PhenixFIN (PFX) 10-K2024 FY Annual report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

Form 10-K

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2024

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from            to           

Commission file number: 1-35040

PHENIXFIN CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(212) 859-0390

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of March 31, 2024 was $67,736,567. The Registrant had 2,019,778 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value, outstanding as of December 16, 2024.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A in connection with the registrant’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which will be filed subsequent to the date hereof, are incorporated by reference in to Part III of this Form 10-K. Such proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days following the end of the registrant’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2024.

PHENIXFIN CORPORATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Item 1. Business

GENERAL

PhenixFIN Corporation (“PhenixFIN”, the “Company,” “we” and “us”) is an internally-managed non-diversified closed-end management investment company incorporated in Delaware that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). We completed our initial public offering (“IPO”) and commenced operations on January 20, 2011. The Company has elected, and intends to qualify annually, to be treated, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Through December 31, 2020, we were an externally managed company. Since January 1, 2021, we have operated under our present internalized management structure.

The Company has formed and expects to continue to form certain taxable subsidiaries (the “Taxable Subsidiaries”), which are taxed as corporations for federal income tax purposes. These Taxable Subsidiaries allow us to, among other things, hold equity securities of portfolio companies organized as pass-through entities while continuing to satisfy the requirements to qualify as a RIC under the Code.

The Company’s investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation. The management team seeks to achieve this objective primarily through making loans, private equity investments in privately-held companies. The Company may also make debt, equity or other investments in publicly-traded companies. (These investments may also include investments in other BDCs, closed-end funds or real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).) We also pursue other strategic opportunities and invest in other assets or operate other businesses to achieve our investment objective, such as operating and managing an asset-based lending business. The portfolio generally consists of senior secured first lien term loans, senior secured second lien term loans, senior secured bonds, preferred equity and common equity. Occasionally, we will receive warrants or other equity participation features which we believe will have the potential to increase total investment returns. Our loan and other debt investments are primarily rated below investment grade or are unrated. Investments in below investment grade securities are considered predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due.

We believe there are attractive opportunities in the private debt market for non-bank investors like the Company. We lend directly to many companies that are underserved by the traditional banking system and generally seek to avoid broadly marketed investment opportunities. We also believe there are attractive private equity investment opportunities. We source investment opportunities primarily through direct relationships with financial sponsors and other market participants, industry specialists, as well as financial intermediaries such as investment banks and commercial banks.

Our Investment Team is responsible for sourcing investment opportunities, conducting industry research, performing diligence on potential investments, structuring our investments and monitoring our portfolio companies on an ongoing basis. Our Investment Team draws on its expertise in lending to and investing in predominantly privately held companies in a range of sectors, including industrials, transportation, energy and natural resources, financials, gemstones/jewelry, insurance and real estate.

On October 1, 2024, the Company consummated the acquisition of approximately 80% of the equity of The National Security Group, an Alabama based insurance holding company (“NSG”). NSG is a nationwide underwriter of life, accident, and health insurance. In addition, NSG is a specialty underwriter of property and casualty insurance throughout the southeast, other than Florida and Louisiana. The Company has entered into a contract with NSG to manage a portion of its investment assets.

As a BDC, we are required to comply with regulatory requirements, including limitations on our use of debt. We are permitted to, and expect to continue to, finance our investments through borrowings. However, as a BDC, we are only generally allowed to borrow amounts such that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements under the 1940 Act are met) after such borrowing. The amount of leverage that we employ will depend on our assessment of market conditions and other factors at the time of any proposed borrowing.

As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s asset coverage was 216.8% after giving effect to leverage and therefore the Company’s asset coverage was greater than 200%, the minimum asset coverage requirement applicable presently to the Company under the 1940 Act.

Our principal executive office is located at 445 Park Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY and our telephone number is (212) 859-0390.

Investment Process Overview

Sourcing and Origination. We typically source investment opportunities through our management team’s network of long-standing relationships. Our sourcing efforts are led by our senior investment professionals, who leverage their experience in the sourcing and origination of investments.

Initial Evaluation. We use a systematic, consistent approach to credit evaluation, which typically consists of (i) a preliminary due diligence review conducted by the Company, (ii) an initial diligence meeting with the portfolio company’s management team, investment bank or private equity sponsor, (iii) an initial indication of interest and terms, and (iv) preparation of memoranda including potential portfolio company overviews, investment considerations and risks, financial model and return information.

Due Diligence & Underwriting. We typically undertake continued diligence, which expands on the investment thesis, risks and mitigants, and competition factors of our potential investment opportunities. We may conduct third party reviews, on-site visits and/or background checks in connection with our potential investments in portfolio companies.

Portfolio Management. We undertake a proactive monitoring process of our portfolio companies, whereby we conduct monthly financial review and monitoring of compliance with covenants, maintain ongoing dialogue with portfolio company management and owners, and exercise board observer rights where appropriate.

Rating Criteria. We generally use an investment rating system to characterize and monitor the credit profile and our expected level of returns on each debt investment in our portfolio. We use a five-level numeric rating scale. The following is a description of the conditions associated with each investment rating:

Investment Structure

Once we have determined that a prospective portfolio company is suitable for investment, we work with the management of that portfolio company and its other capital providers to structure an investment. We negotiate among these parties to agree on how our investment is expected to perform relative to the other capital in the portfolio company’s capital structure.

We typically structure our debt investments as follows:

Senior Secured First Lien Term Loans We structure these investments as senior secured loans. We obtain security interests in the assets of the portfolio companies that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of such loans. This collateral generally takes the form of first-priority liens on the assets of the portfolio company borrower. Our senior secured loans may provide for amortization of principal with the majority of the amortization due at maturity.

Senior Secured Second Lien Term Loans We structure these investments as junior, secured loans. We obtain security interests in the assets of these portfolio companies that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of such loans. This collateral generally takes the form of second-priority liens on the assets of a portfolio company. These loans typically provide for amortization of principal in the initial years of the loans, with the majority of the amortization due at maturity.

Senior Secured First Lien Notes We structure these investments as senior secured loans. We obtain security interests in the assets of these portfolio companies that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of such notes. This collateral generally takes the form of priority liens on the assets of a portfolio company. These notes typically have interest-only payments (often representing a combination of cash pay and payment-in-kind, or (“PIK”), interest), with amortization of principal due at maturity. PIK interest represents contractually deferred interest added to the loan balance that is generally due at the end of the loan term and recorded as interest income on an accrual basis to the extent such amounts are expected to be collected.

Warrants and Minority Equity Securities In some cases, we may also receive nominally priced warrants or options to buy a minority equity interest in the portfolio company in connection with a debt investment. As a result, as a portfolio company appreciates in value, we may achieve additional investment return from this equity interest. We may structure such warrants to include provisions protecting our rights as a minority-interest holder, as well as a “put,” or right to sell such securities back to the issuer, upon the occurrence of specified events. In many cases, we may also seek to obtain registration rights in connection with these equity interests, which may include demand and “piggyback” registration rights.

Unitranche Loans We structure our unitranche loans, which combine the characteristics of traditional senior secured first lien term loans and subordinated notes as senior secured loans. We obtain security interests in the assets of these portfolio companies that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of these loans. This collateral generally takes the form of first-priority liens on the assets of a portfolio company. Unitranche loans typically provide for amortization of principal in the initial years of the loans, with the majority of the amortization due at maturity.

Unsecured Debt We structure these investments as unsecured, subordinated loans that provide for relatively high, fixed interest rates that provide us with significant current interest income. These loans typically have interest-only payments (often representing a combination of cash pay and payment-in-kind, or PIK, interest), with amortization of principal due at maturity. Subordinated notes generally allow the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity. The valuation of subordinated notes are generally more volatile than secured loans and may involve a greater risk of loss of principal. Subordinated notes often include a PIK feature, which effectively operates as negative amortization of loan principal.

We expect to hold most of our investments to maturity or repayment, but we may realize or sell some of our investments earlier if a liquidity event occurs, such as a sale or recapitalization transaction, or the worsening of the credit quality of the portfolio company.

The Company has invested in its affiliate, FlexFIN, LLC (“FlexFIN”), which operates an asset-based lending business under which it enters into secured loans and secured financing structures with borrowers engaged in the gemstone/jewelry industry. FlexFIN will generally structure these loans as sale/repurchase transactions under which the collateral (that is, the gemstones/jewelry) remains under FlexFIN’s ownership during the entire term of the loan.

Managerial Assistance

As a BDC, we offer, and must provide upon request, managerial assistance to certain of our portfolio companies. This assistance could involve, among other things, monitoring the operations of our portfolio companies, participating in board and management meetings, consulting with and advising officers of portfolio companies and providing other organizational and financial guidance. We may receive fees for these services.

Leverage

As a BDC, we are generally only allowed to employ leverage to the extent that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% after giving effect to such leverage. The amount of leverage that we employ at any time depends on our assessment of the market and other factors at the time of any proposed borrowing. We are also subject to certain regulatory requirements relating to our borrowings. For a discussion of such requirements, see “Regulation - Senior Securities.”

We may, from time to time, seek to retire or repurchase our common stock through cash purchases, as well as retire, cancel or purchase our outstanding debt through cash purchases and/or exchanges, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such repurchases or exchanges, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements, contractual and regulatory restrictions and other factors. The amounts involved may be material.

Competition

Our primary competitors to provide financing to private companies are public and private funds, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance companies, other BDCs, Small Business Investment Companies (“SBICs”) and private equity and hedge funds. Some competitors may have access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC or to the distribution and other requirements we must satisfy to maintain our favorable RIC tax treatment.

Human Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2024, the internalized management team consists of 3 investment professionals and 6 employees/consultants overall. This team includes our executive officers, investment and finance professionals, and administrative staff. Our senior management team consists of David Lorber, our chief executive officer, and Ellida McMillan, our chief financial officer.

As an internally managed BDC, the success of our business and investment strategy, including achieving our investment objective, depends in material part on our professional team. We depend upon the members of our management team and our investment professionals for the identification, final selection, structuring, closing and monitoring of our investments. Our professional team has critical experience and relationships on which we rely to implement our business plan. We expect that the members of our management team and our investment professionals will maintain key informal relationships, which we will use to help identify and gain access to investment opportunities. If we do not attract, develop and retain highly talented professionals, we may not be able to operate our business as we expect and our operating results could be adversely affected. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Administration

Since January 1, 2021, we have operated pursuant to an internalized management structure. To lead the internalized management team, the Board approved the appointment of David Lorber, who had served as an independent director of the Company since April 2019, as Chief Executive Officer, and Ellida McMillan as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, each effective January 1, 2021.

In connection with the adoption by the board of directors of an internalized management structure, on November 19, 2020, the Company entered into a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement and an Administration Servicing Agreement on customary terms with U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“U.S. Bancorp”). A U.S. Bancorp affiliate also served as the Company’s custodian. The Company’s administrative and custodial relationship with U.S. Bancorp terminated on August 9, 2022. SS&C Technologies, Inc. (“SS&C”) has since served as administrator of the Company and has provided us with fund accounting and financial reporting services pursuant to its Services Agreement with the Company. Effective September 12, 2022, Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (“Computershare”) serves as custodian for the Company pursuant to its Loan Administration and Custodial Agreement with the Company.

Information Available

We maintain a website at http://www.phenixfc.com. We make available, free of charge, on our website, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this annual report on Form 10-K and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this annual report on Form 10-K or any other report we file with the SEC.

Summary of Risk Factors

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information in “Item 1A. Risk Factors”, including, but not limited to, the following risks:

Certain Risks in the Current Environment

Risks Related to our Business

Risks Related to our Investments

Risks Related to our Operations as a BDC and a RIC

Risks Relating to an Investment in our Securities

Risks Related to the Life Insurance and Annuities Business of NSG

Risks Related to the Property & Casualty Insurance Business of NSG

Risks Related to the Insurance Business Generally

INVESTMENTS

We have built a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured first lien term loans, senior secured second lien term loans, equity, unitranche loans, senior secured first lien notes, subordinated notes, warrants and minority equity securities by investing approximately $10 million to $50 million of capital, on average, in the securities of portfolio companies.

The following table shows the portfolio composition by industry grouping at fair value as of September 30, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

The following table shows the portfolio composition by industry grouping at fair value as of September 30, 2023 (dollars in thousands):

The following table sets forth certain information as of September 30, 2024 for each portfolio company in which we had an investment. Other than these investments, our only formal relationship with our portfolio companies is the managerial assistance that we provide upon request and the board observer or participation rights we may receive in connection with our investment. 

As of September 30, 2024, our income-bearing investment portfolio, which represented 84.5% of our total portfolio, had a weighted average yield based upon cost of our portfolio investments of approximately 12.3% and 57.9% of our income-bearing investment portfolio bore interest based on floating rates, such SOFR or LIBOR, 17.0% of our income-bearing investment portfolio bore interest at fixed rates, and 25.1% of our income-bearing investment portfolio are income-producing equity investments. As of September 30, 2023, our income-bearing investment portfolio, which represented 88.2% of our total portfolio, had a weighted average yield based upon cost of our portfolio investments of approximately 13.3% and 59.5% of our income-bearing investment portfolio bore interest based on floating rates, such LIBOR or SOFR, 13.9% of our income-bearing investment portfolio bore interest at fixed rates, and 26.6% of our income-bearing investment portfolio are income-producing equity investments. The weighted average yield of our total portfolio does not represent the total return to our stockholders. The weighted average yield on income producing investments is computed based upon a combination of the cash flows to date and the contractual interest payments, principal amortization and fee notes due at maturity without giving effect to closing fees received, base management fees, incentive fees or general fund related expenses. For each floating rate loan, the projected fixed-rate equivalent coupon rate used to forecast the interest cash flows was calculated by adding the interest rate spread specified in the relevant loan document to the fixed-rate equivalent floating rate, duration-matched to the specific loan, adjusted by the floating rate floor and/or cap in place on that loan.

Overview of Portfolio Companies

Set forth below is a brief description of the business of our portfolio companies as of September 30, 2024:

Payment of Our Expenses

Since January 1, 2021, we are internally managed and do not pay any external investment advisory fees, but instead directly incur the operating costs associated with employing professionals and staff. We bear all costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including, but not limited to those related to:

Administration Agreement

In connection with the adoption by the board of directors of an internalized management structure, on November 19, 2020, the Company entered into a Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement and an Administration Servicing Agreement on customary terms with U.S. Bancorp. A U.S. Bancorp affiliate also served as the Company’s custodian. The Company’s administrative and custodial relationship with U.S. Bancorp terminated on August 9, 2022. SS&C has since served as administrator of the Company and has provided us with fund accounting and financial reporting services pursuant to its Services Agreement with the Company. Effective September 12, 2022, Computershare serves as custodian for the Company pursuant to its Loan Administration and Custodial Agreement with the Company. For the years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022, we incurred $0.3 million, $0.3 million and $0.3 million in administrator expenses, respectively.

Internalized Management Structure

On November 18, 2020, the board of directors approved adoption of an internalized management structure effective January 1, 2021.

To lead the internalized management team, the board appointed David Lorber, who had served as an independent director of the Company since April 2019, as Chief Executive Officer and Ellida McMillan, who previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Alcentra Capital Corporation, a NASDAQ-traded BDC, from April 2017 until it merged into Crescent Capital BDC, Inc. in February 2020, as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, each effective January 1, 2021. Mr. Lorber is paid an annual base salary of $530,000, and Ms. McMillan is paid an annual base salary of $350,000, and each is eligible for one or more discretionary cash bonuses.

The internalized management team is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the Company, under the oversight of the board. The internalized management team presently consists of 3 investment professionals and 6 employees/consultants overall. The Company retained ACA Group, the successor to Alaric Compliance Services, LLC, whose officer serves as the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer. As discussed above, the Company has also entered into a services agreement on customary terms with SS&C, which serves as the Company’s administrator, as well as a loan administration and custodial agreement on customary terms with Computershare, who serves as our primary custodian.

REGULATION

General

We have elected to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act contains prohibitions and restrictions relating to transactions between BDCs and their affiliates, principal underwriters and affiliates of those affiliates or underwriters and requires that a majority of the directors be persons other than “interested persons”, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. In addition, the 1940 Act provides that we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or to withdraw our election as, a BDC unless approved by “a majority of our outstanding voting securities.”

As a BDC, we are required to meet an asset coverage ratio, reflecting the value of our total assets to our total senior securities, which include all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 200%. However, in March 2018, the Small Business Credit Availability Act (the “SBCA”) modified the 1940 Act by allowing a BDC to increase the maximum amount of leverage it may incur from 200% to 150%, if certain requirements are met. Under the 1940 Act, we are allowed to increase our leverage capacity if stockholders representing at least a majority of the votes cast, when a quorum is present, approve a proposal to do so. If we receive stockholder approval, we would be allowed to increase our leverage capacity on the first day after such approval. Alternatively, the 1940 Act allows the majority of our independent directors to approve an increase in our leverage capacity, and such approval would become effective on the one-year anniversary of such approval. In either case, we would be required to make certain disclosures on our website and in SEC filings regarding, among other things, the receipt of approval to increase our leverage, our leverage capacity and usage, and risks related to leverage. The Company has not sought stockholder or independent director approval to reduce its asset coverage ratio to 150%.

On March 23, 2018, the SBCA was signed into law and, among other things, instructs the SEC to issue rules or amendments to rules allowing BDCs to use the same registration, offering and communication processes that are available to operating companies. The rules and amendments specified by the SBCA became self-implementing on March 24, 2019. On April 8, 2020, the SEC adopted rules and amendments to implement certain provisions of the SBCA (the “Final Rules”) that, among other things, modify the registration, offering, and communication processes available to BDCs relating to: (i) the shelf offering process to permit the use of short-form registration statements on Form N-2 and incorporation by reference; (ii) the ability to qualify for well-known seasoned issuer status; (iii) the immediate or automatic effectiveness of certain filings made in connection with continuous public offerings; and (iv) communication processes and prospectus delivery. In addition, the SEC adopted rules that will require BDCs to comply with certain structured data and inline XBRL requirements. The Final Rules generally became effective on August 1, 2020, except that a BDC eligible to file short-form registration statements on Form N-2, like the Company, must comply with the Inline XBRL structured data requirements for its financial statements, registration statement cover page, and certain prospectus information by August 1, 2022.

We may also be prohibited under the 1940 Act from knowingly participating in certain transactions with our affiliates without the prior approval of our directors who are not interested persons and, in some cases, prior approval by the SEC.

Qualifying Assets

Under the 1940 Act, a BDC may not acquire any asset other than assets of the type listed in Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act, which are referred to as qualifying assets, unless, at the time the acquisition is made, qualifying assets represent at least 70% of the company’s total assets. The principal categories of qualifying assets relevant to our business are the following:

The regulations defining and interpreting qualifying assets may change over time. We may adjust our investment focus needed to comply with and/or take advantage of any regulatory, legislative, administrative or judicial actions in this area.

Managerial Assistance to Portfolio Companies

A BDC must have been organized and have its principal place of business in the United States and must be operated for the purpose of making investments in the types of securities described in “Regulation — Qualifying Assets” above. However, in order to count portfolio securities as qualifying assets for the purpose of the 70% requirement, the BDC generally must either control the issuer of the securities or must offer to make available to the issuer of the securities significant managerial assistance. Where the BDC purchases such securities in conjunction with one or more other persons acting together, the BDC will satisfy this test if one of the other persons in the group makes available such managerial assistance. Making available managerial assistance means, among other things, any arrangement whereby the BDC, through its directors, officers or employees, offers to provide, and, if accepted, does so provide, significant guidance and counsel concerning the management, operations or business objectives and policies of a portfolio company.

Temporary Investments

Pending investment in other types of “qualifying assets”, as described above, our investments may consist of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities or high-quality debt securities maturing in one year or less from the time of investment, which we refer to, collectively, as temporary investments, so that 70% of our assets are qualifying assets. Typically, we will invest in highly rated commercial paper, U.S. Government agency notes, U.S. Treasury bills or in repurchase agreements relating to such securities that are fully collateralized by cash or securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies. A repurchase agreement involves the purchase by an investor, such as us, of a specified security and the simultaneous agreement by the seller to repurchase it at an agreed-upon future date and at a price which is greater than the purchase price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate. There is no percentage restriction on the proportion of our assets that may be invested in such repurchase agreements. However, certain diversification tests that must be met in order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes will typically require us to limit the amount we invest with any one counterparty. We will monitor the creditworthiness of the counterparties with which we enter into repurchase agreement transactions.

Senior Securities

We are permitted, under specified conditions, to issue multiple classes of indebtedness and one class of stock senior to our common stock if our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, is at least equal to 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) immediately after each such issuance. In addition, while any preferred stock or publicly traded debt securities are outstanding, we may be prohibited from making distributions to our stockholders or the repurchasing of such securities or shares unless we meet the applicable asset coverage ratios at the time of the distribution or repurchase. We may also borrow amounts up to 5% of the value of our total assets for temporary or emergency purposes without regard to asset coverage. For a discussion of the risks associated with leverage, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Because we use borrowed funds to make investments or fund our business operations, we are exposed to risks typically associated with leverage which increase the risk of investing in us.”

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that establishes procedures for personal investments and restricts certain personal securities transactions. Personnel subject to each code may invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by us, so long as such investments are made in accordance with the code’s requirements. The code of ethics is available at our website, www.phenixfc.com, and is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.

Privacy Policy

We are committed to maintaining the privacy of stockholders and to safeguarding our non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information we collect, how we protect that information and why, in certain cases, we may share information with select other parties.

Generally, we do not receive any non-public personal information relating to our stockholders, although certain non-public personal information of our stockholders may become available to us. We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our stockholders or former stockholders to anyone, except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to service stockholder accounts (for example, to a transfer agent or third party administrator).

We restrict access to non-public personal information about our stockholders to our employees with a legitimate business need for the information. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the non-public personal information of our stockholders.

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

Our Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are set forth below. The guidelines are reviewed periodically by management and our independent directors, and, accordingly, are subject to change.

Proxy Policies

Our proxy voting decisions are made by our investment professionals, who review on a case-by-case basis each proposal submitted to a shareholder vote to determine its impact on the portfolio securities held by the Company. Although the Company generally votes against proposals that may have a negative impact on our portfolio securities, we may vote for such a proposal if there exists compelling long-term reasons to do so. We generally do not believe it is necessary to engage the services of an independent third party to assist in issue analysis and vote recommendation for proxy proposals. Under certain circumstances and when deemed in the best interests of shareholders, the Company may, in the discretion of its officers, refrain from exercising its proxy voting right for a particular decision.

To ensure that our vote is not the product of a conflict of interest, we require that: (i) anyone involved in the decision making process disclose to our Chief Compliance Officer any potential conflict that he or she is aware of and any contact that he or she has had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; and (ii) employees involved in the decision making process or vote administration are prohibited from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties, unless such employee has received pre-approval from our Chief Compliance Officer.

Proxy Voting Records

You may obtain information about how we voted proxies by making a written request for proxy voting information to:

Chief Compliance Officer

PhenixFIN Corporation

445 Park Avenue, 10^th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Other

Under the 1940 Act, we are not generally able to issue and sell our common stock at a price below NAV per share. We may, however, issue and sell our common stock, at a price below the current NAV of the common stock, or issue and sell warrants, options or rights to acquire such common stock, at a price below the current NAV of the common stock if our board of directors determines that such sale is in our best interest and in the best interests of our stockholders, and our stockholders have approved our policy and practice of making such sales within the preceding 12 months. In any such case, the price at which our securities are to be issued and sold may not be less than a price which, in the determination of our board of directors, closely approximates the market value of such securities. However, we currently do not have the requisite stockholder approval, nor do we have any current plans to seek stockholder approval, to sell or issue shares of our common stock at a price below NAV per share.

In addition, at our 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders we received approval from our stockholders to authorize us, with the approval of our board of directors, to issue securities to, subscribe to, convert to, or purchase shares of the Company’s common stock in one or more offerings, subject to certain conditions as set forth in the proxy statement. Such authorization has no expiration.

We expect to be periodically examined by the SEC for compliance with the 1940 Act.

We are required to provide and maintain a bond issued by a reputable fidelity insurance company to protect us against larceny and embezzlement. Furthermore, as a BDC, we are prohibited from protecting any director or officer against any liability to us or our stockholders arising from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.

We adopted written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws, and will review these policies and procedures annually for their adequacy and the effectiveness of their implementation. We have designated a Chief Compliance Officer to be responsible for administering the policies and procedures.

Election to Be Taxed as a RIC

We have elected and intend to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we generally will not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any net ordinary income or capital gains that we timely 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, we must distribute to our stockholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of our “investment company taxable income,” which is generally our net ordinary income plus the excess of realized net short-term capital gains over realized net long-term capital losses (the “Distribution Requirement”).

Taxation as a RIC

As a RIC, if we satisfy the Distribution Requirement, we will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our investment company taxable income and net capital gain, defined as net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses, we timely distribute to stockholders. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on any net income or net capital gain not distributed to our stockholders.

We will be subject to a nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax of 4% on undistributed income if we do not distribute at least the sum of 98% of our ordinary income in any calendar year, 98.2% of our capital gain net income for each one-year period ending on October 31 of such year, and any income and capital gain net income that we recognized in preceding years, but were not distributed during such years, and on which we did not pay U.S. federal income tax. Depending on the level of investment company taxable income (“ICTI”) earned in a tax year and the amount of net capital gains recognized in such tax year, we may choose to carry forward ICTI in excess of current year dividend distributions into the next tax year. In order to eliminate our liability for income tax, and to the extent necessary to maintain our qualification as a RIC, any such carryover ICTI and net capital gains must be distributed before the end of that next tax year through a dividend declared prior to the 15th day of the 9th month after the close of the taxable year in which such ICTI was generated. To the extent that we determine that our estimated current year annual taxable income will be in excess of estimated current year dividend distributions for U.S. federal excise tax purposes, we accrue U.S. federal excise tax, if any, on estimated excess taxable income as taxable income is earned. On December 13, 2024, the Company identified that it did not distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income for the tax year ended September 30, 2023. The Company filed Form 8927 on December 16, 2024 notifying the IRS.

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

We may invest in partnerships, including qualified publicly traded partnerships, which may result in our being subject to state, local or foreign income and franchise or withholding liabilities.

Any underwriting fees paid by us are not deductible. 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, with 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. Because any original issue discount 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 Distribution Requirement, even though we will not have received any corresponding cash amount.

Although we do not presently expect to do so, we are authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy the Distribution 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. See “Business — Regulation — Senior Securities.” Moreover, our ability to dispose of assets to satisfy the Distribution Requirement may be limited by (1) the illiquid nature of our portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to our qualification as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests. If we dispose of assets in order to meet the Distribution Requirement or avoid the imposition of excise tax, we may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.

Some of the income and fees that we may recognize will not count towards satisfaction of the 90% Income Test. In order to ensure that such income and fees do not disqualify us as a RIC for a failure to satisfy the 90% Income Test, we may be required to recognize such income and fees indirectly through one or more entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such corporations will be required to pay corporate level U.S. federal income tax on their earnings, which ultimately will reduce our return on such income and fees.

Failure to Qualify as a RIC

If we were unable to continue to qualify for treatment as a RIC, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on all of our taxable income at regular corporate rates. We would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders, nor would they be required to be made. Distributions, including distributions of net long-term capital gain, would generally be taxable to our stockholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. 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 in their shares of the RIC, and any distributions in excess of tax basis would be treated as a capital gain. If we fail to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, to qualify as a RIC in a subsequent year we may be subject to regular corporate level U.S. federal income tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of our assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if we had been liquidated) that we elect to recognize on requalification or when recognized over the next five years.

Company Investments

Certain of our investment practices are subject to special and complex U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (1) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, including the dividends received deduction, (2) convert lower taxed long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income into higher taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (3) convert ordinary loss or a deduction into capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (4) cause us to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (5) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (6) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (7) produce income that will not qualify as good income for purposes of the 90% Income Test described above. We will monitor our transactions and may make certain tax elections and may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification as a RIC.

Investments we make in securities issued at a discount or providing for deferred interest or payment of interest in kind are subject to special tax rules that will affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to stockholders. 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, with increasing interest rates or issued with warrants), we will generally be required to accrue daily as income a portion of the discount and to distribute such income each year to avoid U.S. federal income and excise taxes. Since in certain circumstances we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty making distributions in the amounts necessary to satisfy the requirements for maintaining RIC tax treatment and for avoiding U.S. federal income and excise taxes. Accordingly, we may have to sell some of our investments at times we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC and thereby be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax.

Gain or loss realized by us from 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.

In the event we invest in foreign securities, we may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes with respect to those securities. In that case, our yield on those securities would be decreased. We do not expect to satisfy the requirements necessary to pass through to our stockholders their share of the foreign taxes paid by us.

If we purchase shares in a “passive foreign investment company’’ (a “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 (a “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 us. Alternatively, we may be able to elect to mark-to-market at the end of each taxable year our shares in certain PFICs; 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 Distribution Requirement and will be taken into account for purposes of the 4% U.S. federal excise tax described above.

Income inclusions from a QEF will be “good income’’ for purposes of the 90% Income Test provided that they are derived in connection with our business of investing in stocks and securities or the QEF distributes such income to us in the same taxable year in which the income is included in our income.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware of various risks, including those described below. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with all of the other information included in this Form 10-K, before you decide whether to make an investment in our securities. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. The risks described below, as well as additional risks and uncertainties presently unknown by us or currently not deemed significant could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In such case, our NAV and the trading price of our common stock or other securities could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

RISK RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS AND STRUCTURE

Certain Risks in the Current Environment

We are currently operating in a period of capital markets disruptions and economic uncertainty. Such market conditions may materially and adversely affect the yields, and increase the risks of, our investments in portfolio companies, and make it more difficult for us to raise equity capital should we choose to do so.

From time to time, capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability. The U.S. economy, as well as other major economies, may experience a recession, and we anticipate our businesses would be materially and adversely affected by a prolonged recession in the United States and other major markets. Disruptions in the capital markets have increased the spread between the yields realized on risk-free and higher risk securities, resulting in illiquidity in parts of the capital markets. Any recession or future significant market events or disruptions (e.g. pandemics, war, natural disasters or terrorist activities) could have an adverse impact on the ability of lenders to originate loans, the volume and type of loans originated, the ability of borrowers to make payments and the volume and type of amendments and waivers granted to borrowers and remedial actions taken in the event of a borrower default, each of which could negatively impact the amount and quality of loans available for investment by the Company and returns to the Company, among other things. Recession, pandemics and other future market disruptions and/or illiquidity could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 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. These events could limit our investment originations, limit our ability to grow and have a material negative impact on our operating results and the fair values of our debt and equity investments. We may have to access, if available, alternative markets for debt and equity capital, and a severe disruption in the global financial markets, deterioration in credit and financing conditions or uncertainty regarding U.S. government spending and deficit levels or other global economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

For example, between 2008 and 2009, the U.S. and global capital markets were unstable as evidenced by periodic 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 financial institutions. Despite actions of the U.S. federal government and foreign governments, these events contributed to worsening general economic conditions that materially and adversely impacted the broader financial and credit markets and reduced the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole and financial services firms in particular.

Equity capital may be difficult to raise during periods of adverse or volatile market conditions because, subject to some limited exceptions, as a BDC, we are generally not able to issue additional shares of our common stock at a price less than NAV without first obtaining approval for such issuance from our stockholders and our independent directors. Volatility and dislocation in the capital markets can also create a challenging environment in which to raise or access debt capital. The current market and future market conditions similar to those experienced from 2008 through 2009 for any substantial length of time could make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness or obtain new indebtedness with similar terms and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business. The debt capital that will be available to us in the future, if at all, may be at a higher cost and on less favorable terms and conditions than what we currently experience, including being at a higher cost in a rising interest rate environment. If any of these conditions appear, they may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. These events could limit our investment originations, limit our ability to increase returns to equity holders through the effective use of leverage, and negatively impact our operating results.

In addition, significant changes or volatility in the capital markets may also have a negative effect on the valuations of our investments. While most of our investments are not publicly traded, applicable accounting standards require us to assume as part of our valuation process that our investments are sold in a principal market to market participants (even if we plan on holding an investment through its maturity). Significant changes in the capital markets may also affect the pace of our investment activity and the potential for liquidity events involving our investments. Thus, the illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell our investments to access capital if required, and as a result, we could realize significantly less than the value at which we have recorded our investments if we were required to sell them for liquidity purposes. An inability to raise or access capital could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Governmental authorities worldwide have taken increased measures to stabilize the markets and support economic growth. The success of these measures is unknown and they may not be sufficient to address the market dislocations or avert severe and prolonged reductions in economic activity.

Events outside of our control, including terrorist attacks, acts of war, natural disasters or public health crises, could negatively affect the portfolio companies in which we invest and make the valuation of those investments more uncertain.

Periods of market volatility have occurred and could continue to occur in response to pandemics or other events outside of our control, including terrorist attacks, acts of war, natural disasters, public health crises or similar events. These types of events have adversely affected and could continue to adversely affect operating results for us and for our portfolio companies.

The large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 resulted in sanctions and market disruptions, including declines in regional and global stock markets, unusual volatility in global commodity markets and significant devaluations of Russian currency. The extent and duration of the military action are impossible to predict but could be significant. Market disruption caused by the Russian military action, and any counter measures or responses thereto (including international sanctions, a downgrade in a country’s credit rating, purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts, tariffs, changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, cyberattacks and espionage) could continue to have severe adverse impacts on regional and/or global securities and commodities markets, including markets for oil and natural gas. These impacts may include reduced market liquidity, distress in credit markets, further disruption of global supply chains, increased risk of inflation, and limited access to investments in certain international markets and/or issuers. In addition, the current conflict in the Middle East and terrorist acts may cause significant volatility in the markets and/or market disruptions. 

The extent and duration of these military actions, conflicts and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but have been and could continue to be substantial, and any such market disruptions could affect our portfolio companies’ operations. As a result, our portfolio investments could decline in value or our valuation of them could become uncertain.

We have evaluated subsequent events from September 30, 2024 through the filing date of this annual report on Form 10-K. However, as the discussion in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations relates to the Company’s financial statements for the annual period ended September 30, 2024, the analysis contained herein may not fully account for market event impacts. As of September 30, 2024, the Company valued its portfolio investments in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) based on the facts and circumstances known by the Company at that time, or reasonably expected to be known at that time. Due to the overall volatility that market events may have caused during the months following our most recent valuation (as of September 30, 2024), any valuations conducted now or in the future in conformity with U.S. GAAP could result in a lower fair value of our portfolio.

Rising interest rates may increase our borrowing costs and reduce the net return that we are able to achieve on debt investments in portfolio companies, and may also increase the risk of default on our portfolio company loans. 

In 2023, the Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates. Additional interest rate increases may come. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from our performance to the extent we are exposed to such interest rates and/or volatility. In periods of rising interest rates, such as the current interest rate environment, to the extent we borrow money subject to a floating interest rate, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if such increases cause our borrowing costs to rise at a rate in excess of the rate that our investments yield. Further, rising interest rates could also adversely affect our performance if we hold investments with floating interest rates, subject to specified minimum interest rates (such as a SOFR floor), while at the same time engaging in borrowings subject to floating interest rates not subject to such minimums. In such a scenario, rising interest rates may increase our interest expense, even though our interest income from investments is not increasing in a corresponding manner as a result of such minimum interest rates.

If general interest rates rise, there is a risk that the portfolio companies in which we hold floating rate securities will be unable to pay escalating interest amounts, which could result in a default under their loan documents with us. Rising interest rates could also cause portfolio companies to shift cash from other productive uses to the payment of interest, which may have a material adverse effect on their business and operations and could, over time, lead to increased defaults. In addition, rising interest rates may increase pressure on us to provide fixed rate loans to our portfolio companies, which could adversely affect our net investment income, as increases in our cost of borrowed funds would not be accompanied by increased interest income from such fixed-rate investments. 

Further downgrades of the U.S. credit rating, automatic spending cuts, or another government shutdown could negatively impact our cost of borrowing and the net return on our investments.

U.S. debt ceiling and budget deficit concerns have increased the possibility of additional credit-rating downgrades and economic slowdowns, or a recession in the United States. Although U.S. lawmakers passed legislation to raise the federal debt ceiling on multiple occasions, ratings agencies have lowered or threatened to lower the long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States. The impact of this or any further downgrades to the U.S. government’s sovereign credit rating or its perceived creditworthiness could adversely affect the U.S. and global financial markets and economic conditions. Absent further quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve, these developments could cause interest rates and borrowing costs to rise, which may negatively impact our ability to access the debt markets on favorable terms. If our borrowing costs were to rise on account of these factors, and we were unable to raise the rates of return on our portfolio company debt, our net return on investments would decline.

Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies, increase our funding costs and limit our access to capital. 

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. 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 between the United States and other countries, including China and Russia, 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, we may have non-performing assets or 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.

Risks Related to Our Business

As a result of our internalized operating structure, including our internalized management and investment functions, we may incur significant costs and face significant risks associated with being self-managed, including adverse effects on our business and financial condition.

Effective January 1, 2021, we operate under an internalized operating structure, including our management and investment functions. There can be no assurances that our internalized operating structure will be beneficial to us and our stockholders, as we may not be able to effectively replicate the services previously provided to us by our former investment adviser and administrator.

While we no longer bear the costs of the various fees and expenses we previously paid under the investment management and administration agreements with our previous adviser and administrator, we have other significant direct expenses. These include general and administrative costs, legal, accounting and other governance expenses and costs and expenses related to managing our portfolio. We also incur the compensation and benefits costs of our officers and other employees and consultants. In addition, we may be subject to potential liabilities commonly faced by employers, such as workers disability and compensation claims, potential labor disputes and other employee-related liabilities and grievances.

All of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and ability to pay distributions.

As an internally managed BDC, we are dependent upon our management team and other professionals, and if we are not able to hire and retain qualified personnel, we will not realize the benefits of an internally managed BDC.

Our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to make distributions to our stockholders depends upon the performance of our management team and professionals. We may experience difficulty identifying, engaging and retaining management, investment and general and administrative personnel with the necessary expertise and credit-related investment experience. As an internally managed BDC, our ability to offer more competitive and flexible compensation structures, such as offering both a profit-sharing plan and an equity incentive plan, is subject to the limitations imposed by the 1940 Act, which could limit our ability to attract and retain talented investment management professionals.

If we are unable to attract and retain highly talented professionals for the internal management of our Company, we will not realize the benefits of an internally managed BDC, and the results of our operation could deteriorate.

We may suffer credit and capital losses.

Making private debt and private equity investments is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk of credit and capital loss, and therefore an investment in our securities may not be suitable for someone with a low tolerance for risk. These risks are likely to increase during an economic recession, such as the economic recession or downturn that the United States and many other countries have recently experienced or are experiencing.

Because we use borrowed funds to make investments or fund our business operations, we are exposed to risks typically associated with leverage which increase the risk of investing in us.

We have borrowed funds, including through the issuance of $57.5 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.25% unsecured notes due November 1, 2028 (the “Notes” or the “2028 Notes”) to leverage our capital structure, which is generally considered a speculative investment technique. In addition, on December 15, 2022, the Company entered into a 3-year $50.0 million revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) with Woodforest Bank, N.A. (“Woodforest”), Valley National Bank, and Axiom Bank, (collectively, the “Lenders”), which was amended on February 21, 2024 to increase the principal amount of loan available under the Credit Facility by $12.5 million to $62.5 million. On August 5, 2024 (the “Second Amendment Effective Date”), in order to increase the size of the Credit Facility, the parties to the Credit Facility amended the Credit Facility, effective as of the Second Amendment Effective Date (the “Second Amendment”). The Second Amendment increased the principal amount of loan available under the Credit Facility by $25 million to $87.5 million. All other material terms of the Credit Facility remain unchanged. As a result:

Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted, as a BDC, to issue debt securities or preferred stock and/or borrow money from banks and other financial institutions, which we collectively refer to as “senior securities”, only in amounts such that our asset coverage ratio equals at least 200% (or 150% if, pursuant to the 1940 Act, certain requirements are met) after each issuance of senior securities.

For a discussion of the terms of the Notes, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s asset coverage was 216.8% after giving effect to leverage and therefore the Company’s asset coverage is above 200%, the minimum asset coverage requirement under the 1940 Act.

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

We anticipate that our investments generally will be made in private companies. Substantially all of these securities will be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will be otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if the need arises. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we had previously recorded our investments. In addition, we may face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we have material non-public information regarding such portfolio company.

A substantial portion of our portfolio investments will be recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our valuation designee under the oversight of our board of directors and, as a result, there may be uncertainty regarding the value of our portfolio investments.

The debt and equity securities in which we invest for which market quotations are not readily available will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by our Chief Financial Officer, the Company’s valuation designee, under the oversight of our board of directors. Most of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) will be classified as Level 3 under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820 - Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. This means that our portfolio valuations will be based on unobservable inputs and our own assumptions about how market participants would price the asset or liability in question. We expect that inputs into the determination of fair value of our portfolio investments will require significant management judgment or estimation. Even if observable market data are available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by disclaimers materially reduces the reliability of such information. We have retained the services of independent valuation firms to review the valuation of various loans and securities. The types of factors that we may take into account in determining the fair value of our investments generally include, as appropriate, comparison to publicly traded securities including such factors as yield, maturity and measures of credit quality, the enterprise value of a portfolio company, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flow, the markets in which the portfolio company does business and other relevant factors. Because such valuations, and particularly valuations of private securities and private companies, are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these loans and securities existed. Our NAV could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments were materially higher or lower than the values that we ultimately realize upon the disposal of such loans and securities.

We are a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we are not limited with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.

We are classified as a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that we may invest in securities of a single issuer. We also have not adopted any policy restricting the percentage of our assets that may be invested in a single portfolio company. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our NAV may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. Beyond our income tax diversification requirements under Subchapter M of the Code, we do not have fixed guidelines for diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in relatively few portfolio companies. (Note our significant investment in our affiliate FlexFIN – see Risks Related to our Investments).

We are exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates.

Interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial negative impact on our investments, the value of our common stock and our rate of return on invested capital. A reduction in the interest rates on new investments relative to interest rates on current investments could also have an adverse impact on our net interest income. Further increases in interest rates could decrease the value of any investments we hold which earn fixed interest rates and also could increase our interest expense, thereby decreasing our net income. Also, an increase in interest rates available to investors could make investment in our common stock less attractive if we are not able to increase our dividend rate, which could reduce the value of our common stock.

Loans under our Credit Facility and the financial credit we extend to our portfolio companies bear interest based on SOFR, but experience with SOFR based loans is limited. 

Loans under our current Credit Facility bear interest at a rate based upon the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Also, the secured terms loans that we make to our portfolio companies and the secured notes of our portfolio companies in which we invest bear interest at SOFR based rates. Previously, our credit facilities and our debt investments in portfolio companies bore interest at U.S dollar London Interbank Overnight (USD LIBOR) rates.

SOFR is considered to be a risk-free rate, and USD LIBOR was a risk weighted rate. Thus, SOFR tends to be a lower rate than USD LIBOR, because SOFR does not contain a risk component. This difference may negatively impact our net interest margin of our investments. Also, the use of SOFR based rates is relatively new, and experience with SOFR based rate loans is limited. There could be unanticipated difficulties or disruptions with the calculation and publication of SOFR based rates. This could result in increased borrowing costs for the Company or could adversely impact the interest income we receive from our portfolio companies or the market value of the financial obligations that are due to us from our portfolio companies.

Because we use debt to finance various investments, changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital and net investment income.

Because we borrow money to make certain investments, our net investment income will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income in the event we use our existing debt to finance our investments. In periods of rising interest rates, such as the current period we are in, our cost of funds will increase to the extent we access any credit facility with a floating interest rate, which could reduce our net investment income to the extent any debt investments have fixed interest rates. We expect that our long-term fixed-rate investments will be financed primarily with issuances of equity and long-term debt securities. We may use interest rate risk management techniques in an effort to limit our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Such techniques may include various interest rate hedging activities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.

You should also be aware that, to the extent we make floating debt investments, a rise in the general level of interest rates typically leads to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments.

If our investments are not managed effectively, we may be unable to achieve our investment objective.

Our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend on our ability to manage our business, which will depend on the internalized management team. Accomplishing this result is largely a function of the internalized management team’s ability to provide quality and efficient services to us. They may also be required to provide managerial assistance to our portfolio companies. These demands on their time may distract them or slow our rate of investment. Any failure to manage our business effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may experience fluctuations in our periodic operating results.

We could experience fluctuations in our periodic operating results due to a number of factors, including the interest rates payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the performance of our portfolio companies, the level of our expenses (including the interest rates payable on our borrowings), the dividend rates payable on preferred stock we issue, variations in and the timing of the recognition of realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. As a result of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

Any failure on our part to maintain our status as a BDC could reduce our operating flexibility.

If we fail to maintain our status as a BDC, we might be regulated as a closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act, which would subject us to substantially more onerous regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act and correspondingly decrease our operating flexibility.

We may have difficulty paying required distributions if we recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we may include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as original issue discount, which may arise if we receive warrants in connection with the making of a loan or possibly in other circumstances, such as PIK interest, which represents contractual interest added to the loan balance and due at the end of the loan term. Such original issue discount, which could be significant relative to our overall investment activities, or increases in loan balances as a result of PIK arrangements are included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we do not receive in cash.

Since in certain cases we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income, we may have difficulty meeting the tax requirement to distribute at least 90% of our net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any, to maintain our tax treatment as a RIC. Accordingly, we may have to sell some of our investments at times we would not consider advantageous, raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements. If we are not able to raise cash from other sources, we may fail to qualify and maintain our tax treatment as a RIC and thus become subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax. See “Taxation as a RIC” and “Failure to Qualify as a RIC”.

We may not be able to pay distributions to our shareholders.

We cannot assure that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to pay cash distributions. Our ability to pay distributions might be adversely affected by, among other things, the impact of one or more of the risk factors described herein. In addition, the inability to satisfy the asset coverage test applicable to us as a BDC could limit our ability to pay distributions. As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s asset coverage was 216.8% after giving effect to leverage and therefore the Company’s asset coverage is above 200%, the minimum asset coverage requirement under the 1940 Act. All distributions will be paid at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our RIC tax treatment, compliance with applicable BDC regulations, and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant from time to time. We cannot assure you that we will pay distributions to our stockholders in the future.

The highly competitive market in which we operate may limit our investment opportunities.

A number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we make. We compete with other BDCs and investment funds (including public and private funds, commercial and investment banks, commercial financing companies, SBICs and, to the extent they provide an alternative form of financing, private equity funds). Additionally, because competition for investment opportunities generally has increased among alternative investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, those entities have begun to invest in areas in which they have not traditionally invested. As a result of these new entrants, competition for investment opportunities has intensified in recent years and may intensify further in the future. Some of our existing and potential competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions and valuation requirements that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC and the tax consequences of qualifying as a RIC. We cannot assure you that the competitive pressures we face will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, as a result of this existing and potentially increasing competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we can offer no assurance that we will be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objective.

We do not seek to compete primarily based on the interest rates we offer, and we believe that some of our competitors make loans with interest rates that are comparable to or lower than the rates we offer. We may lose investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. If we match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, we may experience decreased net interest income and increased risk of credit loss. A significant part of our competitive advantage stems from the fact that the market for investments in mid-sized companies is underserved by traditional commercial banks and other financial institutions. A significant increase in the number and/or size of our competitors in this target market could force us to accept less attractive investment terms. Furthermore, many of our competitors have greater experience operating under the regulatory restrictions of the 1940 Act and under an internalized management structure.

In the event we make distributions, we would need additional capital to finance our growth and such capital may not be available on favorable terms or at all.

We have elected and intend to qualify annually to be taxed for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, we must meet certain requirements, including source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements in order to not have to pay corporate-level U.S. on income we distribute to our stockholders as distributions, which allows us to substantially reduce or eliminate our corporate-level U.S. federal income tax liability. As a BDC, we are generally required to meet a coverage ratio of total assets to total senior securities, which includes all of our borrowings and any preferred stock we may issue in the future, of at least 200% (or 150% if, pursuant to the 1940 Act, certain requirements are met) at the time we issue any debt or preferred stock. This requirement limits the amount of our leverage. Because we will continue to need capital to grow our investment portfolio, this limitation may prevent us from incurring debt or issuing preferred stock and require us to raise additional equity at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. We cannot assure you that debt and equity financing will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, and debt financings may be restricted by the terms of any of our outstanding borrowings. In addition, as a BDC, we are generally not permitted to issue common stock priced below NAV without stockholder approval. If additional funds are not available to us, we could be forced to curtail or cease new lending and investment activities, and our NAV could decline.

Our board of directors may change our investment objective, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval.

Our board of directors has the authority to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies (including our investment objective) without prior notice and without stockholder approval. However, absent stockholder approval, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results or value of our stock. Nevertheless, the effects could adversely affect our business and impact our ability to make distributions and cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

Because we borrow money, the potential for loss on amounts invested in us will be magnified and may increase the risk of investing in us.

Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for loss on invested equity capital. If we use leverage to partially finance our investments, which we have done historically, you will experience increased risks of investing in our securities. We issued the Notes, entered into the Credit Facility, and may issue other debt securities or enter into other types of borrowing arrangements in the future. If the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause our NAV to decline more sharply than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Similarly, any decrease in our income would cause net income to decline more sharply than it would have had we not borrowed. Such a decline could negatively affect our ability to make common stock distributions or scheduled debt payments. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique and we only intend to use leverage if expected returns will exceed the cost of borrowing.

As of September 30, 2024, there was $137.2 million of outstanding borrowings. The weighted average interest rate charged on our borrowings as of September 30, 2024 was 6.3% (exclusive of debt issuance costs). We will need to generate sufficient cash flow to make these required interest payments. If we are unable to meet the financial obligations under the Notes, the holders thereof will have the right to declare the principal amount and accrued and unpaid interest on the outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately. If we are unable to meet the financial obligations under the Credit Facility or any other credit facility we enter into, the lenders thereunder would likely have a superior claim to our assets over our stockholders.

We are dependent on information systems and systems failures could significantly disrupt our business, which may, in turn, negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to pay distributions.

Our business is dependent on our and third parties’ communications and information systems. Any failure or interruption of those systems, including as a result of the termination of an agreement with any third-party service providers, could cause delays or other problems in our activities. Our financial, accounting, data processing, backup or other operating systems and facilities may fail to operate properly or become disabled or damaged as a result of a number of factors including events that are wholly or partially beyond our control and adversely affect our business. There could be:

These events, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

A failure of cybersecurity systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and management continuity planning could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.

The occurrence of a disaster, such as a cyber-attack against us, certain of our portfolio companies, or against a third-party that has access to our data or networks, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, failure of our disaster recovery systems, or consequential employee error, could have an adverse effect on our ability to communicate or conduct business (including the business of certain portfolio companies), negatively impacting our operations and financial condition. This adverse effect can become particularly acute if those events affect our electronic data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems, or impact the availability, integrity, or confidentiality of our data.

We depend heavily upon computer systems to perform necessary business functions. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, our computer systems, networks, and data, like those of other companies, could be subject to cyber-attacks and unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction, such as from physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering, malware and computer virus attacks, or system failures and disruptions. If one or more of these events occurs, it could potentially jeopardize the confidential, proprietary, and other information processed, stored in, and transmitted through our computer systems and networks. Such an attack could cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in financial losses, litigation, regulatory penalties, client dissatisfaction or loss, reputational damage, and increased costs associated with mitigation of damages and remediation.

Third parties with which we do business and certain of our portfolio companies may also be sources of cybersecurity or other technological risks. We outsource certain functions and these relationships allow for the storage and processing of our information, as well as customer, counterparty, employee and borrower information. Cybersecurity failures or breaches our service providers (including, but not limited to, accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), and the issuers of securities in which we invest, also have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with our ability to calculate its net asset value, impediments to trading, the inability of our stockholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputation damages, reimbursement of other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. While we engage in actions to reduce our exposure resulting from outsourcing, ongoing threats may result in unauthorized access, loss, exposure or destruction of data, or other cybersecurity incidents, with increased costs and other consequences, including those described above. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future.

Privacy and information security laws and regulation changes, and compliance with those changes, may result in cost increases due to system changes and the development of new administrative processes. In addition, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures and to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures arising from operational and security risks. We currently do not maintain insurance coverage relating to cybersecurity risks, and we may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures or to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures, and we may be subject to litigation and financial losses that are not fully insured.

 Risks Related to Our Investments

We may not realize gains from our equity investments.

When we make a debt investment, we may acquire warrants or other equity securities as well. In addition, we may invest directly in the equity securities of portfolio companies. Our equity investments may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline significantly in value. Accordingly, we may not be able to realize gains from our equity interests, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.

Our investments are very risky and highly speculative.

We have invested materially in senior secured first lien term loans and senior secured second lien term loans issued by private companies.

Senior Secured Loans There is a risk that the collateral securing our loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely manner, may be difficult to appraise and may fluctuate in value based upon the success of the business and market conditions, including as a result of the inability of the portfolio company to raise additional capital, and, in some circumstances, our lien could be subordinated to claims of other creditors. In addition, deterioration in a portfolio company’s financial condition and prospects, including its inability to raise additional capital, may be accompanied by deterioration in the value of the collateral for the loan. Consequently, the fact that a loan is secured does not guarantee that we will receive principal and interest payments according to the loan’s terms, or at all, or that we will be able to collect on the loan should we be forced to enforce our remedies.

Equity Investments When we invest in senior secured first lien term loans or senior secured second lien term loans, we may receive warrants or other equity securities as well. In addition, we may invest directly in the equity securities of portfolio companies. The warrants or equity interests we receive may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline in value. Accordingly, we may not be able to realize gains from our warrants or equity interests, and any gains that we do realize on the disposition of any warrants or equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses we experience.

In addition, investing in private companies involves a number of significant risks. See “Our investments in private portfolio companies may be risky, and you could lose all or part of your investment” below.

Our investments in private portfolio companies may be risky, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Investments in private companies involve a number of significant risks. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and we are required to rely on the ability of our investment professionals to obtain adequate information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If we are unable to uncover all material information about these companies, we may not make a fully informed investment decision, and we may lose money on our investments. Private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their debt securities that we hold, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of our realizing any guarantees we may have obtained in connection with our investment. In addition, they typically have shorter operating histories, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns. Additionally, private companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons; therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on our portfolio company and, in turn, on us. Private companies also generally have less predictable operating results, may from time to time be parties to litigation, may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence and may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, finance expansion or maintain their competitive position. In addition, our executive officers and directors may, in the ordinary course of business, be named as defendants in litigation arising from our investments in these types of companies.

We have invested in secured debt issued by our portfolio companies. In the case of our senior secured first lien term loans, the portfolio companies usually have, or may be permitted to incur, other debt that ranks equally with the debt securities in which we invest. With respect to our senior secured second lien term loans, the portfolio companies usually have, or may be permitted to incur, other debt that ranks above or equally with the debt securities in which we invest. In the case of debt ranking above the senior secured second lien term loans in which we invest, we would be subordinate to such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company and therefore the holders of debt instruments ranking senior to our investment in that portfolio company would typically be entitled to receive payment in full before we receive any distribution. In the case of debt ranking equally with debt securities in which we invest, we would have to share any distributions on an equal and ratable basis with other creditors holding such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company.

Additionally, certain loans that we make to portfolio companies may be secured on a second priority basis by the same collateral securing senior secured debt of such companies. The first priority liens on the collateral will secure the portfolio company’s obligations under any outstanding senior debt and may secure certain other future debt that may be permitted to be incurred by the portfolio company under the agreements governing the loans. The holders of obligations secured by the first priority liens on the collateral will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of the collateral to repay their obligations in full before us. In addition, the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from the sale or sales of all of the collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the loan obligations secured by the second priority liens after payment in full of all obligations secured by the first priority liens on the collateral. If such proceeds are not sufficient to repay amounts outstanding under the loan obligations secured by the second priority liens, then we, to the extent not repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the collateral, will only have an unsecured claim against the portfolio company’s remaining assets, if any.

The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans we make to our portfolio companies with senior debt outstanding may also be limited pursuant to the terms of one or more intercreditor agreements that we enter into with the holders of senior debt. Under such an intercreditor agreement, at any time that obligations that have the benefit of the first priority liens are outstanding, any of the following actions that may be taken in respect of the collateral will be at the direction of the holders of the obligations secured by the first priority liens: (1) the ability to cause the commencement of enforcement proceedings against the collateral; (2) the ability to control the conduct of such proceedings; (3) the approval of amendments to collateral documents; (4) releases of liens on the collateral; and (5) waivers of past defaults under collateral documents. We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if our rights are adversely affected.

Our portfolio companies may prepay loans, which prepayment may reduce stated yields if capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

Our loans to portfolio companies are prepayable at any time, and most of them at no premium to par. It is uncertain as to when each loan may be prepaid. Whether a loan is prepaid will depend both on the continued positive performance of the portfolio company and the existence of favorable financing market conditions that allow such company the ability to replace existing financing with less expensive capital. As market conditions change frequently, it is unknown when, and if, this may be possible for each portfolio company. In the case of some of these loans, having the loan prepaid early may reduce the achievable yield for us below the stated yield to maturity contained herein if the capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater expected yields.

Our failure to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies could impair the value of our portfolio and our ability to make follow-on investments in certain portfolio companies may be restricted.

Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, provided that there are no restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments in order to: (1) increase or maintain in whole or in part our equity ownership percentage; (2) exercise warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; or (3) attempt to preserve or enhance the value of our initial investment.

We have the discretion to make any follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources. We may elect not to make follow-on investments or otherwise lack sufficient funds to make those investments. Our failure to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful operation. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make such follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our concentration of risk, because we prefer other opportunities, because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or because we might lose our RIC tax treatment. We also may be restricted from making follow-on investments in certain portfolio companies to the extent that affiliates of ours hold interests in such companies.

As of September 30, 2024, 12.1% of our total assets were invested in FlexFIN, our affiliate’s asset-based lending business.

This significant exposure subjects our Company to various risks associated with such business (which are identified below) to a much greater extent than companies not similarly concentrated.

Client borrowers, particularly with respect to asset-based lending activities, may lack the operating history, cash flows or balance sheet necessary to support other financing options and may expose us to additional risk.

A portion of our loan portfolio consists, through FlexFIN, of asset-based lending involving gemstones. Some of these products arise out of relationships with clients who lack the operating history, cash flows or balance sheet necessary to qualify for other financing options. This could increase our risk of loss.

12.1% of the Company’s total assets (as of September 30, 2024) are invested in our affiliate’s asset-based lending business and its activities are influenced by volatility in prices of gemstones and jewelry.

Our affiliate’s asset-based lending business is impacted by volatility in gemstone and jewelry prices. Among the factors that can impact the price of gemstones and jewelry are supply and demand of gemstones; political, economic, and global financial events; movement of the U.S. dollar versus other currencies; and the activity of large speculators and other participants. A significant decline in market prices of gemstones could result in reduced collateral value and losses, (i.e., a lower balance of asset-based loans outstanding for the Company’s affiliate.)

The gemstones and jewelry business is subject to the risk of fraud and counterfeiting.

The gemstones business is exposed to the risk of loss as a result of fraud in its various forms. We seek to minimize our exposure to fraud through a number of means, including third-party authentication and verification and the establishment of procedures designed to detect fraud. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in preventing or identifying fraud, or in obtaining redress in the event such fraud is detected.

We may be subject to risks associated with our investments in unitranche loans

Unitranche loans provide leverage levels comparable to a combination of first lien and second lien or subordinated loans, and may rank junior to other debt instruments issued by the portfolio company. Unitranche loans generally allow the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a heightened risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity. From the perspective of a lender, in addition to making a single loan, a unitranche loan may allow the lender to choose to participate in the “first out” tranche, which will generally receive priority with respect to payments of principal, interest and any other amounts due, or to choose to participate only in the “last out” tranche, which is generally paid only after the first out tranche is paid. We may participate in “first out” and “last out” tranches of unitranche loans and make single unitranche loans, and we may suffer losses on such loans if the borrower is unable to make required payments when due.

Covenant-Lite Loans may expose us to different risks, including with respect to liquidity, price volatility, ability to restructure loans, credit risks and less protective loan documentation, than is the case with loans that contain financial maintenance covenants.

A significant number of high yield loans in the market, may consist of covenant-lite loans, or “Covenant-Lite Loans.” A significant portion of the loans in which we may invest or get exposure to through our investments may be deemed to be Covenant-Lite Loans. Such loans do not require the borrower to maintain debt service or other financial ratios and do not include terms which allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached. Ownership of Covenant-Lite Loans may expose us to different risks, including with respect to liquidity, price volatility, ability to restructure loans, credit risks and less protective loan documentation, than is the case with loans that contain financial maintenance covenants.

As a BDC, our ability to invest in public companies and foreign companies is limited by the 1940 Act.

To maintain our tax treatment as a BDC, we are not permitted to acquire any assets other than “qualifying assets” specified in the 1940 Act unless, at the time the acquisition is made, at least 70% of our total assets are qualifying assets (with certain limited exceptions). Subject to certain exceptions for follow-on investments and distressed companies, an investment in an issuer that has outstanding securities listed on a national securities exchange may be treated as qualifying assets only if such issuer has a market capitalization that is less than $250 million at the time of such investment. In addition, we may invest up to 30% of our portfolio in opportunistic investments which will be intended to diversify or complement the remainder of our portfolio and to enhance our returns to stockholders. These investments may include private equity investments, securities of public companies that are broadly traded and securities of non-U.S. companies. We expect that these public companies generally will have debt securities that are non-investment grade.

Our investments in foreign securities may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments.

A portion of our investments may be in securities of foreign companies. Investing in foreign companies may expose us to additional risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These risks include changes in exchange control regulations, political and social instability, expropriation, imposition of foreign taxes, less liquid markets and less available information than is generally the case in the United States, higher transaction costs, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, less developed bankruptcy laws, difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and greater price volatility.

Although it is anticipated that most of our investments will be denominated in U.S. dollars, our investments that are denominated in a foreign currency will be subject to the risk that the value of a particular currency may change in relation to the U.S. dollar. Among the factors that may affect currency values are trade balances, the level of short-term interest rates, differences in relative values of similar assets in different currencies, long-term opportunities for investment and capital appreciation and political developments. We may employ hedging techniques to minimize these risks, but we can offer no assurance that we will, in fact, hedge currency risk or, that if we do, such strategies will be effective. As a result, a change in currency exchange rates may adversely affect our profitability.

Hedging transactions may expose us to additional risks.

We may engage in currency or interest rate hedging transactions. If we engage in hedging transactions, we may expose ourselves to risks associated with such transactions. We may utilize instruments such as forward contracts, currency options and interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors to seek to hedge against fluctuations in the relative values of our portfolio positions from changes in currency exchange rates and market interest rates. Hedging against a decline in the values of our portfolio positions does not eliminate the possibility of fluctuations in the values of such positions or prevent losses if the values of such positions decline. However, such hedging can establish other positions designed to gain from those same developments, thereby offsetting the decline in the value of such portfolio positions. Such hedging transaction may also limit the opportunity for gain if the values of the underlying portfolio positions should increase. Moreover, it may not be possible to hedge against an exchange rate or interest rate fluctuation that is so generally anticipated that we are not able to enter into a hedging transaction at an acceptable price.

While we may enter into transactions to seek to reduce currency exchange rate and interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates may result in poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged may vary. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not seek or be able to establish a perfect correlation between such hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it may not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations.

The disposition of our investments may result in contingent liabilities.

We currently expect that a significant portion of our investments will involve lending directly to private companies. In connection with the disposition of an investment in private securities, we may be required to make representations about the business and financial affairs of the portfolio company typical of those made in connection with the sale of a business. We may also be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations turn out to be inaccurate or with respect to certain potential liabilities. These arrangements may result in contingent liabilities that ultimately yield funding obligations that must be satisfied through our return of certain distributions previously made to us.

If we invest in the securities and obligations of distressed and bankrupt issuers, we might not receive interest or other payments.

We may invest in the securities and obligations of distressed and bankrupt issuers, including debt obligations that are in covenant or payment default. Such investments generally are considered speculative. The repayment of defaulted obligations is subject to significant uncertainties. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer of those obligations might not make any interest or other payments. We may not realize gains from our equity investments.

We are subject to risks associated with significant investments in one or more economic sectors and/or industries, including the business services sector, which includes our investment in our affiliate’s asset-based lending business.