In order to sell shares pursuant to any authorization, a majority of our directors who have no financial interest in the sale and a majority of our independent directors must:

 

●

find that the sale is in our best interests and in the best interests of our stockholders; and

 

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in consultation with any underwriter or underwriters or sales manager or sales managers of the offering, make a good faith determination as of a time either immediately prior to the first solicitation by us or on our behalf of firm commitments to purchase such shares, or immediately prior to the issuance of such shares of common stock, that the price at which such shares are to be sold is not less than a price which closely approximates the market value of such shares, less any distributing commission or discount.

 

In making a determination that an offering below net asset value per share is in our and our stockholders’ best interests, our Board considers a variety of factors, including matters such as:

 

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The effect that an offering below net asset value per share would have on our stockholders, including the potential dilution they would experience as a result of the offering;

 

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The amount per share by which the offering price per share and the net proceeds per share are less than the most recently determined net asset value per share;

 

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The relationship of recent market prices of common stock to net asset value per share and the potential impact of the offering on the market price per share of our common stock;

 

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Whether the estimated offering price would closely approximate the market value of our shares;

 

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The potential market impact of being able to raise capital during the current financial market difficulties;

 

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The nature of any new investors anticipated to acquire shares of common stock in the offering;

 

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The anticipated rate of return on and quality, type and availability of investments; and

 

●

The leverage available to us.

 

Sales by us of our common stock at a discount from the net asset value per share pose potential risks for our existing stockholders whether or not they participate in the offering, as well as for new investors who participate in the offering. The following three headings and accompanying tables will explain and provide hypothetical examples on the impact of an offering at a price less than the net asset value per share on three different set of investors:

 

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existing stockholders who do not purchase any shares of common stock in the offering;

 

●

existing stockholders who purchase a relatively small amount of shares of common stock in the offering or a relatively large amount of shares of common stock in the offering; and

 

●

new investors who become stockholders by purchasing shares of common stock in the offering.

 

The tables below provide hypothetical examples of the impact that an offering at a price less than net asset value per share may have on the net asset value per share of stockholders and investors who do and do not participate in such an offering. However, the tables below do not show, nor are they intended to show, any potential changes in market price that may occur from an offering at a price less than net asset value per share and it is not possible to predict any potential market price change that may occur from such an offering.

 

Impact on Existing Stockholders Who Do Not Participate in an Offering of Common Stock

 

Our existing stockholders who do not participate in an offering below net asset value per share or who do not buy additional Common Shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) face the greatest potential risk of an immediate decrease (often called dilution) in the net asset value of the Common Shares they hold and their net asset value per share. These stockholders will also experience a disproportionately greater decrease in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than the increase we will experience in our assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to the offering. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their Common Shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

 

 

The following chart illustrates the level of net asset value dilution that would be experienced by a nonparticipating stockholder in three different hypothetical offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from net asset value per share. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

The examples assume that the issuer has 20,838,000 Common Shares outstanding, $791,477,000 in total assets and $479,012,000 in total liabilities. The current net asset value and net asset value per share are thus $312,465,000 and $15.00. The chart illustrates the dilutive effect on Shareholder A of (1) an offering of 1,041,900 Common Shares (5% of the outstanding Common Shares) at $14.25 per share after offering expenses and commission (a 5% discount from net asset value), (2) an offering of 2,083,800 Common Shares (10% of the outstanding Common Shares) at $13.50 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 10% discount from net asset value), (3) an offering of 4,167,600 Common Shares (20% of the outstanding Common Shares) at $12.00 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 20% discount from net asset value) and (4) an offering of 4,167,600 Common Shares (20% of the outstanding Common Shares) at $0.02 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 100% discount from net asset value).

 

						Example 1  5% Offering at 5% Discount								Example 2  10% Offering at 10% Discount								Example 3  20% Offering at 20% Discount								Example 4  20% Offering at 100% Discount
Prior to Sale Below NAV		Prior to Sale				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change
Offering Price
Price per Share to Public			-			$	15.00				-			$	14.21				-			$	12.63				-			$	0.02				-
Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer			-			$	14.25				-			$	13.50				-			$	12.00				-			$	0.02				-
Decrease to Net Asset Value
Total Shares Outstanding			20,838,000				21,879,900				5.00	%			22,921,800				10.00	%			25,005,600				20.00	%			25,005,600				20.00	%
Net Asset Value per Share		$	15.00			$	14.96				(0.27	%)		$	14.86				(0.94	%)		$	14.50				(3.36	%)		$	12.50				(16.67	)%
Dilution to Nonparticipating Stockholder
Shares Held by Stockholder A			208,380				208,380				-				208,380				-				208,380				-				208,380				-
Percentage Held by Stockholder A			1.00	%			0.95	%			(4.76	%)			0.91	%			(9.09	%)			0.83	%			(16.67	%)			0.83	%			(16.67	%)
Total Net Asset Value Held by Stockholder A		$	3,125,700			$	3,117,267				(0.27	%)		$	3,096,339				(0.94	%)		$	3,020,643				(3.36	%)		$	2,604,578				(16.67	%)
Total Investment by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share)		$	3,125,700			$	3,125,700				-			$	3,125,700				-			$	3,125,700				-			$	3,125,700				-
Total Dilution to Stockholder A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)			-			$	(8,433	)			-			$	(29,361	)			-			$	(105,057	)			-			$	(521,122	)			-
Net Asset Value per Share Held by Stockholder A		$	15.00			$	14.96				-			$	14.86				-			$	14.50				-			$	12.50				-
Investment per Share Held by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale)		$	15.00			$	15.00				-			$	15.00				-			$	15.00				-			$	15.00				-
Dilution per Share Held by Stockholder A (Net Asset Value per Share Less Investment per Share)			-			$	(0.04	)			-			$	(0.14	)			-			$	(0.50	)			-			$	(2.50	)			-
Percentage Dilution to Stockholder A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share)			-				-				(0.27	%)							(0.94	%)							(3.36	%)							(16.67	%)

 

 

Impact on Existing Stockholders Who Do Participate in an Offering of Common Stock

 

Our existing stockholders who participate in an offering below net asset value per share or who buy additional Common Shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price as we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) will experience the same types of net asset value dilution as the nonparticipating stockholders, albeit at a lower level, to the extent they purchase less than the same percentage of the discounted offering as their interest in our Common Shares immediately prior to the offering. The level of net asset value dilution will decrease as the number of Common Shares such stockholders purchase increases. Existing stockholders who buy more than such percentage will experience net asset value dilution on their existing shares but will, in contrast to existing stockholders who purchase less than their proportionate share of the offering, experience an increase (often called accretion) in average net asset value per share over their investment per share and will also experience a disproportionately greater increase in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to the offering. The level of accretion will increase as the excess number of Common Shares such stockholders purchases increases. Even a stockholder who over-participates will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional discounted offerings in which such stockholder does not participate, in which case such a stockholder will experience net asset value dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their Common Shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

 

The following chart illustrates the level of dilution and accretion in the hypothetical 20% discount offering from the prior chart for a shareholder that acquires Common Shares equal to (1) 50% of its proportionate share of the offering (i.e., 20,838,000 Common Shares, which is 0.5% of an offering of 4,167,600 Common Shares) rather than its 1.00% proportionate share and (2) 150% of such percentage (i.e. 62,514 Common Shares, which is 1.5% of an offering of 4,167,600 Common Shares rather than its 0.10% proportionate share). It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

 

						50% Participation								150% Participation
Prior to Sale Below NAV		Prior to Sale				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change
Offering Price
Price per Share to Public			-			$	12.63				-			$	12.63				-
Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer			-			$	12.00				-			$	12.00				-
Decrease/Increase to Net Asset Value
Total Shares Outstanding			20,838,00				25,005,600				20.00	%			25,005,600				20.00	%
Net Asset Value per Share		$	15.00			$	14.50				(3.36	%)		$	14.50				(3.36	%)
Dilution/Accretion to Participating Stockholder
Shares Held by Stockholder A			208,380				229,218				10.00	%			270,894				30.00	%
Percentage Held by Stockholder A			1.00	%			0.92	%			(8.33	%)			1.08	%			8.33	%
Total Net Asset Value Held by Stockholder A		$	3,125,700			$	3,322,708				6.30	%		$	3,926,836				25.63	%
Total Investment by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share)			-			$	3,388,917				-			$	3,915,351				-
Total Dilution/Accretion to Stockholder A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)			-			$	(66,209	)			-			$	11,486				-
Net Asset Value per Share held by Stockholder A		$	15.00			$	14.78				(1.44	%)		$	14.45				(3.64	%)
Investment per Share held by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale)			-			$	14.50				-			$	14.50				-
Dilution/Accretion per Share Held by Stockholder A (Net Asset Value per Share Less Investment per Share)			-			$	(0.29	)			-			$	0.04				-
Percentage Dilution to Stockholder A (Dilution/Accretion per Share Divided by Investment per Share)			-				-				(1.99	%)			-				0.29	%

 

Impact on New Investors of Common Stock

 

Investors who are not currently stockholders and who participate in an offering of our common stock below net asset value but whose investment per share is greater than the resulting net asset value per share due to selling compensation and expenses paid by the issuer will experience an immediate decrease, albeit small, in the net asset value of their shares of common stock and their net asset value per share compared to the price they pay for their shares of common stock. Investors who are not currently stockholders and who participate in an offering below net asset value per share and whose investment per share is also less than the resulting net asset value per share due to selling compensation and expenses paid by the issuer being significantly less than the discount per share will experience an immediate increase in the net asset value of their shares of common stock and their net asset value per share compared to the price they pay for their shares of common stock. These investors will experience a disproportionately greater participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests. These investors will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional discounted offerings in which such new stockholder does not participate, in which case such new stockholder will experience dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These investors may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares of common stock, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in net asset value per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

 

The following chart illustrates the level of dilution or accretion for new investors that would be experienced by a new investor in the same hypothetical 5%, 10% and 20% discounted offerings as described in the first chart above. The illustration is for a new investor who purchases the same percentage (1.00%) of the shares of common stock in the offering as Stockholder A in the prior examples held immediately prior to the offering. It is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur.

 

 

						Example 1 5% Offering at 5% Discount								Example 2 10% Offering at 10% Discount								Example 3 20% Offering at 20% Discount
Prior to Sale Below NAV		Prior to Sale				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change				Following Sale				% Change
Offering Price
Price per Share to Public			-			$	15.00				-			$	14.21				-			$	12.63				-
Net Proceeds per Share to Issuer			-			$	14.25				-			$	13.50				-			$	12.00				-
Decrease to Net Asset Value
Total Shares Outstanding			20,838,000				21,879,900				5.00	%			22,921,800				10.00	%			25,005,600				20.00	%
Net Asset Value per Share		$	15.00			$	14.96				(0.27	%)		$	14.86				(0.94	%)		$	14.50				(3.36	%)
Dilution/Accretion to a New Investor
Shares Held by Investor A			208,380				10,419				-				20,838				-				41,676				-
Percentage Held by Investor A			1.00	%			0.05	%			-				0.09	%			-				0.17	%			-
Total Net Asset Value Held by Investor A		$	3,125,700			$	155,863				-			$	309,634				-			$	604,129				-
Total Investment by Investor A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share)		$	3,125,700			$	156,285				-			$	296,119				-			$	526,434				-
Total Dilution to Investor A (Total Net Asset Value Less Total Investment)			-			$	(422	)			-			$	(13,515	)			-			$	77,695				-
Net Asset Value per Share Held by Investor A		$	15.00			$	14.96				-			$	14.86				-			$	14.50				-
Investment per Share Held by Investor A (Assumed to be $15.00 per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale)		$	15.00			$	15.00				-			$	14.21				-			$	12.63				-
Dilution per Share Held by Investor A (Net Asset Value per Share Less Investment per Share)			-			$	(0.04	)			-			$	0.65				-			$	1.86				-
Percentage Dilution to Investor A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share)			-				-				(0.27	%)							4.56	%							14.76	%

 

 

  

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

 

We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan that provides for reinvestment of our dividends and other distributions on behalf of our stockholders, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash as provided below. As a result, if our Board authorizes, and we declare, a cash distribution, our stockholders who have not “opted out” of our dividend reinvestment plan will have their cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving the cash distributions. In this way, a stockholder can maintain an undiluted investment in us and still allow us to pay out the required distributable income.

 

No action will be required on the part of a registered stockholder to have his cash distribution reinvested in shares of our common stock. A registered stockholder may elect to receive an entire distribution in cash by notifying American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the plan administrator and our transfer agent and registrar, in writing so that such notice is received by the plan administrator by the record date for distributions to stockholders. The plan administrator will set up an account for shares acquired through the plan for each stockholder who has not elected to receive distributions in cash and hold such shares in non-certificated form. Upon request by a stockholder participating in the plan, received in writing not less than 10 days prior to the record date, the plan administrator will, instead of crediting shares to the participant’s account, issue a certificate registered in the participant’s name for the number of whole shares of our common stock and a check for any fractional share.

 

Those stockholders whose shares are held by a broker or other financial intermediary may receive distributions in cash by notifying their broker or other financial intermediary of their election.

 

We expect to use primarily newly issued shares to implement the plan, whether our shares are trading at a premium or at a discount to net asset value. Under such circumstances, the number of shares to be issued to a stockholder is determined by dividing the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to such stockholder by the market price per share of our common stock at the close of regular trading on the valuation date for such distribution. Market price per share on that date will be the closing price for such shares on the national securities exchange on which our shares are then listed or, if no sale is reported for such day, at the average of their reported bid and asked prices. We reserve the right to purchase shares in the open market in connection with our implementation of the plan. Shares purchased in open market transactions by the plan administrator will be allocated to a stockholder based on the average purchase price, excluding any brokerage charges or other charges, of all shares of common stock purchased in the open market.

 

There will be no brokerage charges or other charges to stockholders who participate in the plan. The plan administrator’s fees under the plan will be paid by us. If a participant elects by written notice to the plan administrator to have the plan administrator sell part or all of the shares held by the plan administrator in the participant’s account and remit the proceeds to the participant, the plan administrator is authorized to deduct a transaction fee of $15.00 plus a $0.10 per share brokerage commission from the proceeds.

 

Stockholders who receive distributions in the form of stock are subject to the same federal, state and local tax consequences as are stockholders who elect to receive their distributions in cash. A stockholder’s basis for determining gain or loss upon the sale of stock received in a distribution from us will be equal to the total dollar amount of the distribution payable to the stockholder. Any stock received in a distribution will have a new holding period for tax purposes commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the U.S. stockholder’s account.

 

Participants may terminate their accounts under the plan by notifying the plan administrator via its website at www.astfinancial.com, by filling out the transaction request form located at the bottom of their statement and sending it to the plan administrator at the address set forth below or by calling the plan administrator at 1-800-278-4353.

 

The plan may be terminated by us upon notice in writing mailed to each participant at least 30 days prior to any record date for the payment of any distribution by us. All correspondence concerning the plan should be directed to the plan administrator by mail at American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, 6201 15^th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219 or by phone at 1-800-278-4353.

 

 

CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

The following discussion is a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us and to an investment in our shares. This summary does not purport to be a complete description of the income tax considerations applicable to such an investment. For example, we have not described tax consequences that may be relevant to certain types of holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, including stockholders subject to the alternative minimum tax, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, dealers in securities, a trader in securities that elects to use a market-to-market method of accounting for its securities holdings, pension plans and trusts, and financial institutions. This summary assumes that investors hold our common stock as capital assets (within the meaning of the Code). The discussion is based upon the Code, Treasury regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations, each as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change, possibly retroactively, which could affect the continuing validity of this discussion. We have not sought and will not seek any ruling from the IRS regarding this offering. This summary does not discuss any aspects of U.S. estate or gift tax or foreign, state or local tax. It does not discuss the special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws that could result if we invested in tax-exempt securities or certain other investment assets.

 

This summary does not discuss the consequences of an investment in our preferred stock, subscription rights, debt securities or warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our preferred stock, common stock or debt securities. The U.S. federal income tax consequences of such an investment will be discussed in the relevant prospectus supplement.

 

A “U.S. stockholder” generally is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

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A citizen or individual resident of the United States;

 

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A corporation or other entity treated as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof;

 

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A trust if a court within the United States is asked to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantive decisions of the trust (or a trust which has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. trust); or

 

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An estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.

 

A “Non-U.S. stockholder” generally is a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock who is not a U.S. stockholder. If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective stockholder that is a partner of a partnership holding shares of our common stock should consult his, her or its tax advisers with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of our common stock.

 

Tax matters are very complicated and the tax consequences to an investor of an investment in our shares will depend on the facts of his, her or its particular situation. We encourage investors to consult their own tax advisers regarding the specific consequences of such an investment, including tax reporting requirements, the applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, eligibility for the benefits of any applicable tax treaty and the effect of any possible changes in the tax laws.

 

Election to be Taxed as a RIC

 

As a BDC, we have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, beginning with our 2015 taxable year. As a RIC, we generally will not have to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income that we distribute to our stockholders as dividends. To qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements (as described below). In addition, to qualify for RIC tax treatment we must distribute to our stockholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of our “investment company taxable income,” which is generally our ordinary income plus the excess of our realized net short-term capital gains over our realized net long-term capital losses (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”).

 

 

Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company

 

For any taxable year in which we:

 

●

qualify as a RIC; and

 

●

satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement,

 

We generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our income we distribute (or are deemed to distribute) to stockholders. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate rates on any income or capital gains not distributed (or deemed distributed) to our stockholders.

 

We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless we distribute in a timely manner an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of our net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of our capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years and on which we paid no corporate-level income tax (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”). We generally will endeavor in each taxable year to make sufficient distributions to our stockholders to avoid any U.S. federal excise tax on our earnings.

 

In order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must, among other things:

 

●

continue to qualify as a BDC under the 1940 Act at all times during each taxable year;

 

●

derive in each taxable year at least 90% of our gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of certain securities, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, net income from certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” or other income derived with respect to our business of investing in such stock or securities (the “90% Income Test”); and

 

●

diversify our holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year:

 

o

at least 50% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of our assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer; and

 

o

no more than 25% of the value of our assets is invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by us and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or of certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (the “Diversification Tests”).

 

Qualified earnings may exclude such income as management fees received in connection with our subsidiaries or other potential outside managed funds and certain other fees.

 

We may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which we do not receive cash. For example, if we hold debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with PIK interest or, in certain cases, increasing interest rates or issued with warrants), we must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation, regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by us in the same taxable year. We may also have to include in income other amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as PIK interest, deferred loan origination fees that are paid after origination of the loan or are paid in non-cash compensation such as warrants or stock, or certain income with respect to equity investments in foreign corporations. Because any original issue discount or other amounts accrued will be included in our investment company taxable income for the year of accrual, we may be required to make a distribution to our stockholders in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, even though we will not have received any corresponding cash amount. The Company does not currently hold investments that have original issue discount.

 

Gain or loss realized by us from the sale or exchange of warrants acquired by us as well as any loss attributable to the lapse of such warrants generally will be treated as capital gain or loss. Such gain or loss generally will be long-term or short-term, depending on how long we held a particular warrant.

 

 

Although we do not presently expect to do so, we are authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement. However, under the 1940 Act, we are not permitted to make distributions to our stockholders while our debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain “asset coverage” tests are met. Moreover, our ability to dispose of assets to meet our distribution requirements may be limited by: (1) the illiquid nature of our portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to our status as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If we dispose of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, we may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous. If we are prohibited from making distributions or are unable to obtain cash from other sources to make the distributions, we may fail to qualify as a RIC, which would result in us becoming subject to corporate-level federal income tax.

 

In addition, we will be partially dependent on our subsidiaries for cash distributions to enable us to meet the RIC distribution requirements. Some of our subsidiaries may be limited by the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, and SBA regulations, from making certain distributions to us that may be necessary to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC. We may have to request a waiver of the SBA’s restrictions for our subsidiaries to make certain distributions to maintain our RIC tax treatment. We cannot assure you that the SBA will grant such waiver. If our subsidiaries are unable to obtain a waiver, compliance with the SBA regulations may cause us to fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC, which would result in us becoming subject to corporate-level federal income tax.

 

The remainder of this discussion assumes that we qualify as a RIC and have satisfied the Annual Distribution Requirement.

 

Any transactions in options, futures contracts, constructive sales, hedging, straddle, conversion or similar transactions, and forward contracts will be subject to special tax rules, the effect of which may be to accelerate income to us, defer losses, cause adjustments to the holding periods of our investments, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains, convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses or have other tax consequences. These rules could affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to stockholders. We do not currently intend to engage in these types of transactions.

 

A RIC is limited in its ability to deduct expenses in excess of its “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, ordinary income plus net realized short-term capital gains in excess of net realized long-term capital losses). If our expenses in a given year exceed gross taxable income (e.g., as the result of large amounts of equity-based compensation), we would experience a net operating loss for that year. However, a RIC is not permitted to carry forward net operating losses to subsequent years. In addition, expenses can be used only to offset investment company taxable income, not net capital gain. Due to these limits on the deductibility of expenses, we may for tax purposes have aggregate taxable income for several years that we are required to distribute and that is taxable to our stockholders even if such income is greater than the aggregate net income we actually earned during those years. Such required distributions may be made from our cash assets or by liquidation of investments, if necessary. We may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event we realize net capital gains from such transactions, you may receive a larger capital gain distribution than you would have received in the absence of such transactions.

 

Investment income received from sources within foreign countries, or capital gains earned by investing in securities of foreign issuers, may be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. In this regard, withholding tax rates in countries with which the United States does not have a tax treaty are often as high as 35% or more. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that may entitle us to a reduced rate of tax or exemption from tax on this related income and gains. The effective rate of foreign tax cannot be determined at this time since the amount of our assets to be invested within various countries is not now known. We do not anticipate being eligible for the special election that allows a RIC to treat foreign income taxes paid by such RIC as paid by its stockholders.

 

If we purchase shares in a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, we may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by us to our stockholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on us in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. If we invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, or QEF, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, we will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF, even if such income is not distributed to it. Alternatively, we can elect to mark-to-market at the end of each taxable year our shares in a PFIC; in this case, we will recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such shares and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it does not exceed prior increases included in income. Under either election, we may be required to recognize in a year income in excess of our distributions from PFICs and our proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income will nevertheless be subject to the Annual Distribution Requirement and will be taken into account for purposes of the 4% U.S. federal excise tax. We intend to limit and/or manage our holdings in PFICs to minimize our liability for any taxes and related interest charges.

 

 

Foreign exchange gains and losses realized by us in connection with certain transactions involving non-dollar debt securities, certain foreign currency futures contracts, foreign currency option contracts, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currencies, or payables or receivables denominated in a foreign currency are subject to Code provisions that generally treat such gains and losses as ordinary income and losses and may affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to our stockholders. Any such transactions that are not directly related to our investment in securities (possibly including speculative currency positions or currency derivatives not used for hedging purposes) could, under future Treasury regulations, produce income not among the types of “qualifying income” from which a RIC must derive at least 90% of its annual gross income.

 

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders

 

Distributions by us generally are taxable to U.S. stockholders as ordinary income or capital gains. Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, our net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses) will be taxable as ordinary income to U.S. stockholders to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of our common stock. To the extent such distributions paid by us to non-corporate stockholders (including individuals) are attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, such distributions (“Qualifying Dividends”) may be eligible for a maximum tax rate of 20%, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the stockholder and company levels. In this regard, it is anticipated that distributions paid by us will generally not be attributable to dividends and, therefore, generally will not qualify for the 20% maximum rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends. Distributions of our net capital gains (which are generally our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) properly reported by us as “capital gain dividends” in written statements furnished to our stockholders will be taxable to a U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gains that are currently taxable at a maximum rate of 20% in the case of individuals, trusts or estates, regardless of the U.S. stockholder’s holding period for his, her or its common stock and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional common stock. Distributions in excess of our earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in such stockholder’s common stock and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. stockholder.

 

We may retain some or all of our realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses, but designate the retained net capital gain as a “deemed distribution.” In that case, among other consequences, we will pay tax on the retained amount, each U.S. stockholder will be required to include his, her or its share of the deemed distribution in income as if it had been actually distributed to the U.S. stockholder, and the U.S. stockholder will be entitled to claim a credit equal to his, her or its allocable share of the tax paid thereon by us. Because we expect to pay tax on any retained capital gains at our regular corporate tax rate, and because that rate is in excess of the maximum rate currently payable by individuals on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that individual U.S. stockholders will be treated as having paid will exceed the tax they owe on the capital gain distribution and such excess generally may be refunded or claimed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s other U.S. federal income tax obligations or may be refunded to the extent it exceeds a stockholder’s liability for federal income tax. A stockholder that is not subject to federal income tax or otherwise required to file a federal income tax return would be required to file a federal income tax return on the appropriate form in order to claim a refund for the taxes we paid. The amount of the deemed distribution net of such tax will be added to the U.S. stockholder’s cost basis for his, her or its common stock. In order to utilize the deemed distribution approach, we must provide written notice to our stockholders prior to the expiration of 60 days after the close of the relevant taxable year. We cannot treat any of our investment company taxable income as a “deemed distribution.”

 

In accordance with certain applicable Treasury regulations and published guidance issued by the IRS, a publicly offered RIC may treat a distribution of its own stock as fulfilling its RIC distribution requirements if each stockholder may elect to receive his or her entire distribution in either cash or stock of the RIC, subject to a limitation that the aggregate amount of cash to be distributed to all stockholders must be at least 20% of the aggregate declared distribution. If too many stockholders elect to receive cash, the cash available for distribution must be allocated among the stockholders electing to receive cash (with the balance of the distribution paid in stock). In no event will any stockholder, electing to receive cash, the lesser of (a) the portion of the distribution such stockholder has elected to receive in cash or (b) an amount equal to his or her entire distribution times the percentage limitation on cash available for distribution. If these and certain other requirements are met, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of the dividend paid in stock will be equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of stock. We have no current intention of paying dividends in shares of our stock in accordance with these Treasury regulations or published guidance.

 

 

For purposes of determining (1) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (2) the amount of the deduction for ordinary income and capital gain dividends paid for that year, we may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If we make such an election, the U.S. stockholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by us in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by our U.S. stockholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

If an investor purchases shares of our common stock shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the shares will include the value of the distribution and the investor will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of his, her or its investment.

 

A U.S. stockholder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder sells or otherwise disposes of his, her or its shares of our common stock. The amount of gain or loss will be measured by the difference between such U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock sold and the amount of the proceeds received in exchange. Any gain arising from such sale or disposition generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held his, her or its shares for more than one year. Otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of shares of our common stock held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or undistributed capital gain deemed received, with respect to such shares. In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of shares of our common stock may be disallowed if other shares of our common stock are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

 

In general, U.S. stockholders taxed at individual rates currently are subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% on their net capital gain (i.e., the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses), including any long-term capital gain derived from an investment in our shares. Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by such U.S. stockholders. In addition, individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly) and certain estates and trusts are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, and rents, and net capital gains (other than certain amounts earned from trades or businesses). Corporate U.S. stockholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate U.S. stockholders with net capital losses for a year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each year any net capital losses of a non-corporate U.S. stockholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent years as provided in the Code. Corporate U.S. stockholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a year, but may carry back such losses for three years or carry forward such losses for five years.

 

We (or the applicable withholding agent) will send to each of our U.S. stockholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a notice reporting, on a per share and per distribution basis, the amounts includible in such U.S. stockholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain. In addition, the federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the IRS (including the amount of dividends, if any, eligible for the 20% maximum rate). Dividends paid by us generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends because our income generally will not consist of dividends. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. stockholder’s particular situation.

 

We may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) from all distributions to any U.S. stockholder (other than a stockholder that otherwise qualifies for an exemption) (1) who fails to furnish us with a correct taxpayer identification number or a certificate that such stockholder is exempt from backup withholding or (2) with respect to whom the IRS notifies us that such stockholder has failed to properly report certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect. An individual’s taxpayer identification number is his or her social security number. Any amount withheld under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s federal income tax liability, provided that proper information is provided to the IRS.

 

 

U.S. stockholders that hold their common stock through foreign accounts or intermediaries will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% on dividends if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts are not satisfied.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan.    We have adopted a dividend reinvestment plan through which all dividend distributions are paid to our stockholders in the form of additional shares of our common stock, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash in accordance with the terms of the plan. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan”. Any distributions made to a U.S. stockholder that are reinvested under the plan will nevertheless remain taxable to the U.S. stockholder. The U.S. stockholder will have an adjusted tax basis in the additional shares of our common stock purchased through the plan equal to the amount of the reinvested distribution. The additional shares will have a new holding period commencing on the day following the day on which the shares are credited to the U.S. stockholder’s account.

 

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

 

Whether an investment in the shares is appropriate for a Non-U.S. stockholder will depend upon that person’s particular circumstances. An investment in the shares by a Non-U.S. stockholder may have adverse tax consequences. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisers before investing in our common stock.

 

Distributions of our “investment company taxable income” to Non-U.S. stockholders (including interest income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized long-term capital losses, which generally would be free of withholding if paid to Non-U.S. stockholders directly) will be subject to withholding of federal tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits unless an applicable exception applies. If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder, we will not be required to withhold federal tax if the Non-U.S. stockholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. persons. (Special certification requirements apply to a Non-U.S. stockholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their own tax advisers).

 

However, no withholding is required with respect to certain distributions if (i) the distributions are properly reported to our stockholders as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” in written statements to our stockholders, (ii) the distributions are derived from sources specified in the Code for such dividends and (iii) certain other requirements are satisfied. Currently, we do not anticipate that any significant amount of our distributions would be reported as eligible for this exemption from withholding.

 

Actual or deemed distributions of our net capital gains to a Non-U.S. stockholder, and gains realized by a Non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale of our common stock, will not be subject to federal withholding tax and generally will not be subject to federal income tax unless the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. stockholder.

 

The tax consequences to Non-U.S. stockholders entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty or who are individuals present in the United States for 183 days or more during a taxable year may be different from those described herein. Non-U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisers with respect to the procedure for claiming the benefit of a lower treaty rate and the applicability of foreign taxes.

 

If we distribute our net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a Non-U.S. stockholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the stockholder’s allocable share of the tax we pay on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed. In order to obtain the refund, the Non-U.S. stockholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the Non-U.S. stockholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return. For a corporate Non-U.S. stockholder, distributions (both actual and deemed), and gains realized upon the sale of our common stock that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty). Accordingly, investment in the shares may not be appropriate for a Non-U.S. stockholder.

 

A Non-U.S. stockholder who is a non-resident alien individual, and who is otherwise subject to withholding of federal tax, may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on dividends unless the Non-U.S. stockholder provides us or the dividend paying agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E (or an acceptable substitute form) or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a Non-U.S. stockholder or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.

 

 

Legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA” generally imposes a 30% withholding tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions that either fail to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have U.S. persons as substantial owners), or that reside in countries that have not entered into inter-governmental agreements with the U.S. to provide such information. The types of income subject to the tax include U.S. source interest and dividends. The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a U.S. person and transaction activity within the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, FATCA also imposes a 30% withholding on payments to foreign entities that are not financial institutions unless the foreign entity certifies that it does not have a greater than 10% U.S. owner or provides the withholding agent with identifying information on each greater than 10% U.S. owner. When these provisions become effective, depending on the status of a Non-U.S. Holder and the status of the intermediaries through which they hold their shares, Non-U.S. Holders could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions on their shares and proceeds from the sale of their shares. Under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. Holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.

 

Non-U.S. persons should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax, and state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in the shares.

 

Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company

 

If we fail to satisfy the 90% Income Test or the Diversification Tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless continue to qualify as a RIC for such year if certain relief provisions are applicable (which may, among other things, require us to pay certain corporate-level federal taxes or to dispose of certain assets).

 

If we were unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC and the foregoing relief provisions are not applicable, we would be subject to tax on all of our taxable income at regular corporate rates, regardless of whether we make any distributions to our stockholders. Distributions would not be required, and any distributions would be taxable to our stockholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and, subject to certain limitations, may be eligible for the 20% maximum rate for non-corporate taxpayers provided certain holding period and other requirements were met. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate distributees would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. Generally, a non-taxable return of capital will reduce an investor’s basis in our stock for federal tax purposes, which will result in higher tax liability when the stock is sold. Stockholders should read any written disclosure accompanying a distribution carefully and should not assume that the source of any distribution is our ordinary income or gains. Certain such written disclosures will present a calculation of return of capital on a tax accounting basis.

 

To requalify as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, we would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and dispose of any earnings and profits from any year in which we failed to qualify as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under Subchapter M of the Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that requalify as a RIC no later than the second year following the non-qualifying year, we could be subject to tax on any unrealized net built-in gains in the assets held by us during the period in which we failed to qualify as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent 5 years, unless we made a special election to pay corporate-level tax on such built-in gain at the time of our requalification as a RIC.

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following description is based on relevant portions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and on our charter and bylaws. This summary is not necessarily complete, and we refer you to Maryland Law and our charter and bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below.

 

Stock

 

Our authorized stock consists of 200,000,000 shares of stock, par value $0.02 per share, all of which are initially designated as common stock. Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “NEWT.” Under Maryland law, our stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations.

 

The following are our outstanding classes of securities As of June 8, 2020:

 

(1) Title of Class		(2) Amount Authorized				(3) Amount Held by Us or for Our Account				(4) Amount Outstanding Exclusive of Amounts Shown Under (3)
Common stock, par value $0.02 per share			200,000,000				—				20,901,637	(1)

 

(1)

An equity compensation plan has been adopted to cover up to 3,000,000 shares, but no options have been awarded.

 

Under our charter, our Board is authorized to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock without obtaining stockholder approval. Our charter also provides that the Board, without any action by our stockholders, may amend the charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue.

 

Common Stock

 

All shares of our common stock have equal rights as to earnings, assets, voting, and distributions and, when they are issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Distributions may be paid to the holders of our common stock if, as and when authorized by our Board and declared by us out of assets legally available therefor. Shares of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion or redemption rights and are freely transferable, except where their transfer is restricted by federal and state securities laws or by contract. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after we pay all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of our preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of our common stock will possess exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of our directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Our charter authorizes our Board to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock, including preferred stock. The cost of any such reclassification would be borne by our existing common stockholders. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, the Board is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Thus, the Board could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any distribution is made with respect to our common stock and before any purchase of common stock is made, such preferred stock together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of our gross assets after deducting the amount of such distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if distributions on such preferred stock are in arrears by two full years or more. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions. However, we do not currently have any plans to issue preferred stock.

 

 

Options and Restricted Stock

 

From time to time, at the discretion of the Compensation, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, the Company intends to grant stock options to the named executive officers and other employees to create a clear and strong alignment between compensation and stockholder return and to enable the named executive officers and other employees to develop and maintain a stock ownership position in the company that will vest over time and act as an incentive for the employee to remain with the Company. Stock options may be granted pursuant to the Newtek Business Services Corp. 2014 Plan. See “Executive Compensation” in our most recent definitive proxy statement for a description of equity-based compensation.

 

On May 10, 2016, the SEC issued order for exemptive relief that, with the stockholders’ approval we received on July 27, 2016, allows us to take certain actions that would otherwise be prohibited by the 1940 Act, as applicable to business development companies. Specifically, the SEC order permits us to (i) issue restricted stock awards to our officers, employees and directors and (ii) issue stock options to our non-employee directors.

 

We also may in the future request exemptive relief to permit us to grant dividend equivalent right to our option holders. However, there is no assurance that we will receive any such exemptive relief.

 

Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses

 

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

Our charter authorizes us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as our director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of us in any of the capacities described above and any of our employees or agents or any employees or agents of our predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, we will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

 

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received unless, in either case, a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

 

 

Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Our Charter and Bylaws

 

The Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquirer to acquire us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms.

 

Classified Board of Directors

 

Our Board is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. The first expires in 2021, the second class expires in 2022, and the third class expires in 2020. Upon expiration of their current terms, directors of each class will be elected to serve for three-year terms and until their successors are duly elected and qualify and each year one class of directors will be elected by the stockholders. A classified board may render a change in control of us or removal of our incumbent management more difficult. We believe, however, that the longer time required to elect a majority of a classified board of directors will help to ensure the continuity and stability of our management and policies.

 

Election of Directors

 

Our charter and bylaws provide that the affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote in the election of directors cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present will be required to elect a director. Pursuant to our charter our Board may amend the bylaws to alter the vote required to elect directors.

 

Number of Directors; Vacancies; Removal

 

Our charter provides that the number of directors will be set only by the Board in accordance with our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that a majority of our entire Board may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, unless our bylaws are amended, the number of directors may never be less than one nor more than twelve. Our charter provides that, at such time as we have at least three independent directors and our common stock is registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we elect to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation Law regarding the filling of vacancies on the board of directors. Accordingly, at such time, except as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any and all vacancies on the Board may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause, as defined in our charter, and then only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors.

 

Action by Stockholders

 

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or (unless the charter provides for stockholder action by less than unanimous written consent, which our charter does not) by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting. These provisions, combined with the requirements of our bylaws regarding the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders discussed below, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal until the next annual meeting.

 

 

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

 

Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the Board and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (a) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (b) by the Board or (c) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of our bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at a special meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by the Board or (3) provided that the Board has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.

 

The purpose of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford our Board a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by our Board, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders. Although our bylaws do not give our Board any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

 

Calling of Special Meetings of Stockholders

 

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by our Board and certain of our officers. Additionally, our bylaws provide that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders will be called by the secretary of the corporation upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting.

 

Approval of Extraordinary Corporate Action; Amendment of Charter and Bylaws

 

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter generally provides for approval of charter amendments and extraordinary transactions by the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter also provides that certain charter amendments, any proposal for our conversion, whether by charter amendment, merger or otherwise, from a closed-end company to an open-end company and any proposal for our liquidation or dissolution requires the approval of the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter. However, if such amendment or proposal is approved by a majority of our continuing directors (in addition to approval by our Board), such amendment or proposal may be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on such a matter. The “continuing directors” are defined in our charter as (1) our current directors, (2) those directors whose nomination for election by the stockholders or whose election by the directors to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of our current directors then on the Board or (3) any successor directors whose nomination for election by the stockholders or whose election by the directors to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of continuing directors or the successor continuing directors then in office. In any event, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, any amendment or proposal that would have the effect of changing the nature of our business so as to cause us to cease to be, or to withdraw our election as, a BDC would be required to be approved by a majority of our outstanding voting securities, as defined under the 1940 Act.

 

Our charter and bylaws provide that the Board will have the exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal any provision of our bylaws. In a Special Meeting of Stockholders held on July 26, 2018, our stockholders rejected a proposal that would have allowed our stockholders to amend our bylaws.

 

 

No Appraisal Rights

 

Except with respect to appraisal rights arising in connection with the Control Share Act discussed below, as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter provides that stockholders will not be entitled to exercise appraisal rights unless a majority of the Board shall determine such rights apply.

 

Control Share Acquisitions

 

The Maryland General Corporation Law provides that control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter (the “Control Share Act”). Shares owned by the acquirer, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

 

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one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

 

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one-third or more but less than a majority; or

 

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a majority or more of all voting power.

 

The requisite stockholder approval must be obtained each time an acquirer crosses one of the thresholds of voting power set forth above. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

 

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the Board of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

 

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of the corporation to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations, including compliance with the 1940 Act. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

 

The Control Share Act does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation. Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Control Share Act any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares of stock. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future. However, the SEC staff has taken the position that, under the 1940 Act, an investment company may not avail itself of the Control Share Act. As a result, we will amend our bylaws to be subject to the Control Share Act only if the Board determines that it would be in our best interests and, after notification, the SEC staff does not object to our determination that our being subject to the Control Share Act does not conflict with the 1940 Act.

 

 

Business Combinations

 

Under Maryland law, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder (the “Business Combination Act”). These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:

 

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any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or

 

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an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

 

A person is not an interested stockholder under this statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the stockholder otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

 

After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

 

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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and

 

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two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

 

These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

 

The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our Board has adopted a resolution that any business combination between us and any other person is exempted from the provisions of the Business Combination Act, provided that the business combination is first approved by Board, including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons as defined in the 1940 Act. This resolution may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time; however, our Board will adopt resolutions so as to make us subject to the provisions of the Business Combination Act only if the Board determines that it would be in our best interests and if the SEC staff does not object to our determination that our being subject to the Business Combination Act does not conflict with the 1940 Act. If this resolution is repealed, or the Board does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

 

Conflict with 1940 Act

 

Our bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of the Maryland General Corporation Law, including the Control Share Act (if we amend our bylaws to be subject to such Act) and the Business Combination Act, or any provision of our charter or bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control.

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED STOCK

 

In addition to shares of common stock, our charter authorizes the issuance of preferred stock. We may issue preferred stock from time to time, although we have no immediate intention to do so. If we offer preferred stock under this prospectus, we will issue an appropriate prospectus supplement. We may issue preferred stock from time to time in one or more classes or series, without stockholder approval. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our Board is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Any such an issuance must adhere to the requirements of the 1940 Act, Maryland law and any other limitations imposed by law.

 

The following is a general description of the terms of the preferred stock we may issue from time to time. Particular terms of any preferred stock we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such preferred stock.

 

If we issue preferred stock, it will pay dividends to the holders of the preferred stock at either a fixed rate or a rate that will be reset frequently based on short-term interest rates, as described in a prospectus supplement accompanying each preferred share offering.

 

The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any distribution is made with respect to common stock, the liquidation preference of the preferred stock, together with all other senior securities, must not exceed an amount equal to 50% (or 33.33% under certain circumstances) of our total assets (taking into account such distribution), (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if dividends on the preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more and (3) such shares be cumulative as to dividends and have a complete preference over our common stock to payment of their liquidation preference in the event of a dissolution.

 

For any series of preferred stock that we may issue, our Board will determine and the articles supplementary and prospectus supplement relating to such series will describe:

 

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the designation and number of shares of such series;

 

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the rate, whether fixed or variable, and time at which any dividends will be paid on shares of such series, as well as whether such dividends are participating or non-participating;

 

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any provisions relating to convertibility or exchangeability of the shares of such series;

 

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the rights and preferences, if any, of holders of shares of such series upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

 

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the voting powers, if any, of the holders of shares of such series;

 

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any provisions relating to the redemption of the shares of such series;

 

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any limitations on our ability to pay dividends or make distributions on, or acquire or redeem, other securities while shares of such series are outstanding;

 

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any conditions or restrictions on our ability to issue additional shares of such series or other securities;

 

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if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

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any other relative powers, preferences and participating, optional or special rights of shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.

 

All shares of preferred stock that we may issue will be identical and of equal rank except as to the particular terms thereof that may be fixed by our Board, and all shares of each series of preferred stock will be identical and of equal rank except as to the dates from which dividends, if any, thereon will be cumulative.

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

 

General

 

We may issue subscription rights to our stockholders to purchase common stock. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. In connection with a subscription rights offering to our stockholders, we would distribute certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a prospectus supplement to our stockholders on the record date that we set for receiving subscription rights in such subscription rights offering.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement would describe the following terms of subscription rights in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

 

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the period of time the offering would remain open (which shall be open a minimum number of days such that all record holders would be eligible to participate in the offering and shall not be open longer than 120 days);

 

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the title of such subscription rights;

 

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the exercise price for such subscription rights (or method of calculation thereof);

 

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the ratio of the offering (which, in the case of transferable rights, will require a minimum of three shares to be held of record before a person is entitled to purchase an additional share);

 

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the number of such subscription rights issued to each stockholder;

 

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the extent to which such subscription rights are transferable and the market on which they may be traded if they are transferable;

 

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if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance or exercise of such subscription rights;

 

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the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which such right shall expire (subject to any extension);

 

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the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities and the terms of such over-subscription privilege;

 

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any termination right we may have in connection with such subscription rights offering; and

 

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any other terms of such subscription rights, including exercise, settlement and other procedures and limitations relating to the transfer and exercise of such subscription rights.

 

Exercise of Subscription Rights

 

Each subscription right would entitle the holder of the subscription right to purchase for cash such amount of shares of common stock at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Subscription rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for such subscription rights set forth in the prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights would become void.

 

Subscription rights may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement we will forward, as soon as practicable, the shares of common stock purchasable upon such exercise. To the extent permissible under applicable law, we may determine to offer any unsubscribed offered securities directly to persons other than stockholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Dilutive Effects

 

Any stockholder who chooses not to participate in a rights offering should expect to own a smaller interest in the Company upon completion of such rights offering. Any rights offering will dilute the ownership interest and voting power of stockholders who do not fully exercise their subscription rights. Further, because the net proceeds per share from any rights offering may be lower than our then current net asset value per share, the rights offering may reduce our net asset value per share. The amount of dilution that a stockholder will experience could be substantial, particularly to the extent we engage in multiple rights offerings within a limited time period. In addition, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected while a rights offering is ongoing as a result of the possibility that a significant number of additional shares may be issued upon completion of such rights offering. All of our stockholders will also indirectly bear the expenses associated with any rights offering we may conduct, regardless of whether they elect to exercise any rights.

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR WARRANTS

 

The following is a general description of the terms of the warrants we may issue from time to time. Particular terms of any warrants we offer will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants.

 

We may issue warrants to purchase shares of our common stock. Such warrants may be issued independently or together with shares of common stock and may be attached or separate from such shares of common stock. We will issue each series of warrants under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency for or with holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

 

A prospectus supplement will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants we may issue, including the following:

 

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the title of such warrants;

 

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the aggregate number of such warrants;

 

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the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued;

 

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the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the price of such warrants may be payable;

 

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the number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants;

 

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the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased;

 

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the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right will expire;

 

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whether such warrants will be issued in registered form or bearer form;

 

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if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

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if applicable, the number of such warrants issued with each share of common stock;

 

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if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the related shares of common stock will be separately transferable;

 

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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

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if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

 

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any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.

 

The Company and the warrant agent may amend or supplement the warrant agreement for a series of warrants without the consent of the holders of the warrants issued thereunder to effect changes that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and that do not materially and adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants.

 

Under the 1940 Act, we may generally only offer warrants provided that (1) the warrants expire by their terms within ten years; (2) the exercise or conversion price is not less than the current market value at the date of issuance; (3) our stockholders authorize the proposal to issue such warrants, and our Board approves such issuance on the basis that the issuance is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders; and (4) if the warrants are accompanied by other securities, the warrants are not separately transferable unless no class of such warrants and the securities accompanying them has been publicly distributed. The 1940 Act also provides that the amount of our voting securities that would result from the exercise of all outstanding warrants at the time of issuance may not exceed 25.0% of our outstanding voting securities.

 

DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

 

We may issue debt securities in one or more series. The specific terms of each series of debt securities will be described in the particular prospectus supplement relating to that series. The prospectus supplement may or may not modify the general terms found in this prospectus and will be filed with the SEC. For a complete description of the terms of a particular series of debt securities, you should read both this prospectus and the prospectus supplement relating to that particular series.

 

As required by federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, the debt securities are governed by a document called an “indenture.” An indenture is a contract between us and the financial institution acting as trustee on your behalf, and is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, described in the second paragraph under “— Events of Default — Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs.” Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties for us with respect to the debt securities.

 

This section includes a description of the material provisions of the indenture. Because this section is a summary, however, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities and the indenture. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. A copy of the form of indenture is attached, or incorporated by reference, as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We will file a supplemental indenture with the SEC in connection with any debt offering, at which time the supplemental indenture would be publicly available. See “Available Information” for information on how to obtain a copy of the indenture.

 

The prospectus supplement, which will accompany this prospectus, will describe the particular series of debt securities being offered by including:

 

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the designation or title of the series of debt securities;

 

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the total principal amount of the series of debt securities;

 

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the percentage of the principal amount at which the series of debt securities will be offered;

 

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the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

 

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the rate or rates (which may be either fixed or variable) and/or the method of determining such rate or rates of interest, if any;

 

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the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable;

 

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whether any interest may be paid by issuing additional securities of the same series in lieu of cash (and the terms upon which any such interest may be paid by issuing additional securities);

 

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the terms for redemption, extension or early repayment, if any;

 

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the currencies in which the series of debt securities are issued and payable;

 

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whether the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on a series of debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which could be based on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices) and how these amounts will be determined;

 

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the place or places, if any, other than or in addition to the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

 

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the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued (if other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof);

 

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the provision for any sinking fund;

 

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any restrictive covenants;

 

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any Events of Default (as defined in “Events of Default” below);

 

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whether the series of debt securities are issuable in certificated form;

 

 

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any provisions for defeasance or covenant defeasance;

 

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any special federal income tax implications, including, if applicable, federal income tax considerations relating to original issue discount;

 

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whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts (and the terms of this option);

 

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any provisions for convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities into or for any other securities;

 

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whether the debt securities are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination;

 

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whether the debt securities are secured and the terms of any security interest;

 

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the listing, if any, on a securities exchange; and

 

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any other terms. The debt securities may be secured or unsecured obligations. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we, as a BDC, pursuant to the approval of our stockholders, are permitted to issue debt only in amounts such that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 150% after each issuance of debt, but giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, will be paid by us in immediately available funds.

 

General

 

The indenture provides that any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement (“offered debt securities”) may be issued under the indenture in one or more series.

 

For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of, or premium or interest, if any, on, debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities.

 

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder from time to time. Debt securities issued under the indenture, when a single trustee is acting for all debt securities issued under the indenture, are called the “indenture securities.” The indenture also provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more different series of indenture securities. See “— Resignation of Trustee” below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term “indenture securities” means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under the indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures.

 

Except as described under “— Events of Default” and “— Merger or Consolidation” below, the indenture does not contain any provisions that give you protection in the event we issue a large amount of debt or we are acquired by another entity.

 

We refer you to the prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or our covenants, as applicable, that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk protection or similar protection.

 

We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created.

 

No person from whom we borrow will, in its capacity as either a lender or debt security holder, have either a veto power or a vote in approving or changing any of our operating policies or investment strategies, as applicable.

 

 

Conversion and Exchange

 

If any debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the prospectus supplement will explain the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio (or the calculation method), the conversion or exchange period (or how the period will be determined), if conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, provisions for adjusting the conversion price or the exchange ratio, and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the underlying debt securities. These terms may also include provisions under which the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Issuance of Securities in Registered Form

 

We may issue the debt securities in registered form, in which case we may issue them either in book-entry form only or in “certificated” form. Debt securities issued in book-entry form will be represented by global securities. We expect that we will usually issue debt securities in book-entry only form represented by global securities.

 

Book-Entry Holders

 

We will issue registered debt securities in book-entry form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means debt securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary that will hold them on behalf of financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the debt securities held by the depositary or its nominee. These institutions may hold these interests on behalf of themselves or customers.

 

Under the indenture, only the person in whose name a debt security is registered is recognized as the holder of that debt security. Consequently, for debt securities issued in book-entry form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities to the depositary. The depositary will then pass along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn will pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities.

 

As a result, investors will not own debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the debt securities are represented by one or more global securities, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

 

Street Name Holders

 

In the future, we may issue debt securities in certificated form or terminate a global security. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own names or in “street name.” Debt securities held in street name are registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution chosen by the investor, and the investor would hold a beneficial interest in those debt securities through the account he or she maintains at that institution.

 

For debt securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders of those debt securities, and we will make all payments on those debt securities to them. These institutions will pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

 

 

Legal Holders

 

Our obligations as well as the obligations of the applicable trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the applicable trustee, run only to the legal holders of the debt securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a debt security or has no choice because we are issuing the debt securities only in book-entry form.

 

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose (for example, to amend an indenture or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture), we would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the debt securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders.

 

When we refer to you in this Description of Our Debt Securities, we mean those who invest in the debt securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect holders of those debt securities. When we refer to your debt securities, we mean the debt securities in which you hold a direct or indirect interest.

 

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

 

If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out:

 

●

how it handles securities payments and notices;

 

●

whether it imposes fees or charges;

 

●

how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

 

●

whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities;

 

●

how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

 

●

if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

 

Global Securities

 

As noted above, we usually will issue debt securities as registered securities in book-entry form only. A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

 

Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form.

 

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “— Termination of a Global Security.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

 

 

Special Considerations for Global Securities

 

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The depositary that holds the global security will be considered the holder of the debt securities represented by the global security. Each of the 6.25% Notes due 2023 and the 5.75% Notes due 2024 has been issued pursuant to a global note.

 

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

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an investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in his or her name and cannot obtain certificates for his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

 

●

an investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities, as we describe under “— Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above;

 

●

an investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

 

●

an investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

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the depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way;

 

●

if we redeem less than all the debt securities of a particular series being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount to be redeemed from each of its participants holding that series;

 

●

an investor is required to give notice of exercise of any option to elect repayment of its debt securities, through its participant, to the applicable trustee and to deliver the related debt securities by causing its participant to transfer its interest in those debt securities, on DTC’s records, to the applicable trustee;

 

●

DTC requires that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security deposited in its book-entry system use immediately available funds, your broker or bank may also require you to use immediately available funds when purchasing or selling interests in a global security;

 

●

financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities; there may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor; we do not monitor, nor are we responsible for the actions of, any of those intermediaries.

 

Termination of a Global Security

 

If a global security is terminated for any reason, interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-book-entry form (certificated securities). After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the certificated debt securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of legal holders and street name investors under “— Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above.

 

The prospectus supplement may list situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not us or the applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the investors in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those debt securities.

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

We will pay interest to the person listed in the applicable trustee’s records as the owner of the debt security at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the “record date.” Since we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period. This prorated interest amount is called “accrued interest.”

 

 

Payments on Global Securities

 

We will make payments on a global security in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will make payments directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security. An indirect holder’s right to those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants, as described under “— Special Considerations for Global Securities.”

 

Payments on Certificated Securities

 

We will make payments on a certificated debt security as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date to the holder of debt securities as shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date at our office in New York, New York, as applicable, and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement. We will make all payments of principal and premium, if any, by check at the office of the applicable trustee in New York, New York and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement or in a notice to holders against surrender of the debt security.

 

Alternatively, at our option, we may pay any cash interest that becomes due on the debt security by mailing a check to the holder at his, her, or its address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date or by transfer to an account at a bank in the United States, in either case, on the due date.

 

Payment When Offices Are Closed

 

If any payment is due on a debt security on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments made on the next business day in this situation will be treated under the indenture as if they were made on the original due date, except as otherwise indicated in the attached prospectus supplement. Such payment will not result in a default under any debt security or the indenture, and no interest will accrue on the payment amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day.

 

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.

 

Events of Default

 

You will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of your series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

 

The term “Event of Default” in respect of the debt securities of your series means any of the following:

 

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we do not pay the principal of (or premium, if any, on) a debt security of the series within five days of its due date;

 

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we do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date;

 

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we do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series within two business days of its due date;

 

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we remain in breach of a covenant in respect of debt securities of the series for 60 days after we receive a written notice of default stating we are in breach (the notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of at least 25.0% of the principal amount of debt securities of the series);

 

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we file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur and remain undischarged or unstayed for a period of 90 days; or

 

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the series of debt securities has an asset coverage, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, of less than 100.0% on the last business day of each of 24 consecutive calendar months, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC; or

 

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any other Event of Default in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement occurs.

 

 

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the same or any other indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default, except in the payment of principal, premium, interest, or sinking or purchase fund installment, if it in good faith considers the withholding of notice to be in the interest of the holders.

 

Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

 

If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25.0% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may (and the trustee shall at the request of such holders) declare the entire principal amount of all the outstanding debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be cancelled by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series if (1) we have deposited with the trustee all amounts due and owing with respect to the securities (other than principal that has become due solely by reason of such acceleration) and certain other amounts, and (2) any other Events of Default have been cured or waived.

 

The trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee protection from expenses and liability reasonably satisfactory to it (called an “indemnity”). If indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in certain circumstances. No delay or omission in exercising any right or remedy will be treated as a waiver of that right, remedy or Event of Default.

 

Before you are allowed to bypass your trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

 

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you must give the trustee written notice that an Event of Default with respect to the relevant series of debt securities has occurred and remains uncured;

 

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the holders of at least 25.0% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default and must offer indemnity, security, or both reasonably satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses, and other liabilities of taking that action;

 

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the trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity and/or security; and

 

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the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series must not have given the trustee a direction inconsistent with the above notice during that 60-day period.

 

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt securities on or after the due date.

 

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and how to declare or cancel an acceleration of maturity.

 

Each year, we will furnish to each trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities, or else specifying any default.

 

Waiver of Default

 

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series may waive any past defaults other than

 

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the payment of principal, any premium or interest; or

 

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in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder.

 

 

Merger or Consolidation

 

Under the terms of the indenture, we are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another entity. We are also permitted to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

 

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where we merge out of existence or sells substantially all of our assets, the resulting entity or transferee must agree to be legally responsible for our obligations under the debt securities;

 

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the merger or sale of assets must not cause a default on the debt securities and we must not already be in default (unless the merger or sale would cure the default). For purposes of this no-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and has not been cured, as described under “Events of Default” above. A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if the requirements for giving us a notice of default or our default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded.

 

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we must deliver certain certificates and documents to the trustee; and

 

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we must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities.

 

Modification or Waiver

 

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder.

 

Changes Requiring Your Approval

 

First, there are changes that we cannot make to your debt securities without your specific approval. The following is a list of those types of changes:

 

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change the stated maturity of the principal of or interest on a debt security or the terms of any sinking fund with respect to any security;

 

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reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

 

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reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of an original issue discount or indexed security following a default or upon the redemption thereof or the amount thereof provable in a bankruptcy proceeding;

 

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adversely affect any right of repayment at the holder’s option;

 

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change the place or currency of payment on a debt security (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement);

 

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impair your right to sue for payment;

 

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adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms;

 

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modify the subordination provisions in the indenture in a manner that is adverse to outstanding holders of the debt securities;

 

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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the indenture;

 

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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults;

 

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modify any other aspect of the provisions of the indenture dealing with supplemental indentures with the consent of holders, waiver of past defaults, changes to the quorum or voting requirements or the waiver of certain covenants; and

 

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change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts.

 

 

Changes Not Requiring Approval

 

The second type of change does not require any vote by the holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications, establishment of the form or terms of new securities of any series as permitted by the indenture and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the outstanding debt securities in any material respect. We also do not need any approval to make any change that affects only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the change takes effect.

 

Changes Requiring Majority Approval

 

Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

 

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if the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of that series; and

 

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if the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the same indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all of the series affected by the change, with all affected series voting together as one class for this purpose.

 

In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent.

 

The holders of a majority in principal amount of a series of debt securities issued under the indenture, voting together as one class for this purpose, may waive our compliance with some of its covenants applicable to that series of debt securities. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or of any of the matters covered by the bullet points included above under “— Changes Requiring Your Approval.”

 

Further Details Concerning Voting

 

When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security:

 

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for original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of these debt securities were accelerated to that date because of a default;

 

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for debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is based on an index), we will use the principal face amount at original issuance or a special rule for that debt security described in the prospectus supplement; and

 

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for debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent. Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption or if we, any other obligor, or any affiliate of us or any obligor own such debt securities. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described later under “— Defeasance — Full Defeasance”.

 

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding indenture securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. However, the record date may not be more than 30 days before the date of the first solicitation of holders to vote on or take such action. If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of one or more series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding indenture securities of those series on the record date and must be taken within 11 months following the record date.

 

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or requests a waiver.

 

Defeasance

 

The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and full defeasance will not be applicable to that series.

 

 

Covenant Defeasance

 

Under current U.S. federal tax law and the indenture, we can make the deposit described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture under which the particular series was issued. This is called “covenant defeasance”. In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay your debt securities. If we achieved covenant defeasance and your debt securities were subordinated as described under “— Indenture Provisions — Subordination” below, such subordination would not prevent the trustee under the indenture from applying the funds available to it from the deposit described in the first bullet below to the payment of amounts due in respect of such debt securities for the benefit of the subordinated debt holders. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, the following must occur:

 

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we must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of a series of debt securities a combination of cash (in such currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) or government obligations applicable to such securities (determined on the basis of the currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments;

 

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we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that, under current U.S. federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit;

 

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we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the 1940 Act and a legal opinion and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with;

 

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defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or result in a default under, of the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments, as applicable;

 

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no default or event of default with respect to such debt securities shall have occurred and be continuing and no defaults or events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization shall occur during the next 90 days; and

 

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satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

 

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit or the trustee is prevented from making payment. For example, if one of the remaining Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities became immediately due and payable, there might be such a shortfall. However, there is no assurance that we would have sufficient funds to make payment of the shortfall.

 

Full Defeasance

 

If there is a change in U.S. federal tax law or we obtain an IRS ruling, as described in the second bullet below, we can legally release ourself from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a particular series (called “full defeasance”) if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid:

 

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we must deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of a series of debt securities a combination of cash (in such currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) or government obligations applicable to such securities (determined on the basis of the currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments;

 

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we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change in current U.S. federal tax law or an IRS ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit. Under current U.S. federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we paid you your share of the cash and notes or bonds at the time the cash and notes or bonds were deposited in trust in exchange for your debt securities and you would recognize gain or loss on the debt securities at the time of the deposit;

 

 

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we must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of its counsel stating that the above deposit does not require registration by us under the 1940 Act and a legal opinion and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to defeasance have been complied with;

 

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defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, of the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments, as applicable;

 

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no default or event of default with respect to such debt securities shall have occurred and be continuing and no defaults or events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization shall occur during the next 90 days; and

 

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satisfy the conditions for full defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

 

If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors, as applicable, if we ever became bankrupt or insolvent. If your debt securities were subordinated as described later under “— Indenture Provisions — Subordination”, such subordination would not prevent the trustee under the indenture from applying the funds available to it from the deposit referred to in the first bullet of the preceding paragraph to the payment of amounts due in respect of such debt securities for the benefit of the subordinated debt holders.

 

Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities

 

If registered debt securities cease to be issued in book-entry form, they will be issued:

 

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only in fully registered certificated form;

 

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without interest coupons; and

 

●

unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and amounts that are multiples of $1,000.

 

Holders may exchange their certificated securities for debt securities of smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed and as long as the denomination is greater than the minimum denomination for such securities.

 

Holders may exchange or transfer their certificated securities at the office of the trustee. We have appointed the trustee to act as its agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders transferring debt securities. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourself.

 

Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their certificated securities, but they may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange will be made only if our transfer agent, as applicable, is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership.

 

If we have designated additional transfer agents for your debt security, they will be named in the prospectus supplement. We may appoint additional transfer agents or cancel the appointment of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts.

 

If any certificated securities of a particular series are redeemable and we redeem less than all the debt securities of that series, we may block the transfer or exchange of those debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of any certificated securities selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security that will be partially redeemed.

 

If a registered debt security is issued in book-entry form, only the depositary will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection, since it will be the sole holder of the debt security.

 

Resignation of Trustee

 

Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to these series and has accepted such appointment. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under the indenture, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee.

 

 

Indenture Provisions — Subordination

 

Upon any distribution of our assets upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities is to be subordinated to the extent provided in the indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), but our obligation to you to make payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected. In addition, no payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking fund or interest, if any, may be made on such subordinated debt securities at any time unless full payment of all amounts due in respect of the principal (and premium, if any), sinking fund and interest on Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money’s worth.

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by us is received by the trustee in respect of subordinated debt securities or by the holders of any of such subordinated debt securities, upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness or on their behalf for application to the payment of all the Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness upon this distribution by us, the holders of such subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness out of the distributive share of such subordinated debt securities.

 

By reason of this subordination, in the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, certain of our senior creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of any subordinated debt securities or the holders of any indenture securities that are not Senior Indebtedness. The indenture provides that these subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

 

Senior Indebtedness is defined in the indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on:

 

●

our indebtedness (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by us) whenever created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed, that we have designated as “Senior Indebtedness” for purposes of the indenture and in accordance with the terms of the indenture (including any indenture securities designated as Senior Indebtedness), and

 

●

renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any of this indebtedness. If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with the offering of a series of indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the approximate amount of our Senior Indebtedness and of our other Indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.

 

Secured Indebtedness and Ranking

 

Certain of our indebtedness, including certain series of indenture securities, may be secured. The prospectus supplement for each series of indenture securities will describe the terms of any security interest for such series and will indicate the approximate amount of our secured indebtedness as of a recent date. Any unsecured indenture securities will effectively rank junior to any secured indebtedness, including any secured indenture securities, that we incur in the future to the extent of the value of the assets securing such future secured indebtedness. The debt securities, whether secured or unsecured, will rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by any subsidiaries, financing vehicles, or similar facilities we may have.

 

In the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up any of our assets that secure secured debt will be available to pay obligations on unsecured debt securities only after all indebtedness under such secured debt has been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all unsecured debt securities then outstanding after fulfillment of this obligation. As a result, the holders of unsecured indenture securities may recover less, ratably, than holders of any of our secured indebtedness.

 

The Trustee under the Indenture

 

We intend to use a nationally recognized financial institution to serve as the trustee under the indenture.

 

Certain Considerations Relating to Foreign Currencies

 

Debt securities denominated or payable in foreign currencies may entail significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved and will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may offer, from time to time, up to $300,000,000 of common stock, preferred stock, subscription rights to purchase shares of common stock, warrants or debt securities, in one or more underwritten public offerings, at-the-market offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades, best efforts or a combination of these methods.

 

We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. In the case of a rights offering, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of each right and the other terms of such rights offering. Any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of the securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. A prospectus supplement or supplements will also describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including: the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; any options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; the public offering price; any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed. Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the shares offered by the prospectus supplement.

 

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices, provided, however, that the offering price per share of our common stock, less any underwriting commissions or discounts, must equal or exceed the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time of the offering except (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the prior approval of the majority of our common stockholders, or (iii) under such other circumstances as the SEC may permit. Any offering of securities by us that requires the consent of the majority of our common stockholders, must occur, if at all, within one year after receiving such consent. The price at which the securities may be distributed may represent a discount from prevailing market prices.

 

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions they receive from us and any profit realized by them on the resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be identified and any such compensation received from us will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The maximum aggregate commission or discount to be received by any member of FINRA or independent broker-dealer, including any reimbursements to underwriters or agents for certain fees and legal expenses incurred by them, will not be greater than 10.0% of the gross proceeds of the sale of shares offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Syndicate-covering or other short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities, either through exercise of the option to purchase additional shares from us or in the open market after the distribution is completed, to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

 

Any underwriters that are qualified market makers on the Nasdaq Global Market may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of our common stock. Passive market makers must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as passive market makers. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security; if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded. Passive market making may stabilize the market price of the shares at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

 

We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, our agent will act on a best-efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no trading market, other than our common stock, which is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any exchanges, but we are not obligated to do so. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

 

Under agreements that we may enter, underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of our securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

 

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase our securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by us. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of our securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts. Such contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of such contracts.

 

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, our securities offered hereby will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

 

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

 

Since we will generally acquire and dispose of our investments in privately negotiated transactions, we will infrequently use brokers in the normal course of our business. Subject to policies established by our Board, we will generally not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seek to obtain the best net results for us, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While we generally will seek reasonably competitive trade execution costs, we will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to applicable legal requirements, we may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided us. In return for such services, we may pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if we determine in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided, and our management and employees are authorized to pay such commission under these circumstances.

 

CUSTODIAN, TRANSFER AND DISTRIBUTION PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR

 

Our securities are held under a custody agreement by U.S. Bank National Association. The address of the custodian is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. American Stock Transfer and Trust Company will act as our transfer agent, distribution paying agent and registrar. The principal business address of our transfer agent is 6201 15^th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, Washington, DC. Certain legal matters in connection with the offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by the counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We have selected RSM US LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm located at 4 Times Square, 151 W. 42nd Street, 19^th Floor, New York NY 10036. The consolidated financial statements of Newtek Business Services, Corp. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2019, December 31, 2018, December 31, 2017, December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 have been audited by RSM US LLP.

 

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form N-2, together with all amendments and related exhibits, under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us and our securities being offered by this prospectus. We file with or submit to the SEC annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information meeting the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. We maintain a website at www newtekone.com and intend to make all of our annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other publicly filed information available, free of charge, on or through our website. You may also obtain such information by contacting us in writing at 4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120, Boca Raton, Florida 33431. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information we file with the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of these reports, proxy and information statements and other information may also be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov. Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website about us is not incorporated into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this prospectus, or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. Pursuant to the Small Business Credit Availability Act, we are allowed to “incorporate by reference” the information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to comprise a part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus and before the date that any offering of any securities by means of this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

 

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus our filings listed below and any future filings that we may file with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of this prospectus until all of the securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement have been sold or we otherwise terminate the offering of these securities; provided, however, that information “furnished” under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or other information “furnished” to the SEC which is not deemed filed is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. Information that we file with the SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus will automatically update and may supersede information in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and information previously filed with the SEC.

 

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC:

 

●

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (filed on March 16, 2020);

  

●

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2020;

 

●

our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2020;

 

●

our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 29, 2020; and

 

●

The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-36742), as filed with the SEC on November 12, 2014, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description prior to the termination of the offering of the common stock registered hereby.

 

To obtain copies of these filings, see “Available Information,” or you may request a copy of these filings (other than exhibits, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into these documents) at no cost by writing or calling the following address and telephone number:

 

Newtek Business Services Corp.
4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
(212) 356-9500

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information, and you should not rely on such information if you receive it. We are not making an offer of or soliciting an offer to buy, any securities in any state or other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus or those documents.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$300,000,000

 

 

Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Subscription Rights
Warrants
Debt Securities

 

NEWTEK BUSINESS SERVICES CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–––––––––––––––––––––

 

PROSPECTUS
             , 2020

 

–––––––––––––––––––––

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART C — OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 25.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

1. Financial Statements

 

The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2020 and for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and the audited consolidated financial statements of Newtek Business Services Corp. as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019 have been incorporated by reference in this registration statement in “Part A—Information Required in a Prospectus.”

 

2. Exhibits

 

Exhibit Number		Description
a.		Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Newtek (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-191499, filed November 3, 2014).
b.		Bylaws of Newtek (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-14, No. 333-195998, filed September 24, 2014).
c.		Not applicable.
d.1		Form of Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 5 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-14, No. 333-195998, filed September 24, 2014).
d.2		Base Indenture, dated as of September 23, 2015, between Newtek, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit D.2 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-204915, filed September 23, 2015).
d.3		Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 21, 2018, between Newtek, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit d.8 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-212436, filed February 21, 2018).
d.4		Form of Global Note with respect to the 6.25% Notes due 2023 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit d.8 to Newteks Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed February 21, 2018)
d.5		Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 29, 2019, between Newtek, as issuer, and U.S. Bank, National Association, as trustee (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit d.8 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed July 29, 2019).
d.6		Form of Global Note with respect to the 5.75% Notes due 2024 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit d.8 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed July 29, 2019).
d.7		Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1.*
e.		Form of Dividend Reinvestment Plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit E to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-191499, filed November 3, 2014).
f.1.1		Fourth Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of May 11, 2017, by and among Newtek Small Business Finance, LLC, Capital One, National Association and UBS Bank USA as Lenders, and Capital One, National Association as Administrative Agent, Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 10.1 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 16, 2017).
f.1.2		Second Amended and Restated Guaranty of Payment and Performance, dated as of May 11, 2017, delivered by Newtek Business Services Corp. in favor of Capital One, National Association, in its capacity as administrative agent, and the Lenders under the Fourth Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 10.2 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 16, 2017).
f.1.3		Omnibus Amendment No. 2 to Loan Documents, dated as of June 24, 2019, by and amount Newtek Small Business Finance, LLC, Capital One, National Association and UBS Bank USA as Lender, and Capital One, National Association as Administrative Agent (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed June 24, 2019).

 

 

f.1.4		Omnibus Amendment No. 3 to Loan Documents, dated as of September 13, 2019, by and among Newtek Small Business Finance, LLC, Capital One, National Association and UBS Bank USA as Lenders, and Capital One, National Association as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-237974, filed May 1, 2020).
f.1.5		Omnibus Amendment No. 4 to Loan Documents, dated as of May 7, 2020, by and among Newtek Small Business Finance, LLC, Capital One, National Association and UBS Bank USA as Lenders, and Capital One, National Association as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 11, 2020).
f.2.1		Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2011, by and between CDS Business Services, Inc. and Sterling National Bank (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 10.10.1 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed March 3, 2011).
f.3.1		Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of June 23, 2015, by and between Universal Processing Services of Wisconsin LLC, CrystalTech Web Hosting, Inc., as borrowers, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Lead Arranger, various lenders, and Newtek, Newtek Business Services Holdco 1, Inc. and certain subsidiaries of Newtek Business Services Holdco 1, Inc., as guarantors (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit 10.1 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed June 25, 2015).
g.		Not Applicable.
h.1		Form of Equity Underwriting Agreement (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.1 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
h.2		Form of Debt Underwriting Agreement (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.2 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
h.3		Form of Equity Distribution Agreement (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.3 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
h.4		Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of March 20, 2017, by and among Newtek, JMP Securities LLC, Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC, and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.5 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-212436, filed March 21, 2017).
h.5		Amended and Restated Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of September 6, 2017, by and among Newtek, JMP Securities LLC, Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., and D.A. Davidson & Co. (Incorporated by reference Exhibit h.6 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 212436, filed September 8, 2017).
h.6		First Supplement to the Amended and Restated Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of July 3, 2018, by and among Newtek, JMP Securities LLC, Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., and D.A. Davidson & Co. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.6 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed July 3, 2018.
h.7		Second Amended and Restated Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2018, by and among Newtek and the several Placement Agents named in Schedule A thereto (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit h.7 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed August 31, 2018).
i.		Newtek 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8.6 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-14, No. 333-195998, filed September 24, 2014).
j.1		Amended and Restated Form of Custodian Agreement (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Newtek’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015, filed November 5, 2015).
k.1		Employment Agreement with Barry Sloane, dated March 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.20 to Newtek’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed March 16, 2020).
k.2		Employment Agreement with Michael A. Schwartz, dated March 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to Newtek’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed March 16, 2020).
k.3		Employment Agreement with Peter Downs, dated March 15, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to Newtek’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed March 16, 2020).
k.4		Revolving Credit and Security Agreement, dated as of July 31, 2018, by and among Newtek Business Lending, LLC and Capital One, National Association (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit k.4 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed August 31, 2018).

 

 

k.5		Guaranty of Payment and Performance, dated as of July 31, 2018, by and among Newtek and Capital One, National Association (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit k.5 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed August 31, 2018).
k.6		Credit Agreement dated November 8, 2018, by and among Universal Processing Services of Wisconsin LLC and Premier Payments LLC, and the several banks and other parties from time to time parties thereto as lenders and Webster Bank, National Association. (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit k.6 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed December 14, 2018).
k.7		Parent Guaranty Agreement, dated November 8, 2018, by and among the Company and Webster Bank, National Association. (Incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit k.7 to Newtek’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-224976, filed December 14, 2018).
k.8		Limited Liability Agreement, dated as of November 27, 2018, by and between Newtek Commercial Lending, Inc. and Conventional Lending TCP Holdings LLC (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Newtek’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 29, 2018).
l.1		Opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP.*
m.		Not applicable.
n.1		Consent of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit l.1).*
n.2		Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.*
n.3		Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm on Supplemental Information (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 23.1 to Newtek’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 16, 2020).
n.4		Consent of Independent Auditor.*
o.		Not applicable.
p.		Not applicable.
q.		Not applicable.
r.		Code of Ethics (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit R to Newteks Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-191499, filed November 3, 2014).
99.1		Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of Registrant (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Newtek’s Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-191499, filed November 3, 2014).
99.2		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Common Stock Offerings (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.3		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Preferred Stock Offerings (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.4		Form of Prospectus Supplement for At-the-Market Offerings (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.4 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No. 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.5		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Rights Offerings (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.5 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.6		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Warrants (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.6 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.7		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Retail Note Offerings (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.7 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).
99.8		Form of Prospectus Supplement for Institutional Note Offering (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.8 to Newtek’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to its Registration Statement on Form N-2, No 333-212436, filed August 25, 2016).

 

*

Filed herewith.

  

 

ITEM 26.    MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS

 

The information contained under the heading “Underwriting” on this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 27.    OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

 

SEC registration fee		$	38,940	*
FINRA filing fee		$	45,500	*
Nasdaq Global Market		$	30,000	**
Printing and postage		$	100,000	**
Legal fees and expenses		$	250,000	**
Accounting fees and expenses		$	150,000	**
Total		$	614,440

 

*

This amount has been offset against filing fees associated with unsold securities registered under a previous registration statement.

**

Estimated for filing purposes.

 

ITEM 28.    PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL

 

See “Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance,” and “Item 13. Certain Relationships, Related Party Transactions and Director Independence” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and “Portfolio Companies” in the Prospectus contained herein.

 

ITEM 29.    NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock at June 8, 2020:

 

Title of Class		Number of Record Holders
Common Stock, par value $0.02 per share			91

 

ITEM 30.    INDEMNIFICATION

 

Directors and Officers

 

Reference is made to Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, Article VII of the Registrant’s charter and Article XI of the Registrant’s bylaws.

 

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. The Registrant’s charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

The Registrant’s charter authorizes the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The Registrant’s bylaws obligate the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit the Registrant to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of the Registrant in any of the capacities described above and any of the Registrant’s employees or agents or any employees or agents of the Registrant’s predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Registrant will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

 

 

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which the Registrant’s charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received unless, in either case, a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer in advance of final disposition of a proceeding upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

 

ITEM 31.    BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 32.    LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

 

(1)

the Registrant, Newtek Business Services Corp., 4800 T Rex Avenue, Suite 120, Boca Raton, Florida 33431;

 

(2)

the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219; and

 

(3)

the Custodian, U.S. Bank National Association, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

 

ITEM 33.    MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 34.    UNDERTAKINGS

 

(1)

The Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until it amends its prospectus contained herein if (a) subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, the Registrant’s net asset value declines more than 10.0% from its net asset value as of the effective date of this Registration Statement, or (b) its net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus contained herein.

 

 

(2)

Not applicable.

 

(3)

The Registrant undertakes, in the event that the securities being registered are to be offered to existing stockholders pursuant to warrants or rights, and any securities not taken by stockholders are to be reoffered to the public, to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof. The Registrant further undertakes that if any public offering by the underwriters of the securities being registered is to be made on terms differing from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, the Registrant shall file a post-effective amendment to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

(4)

The Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(a)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement:

 

(i)

to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)of the 1933 Act;

 

(ii)

to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(iii)

to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

 

provided,^, however, that paragraphs 4(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference into the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement;

 

(b)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

 

(c)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering; and

 

(d)

That, for the purpose of determining liability under the 1933 Act to any purchaser:

 

(i)

if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

 

(A)

Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(B)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the 1933 Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

 

(ii)

if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C: Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the 1933 Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the 1933 Act, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use;

 

(e)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the 1933 Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

(i)

any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 or Rule 424 under the 1933 Act;

 

(ii)

any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

 

(iii)

the portion of any other free writing prospectus or advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the 1933 Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

(iii)

any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

(5)

Not Applicable.

 

(6)

The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference into the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(7)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 1933 Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the County of Nassau, in the State of New York, on June 8, 2020.

 

	NEWTEK BUSINESS SERVICES CORP.
	BY:	/s/ Barry Sloane
		Barry Sloane
		Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors

  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form N-2 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ Barry Sloane		Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of		June 8, 2020
Barry Sloane		the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Christopher Towers		Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer		June 8, 2020
Christopher Towers		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
*		Director		June 8, 2020
Richard J. Salute
*		Director		June 8, 2020
Gregory L. Zink
*		Director		June 8, 2020
Salvatore F. Mulia
*		Director		June 8, 2020
Peter Downs

 

*

Signed by Barry Sloane pursuant to the power of attorney previously filed with this Registration Statement on May 1, 2020.

 

 

II-8

Exhibit (d)(7)

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM T-1

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of 

a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) ☐

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 

(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)

 

31-0841368 

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

 

800 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, Minnesota		55402
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

 

Judith Hyppolite

U.S. Bank National Association

100 Wall Street, Suite 1600

New York, New York 10005

(212) 361-6151

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

Newtek Business Services Corp.

(Issuer with respect to the Securities)

 

Maryland		46-3755188
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
1981 Marcus Avenue, Suite 130
Lake Success, New York		11042
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

 

Debt Securities

(Title of the Indenture Securities)

 

 

 

FORM T-1

 

Item 1.

GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.

 

a)

Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, D.C.

 

b)

Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

 

Yes

 

Item 2.

AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

 

None

 

Items 3-15

Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.

 

Item 16.

LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.

 

1.

A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee.*

 

2.

A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.

 

3.

A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, attached as Exhibit 3.

 

4.

A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee.**

 

5.

A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.

 

6.

The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.

 

7.

Report of Condition of the Trustee as of March 31, 2020 published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.

 

*

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to Amendment No. 2 to registration statement on S-4, Registration Number 333-128217 filed on November 15, 2005.

 

**

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 25.1 to registration statement on form S-3ASR, Registration Number 333-199863 filed on November 5, 2014.

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of New York, State of New York on the 5th of June, 2020.

 

	By:	/s/ Judith Hyppolite
		Judith Hyppolite
		Vice President

 

 

Exhibit 2

 

	Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
	Washington, DC 20219

 

CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE

 

I, Joseph Otting, Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

 

1. The Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC l, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

 

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and is authorized thereunder to transact the business of banking on the date of this certificate.

 

	IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, February 24, 2020, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia
	/s/ Joseph Otting
	Comptroller of the Currency

 

 

Exhibit 3

 

	Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
	Washington, DC 20219

 

CERTIFICATE OF FIDUCIARY POWERS

 

I, Joseph Otting, Comptroller of the Currency, do hereby certify that:

 

l. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, pursuant to Revised Statutes 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.

 

2. “U.S. Bank National Association,” Cincinnati, Ohio (Charter No. 24), was granted, under the hand and seal of the Comptroller, the right to act in all fiduciary capacities authorized under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved September 28, 1962, 76 Stat. 668, 12 USC 92a, and that the authority so granted remains in full force and effect on the date of this certificate.

 

	IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today, December 10, 2019, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.
	/s/ Joseph Otting
	Comptroller of the Currency

  

 

Exhibit 6

 

CONSENT

 

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

 

Dated: June 5, 2020

 

	By:	/s/ Judith Hyppolite
		Judith Hyppolite
		Vice President

 

 

Exhibit 7 

 

U.S. Bank National Association 

Statement of Financial Condition 

As of 3/31/2020

 

($000’s)

 

		3/31/2020
Assets
Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions		$	46,699,020
Securities			122,149,987
Federal Funds			2,807
Loans & Lease Financing Receivables			316,711,655
Fixed Assets			9,075,777
Intangible Assets			12,477,802
Other Assets			26,012,043
Total Assets		$	533,129,091
Liabilities
Deposits		$	405,823,094
Fed Funds			1,428,527
Treasury Demand Notes			0
Trading Liabilities			1,392,214
Other Borrowed Money			55,078,404
Acceptances			0
Subordinated Notes and Debentures			3,850,000
Other Liabilities			14,338,298
Total Liabilities		$	481,910,537
Equity
Common and Preferred Stock			18,200
Surplus			14,266,915
Undivided Profits			36,132,907
Minority Interest in Subsidiaries			800,532
Total Equity Capital		$	51,218,554
Total Liabilities and Equity Capital		$	533,129,091

 

 

7

 

Exhibit (l)(1)

 

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

 

June 8, 2020

 

Newtek Business Services Corp.

4800 T Rex Avenue

Suite 120

Boca Raton, FL 33431

 

Re:	Newtek Business Services Corp. Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-237974), filed on June 8, 2020

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Newtek Business Services Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of pre-effective amendment no. 1 to the registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-237974), filed with the Commission on June 8, 2020 (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the offer, issuance and sale, from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, of up to $300,000,000 in aggregate offering amount of the following (the “Securities”):

 

(a) shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.02 per share (the “Common Stock”), including Common Stock to be issuable upon exercise of the Rights and/or the Warrants (as such terms are defined below) (the “Common Shares”);

 

(b) shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.02 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), including Preferred Stock to be issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (the “Preferred Shares”);

 

(c) subscription rights to purchase Common Stock (“Rights”);

 

(d) debt securities of the Company, including debt securities to be issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (“Debt Securities”); and

 

(e) warrants representing rights to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (“Warrants”).

 

The Registration Statement provides that the Securities may be sold from time to time in amounts, at prices, and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”) to the final prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it becomes effective (the “Prospectus”).

 

 

 

 

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is part of a global legal practice, operating through various separate and distinct legal entities, under Eversheds Sutherland. For a full description of the structure and a list of offices, please visit www.eversheds-sutherland.com.

 

 

The Debt Securities are to be issued under a base indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated September 23, 2015, entered into by and between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”). The Warrants will be issued under warrant agreements (each a “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into by and between the Company and the purchasers thereof, or a warrant agent to be identified in the applicable warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agent”). The Rights are to be issued under rights agreements to be entered into by and between the Company and the purchasers thereof, or a rights agent to be identified in the applicable rights agreement (the “Rights Agreement”).

 

As counsel to the Company, we have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and have examined the originals or copies of the following:

 

	(i)	The Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company (the “Charter”), certified as of a recent date by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);
	(ii)	The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;
	(iii)	A Certificate of Good Standing with respect to the Company issued by the SDAT as of a recent date (the “Certificate of Good Standing”);
	(iv)	The Base Indenture;
	(v)	The resolutions of the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company relating to, among other things, (a) the authorization and approval of the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, (b) the authorization, execution and delivery of the Base Indenture, and (c) the authorization, issuance, offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company (collectively, the “Resolutions”).

 

With respect to such examination and our opinions expressed herein, we have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification, (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all documents submitted to us for examination, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed or reproduced copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copied documents, (v) that each Warrant Agreement and Rights Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of New York and (v) that the Base Indenture, the Warrant Agreements, and the Rights Agreements will be valid and legally binding obligations of the parties thereto (other than the Company).

 

As to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions in this opinion letter, we have relied upon certificates of public officials (which we have assumed remain accurate as of the date of this opinion) and upon certificates of officers of the Company. We have not independently established the facts, or in the case of certificates of public officials, the other statements, so relied upon.

 

The opinions set forth below are limited to the effect of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), and, as to the Debt Securities, Warrants and Rights constituting valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, the laws of the State of New York, in each case, as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any other laws of such jurisdiction or the laws of any other jurisdictions. Without limiting the preceding sentence, we express no opinion as to (i) any federal or state securities or broker-dealer laws or regulations thereunder relating to the offer, issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

 

This opinion letter has been prepared, and should be interpreted, in accordance with customary practice followed in the preparation of opinion letters by lawyers who regularly give, and such customary practice followed by lawyers who on behalf of their clients regularly advise opinion recipients regarding, opinion letters of this kind.

 

The opinions expressed in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 below are subject to the effect of (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally, (ii) general principles of equity (including without limitation the availability of specific performance or injunctive relief and the application of concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing), regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity, and (iii) federal or state securities laws or principles of public policy that may limit enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution.

 

On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, and subject to the limitations and qualifications set forth in this opinion letter, and assuming that (i) Articles Supplementary classifying and designating the number of shares and the terms of any class or series of the Preferred Stock to be issued by the Company (the “Articles Supplementary”) will have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof in accordance with the Charter and Bylaws and have been filed with and accepted for record by the SDAT prior to the issuance of any such Preferred Stock, and such Articles Supplementary comply with the applicable requirements with respect thereto under the MGCL and the Company’s Charter and Bylaws, (ii) the Base Indenture and each supplemental indenture, containing the specific terms and conditions for each issuance of the Debt Securities (each a “Supplemental Indenture”) will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Base Indenture, (iii) each Supplemental Indenture constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Company and the Trustee, (iv) the Debt Securities will not include any provision that is unenforceable against the Company, (v) the Warrant Agreement and the Warrants, including any amendments or supplements thereto, will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement, (vi) the Rights Agreement and the Rights, including any amendments, or supplements thereto, will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto, (vii) the issuance, offer and sale of the Securities from time to time and the final terms of such issuance, offer and sale, including those relating to price and amount of the Securities to be issued, offered and sold, and certain terms thereof, will have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof in accordance with the Charter, if applicable, the Articles Supplementary, if applicable, the Base Indenture, if applicable, the Warrant Agreement, if applicable, the Rights Agreement, if applicable, and the Company’s Bylaws, if applicable, and are consistent with the terms and conditions for such issuance, offer and sale set forth in the Resolutions and the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement (such authorization or action being hereinafter referred to as the “Corporate Proceedings”), (viii) the terms of the Debt Securities, the Warrants and the Rights as established and the issuance thereof (a) will not violate any applicable law, (b) will not violate or result in a default under or breach of any agreement, instrument or other document binding upon the Company, and (c) will comply with all requirements or restrictions imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, (ix) each issuance of the Debt Securities will have been duly executed by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Base Indenture, as supplemented by the applicable Supplemental Indenture, and delivered to, and the agreed consideration will have been fully paid at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof, (x) at the time of issuance of the Debt Securities, after giving effect to such issuance of the Debt Securities, the Company will be in compliance with Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, giving effect to Section 61(a)(2) thereof, (xi) any Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Warrants issued and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement, including upon the exercise of any Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock or Preferred Stock, will have been delivered to, and the agreed consideration will have been fully paid at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof, (xii) upon the issuance of any Common Stock or Preferred Stock by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement, including upon the exercise of any Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock or Preferred Stock, the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter, and (xiii) the Certificate of Good Standing remains accurate, the Resolutions and the applicable Corporate Proceedings remain in effect, without amendment, and the Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and remains effective at the time of the issuance, offer and/or sale of the Securities, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings with respect thereto, the issuance of the Common Stock by the Company will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

 

2.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings with respect thereto, the issuance of the Preferred Stock will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

3.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings with respect thereto, the issuance of the Rights will be duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the Rights Agreement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions, and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

 

4.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings with respect thereto, the issuance of the Debt Securities will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Base Indenture, the applicable Supplemental Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, each issuance of the Debt Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

 

5.

Upon completion of all Corporate Proceedings with respect thereto, the issuance of the Warrants will be duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Warrant Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Resolutions and all Corporate Proceedings relating thereto, the Warrants will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.

 

 

The opinions expressed in this opinion letter (i) are strictly limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter, and without limiting the foregoing, no other opinions are to be implied and (ii) are only as of the date of this opinion letter, and we are under no obligation, and do not undertake, to advise the addressee of this opinion letter or any other person or entity either of any change of law or fact that occurs, or of any fact that comes to our attention, after the date of this opinion letter, even though such change or such fact may affect the legal analysis or a legal conclusion in this opinion letter.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference of our firm in the “Legal Matters” section of the Registration Statement. We do not admit by giving this consent that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

	Respectfully submitted,
	/s/ EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (US) LLP

 

 

 

Exhibit (n)(2)

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 Form N-2 of Newtek Business Services Corp. and Subsidiaries of our reports dated March 16, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements, the financial statement schedules and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Newtek Business Services Corp. and Subsidiaries, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Newtek Business Services Corp. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and of our report dated March 16, 2020 relating to the senior securities table incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ RSM US LLP

New York, New York

June 8, 2020

Exhibit (n)(4)

 

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference into this Pre-Effective Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of our report dated March 5, 2020 on our audit of the consolidated financial statements of Newtek Merchant Solutions, LLC and Subsidiaries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBSH Holdings LLC, as of December 31, 2019, and for the year then ended  which are incorporated by reference into this Pre-Effective Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2.

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference into this Pre-Effective Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of our report dated March 26, 2019 on our audit of the consolidated financial statements of Newtek Merchant Solutions, LLC and Subsidiaries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBSH Holdings LLC, as of December 31, 2018, and for the year then ended, which are incorporated by reference into this Pre-Effective Amendment No.1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2.

 

 

 

 

Melville, NY

June 8, 2020

 

 

 

An Independent Member of Urbach Hacker Young International